Nevada City, CA, May 12, 2009 - About a month ago, as spring was coming to Nevada County, more than seventy local organic farmers and area chefs and restaurant owners crammed into the Brunswick Basin Flour Garden Bakery for Think Local First's Eat, Meet, and Greet. The event provided the opportunity to network and learn how to make the connection from producer to preparer - from farm to table.
Family run organic farms are scattered across Nevada County and produce delicious, fresh produce, eggs, and meats. Giving local restaurants the opportunity to meet with local farmers allows each to discuss the benefits of and obstacles to bringing our local goods to our local tables.
These benefits are enormous. Local farms produce fresher, healthier, better tasting food than large, corporate farms. They keep money in our community and create and foster local jobs. Most importantly says Mike Mooers of Think Local First; "Local businesses that do their business locally are some of the components that keep our community unique." Unique communities are more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and attractive lures for tourism dollars.
Ike Frazee of Ike's Quarter Café spoke on the importance and rewards of thinking and buying locally, citing the freshness and good feelings that arise from enjoying local, seasonal food. Frazee also mentioned some of the difficulties associated with his local focus - for example he needs to write several separate checks each month instead of just one to a distributor - but made a point of noting that he not only reaches out for locally grown food, he tries to use local merchants for all of his supplies such as t-shirts, to-go containers, and printing services.
Ideas generated from the forum included creating an internet message board where farms and restaurants could communicate with one and other to find who has and who needs what and the creation of restaurant-specific farmers market.
The Eat, Meet, and Greet was co-sponsored by Nevada County Grown, Flour Garden Bakery, and Briar Patch Co-op.
About Think Local First: Think Local First (www.localfirstsierra.org) seeks to create local living economies throughout Western Nevada County by ensuring that economic power resides locally, sustaining healthy community life, environmental quality, and long-term economic prosperity. Through events, marketing of local independent business, and other educational efforts, Think Local First fosters support for the business and people that make our communities special, strong, and unique.
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