I don't ever remember not having fresh vegetables from my own garden, my neighbors or from family and friends. I know it is all the rage to buy and consume local products now, but it always has been in our community. I guess that is just part of the rural lifestyle in North Carolina. We had to buy local. That was our only option, unless you went into to town to the State Farmer's Market, and then you were still buying local produce. I loved it then and I love it now. What a wonderful way to help stimulate you local economy and feel safe about the foods and products you are consuming.

As a child we always had a huge garden, at least one acre. This garden was a shared family garden that feed four families and a few neighbors. My grandfather, the men of the family and a few other men in the community would decide early in the year what they would each plant extra, like cantalopes or watermelons, all planting something different, but always enough to share with each other. When it was harvest time, this same group of men, their wives, daughters and all the kids would gather for the watermelon picking, digging potatoes or whatever the harvest was at that time and work together to gather the crop and then share the bounty. This was always so much fun. Especially the watermelons, because we would take a few of the first pulled melons and put them the creek to get nice and cool. Once the gathering was complete, we had a watermelon party. Everyone had watermelon and some even had a contest to see who could "spit" the seeds the farthest. Just the simple life, lived locally and consumed locally.

You know, it never occurred to any of us that the foods that we consumed from our gardens or any garden in the community was contaminated, because it wasn't! Everyone was and is trusted as a family member, neighbor or friend. I think being a localvore is still a really good idea. Your local farmers are not interested in making quotas for the big box grocerers. They are more interested in producing a quality product for their family, friends and local buyers. I am sure it never occured to them to use substandard fertilizers or contaminated water to water the crops so they can make their buyers deadlines. Mass production is not a quality of local produce, making the localvore a wise and more healthful shopper.

There are so many options for the localvore. Most small towns have a fella in his pick up truck on the corner selling the bounty of his crop. I am betting he used well water or pond water to water his crop, not reclamed contaminated water, making his produce safer for consumption. I am sure it is fresher than the grocery store produce. Most times these farmers picked their produce the night before or that morning. Fresh veggies taste so much better! To top it off, you are helping your local economy by buying local.

Buy local! Localvores!