Here's a fresh idea: Buying local makes sense
Pat Ernst Dugan
September 1, 2005
"The closer the customer, the better, because that reduces the cost of transporting."

The statement was made by Greg Stringham, vice president of the Calgary-based Canadian Association of Petroleum producers. His point was that the United States should buy Canadian oil.

It's an obvious statement, but it relates most critically today to our food supply, as well as oil and gas supplies.

It's a philosophy advocated by a group of concerned culinary adventurers in the San Francisco area. These "Locovores" are challenging people to eat foods grown or harvested only within a 100-mile radius of San Francisco for one month. Their reasoning: Food transported from farther away raises costs, affects freshness and nutrition and produces less monetary benefit to local economies.

The Bay-area group determined that food travels an average 1,500 miles before it ends up on California plates. Food grown in the California breadbasket must be shipped across the country to distribution centers before it makes its way back to California supermarket shelves.

This is not so different in our area. Prattsburgh onions, Rochester pumpkins and Birds Eye frozen foods, for instance, all travel elsewhere before they return to our grocery stores.

Luckily for us, local supermarkets and produce stands realize the savings to consumers and farmers and set aside space for local produce, and even label the farm of origin. One example: Kristin Scriven's Finger Lakes Mushrooms (shiitake and portabella varieties) grown in Horseheads are sold to local restaurants and grocery stores.

Farmers markets abound and overflow with corn, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and melons this month in the height of our growing season. Buy them and enjoy the flavors and the savings.

I believe we can meet the California challenge! Each of us might have one bit of local food information that can help the cause. Tell your neighbor. As an example, Shirley Verity passed on information last week about Ithaca Soda that is served at Purity Ice Cream in Ithaca. She is researching more information on the Ithaca Soda Co.

Get into the habit of reading labels. Here are some Finger Lakes food finds you might pursue:

• Dinosaur BBQ products hail from Syracuse.

• Lively Run Goat Cheese is produced in Interlaken.

• Plainville Turkey is on Route 81 near Syracuse, with a restaurant, store and a maize in the fall.

• Sunset View Creamery cheeses, sampled in New York City along with local wines, is homegrown in Odessa.

• Wolff's Kasha and other buckwheat products originate in Penn Yan.

• Sidehill Acres goat cheeses in Candor are "udderly delicious," including its cheddar goat cheese (mail order 866/743-3445).

• Don't forget Monks Bread baked at the St. Gregory's Friary in Mexico, N.Y.

• Ever picked up a jar of Once Again Peanut Butter? It's produced by a worker-owned cooperative in Nunda, N.Y., but is usually found only at health food stores across the country. They also make Cashew and Almond Butters (888/800-8075).

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