The Post

Visit http://www.niagara.edu/earth-day/ for more details.  

How is localvorism defined?  Consider the following dinner:  shrimp on the grill with peppers, pineapple, and basted with coconut milk, some nice mahi mahi, a bed of quinoa, a side helping of asparagus, a salad of microgreens and Romaine lettuce, and for dessert a slice of rich dark chocolate cake with an icing containing macadamia nuts and sliced almonds.  So where did your meal come from?  Those shrimp most likely came from southeast Asia, the peppers could have come from California, but just as likely Mexico.  Pineapple may have come from Hawaii.  Coconut could be from Florida. The mahi mahi is from some tropical ocean, perhaps the Florida Keys.  Quinoa is most likely from South America.  The asparagus could be from a southern state for now.  The microgreens may have been grown in a greenhouse in the midwest, the Romaine lettuce is probably from California.  That chocolate is from Central/South America.  The macadamia nut can be grown in California, but it originated in Australia.  And the almonds most likely came from California.  Wow, your food sure does have a lot of frequent flier miles. 

Is this healthy meal explained above good for the environment?  The cost of fuel used for transportation adds up, but what is the alternative? A resurgence in eating food grown locally has occurred across the U.S. by many concerned about the true cost of their food.  Support for local farmers has grown.  Not only is their produce and products fresh, but varieties that may be too fragile or too short-lived to be shipped long distances can be found there.  Specialty items can also be found not available anywhere else.  Some of the larger grocery stores have begun to expand their local offerings, and there are numerous farmers’ markets in WNY.   And money used for local items does help to sustain the economy, which is another important point.  So go out, but not too far, and buy local.  Talk to one of the largest fruit farmers in the area, James Bittner, and his wife Margo, who operates Marjim Manor Winery, on Wednesday, April 22, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., in the lower level Gallagher Center.