Action of the Week: August 5, 2024: Finding Sources of Great Food

“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.” ~ Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

For Solari’s Action of the Week, we again underscore how important it is to prioritize the sourcing of local, nutritious, and preferably organic food. Whether you take advantage of the convenience of online ordering with doorstep deliveries, or visit nearby farms and farm shops, or frequent farmers markets, there are plenty of avenues for obtaining great food.

Supporting small growers and distributors directly benefits them and also allows you to establish connections within your local community. In addition, the rise of various online vendors specializing in fresh and healthy produce provides a wide array of choices.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has gained popularity over the past 25 years as a method for consumers to purchase local, seasonal food directly from farmers. The concept involves farmers offering a set number of “shares” to the public; consumers purchase a membership or subscription and typically receive a weekly box of vegetables (and sometimes other farm products such as meat or eggs) throughout the growing season. The CSA mechanism benefits both farmers and consumers by creating a direct relationship that provides fresh, seasonal produce and other farm products to consumers while supporting local agriculture and sustainable farming practices.

Here are some resources worth knowing about:

For readers in the U.S. and Canada, Edible Communities highlights and supports the work of farmers, chefs, food artisans, while also offering information on local farmers markets and related food providers.
The Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF), which promotes a nutrient-dense diet (see dietary guidelines here), offers numerous resources. WAPF has chapters in 28 countries and relies solely on member contributions for support.
Outside North America, organizations worth exploring include the biodynamic Tablehurst Farm in the UK, the online Hofweb in the Netherlands, and Doorstep Organics in Australia.

We encourage you to draw inspiration from the information and organizations provided here, and we welcome your feedback regarding excellent resources in your local communities or exceptional online services. Our subscribers always have the best sources; please do share them with us!

Find Nutrient-Dense Foods (Weston A. Price Foundation)

Edible Communities (U.S. and Canada)

How to Find the Right CSA (U.S.)

Tablehurst Farm (UK)

Hofweb (Netherlands)

SOLAWI – Solidarische Landwirtschaft (Germany)

Doorstep Organics (Australia)

Where to find bags of fresh fruit and vegetables straight from the farm (Europe)

Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)

Related Solari Reports:

Action of the Week: June 17, 2024: Connecting with and Nurturing Sources of Healthy, Local Food

Finding Sources of Fresh Food