Local Food Projects

Join the Wisconsin Eat Local Challenge!

Won't you spend at least 10% of your food budget on local food for 10 days?

September 5th – 14th, 2008

Local Fare has joined with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and other organizations to promote awareness of the benefits and delights to be found in consuming local food. In September, an amazingly broad variety of fruit, vegetables, meat, honey, syrup, and other unique regional products is available throughout the state. This makes it the perfect time to try spending 10% of your food purchases on food that comes from within 100 miles of your home.

Why eat local food?

• Local food tastes great! Since it’s fresh, the flavors are intact – and so are the nutrients.
• Supporting farmers in your area helps preserve the local farmland that makes our rural landscape so special.
• Spending your money locally strengthens the economy of the whole community.
• You forge a two-way connection with the producers – they can give you first-hand information on their products, and you can give them feedback.
• When your food travels fewer miles, less fuel is used for transportation and so pollution is reduced.

During this timeframe, it might be fun to create some special activities around the Eat Local Challenge. Serve local food at events you already have planned – or have a special party featuring local products! Gather your friends and family and take a farm tour or pick your own. Buy extra produce at your market and do some canning or freezing now so you can enjoy the local flavors this winter.

To find sources for your local food needs, visit the Farm Fresh Atlas at www.reapfoodgroup.org/atlas. There, you’ll be able to find farms (many offer tours to visitors or have regular farmstand hours), farmer’s markets, or specific products. You’ll also find businesses and organizations that focus on local food. The Savor Wisconsin website has a great search function too—www.savorwisconsin.com. If you want to track your local food purchases, try www.eatlocalwisconsin.com. There is much more information there too!

Local Fare is a program designed to increase access to locally grown products in Southwest Wisconsin. It promotes the connection of regional producers and consumers through stores, schools, farmer’s markets and community-supported agriculture relationships.

Local Fare is housed in the Office of Continuing Education at the UW-Platteville. For more information on Local Fare or the Eat Local Challenge, call 608-342-1314