Growing Local

After visiting the P-Patches and the UW farm, it seems like it would be more convenient and healthier to just grow our own foods. As we discussed in class, the local grocery store only carries one type of cauliflower. Is it because there’s only one type in the whole world? Of course not, but it is the version that is best for shipping to various locations and won’t spoil as easily. This strategy in the food business takes away from the more nutritious and better tasting varieties.

Another point that was brought up was how a plant loses more of its nutritional value the longer it’s been removed from its base. And if we take into consideration the time it takes for a truckload of produce to be shipped from across the country, or even across the ocean, by the time it get here who knows how nutritional it is? The thunderstorms and little spritz of water on the cabbages won’t be enough to restore the nutrients and minerals it lost during its journey.

Growing locally would also help pollution by reducing the amount of carbon monoxide that enters the atmosphere that’s released by the different kinds of transportation. The time spent transferring the different crops also reduces its nutrients. If everyone were to grow locally, we would even be able to just walk outside and collect ingredients for dinner.

Different parts of the country and world import and export the same foods, for the simple reason of variety. As mentioned in an article in The New Yorker, honey from New York is known to be stronger, spicier and sweeter. Some people prefer this taste to their local honey, thus this exchange would make sense. However, if we cut off transporting the same foods, it would be considered a luxury to have say, pineapples in Washington.

The way I see it, growing locally has many advantages compared to importing from other parts of the world. There’s also the issue of getting access to foods that only grow in other climates. Then again, that’s how it was back then.