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Located on the Fairgrounds south of downtown Dayton

1001 South Main Street
Dayton, Ohio  45409-2799
Phone: (937) 224-9654
Fax: (937) 224-5110
Contact us by email mont@cfaes.osu.edu or via Staff links.
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Miami Valley Grown: A Local Foods Initiative

Last modified 2008-03-24 12:28

Information on growing and buying locally produced goods.

1st Local Foods Workshop was Successful!
Over 50 persons attended our first local foods workshop on Wednesday, February 13, 2008. We're currently planning additional events and activities. Stop back for more information.

 

2nd-St-Mkt

Miami Valley Grown's Mission

Mission:  To connect local growers with local buyers.

Background:
Dan Foley, Montgomery County Commissioner asked OSU Extension to lead an initiative to help connect local food growers with local buyers. He noted that the county contained a perfect blend of urban and rural, and that it could serve as a laboratory to study how local economies "connect" in terms of food distribution. Commissioners Lieberman and Dodge are supportive as well. From an initial discovery meeting on June 28, 2007, the Miami Valley Grown team is developing a course of action that will benefit area growers, consumers, the environment and economy.

Statement of Purpose:
Miami Valley Grown will be a dynamic resource that connects local food growers, farmers, and producers with local buyers. This benefits all involved, including our environment. To accomplish this goal, we must educate our community as to the benefits of buying locally produced foods and goods. In doing so, we will “Cultivate Community” as growers and buyers meet, talk, and conduct local commerce! 

We Welcome:  Local farmers and growers (large & small; organic or not); local government and non-profit agencies (MetroParks, etc.); restaurants (local and national chains); grocers; farm markets; institutions (colleges, corrections, etc.); and all other interested parties.

Goals:
- Consumer Education –value of local foods; taste; freshness; transport costs; etc.
- Wholesale Buyer Education – local restaurants, groceries, institutions; etc.
- Grower Education – branding help; pricing help; marketing help; etc.
- WEB SITE:  Listing growers; types/amounts of crops; availability 


Why should we buy locally grown and produced foods?

  • Purchasing local products provides many benefits to consumers, farmers, and the community. Here are just some of the advantages:
  • Freshness. Fruits and vegetables are usually harvested within 24 hours of being purchased and do not contain the preservatives that are added to products shipped long distances and placed in storage.
  • Taste. Produce that is ripened on the vine has better texture and flavor than produce harvested unripe, then treated with chemicals and ripened during shipping.
  • Nutrition. Nutritional value declines–often drastically–as time passes after harvesting. When consumed fresh, locally grown produce has more nutritional value.
  • Variety. A wider variety of choices is available through local markets. Heirloom and other varieties can offer a rewarding change in flavor, compared to varieties bred for shipping and extended shelf life. Local varieties are often more suitable for canning, juicing, and baking.
  • Improving the local economy. When you buy homegrown food, you circulate your food dollars inside the county, helping all sectors of the economy. Buying locally supports diversification on our farms, enabling them to profitably produce a wide variety of food crops, not just animal feed.
  • Strengthening producer/consumer relations. When purchasing food locally, consumers can ask how the product was grown and processed, what chemicals were used (if any), and any other questions they may have. People tend to trust individuals they know, and they become repeat buyers.
  • Avoiding health hazards. Agricultural chemicals banned in the United States are still being sold to other countries, and produce grown with these chemicals sometimes is exported to the U.S. In contrast, many small-scale farmers use minimal amounts of approved chemicals, or none at all.

Source:
HomeGrown, produced by the Rural Life Center at Kenyon College; Ohio State University Extension-Knox County; Knox County Local Food Council.

Attention Farmers and Growers:

We are constructing a local directory of growers and buyers to increase “local” food consumption. We are partnering with BW Greenway. Please visit their web site… and watch for information on seminars this winter!  http://www.bwgreenway.org/


Photos:
Photos courtesy of the 2nd Street Market. http://www.2ndstmarket.com/