So a few weeks ago, I was exploring (via Twitter), the notion of local food. Much of the discussion around local relates to geographic proximity (i.e less than 20 miles away, in the same county/state/country, etc). I was reading an article today from the Polyface Farms newsletter, and it suggested an alternative definition of local that makes a lot of sense:
Like the word organic, local has certain connotations. It means your business is local. That the president lives in the community. That you don’t bring in undocumented foreign workers. That you allow visitors. That your scale is neighborhood friendly. Get the picture? It’s more than just how many miles from kill to plate. Joel always says: “The way to certify for organic is to look at the farmers’ bookshelf and magazine rack. It’s about a perception of life and worldview.”
That’s the best definition of the local term that I’ve heard yet. However, the problem with the term is that large marketers are starting to co-opt the term ‘local’ just like they did with the word ‘organic’. If a restaurant buys Tyson chicken that happens to come from a local Tyson processing plant, should they really be allowed to call that “local”?
So given that both ‘local’ and ‘organic’ are tainted, what is the alternative? Joel Salatin of Polyface goes on to say:
So let’s start using transparent. As you all know, Polyface has a 24/7/365 open door policy. If you think we’re doing something you wouldn’t like at 2 a.m., you’re welcome to come out and see. Don’t wake us up, but you’re welcome to visit.
I liked this term so much that we’re going to start using it instead of or in addition to the term local. I can’t say that we’re organic without submitting government forms and paying to have an inspector come out. The more time goes on, the less interested I am in even being certified, because the reality is that we are doing much more than a minimal set of government standards would require… I’d rather just be completely transparent so that our customers always know exactly what we’re doing and why.
So how about “Franciscan Family Farms – local, clean, and transparent”?
We are going to grow some tomatoes this summer for self-consumption and for friends. The tomatoes will obviously be local, but those friends are not necessarily invited to come in my house and study my bookshelves. As a result, I am adopting an even newer term: “translucent” heirloom tomatoes.
Let’s not give up on “local” just yet. How about “local and transparent”? Sort of gets the message across, and takes a shot at those misusing the term.
I worry a bit about the 20 mile definition, however. I live in the rural west. I drove 300 miles yesterday, one way, to pick up some things I couldn’t get here in town. I thought I was being local. And if I stick to really local food, I’m going to have to re-establish my large garden (which I’d love to do), but which I haven’t had time to do in several years, darn it.