Eating local yields great-tasting food

Sharon schulze, of Mead Orchards, in Trivoli, N.Y., is one of many New York farmers who set up a stand each week at the New York Botanical Garden. File photo by Claudio Papapietro

Sustainable Riverdale

By Mary Bandziukas
info@riverdalenature.org

Did you ever think that oranges could be linked to asthma? California Air Resources Board projections estimate that in 2005, approximately 950 cases of asthma in the state were caused by pollution from the transport of imported oranges and other produce into California.

In a 2007 analysis, the Natural Resources Defense Council concluded that for six products that are both imported into California and grown in California, and consumed within the state, transport of the imports produced up to 45 times more pollution than transport of the locally-grown foods.

Here's a question: Why import when our local fields are ripe?

The Glynwood Center reports that the Hudson Valley has nearly 4,000 farms, ranging in size from one to 2,000 acres. New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Long Island collectively have thousands more within a 200-mile radius of New York City.

July is the beginning of the harvest season in our region. Beginning this month, many of these farms will be supplying the approximately 55 farmers markets and 58 communitysupported agriculture groups in New York City this year. Look even deeper and you will see that they are also beginning to supply more and more schools, hospitals, restaurants and even retail groceries.

Each purchase of local food reduces air pollution. But that's not all. Local purchases also keep dollars in the region, strengthening the regional economy. They assure a supply of open space for food production. They support the small farmers who are good stewards of the environment.

Strike up a conversation with a farmer at a farmers market and find out how much he or she depends on the local market for his or her livelihood. In all likelihood, the market is critical to survival of the farm. Ask your farmer about cultivation practices, and you will no longer wonder about the conditions under which your food was grown.

Local farms can grow food for flavor rather than shipping durability. Local food reaches your table in a matter of hours not weeks. Doing right by the environment never tasted so good.

Mary Bandziukas, a Queens resident, has worked for more than 15 years as an urban planner and environmental program manager. She has been a consultant with the Riverdale Nature Preservancy for the past decade.

Sustainable Riverdale appears in the third issue of the month. It is the work of the Riverdale Nature Preservancy, done in conjunction with The Riverdale Press and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Have an issue you'd like to see addressed? E-mail newsroom@ riverdalepress.com, and put Sustainable Riverdale in the subject line, or write to The Riverdale Press, 6155 Broadway, Bronx, NY 10471.

How to eat local

• Gear your produce purchases to what's in season. Check the state Department of Agriculture harvest schedule at www. prideofny.com/harvest.html to see what is available.
• Buy items that are in season and grown locally. Strawberries for dessert in January? Try pumpkin pie instead. Zucchini in March? Try carrots and parsnips instead.
• Our growing season is in full swing; shop at a farmers market near you. Markets run by Greenmarkets or Community Markets require their sellers to sell only locally produced items. You can find farmers markets in and around New York City at www.cenyc.org (go to the Greenmarkets page) and at www.communitymarkets.biz.
• Check signs and packaging in supermarkets, and ask store managers where food comes from. Food imported by air produces the most pollution.
• Join a community-supported agriculture group next year. Pay in the spring for a half-year of freshly picked produce. If a full share is too much for you, join with a friend and split the bounty. To join a CSA in New York City next year, find a list of possibilities at Just Food at www.justfood.org.
• Plant a vegetable garden. Use organic fertilizers and pest management techniques to avoid polluting the Hudson River.
• Learn how to store excess produce for the off-season. Freezing is easy; a food dehydrator is not expensive to purchase or run; jams, sauces, and chutneys are other storage options.

This is part of the July 17, 2008 online edition of The Riverdale Press.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you. Click here.