Today's random topic is something that I just sort of started thinking about, not just today, or yesterday even, but something that has been fighting for brain cycles for a week or so now.
How can I buy locally?
Now, don't snicker meanly and point to the previous post about my new spoon knives from Mr. Orford. I realize that I bought them from a man that lives across the ocean from me. Not really local I reckon. Fair enough, but he is still a local businessman, running a local business, and I was honored to support him in that. But that isn't the point here.
There are studies upon studies that show that supporting local businesses is good for the community. A larger percentage of the money you spend stays in the community as opposed to when you buy from the big box stores. One study in 2002 reported that 44% of the money spent with a local business stays in the community, versus 14% when spent at a big box store. That's pretty significant. I love my community. If I need to spend money anyway, why wouldn't I spend it in a way that benefits the area that I live in? Well, that sounds great doesn't it? I mean we would all want to do that I think. But we don't, or we don't do it enough.
Why? Convenience is one of the reasons. Why would I go to a local butcher to buy meat, when I can go to a big box store and buy meat, and everything else on my list in one trip? I don't know, why would you? None of us have any time anymore, right? We are running here and there and time just slips away. I have to go and buy groceries to feed my family, and since I am there I can just grab some ground beef and be out the door. Yep, you sure can. Unless. Unless you really decide that buying locally is something that you feel passionate about. I really believe that I am at that point. I have passion about buying locally, and I for one, am going to look for ways to do that more and more.
Case in point, Longhorn and Lager Meat and Beverage Company. They are a local butcher shop and when I went to visit them the other day, they had cuts of meat that I had never even heard of. All cut to order, large orders, small orders, specialty meats and seafood, and a wide range of local wines and beer.
Look, this isn't a commercial for that company, but I was surprised at what I found there. I bought some breakfast sausage, 2 pounds, for $3.99 a pound. It was fresh ground, made that morning. I made a mean batch of sausage gravy and biscuits with it. When I went to the Big Box store a few days later, I looked at the sausage, and it was $2.99 for a pound. You know the kind, the tubes of sausage that are filled with preservatives and salts and sugar and things other than sausage. I won't be buying that sausage anymore, ever. If I want sausage I will go to my local butcher and get it from him. Sure, it might cost me a little more, and be a little out of the way, but one thing is for certain, I am buying sausage, and not something that tastes how sausage is supposed to taste.
I am looking for more places that I can buy local items from, the Farmer's Market opens here on May 1st, and you can bet that I will be there. Buying locally grown fruits and vegetables to feed my family.
Sorry for derailing the blog and posting about something other than my normal topics, I am sure it will happen again, you never know what is going to pop into my head.
Happy Carving everyone.
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