Eat locally, save globally

Upon returning from the supermarket recently I was casually reading the label of some blue berry jam that I had purchased when I noticed that my 284 gram jar of jam had been "Made in France from local and imported ingredients". This prompted me to look at a few more products where I discovered that a good proportion of my pantry originated overseas, and even worse the ingredients all seemed to be grown in countries foreign to where the products were produced. Through a quick call to my jam manufacturer I discovered that the fruit for my French made blueberry jam actually originated in countries like Canada or Australia, or wherever the markets were good.

Then I started to think about the route of the blueberries from the farm to my toast. Most likely my blueberries were trucked from the farm where they were grown to the airport where they were transferred to a plane where they travelled up to 21322 kilometres (5525km from Canada) to France. Upon arrival in France they were unloaded from the plane and trucked to the jam factory where they were made into jam. Once converted to jam, my blueberries began the lengthy journey to Australia. Back on the truck, transferred to ship or plane, transferred to a truck, sent to a distribution warehouse, transferred to a truck and on to the shelves of the supermarket where I take them, in my car, to put on my toast.

There are huge fossil fuel requirements associated with international food transport, and the question that should be raised is: are all of the movements necessary? With the looming issue of climate change it is about time we placed a greater focus on local produce.

Living in the Penrith local government area we are blessed with a vast array of locally grown produce. By purchasing locally grown and manufactured produce you are ensuring freshness, local economic viability, and you can save the resources required to send produce to the other side of the world. So the next time you are in the supermarket have a look at where your produce is grown and manufactured. Buy Australian produce and reduce the number of kilometres travelled by your food.

In 2000 a group of local people developed Hawkesbury Harvest which promotes locally grown produce. To find out where and what local produce is available visit www.hawkesburyharvest.com.au. A great way to discover what the region has to offer is to pack a picnic and take a leisurely drive along the The Farm Gate Trail.

Another great option for purchasing locally grown produce (as shown in the photo) is to buy from local produce markets. Several markets can be found in the Sydney metropolitan area:

• Camden Produce Market: Lower John St, Camden - 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, 7am to 12noon
• Cobbitty Village Market: Cobbitty Public School, Cobbitty Road, Cobbitty - 1st Saturday of each month (except Jan & Feb), 8am to 1pm
• Fox Farmers' Market: Fox Studios - Every Wednesday, 10am to 4pm
• Good Living Growers Market: Pyrmont Foreshore - 1st Saturday of each month, 7am to 11am
• Hawkesbury Harvest Farmers & Gourmet Food Market: Castle Hill Showground, Showground Rd enter via Carrington Rd, Castle Hill - 2nd Saturday each month, 8am to 12noon
• Hornsby Organic Food & Farmers Markets: Hornsby Mall - Every Thursday, 8am to 4pm
• Hurstville Organic Food & Farmers Market: Cnr Forest Road and Durham Street - Every Sunday, 9am to 2pm
• Kings Cross Organic Food & Farmers Market: Fitzroy Gardens, Macleay Street, Elizabeth Bay - Every Saturday, 8am to 2pm
• Leichhardt Organic Food & Farmers Market: Orange Grove Public School, Cnr Perry St & Balmain Rd - Every Saturday morning
• Marrickville Organic Food & Farmers Markets: The Addison Road Community Centre, Addison Road, Marrickville - Every Sunday, 8:30am to 2pm
• Penrith Market: Penrith Showground - Every Wednesday
• Sydney Fresh Food Market: Sydney Markets, off Parramatta Road, Flemington - Every Saturday, 6am to 2pm
• Warwick Farm Trackside Market: Warwick Farm Racecourse, Governor Macquarie Drive, Warwick Farm - Every Saturday, 8am to 12noon
  

For more information on produce markets check out the Australian Farmer’s Markets Association website: http://www.farmersmarkets.org.au/.