How is Local Farming Beneficial?
Local Farming provides many benefits, which includes:
-
Reducing greenhouse gases
-
Improves the environment
-
Fresher, nutrition rich foods
-
It's often pesticide free
-
Stimulates the local economy
-
Education to younger generations on importance of local farming
Girl Scout Gold Project:
Perennial Herb Garden
Reduces Greenhouse Gases:
- Shortened transportation of corps results in lowered fossil fuel use and less greenhouse gas emissions.
- Also, many local farms do not use traditional farming methods to operate their farm. Traditional farming practices damage healthy soil, use a harmful amount of pesticide, and contributes to global warming.
- "Rich Pirog, senior associate director of the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems, found that conventional food distribution was responsible for 5 to 17 times more CO2 than local and regionally produced food." How Green is Local Farming
Improves the Environment:
- Local farms grow crops seasonally. This allows for the soil to absorb different nutrients all year round; therefore, creating fertile and healthy soil. Furthermore, growing crops in-season promote seasonal eating, which is better for the environment compared to buying not in season foods.
- "In addition, local farms often use sustainable farming practices that are better for the environment. When you buy from local farmers, you can be sure that you're getting the freshest food possible while also supporting a healthier planet." Supporting Local Farms - Why It Matters and How You Can Help
- "Seasonal eating is a sustainable way of changing your diet that has health advantages. This lifestyle encourages you to only eat fruits and vegetables that are in season for your geographic area..." What to Know About Seasonal Eating
- "Growing food outside of their natural season only works when humans artificially create seasonal weather conditions. The fossil fuels (nonrenewable energy) and large amounts of water needed to do this have a negative impact on the environment. Growing crops seasonally doesn’t require these resources. For example, compare recreating summer heat during the winter to grow summer crops instead of using only the heat from the sun. Seasonal growing requires much less energy." What to Know About Seasonal Eating
Local Farming is Helpful and Valuable
Protecting Local Farming
Organizations like Rockland Farm Alliance are trying to protect farmland that provides food for many people. The population of humans on Earth is increasing by the year, but the amount of farmland is decreasing per year.
"According to the American Farmland Trust, farmland is being lost to development at a rate of 3 acres per minute. That's why it's so important to support farms that are working to keep land in agricultural production. When you buy from your local farm, you are helping to preserve open space, reduce pollution, and protect our natural resources." Supporting Local Farms - Why It Matters and How You Can Help
Learn more about protecting farmland:
Created by: Victoria Foxton, Girl Scout from 2011-2023
Address
Rockland Farm Alliance &
Cropsey Community Farm
220 South Little Tor Road
New City, NY 10956
Follow
This website was published in 2023
©2023 by PWR.
Created on Editor X.
Created by: Victoria Foxton, Girl Scout from 2011-2023
Promote Local Farming
Follow
This website was published in 2023
©2023 by PWR.
Created on Editor X.
Address
Rockland Farm Alliance &
Cropsey Community Farm
220 South Little Tor Road
New City, NY 10956
Did You Learn Something New? Let Us Know Through This Survey
What is Local Farming?
Local Farms are usually smaller than national farms. Local Farms are also within the community of which their food is produced and sold. "Many people consider food produced within a 100-mile radius as local. Local food is sold at farmers markets, roadside stands, U-pick operations, through community supported agriculture, Farm to School programs, and food hubs that distribute food to restaurants, hotels, etc." How Green is Local Farming
Fresher, Nutrition Rich Foods:
- The food purchased from local farms are often fresh because of the close proximity to the fields where they were grown.
"Organic farming boils down to 'managing healthy soil,' Swartz said. 'A healthy crop is actually a byproduct of healthy soil.' 'Secondly,' he said, 'the closer that you can eat a vegetable to its time of harvest, that means it has higher nutrient density -- which is also closely tied to its flavor.'" How local, organic farms help the environment and you, according to a farmer
It's Often Pesticide Free:
- Local farms typically use less pesticide compared to industrial farming. This is because local farming usually practices sustainable farming, and local farms generally have a smaller amount of crops than industrial farms.
- "Small farms also more readily adopt environmentally friendly practices. They often rebuild crop and insect diversity, use less pesticides, enrich the soil with cover crops, create border areas for wildlife, and produce tastier food..." How Green is Local Farming
Stimulates the Local Economy:
- Buying foods from local farms benefits the local economy because more of the money spend will stay within your community instead of going to a business outside of your community.
- "Local farms provide fresh, healthy food to the people in their community. They also create jobs and support the local economy. For example, a recent study found that every dollar spent at a farmers market generates about twice as much economic activity in the local community as a dollar spent at a supermarket." Supporting Local Farms - Why It Matters and How You Can Help
