November 16, 2020 in Food & Farming

Feast on locally grown food this holiday season

Thanksgiving is the official start of holiday celebrations, and even though the gatherings may be smaller this year, you can still find sources for tasty, locally grown food.

Bringing at least one locally raised or grown food to the table during the season helps your community thrive by supporting local farmers. Compared to store bought food, local farmers are less likely to use synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, which helps keep food healthy and natural.

To get you started on finding local sources, search by city on Eat Local Grown to find farms, farmers markets, restaurants and grocery/co-ops that source local food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also offers a searchable National Farmers Market Directory.

A few Kansas City organizations offer tips on easy ways to find fresh, local food. Check Kansas City Food Circle for area farmer’s markets, restaurants and community supported agriculture programs available throughout the year. The Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition and Kansas City Healthy Kids offer ideas for adding local food to every meal.

In the Kansas City/Lawrence area, here are some holiday events and farmers markets that have local meat, produce, dairy, eggs and alcoholic beverages available during the winter. It’s best to check market websites for any new COVID-19 related schedule changes. Most markets require face masks and social distancing of 6 feet or more.