| Chew on this-benefits of eating local |
 |
 |
 |
| Written by By BILL RYAN Sentinel Farm Editor | ||
| Wednesday, 28 April 2010 08:44 | ||
For those not familiar, a locavore is one who focuses on eating most, if not all, of their diet from items produced locally. On Saturday, a panel of six discussed the values of eating locally produced foods, including the taste, nutrition and benefits to your health. Chris Gajewicz, natural resources coordinator for the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department, introduced the panel which included Penny Parker, the manager of the new Farmers Market in downtown Bowling Green, and five other area farmers and producers who have locally produced produce, meat and other items available to the consumer through their farm and/or farmers markets. "In this era of box stores shipping food to us from all over the world, let's talk about supporting the community agriculture and farmers markets," Gajewicz told those gathered. "You can see our farms, see what we grow, and see how we grow," Parker said, speaking of her farm, as well as others who will be selling items at the upcoming downtown markets which begin May 12. Tammy Hardy of Cherry Creek Farm Country Shoppe in Pemberville, noted the greater nutritional value of grass-fed beef and eggs from free-range chickens. Noting some of the ingredients in meats and other foods, she said it shouldn't even be called food. "Once you have eaten fresh food, you don't go back," Hardy said. Lindsey Graham, owner of Omega Meats in Grand Rapids, shared the history of his business' name. "When you feed animals the right stuff, you get all the omega fats, that's where the good stuff is," Graham said encouraging those who purchase his meat to eat the fat. Like Hardy mentioned, his cattle are all grass-fed. "There is no genetically modified feed. I take pride in what I grow," Graham said. He added he feels the word organic has been watered down so he does not seek to be certified organic despite his all natural approach. Don Schooner of Schooner Farms in Weston, was one of two farmers in attendance who offers community supported agriculture shares, commonly called CSAs to local consumers. A CSA is purchased from the farm and entitles the one who purchased it to receive typically a box of vegetables or other farm products directly from the farmer in season. People can buy full or partial shares, depending on the farm. The shares can also be called a membership or subscription. It is a way to support the local farm and guarantee the consumer of receiving fresh products directly from the farmer which grows it. Schooner Farm also offers a variety of berries in season in addition to their familiar pond management items at their site. John Riehm of Riehm Farms, Tiffin, also offers CSAs from his farm and will be a regular at the Downtown Farmers Market in Bowling Green. "I have my own fertilizer factory," Riehm joked of his cows that produce the manure used to fertilize his crops. "It's all natural, there are no chemicals." Sharron Cygnor found a niche and established what she says is the only garlic farm in Northwest Ohio, Crazy Horse Garlic Farm in Holland, says all of her garlic is tended by hand and uses no chemicals. "We have to again work with nature like we did generations ago," Schooner said. "The soil has to be healthy for the food to be healthy." Parker called store-bought eggs "chemical pellets." While farm-fresh eggs may cost more, she says the taste and nutritional value is amazing. "Real eggs have double the vitamin E, half the cholesterol. They are packed full of nutrients and proteins," Parker said, adding, "They have a much better taste." "More and more people are focused on getting real food that is good for them," Schooner said. Graham summed up the discussion saying, "I tell everybody to avoid the high cost of cheap food." The panel was sponsored by the BG Parks and Downtown Bowling Green and was held at Simpson Garden Park. ---- Downtown Farmers Market: www.downtownbgohio.org Omega Meats, Reihm Farms, and others: www.localharvest.org Cherry Creek Farm Shoppe: www.cherrycreekfarmshoppe.com Schooner Farms: www.schoonerberries.com Crazy Horse Garlic Farm: www.crazyhorsegarlicfarm.com |
||
| Last Updated on Wednesday, 28 April 2010 13:16 |
Front Page Stories
| Railroad work 09/02/2010 | Sentinel Staff  CSX Transportation workers perform work on the railroad crossing on Locust Street in P [ ... ] |
Piano duo offers 'mini-orchestra' 09/02/2010 | By DAVID DUPONT Sentinel Arts & Entertainment Editor 
Valrie Kantorski was lost when she first met Ann Pope. | Other Front Page Articles | ||
Comments
RSS feed for comments to this post.