TAKING THE LOCAL
As I was shopping for the story on earth-friendly products (see tomorrow's Food cover in the Press), I made a point of looking for foods locally grown or locally crafted. I'm not talking about something made with ingredients grown hundreds of miles away, then manufactured elsewhere and sold by a locally owned business, but real-deal local fare.
One supermarket I was shopping at posted a sign touting the earth-friendly benefits of buying local goods. So I scouted this market for local products. I really looked hard and read a zillion labels. Nothing. I couldn't find anything New Jersey born and bred. I asked the folks at the courtesy counter, who told me to ask around the various departments. "The department managers will know,'' I was told. But I'd done that, I replied. Nada.
Anyway, a couple of managers were called to the courtesy counter and only one, a fellow who worked in produce, said he had anything from the Garden State. Eagerly, I walked with him to produce, where he pointed out mushrooms grown in Pennsylvania and onions hauled in from New York. "Pennsylvania and New York aren't New Jersey,'' I said. He shrugged. That's considered "local'' at this market, I was told.
I asked the supermarket's managers why they put up signs imploring folks to buy local if they didn't have one food item from New Jersey in their store. They didn't know why. One manager read the "buy local'' sign I'd pointed out and, rather than taking it down, straightened it slightly, then walked away.
Once our local farmstands and farmers' markets open for the season, I hope you'll take the opportunity to buy local. And when the locally operated large produce markets sport Jersey-grown and Jersey Fresh produce, I hope you'll patronize those farmers and food artisans rather than toting home produce from Chile and Argentina. The buy-local concept is a good one. Our supermarkets would do well by our hard-working growers to take it to heart.
Cheers,
Andy
4.17.07
One supermarket I was shopping at posted a sign touting the earth-friendly benefits of buying local goods. So I scouted this market for local products. I really looked hard and read a zillion labels. Nothing. I couldn't find anything New Jersey born and bred. I asked the folks at the courtesy counter, who told me to ask around the various departments. "The department managers will know,'' I was told. But I'd done that, I replied. Nada.
Anyway, a couple of managers were called to the courtesy counter and only one, a fellow who worked in produce, said he had anything from the Garden State. Eagerly, I walked with him to produce, where he pointed out mushrooms grown in Pennsylvania and onions hauled in from New York. "Pennsylvania and New York aren't New Jersey,'' I said. He shrugged. That's considered "local'' at this market, I was told.
I asked the supermarket's managers why they put up signs imploring folks to buy local if they didn't have one food item from New Jersey in their store. They didn't know why. One manager read the "buy local'' sign I'd pointed out and, rather than taking it down, straightened it slightly, then walked away.
Once our local farmstands and farmers' markets open for the season, I hope you'll take the opportunity to buy local. And when the locally operated large produce markets sport Jersey-grown and Jersey Fresh produce, I hope you'll patronize those farmers and food artisans rather than toting home produce from Chile and Argentina. The buy-local concept is a good one. Our supermarkets would do well by our hard-working growers to take it to heart.
Cheers,
Andy
4.17.07
posted by Andrea Clurfeld at 2:01 PM
4 Comments:
Stephen Colbert's "truthiness" reigns in the madness that is supermarket marketing - they don't care as long as they make their #s.
As far as produce is concerned, the farmers' markets and local stores (such as Delicious Orchards , Wemrock, and what's his name in Holmdel) are the true purveyors of Jersey goods...
Same with Laird's, Old Monmouth, and any of the locally based businesses whom may distribute locally...
Even the Ws and SRs of the world only get local produce in season.
Doesn't it seem illogical that more local supermarkets don't take advantange of Jersey's bounty? If anyone who works in the local supermarket industry is reading this and can explain why, please do. It seems a great shame not to promote and sell the Garden State's best.
I know that Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck, Dearborn Farms (the market in Holmdel I assume Anonymous is talking about) and Sickles in Little Silver do try to sell foods grown and made in N.J. And we're not just talking tomatoes and corn. Great cheeses are made here, maple syrup, jams and jellies, too. Wonderful specialty crops are grown locally. (The blueberries at Earth Friendly Organic Farm are the best I've ever tasted.) Yet with those few exceptions mentioned, I rarely see local produce and farm products sold on local store shelves.
That's why I make a serious effort to patronize farm markets, where these goods and goodies are sold.
Andy
4.18.07
Yes Dearborn Farms was what I meant.
I'm hopeful that as time goes by (maybe in your column) each week you can mention what's currently LOCALLY in season...or even here on the blog...
How about assembling a crew of Monmouth and Ocean county readers to chime in on what they find and where?
In my weekly Foraging column (which appears Wednesdays in the Press) I often write about whatever I find that's in season. Soon, as soon as the NJ crops start coming in, that is, I'll be focusing on those ripe-and-ready local crops. In fact, I'm checking this week on local spinach, which usually kicks off the growing season. I'm planning stories later this spring on English peas (my personal favorite) and strawberries.
Also, I've asked Bill Walker, from the state Department of Agriculture, to post on this blog with any growing news he has - and he's agreed. He and I have both reached out to Shore-area farmers, asking them to post what's in season on this blog as well. Let's hope that works out - I think it'll be a benefit for all.
In addition, I'm hoping to post about seasonal fishes - the ones caught off our Jersey coast.
Anonymous, thanks for letting me know this is of interest to you.
I really appreciate it.
cheers,
Andy
4.19.07
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