Establishing a lifestyle of eating clean is a journey made up of choices we’re faced with every day. Some are easy, while others take a little more will power and even knowledge at times. One of the biggest choices to navigate on the road towards eating clean is what kinds of foods should we buy and from where. From the second you step foot in the grocery store, there’s endless options which can certainly be overwhelming at times. Choosing the right foods that make up a well balanced diet our bodies need is one factor at play, while another is knowing where our foods come from and if the processes used to harvest those foods are also working towards healing and nourishing our bodies. One way to know for sure is to buy foods from local, organic farmers; not only does it ensure that peace of mind for yourself, but it also allows us to participate in something bigger than ourselves while at the same time fostering an appreciation for the land around us.
One of the most tangible benefits of buying local foods is simply the taste.
One of the most tangible benefits of buying local foods is simply the taste. Not surprisingly, there is actually a difference in foods that have been grown and harvested in our own “backyard” over foods that have traveled many miles down the interstate. Researchers have found that local foods actually contain more nutrients because they were able to fully ripen before they were cropped, rather than foods that were prematurely cropped for the purpose of making it to the grocery store in sellable condition. Not only that, but local farms often use either less or no pesticides at all-- which can harm our bodies.
Researchers have found that local foods actually contain more nutrients because they were able to fully ripen before they were cropped, rather than foods that were prematurely cropped for the purpose of making it to the grocery store in sellable condition.
Buying local foods also supports farmers in our own communities whose livelihood is built on serving others. In the Bozeman area, where Sageborn is rooted, Strike Farms serves as an excellent example of a farm that works towards helping it’s community through producing local produce year round. They’re an organic vegetable farm that cares deeply about producing healthy, locally farmed vegetables accessible to everyone in their community and doing so in the most responsible way possible, being mindful of the ecological footprint they’re leaving for generations to come. Not only that, but Strike Farms partners with various organizations around the community that are doing wonderful things to help others such as the Gallatin Valley Food Bank as well as various schools in the valley. Strike Farms gives back to the community around them, but at the same time they also create a sense of community that welcomes all people. While the grocery store is a great place to find produce from local farmers such as Strike Farms, farmers markets allow for the opportunity to buy foods and meet those who are behind the process of getting you your produce. Strike Farms also allows for the option of those in their community to sign up for a member box where they’re able to pick up a full box of fresh, in season vegetables every week to take home, either from a spot in town or at the back door of their farm.
The incredible truth is that when you choose to buy from local farms such as Strike Farms and others alike, you’re supporting a cause that is much bigger than simply buying delicious foods (although we’ve already established that’s a great added benefit). You get to support all the wonderful things that local farm is doing around the community and become apart of it in a small but meaningful way.
But when we know where our foods were grown and harvested, it allows for more room to be mindful -- and thus thankful -- for the land and soil that made it possible to eat the food in front of us.
Knowing where our food comes from also cultivates a connection to the land in a unique and unexpected way that often is counterintuitive to our busy culture. When we walk into the grocery store and pick out foods without thinking about or knowing where they came from -- we risk an appreciation of what’s in front of us being lost. But when we know where our foods were grown and harvested, it allows for more room to be mindful -- and thus thankful -- for the land and soil that made it possible to eat the food in front of us.
Recommended Daily Ritual:
Next time you’re at the grocery store, do a little extra research to find out where the food you’re holding came from. For a little at-home experiment, compare the taste to produce farmed locally and see if you can taste the difference.
And, remember, eat fruits and veggies every day either in a smoothie, juice or meal. You're skin will thank you.