1.Reduce food miles by buying food close to where it is produced. Some foods degrade with travel and there are social and environmental costs of transportation too. Join a local vegetable box scheme to have fresh produce delivered to your door. To find a scheme near you, call 0117 314 5000 or visit www.whyorganic.org. and search The Organic Directory under the Get Involved section. Find your local organic suppliers by visiting www.independentquality.co.uk and searching its interactive map of the UK.
2.Shop at a farmers market giving you the chance to regularly buy fresh, locally grown produce and the chance to talk to producers. FARMA (National Farmers’ Retail and Markets Association) can provide a list of farmers’ markets in the UK; call 0845 458 8420
or visit www.farma.org.uk and click on the ‘Find a farmer’s market near you’ map. For your local farm shops click on ‘Find a Farm Retailer’ in www.farmshopping.net , the sister site to FARMA. For farmers markets in Wales visit www.fmiw.co.uk and click on ‘find a market’ or
phone 08456 106 496.
3.Eat seasonally by shopping and cooking according to the seasons, rather than buying global produce. Support local growers producing the best seasonal food. Stick a seasonal foods chart to the fridge as a reminder and look out for food-related events and festivals as part of British Food Fortnight (www.britishfoodfortnight.co.uk) from 22nd September to 7th October.
4.Look out for local products when you are at the supermarket. Look at the label to see if products come from your area, or at least from the UK. As far as possible avoid food products displaying the plane symbol indicating that it has been air freighted to the UK. Is there a local equivalent of something you were planning to buy?
5.Shop at your local butcher, baker, greengrocer or fishmonger and reduce the 80% share of the market currently held by supermarkets. Try to buy from local shops at least once or twice a week. For information on how to buy locally produced food contact The Soil Association on 0117 914 2424 or visit www.soilassociation.org/localfood and follow the link to ‘Networks in your area’.
6.Grow your own vegetables or fruit even if you only have a small garden, balcony or just a window box. Renting an allotment is another way to create space to grow your own. Contact your local authority for details of allotments near you or ask at your local library about privately-run allotments in your area. Visit www.allotment.org.uk for tips on finding and managing an allotment.
7.Dine out at your local restaurants and pubs and ask about local specialities on the menu. Team up your meal with a local beer for a truly regional eating experience.
8.Pick your own from local fruit and vegetable farms, knowing that you will be eating food that you have chosen yourself. Visit www.pickyourown.org for details of fruit farms near you.
9.Local food for schools and work. Ask the kitchen staff at your children’s school or your workplace if they will incorporate local produce into their regular menu. Maybe they could serve regular seasonal specialities using local produce and so begin to establish long-term relationships with local suppliers. For more information visit www.whyorganic.org and click on School Meals in the Family Section.
10.Home cooking. Invite friends or family around for a meal cooked using mainly local produce and perhaps you will be introducing them to foods they have not tried before.
