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Supporting local economy is simple, sensible solution
Supporting local economy is simple, sensible solutionWe recently purchased a bag of frozen vegetables at the grocery. The brand name “Europe’s Best” was emblazoned across the package in very large type. Below, in French, “Le Plasier du Gourmet” (“the pleasure of the gourmet”). Pretty picture of vegetables. Nice packaging.
Then I turned the package over and found it, way in the lower right-hand corner, tucked almost underneath a flap: “Made in China.” Europe’s Best is not Europe’s best, its’ China’s best.
I went to the company's Web site and entered “China” as a search term — “No results with this term.”
I called them three times to ask why Europe’s Best isn’t. No return calls, so far.
Then I bought a snack of “Woodstock Farms” salted pumpkin seeds in Marshall this weekend. It sported Vermont farm-looking packaging with, across the back, “Packaged in Dayville, Connecticut.”
And buried with pride between the nutritional information and ingredients? ‘Made in China.’
Everywhere you look, you see ‘Made in China.’ In fact, China is selling so much to us, it has amassed a collection of more than $1 trillion in U.S. Treasury Bills.
China is using those dollars to fuel its own consumer and technological revolution – and helping to drive up the price of every commodity in existence. Our addiction to convenient and cheap is slow economic suicide.
My family visited three farms over the last two weeks and met our food — and some new friends, as well. We purchased honey from Fern Hill Apiary of Marshall. One taste, and you‘ll experience what honey should really taste like.
We got beef and produce came from Over-the-Grass Farm in The Plains. Organic and pure, the farm supplies 100 families in the area with meat, produce and dairy. Farm Manager Margaret Rhodes’ motivation is simple: “We want to raise animals under healthy conditions and for people to have access to fresh products.” You can’t get any fresher; all produce orders are picked hours before scheduled pickups.
And from Deanna Child’s Flat Rock Farm in Orlean came pork ribs, breakfast sausage and eggs. All flavorful and fresh.
Deanna has been producing for only two years and the farm has “mushroomed into a little bit of everything.” From peaches to hogs, she likes “supplying a variety of things, making it worth the trip.”
And all at reasonable prices not much higher than factory food purchased at the supermarket. When my wife and I considered the complete cost and all of the benefits of buying healthful food locally, we actually concluded it was less expensive.
Definitely worth the trip, and your attention.
If we all converted some percentage of our purchases to buying locally, we would not only put healthful food on our tables, we would be supporting the local economy. Local farmers re-circulate that money right here, hiring workers and buying supplies.
We bought. We barbecued. We enjoyed. We helped support our local economy in a small way.
If I can get over the fact that my VERMONT Castings BBQ grill is Made in China, I’d have a better day.
Gumino is an independent direct-marketing consultant residing in Marshall. joe@fauquiergreen.com
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