Local Food in the Greater Boston Area

It is becoming more and more popular to make a conscious effort to buy locally-grown food both nationally and in the Greater Boston area.  Many people find local food to be fresher and better-tasting because it has not spent days on a truck or airplane being transported and others choose it because of a lower environmental impact.  Local food also provides an opportunity to know more information about the food you eat, such as how it was grown or raised.  If you are interested in local food in the Greater Boston area, check out these options:

Community Gardening
Community gardening is as local as it gets.  In this scenario, you and other like-minded people are the gardeners.  Bostonnatural.org lists over two hundred community gardens in the Boston area.  Community gardens are generally plots of land (often located in residential areas) that have been turned into vegetable gardens.  Volunteer gardeners help plant, prune, and harvest the food, and as a result get to keep some.  Different gardens operate differently so be sure to do research before joining one.  The Berkeley Gardens, for example, offer dedicated spots for gardeners to take responsibility for while other gardens are communal.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Maybe you do not have time to garden on a regular basis, but you still want to enjoy local foods and support local farmers and gardeners.  Community Support Agriculture is for you.  With CSAs, you buy a "share" of a local farm at the beginning of a season.  You then either pick up a box of food or have one dropped off at your home on a weekly basis throughout that season.  Although they no longer update the site, bostonlocalvores.org contains a list of CSAs that deliver or provide food for pick-up in the Boston area.  Joining a CSA guarantees variety in your meals since the food included will change based on what is ripe that week.

Farmers Markets
Boston.com says Boston is "brimming" with Farmers Markets and provides a schedule of local Farmers Markets.  Farmers Markets in the Boston area generally occur from May or June until September or October. A Farmers Market is a place where farmers, gardeners, and other local food providers gather to sell their locally-sourced goods.  While community gardening and CSAs are mostly sources for produce only, most Farmers Markets offer a variety of meats, cheeses, oils, baked goods, and spices as well.

This is the best time of year to enjoy local food because of all the options available.  In addition to dairy and meat, Massachusetts produces many types of produce with some of the most popular being cranberries, sweet corn, and apples.  If you try any local food options this season, feel free to leave a comment!  And as always, I'm available if you have any questions about real estate or Boston in general.

 Michael Feldman

Keller Williams Realty-Boston Metro
Check Out My Website
See Boston Homes for Sale or Rent
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Connect with me on LinkedIn