What is Local?

In keeping with Cascade Harvest Coalition's mission, our Eat Local for Thanksgiving campaign "defines" local as food grown, raised, fished, foraged or produced in the 12 counties which make up the Puget Sound region.

However, there is a lot of room for debate about what constitutes "local," with many variables at play: i.e. physical proximity, affordability, relationships and seasonality. Over the years, we've watched as "local" has been co-opted to support marketing efforts without the benefit of looking at things in their whole context.

For consumers, defining local can be about what foods to eat according to taste, knowledge or principle. For one household, local may be the equivalent of fresh, healthy and organic. For another, local may be concern over how much oil is consumed in transporting food. And for another, it may be allegiance to community. These are all good reasons.

In encouraging people to eat local, we are encouraging them to think about their food choices and how they affect the health and wellbeing of our communities, economies, and environments. We are fortunate to live in a part of the country where eating local addresses all of these concerns at the same time!

For example, purchasing winter squash from Carnation's Oxbow farm invests in our local economy, in a crop naturally supported by our climate and environment, and in the success of Oxbow's young farmers and the Puget Sound farming community. Not to mention the added benefit of something that tastes amazing! Simply put, everyone wins.