A common theme of Sustainable and Local and Organic is an increasing desire by consumers to be more "connected" to their food—all with a view toward enjoying their food more. Increasing numbers of people want to have a closer relationship with their food, and the people who grow and prepare their food. They want to know what's in their food, where it came from, and who was involved along the way.
This theme is what drives the locavore movement, including farmers markets and community supported agriculture (CSAs). This theme is why chefs are becoming celebrities. The major newspaper in Yankee's territory (The Burlington Free Press) recently created a special Friday section titled Savorvore which is all about helping people enjoy their food more.
The topic of SLO agriculture is not limited to the Savorvore section. Yesterday's Burlington Free Press featured a front page article by Candace Page about CSAs: Farms embrace a new way to sell a season's worth of food. The article closes with this quote by a CSA customer, speaking about a farm two miles from my home: "People today seem to want that direct attachment to a particular farm. They drive by the farm, and their kids all say, 'That's our farm!' You can't buy customer loyalty like that."
If you like to cook and you want a closer relationship with your food, I recommend Dishing Up Vermont, by Tracey Medeiros. Even if you don't like to cook, I recommend this cookbook for the great photos and stories about Vermont farms and restaurants, all related to the Vermont Fresh Network.Related posts:
SLO Agriculture
Can SLO agriculture feed the world?
UPDATE 3/09/10: Today's Burlington Free Press features another front page article about SLO agriculture (emphasis on the "local" part): Conditions get Vermont's maple syrup producers off to a sweet start by Dan McLean. The farmer featured in the article is my brother, Bill Putnam.
