Jan

4

Going Local.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

January 4, 2008 |

I’ve been known to drive friends, my wife, and even my parents crazy when visiting a different state or city because I insist on doing as much as possible that’s local. My father, at least, has a similar preference, and has even occasionally said that he won’t eat at any restaurant that has more than two locations. I like to go even further: I want to get to know the place I’m visiting, to go local, to see and experience things I can’t do at home. I knew there was a movement of people who use primarily locally grown foods, but I didn’t realize just how far it went until the New Oxford American Dictionary chose “locavore” as its 2007 word of the year.  As explained on the Oxford University Press blog, ”Locavore” was coined two years ago by a group of four women in San Francisco who proposed that local residents should try to eat only food grown or produced within a 100-mile radius. Other regional movements have emerged since then, though some groups refer to themselves as ‘localvores’ rather than ‘locavores.’” There are people obsessed with making sure every single ingredient in their food is produced locally. How far does this go, exactly? Am I going to have to plant banana trees and sugarcane in my backyard? Hopefully if I dig a deep enough hole to find some salt deposits. Actually the Locavores aren’t that specific, giving preference to locally produced foods, followed by organic, then family farm, then local businesses, then terroir, which means “taste of the Earth”, and refers to foods produced in a specific region. It’s a pretty groovy idea.

Previous words of the year are “carbon neutral” for 2006, and “podcast” for 2005.


Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. Missy on January 10, 2008 2:11 pm

    I too have been hearing alot lately on “locavores”. It is all the rage in many big cities or progressive towns.

    I think that eating and buying locally is an extension on the green/global warming movement. Many folks are taking to heart how important it is to sustain local companies, local economies, and also to really conserve. Which is what locavores are all about. It is NOT just a fad, it really matters, and makes a difference.

    It is easier to be a locavore in certain areas than others, but with time, it will be a more mainstream path. I think its cool that New Oxford picked locavore as word of the year, it brings more exposure to it.

    Missy.

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