Tip of the Month: August 2015 – Eat Local Food
There’s a lot of buzz around locally grown food of late. Certainly, Michael Pollan, an organic/ local food authority who has written numerous books
on the subject, said it right when he told us that “fresh, whole foods picked at the peak of their taste and nutritional quality” is best. It’s hard to get such fresh foods if it’s from another state or even another country. If you shop at your local farmers’ market, join a CSA or gain your local food another way, you will automatically eat food that is in season from our region – when it’s most nutritious and tastes the best.
Research in 2003 by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture concluded that the average American meal travels about 1,500 to get to our tables. That’s a long trip and uses a great deal of resources in fuel, man power and time. Calculate your own food’s transport miles using the calculator at www.foodmiles.com.
Buying local supports our regional economy plus connects you with the community – wouldn’t you like to know the farmer that grows your food on a first name basis?
Cleveland has a lot to offer when it comes to local food, especially near CWRU:
If you chow in the dining halls on campus, you are already eating local food! Bon Appetit, the campus’ dining contractor, sources nearly 30% of their food locally.
The University Farm grows its own food and offers the CWRU community members Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares. Pick up
your weekly $25 bag of seasonal produce on campus on Thursdays. They offer five sessions that last through the end of October with three full sessions left this year. The University Farm also holds an annual Farm Harvest Festival to celebrate the near end of the growing season – this year on September 19.
The North Union Farmers’ Market is the closest market to campus at the UH Case Medical Center. It is also held on Thursdays at lunch time through the end of September.
Look up farms where you can pick your own seasonal produce at the appropriately Pick Your Own website.
Check out near by restaurants serving locally grown food at
- Mitchell’s – local ice cream and right around the corner in Uptown
- Spice – they even grow a lot of their produce at their own farm
- Oak Barrel – known for local beer and local food
Plus, Constantino’s at Uptown, our closest grocer, sells local food as well.
Where are you getting your next meal?
Story by Maureen Wise (edited Feb 2020 for current offerings)