Locally sourced?

[*michaelsean*]

Can someone tell me why this seems to be all important? I see it everywhere, and I don't get the significance. I guess that means it's fresher, but it seems like it's supposed to be more than that.

[SunsetBengal]

I'm a fan of locally sourced White Liquor.

[*michaelsean*]

(09-02-2016, 04:24 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'm a fan of locally sourced White Liquor.

i hear the apple pie is a hit with the ladies.

[Belsnickel]

(09-02-2016, 04:20 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Can someone tell me why this seems to be all important? I see it everywhere, and I don't get the significance. I guess that means it's fresher, but it seems like it's supposed to be more than that.

There are a few reasons why things being locally sourced have been all the rage lately:

1. The freshness factor. As you mentioned, when it comes especially to produce this can play a major role in it.

2. Smaller carbon footprint. The less distance traveled from producer to consumer reduces the carbon footprint.

3. Growing the local economy. This one is really my favorite. When you spend money at a store that sources locally, or go to a farmer's market, or eat at a restaurant that sources locally, a higher percentage of those funds will stay within your local economy and circulate around.

[fredtoast]

(09-02-2016, 05:01 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: There are a few reasons why things being locally sourced have been all the rage lately:

1. The freshness factor. As you mentioned, when it comes especially to produce this can play a major role in it.

2. Smaller carbon footprint. The less distance traveled from producer to consumer reduces the carbon footprint.

3. Growing the local economy. This one is really my favorite. When you spend money at a store that sources locally, or go to a farmer's market, or eat at a restaurant that sources locally, a higher percentage of those funds will stay within your local economy and circulate around.

This.

Some people take it so far that they limit their choices to only things that can be locally sourced.  I don't go for that.  But an overwhelming majority of products can be locally sourced here where I live.  Just about everything except citrus fruit and seafood.

I have found that when I buy fruit that is not in season from the grocery store it often does not taste that great anyway.

[Benton]

(09-02-2016, 05:01 PM)Belsnickel Wrote:  

3. Growing the local economy. This one is really my favorite. When you spend money at a store that sources locally, or go to a farmer's market, or eat at a restaurant that sources locally, a higher percentage of those funds will stay within your local economy and circulate around.

This is my big thing. Not related at all, but I started griping about the lack of "locally sourced" goods in a community a few years ago. I don't know if I picked the term up somewhere and forgot about it, or what, but I think it's important to locally source as many products as you can. Food, furniture, clothing, whatever.

[jfkbengals]

(09-02-2016, 05:01 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: There are a few reasons why things being locally sourced have been all the rage lately:

1. The freshness factor. As you mentioned, when it comes especially to produce this can play a major role in it.

2. Smaller carbon footprint. The less distance traveled from producer to consumer reduces the carbon footprint.

3. Growing the local economy. This one is really my favorite. When you spend money at a store that sources locally, or go to a farmer's market, or eat at a restaurant that sources locally, a higher percentage of those funds will stay within your local economy and circulate around.

#3 is the main point.

You are helping local farms instead of giving your money to other states

[XenoMorph]

(09-02-2016, 04:20 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Can someone tell me why this seems to be all important?  I see it everywhere, and I don't get the significance.  I guess that means it's fresher, but it seems like it's supposed to be more than that.

Lets use an example...


Restraunt A uses beef from local cows so they can supply Never Frozen Hamburger Patties to their restraunts for their customers.


Restraunt B  Flys in frozen beef from Australia


Which hamburger do you want to eat? (yes this is from a commercial lol)

[*michaelsean*]

I'm assuming there isn't any strict definition of locally sourced, so can it still come from some agri-monster as long as it is within a certain radius?

[Benton]

(09-06-2016, 12:25 PM)michaelsean Wrote: I'm assuming there isn't any strict definition of locally sourced, so can it still come from some agri-monster as long as it is within a certain radius?

Definition wise, I dunno. But logistic wise, most of your corporate farms aren't at farmer's markets, working one-on-one with local grocers, reaching out to schools to provide small supplies of local fresh food, etc. They may be working with grocery stores and schools, but it's on the large scale. And most often they're doing it through some kind of large scale distribution company, so they aren't directly engaging those businesses.

In other words, you wouldn't know if they were locally sourced or not.

[Rotobeast]

I try to buy local.
I'm pretty lucky to live next to Amish country, in that respect.
I'd rather pay a little more to support my neighbors, than feed wealth to major corporations.
If the economy ever collapses, my neighbors will remember who helped support them.


Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk

[RICHMONDBENGAL_07]

I go where the best deal is, depending on what I need/want. If it's local great. If not...oh well. Small businesses can suck just as much large corporate monstrosities and vice versa. Buying local just to say you buy local...well, never mind. I'm ranting, I feel the same way about "gluten free" crap


I found a new emoticon

[HarleyDog]

(09-06-2016, 12:25 PM)michaelsean Wrote: I'm assuming there isn't any strict definition of locally sourced, so can it still come from some agri-monster as long as it is within a certain radius?

Definition of locally sourced: Anything not Walmart.

[Belsnickel]

(09-14-2016, 07:45 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: Definition of locally sourced: Anything not Walmart.

Actually, there are things that Walmart does to locally source. It probably doesn't even make up 1% of their inventory at a given store, but they do locally source some things.

[Dill]

You are a Borussia fan, Belsnickel?

[Belsnickel]

(09-14-2016, 10:20 PM)Dill Wrote: You are a Borussia fan, Belsnickel?

Yup, I am a Dortmund fan. Was searching for a German team to root for, I saw their black and gold/yellow color scheme and that Dortmund's economy mirrors Pittsburgh pretty well. So they became my team to root for in Bundesliga and other European play.

[Dill]

(09-14-2016, 11:24 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Yup, I am a Dortmund fan. Was searching for a German team to root for, I saw their black and gold/yellow color scheme and that Dortmund's economy mirrors Pittsburgh pretty well. So they became my team to root for in Bundesliga and other European play.

Lol, I hadn't thought of the color similarity. I used to be a Schalke fan, back in the 90s.

[Beaker]

Been my fave for awhile. Then this article came out. Check out who Arsenal would be:

http://www.espnfc.us/english-premier-league/story/2945651/which-nfl-team-best-represents-your-favorite-premier-league-club

Funny thing is, I have been making the comparison for awhile...longstanding manager, owner who won't spend in FA, always get out of the group stage in the Champions League, but never win the knockout games, etc. It's kinda scary.

[Belsnickel]

(09-15-2016, 11:50 PM)Beaker Wrote:

Been my fave for awhile. Then this article came out. Check out who Arsenal would be:

http://www.espnfc.us/english-premier-league/story/2945651/which-nfl-team-best-represents-your-favorite-premier-league-club

Funny thing is, I have been making the comparison for awhile...longstanding manager, owner who won't spend in FA, always get out of the group stage in the Champions League, but never win the knockout games, etc. It's kinda scary.

I don't have any Premier team I root for, though sometimes I find myself rooting for the Hammers. I sometimes see how the Blades are doing, but they're down in League One these days.

[Belsnickel]

(09-15-2016, 08:30 PM)Dill Wrote: Lol, I hadn't thought of the color similarity. I used to be a Schalke fan, back in the 90s.

Ah, that explains some things.