Food

Where does our food come from?

Who is your farmer? Not long ago most Americans could answer that question. Now most people laugh at the question. Buying locally raised food has numerous advantages over buying food at a supermarket.

Local food is fresh. Most fruits and vegetables at a grocery store spent one to two weeks traveling from the field to the market. Truly fresh food tastes better and may be more healthy.

Local food supports communities. Since 1935 the U.S. has lost 4.7 million farms. Buying local keeps money circulating in your community rather than sending it away. You can also develop relationships and strengthen your connection to the land by getting to know your farmers.

Small farms are more likely to try to raise food naturally or organically. The reduced chemicals and nutrients prevent water pollution. Making informed food choices goes a long way toward protecting water, communities and food supply.

Excess fertilizer, along with pesticides and herbicides, washes off agricultural land and into waterways with every rainstorm. Huge CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) hold 50% of American livestock on 5% of the feedlots. A typical large CAFO has more than 5000 cattle producing 60 to 100 pounds of manure each day. This concentrates an enormous amount of waste in a small area and creates potential for disaster.

In 1995, an 8-acre lagoon spilled 25 million gallons of hog waste into a U.S. river resulting in the death of 10 million fish. Large incidents like this are uncommon, but hundreds of sizable spills are reported annually, and major spills or leaks have been reported in a dozen states. If not handled properly the nutrients and pathogens from 350 million tons of waste can make it into waterways.

Reducing our consumption of meat, looking for produce that uses less chemicals and fertilizer, and buying local food are important for protecting our water from pollution and ensuring a sustainable food supply.

Supporting water education and sustainable water use in Maine.

The Pathways office is the hub of Chewonki's leading-edge environmental sustainability, conservation, and energy curriculum. Pathways develops materials and demonstration projects on a wide range of topics and shares its expertise with educators and students. Pathways also oversees the implementation of sustainable practices on the Chewonki campus in Wiscasset, Maine.