Slow Food Takes the Place of Fast Food

Fresh from the garden with vine-ripe tomatoes! (Photo/Ashley Strickland)

Fresh fruits and vegetables are the jewels of summer.  We look forward to strawberries and peaches in June, watermelon in July and juicy, sweet tomatoes in early August, among many other favorites.  You can find these anywhere: the big supermarket, local produce stand or even your own backyard.  And chances are, your area has some kind of agricultural gem that is available close by.

In Georgia, we produce the most peanuts and pecans nationally, along with peaches, cotton, blueberries and a wealth of vegetables coming in at a close second.  But according to Georgia Organics, a nonprofit promoter of local produce, Georgians spent a whopping $16 billion on out-of-state produce.  While $16 billion may seem like a lot, it’s even bigger when taken out of a total of $20 billion Georgians spent on food out of the entire year.  To be so blessed with fresh local produce, why are we giving all of our money away rather than refueling our own farms and economy?

This trend seems to be occurring elsewhere in the nation and it’s alarming, especially during our wobbly economic times.  I realize that states have their specialties and I take full advantage of that at the grocery store.  But I also think we should have the choice to buy products from our own state within our supermarkets.  Stores like Whole Foods and Earth Fare promote in state produce and have signs above each item listing where it was grown.  Wal-Mart is finally stepping in that direction by stocking their shelves with local selections, but the movement seems to be stalling more than it is growing.

Average Joe brands trucked across the country prevail, resulting in tasteless tomatoes, rotten peaches and mushy strawberries.  How many times have you come across a pole bean in a grocery store that actually snapped rather than bent, or tasted lettuce that had a distinguished flavor?  The longer produce has to sit “off the vine” in trucks, the more nutrients it loses, and most are picked prematurely to make it to market.

Summer is the perfect time to get into a slow food lifestyle and maintain it the rest of the year.  What is slow food?  Simple; the opposite of fast food!  Slow food promotes local farmers, local produce and local flavors.

So where can you find truly fresh produce?  It’s time to get local.  Farmer’s markets and local produce stands are a great way to be sure you are getting what you want.  The trend of going green and the economic downturn have both caused a rise in the popularity of the Saturday morning “clusters” of specialty stands coming together in a farmer’s market.  Buying farm-to-consumer ensures freshness, quality and local origin.  Most are proud to tell you where their produce comes from and they may even supply a recipe to accompany your purchase.  Besides fruits and vegetables, farmer’s markets are known to have specialty items like artisan cheese, fresh eggs and milk, honey, regional treats and baked goods.

The cherished novelty of local produce stands also yield just about anything you might be looking for and provide a great place to stop and shop, rather than the grocery store.  It’s also a great way to get involved with your community or learn about a new one, because the owners are so welcoming.  Recently, my family and I were coming back from a daytrip to the North Georgia Mountains when we decided to pull over at the Tomato House, a stand in operation for 18 years.  Popular with tourists and locals, they had every kind of food imaginable, from fresh preserves to Silver Queen corn freshly shucked a few hours before.  If you decided to camp out in the mountains and came unprepared, the Tomato House would be able to supply you with everything, including the cast iron cookware.  We came home with our bounty and ate tomato sandwiches, satisfied by a fresh-off-the-vine taste.

Another excellent option is finding a local CSA.  A CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is where farmers allow consumers to buy seasonal food directly from the farm.  In return for a paid “subscription” to the farm comes the “share,” a weekly box of produce throughout the farming season.  The boxes are filled with produce picked only about 2 hours before you arrive to pick it up or arrange to have it delivered to your house.  Some farms allow you to choose what you receive; others surprise you with whatever is available.  This is the freshest way to get nutrient-rich produce, except planting your own garden of course.  CSAs allow you to get to know local farmers and discover where your food comes from.  Organic options are out there; your state department of agriculture should supply a listing of CSAs, possibly even their specialties.

Slip into the healthy, slow food lifestyle this summer.  While a boost for the farmers, it also does a body good.

Have ideas, comments or questions for the Social Yell Blog?  Email me at Ashley@socialyell.com!  Also, follow us on Twitter: SocialYellBlog.

Ashley Strickland is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Georgia.  She is immensely pleased that the word  ”localvore” was added to the dictionary this year.