More and more associations exist to eat locally on a daily basis. And contrary to popular belief, eating local does not ruin our wallet. AMAP, websites and gardens of plenty, beehives, PVC are shaking up received ideas!
I have been trying for 2 years to eat as locally as possible and to become what is called "a locavore". Eating local is above all to favor the products of our neighboring farmers and breeders but also to make sure to buy high quality and organic products that will not have toured the planet before arriving in my plate.
Only, in practice, it is not so obvious. In conventional supermarkets, the choice and supply of local products is very limited. Here is a non-exhaustive panorama of simple solutions to eat regionally and save your finances.
I joined an AMAP (Association for the Maintenance of Peasant Agriculture), 2 years ago now. So I made a commitment (despite my limited means as a student) to buy vegetables from a producer in my region.
Every week, I get a basket of vegetables and seasonal fruits and, even from time to time, cheese or other animal products. It allows me to eat healthy, but above all to rediscover vegetables that I was not used to eating.
Les jardins de Cocagne, it's the same principle but in a more united way. People in professional reintegration cultivate organic-labelled vegetable farms.
No, I am not suggesting that you legitimize plastic, but rather collective points of sale. These are groups of local producers who ensure the permanence of small community stalls of their products.
To support this very nice little business and find out which PVCs are closest to you, just contact the chamber of agriculture, which will guide you.
In the same spirit, market gardeners are taking over station platforms in Ile-de-France to sell their crops directly. You will recognize them under the term "Transilien fresh baskets". Parisians, I'm sure you've already seen them.
Creating your hive means creating your own network made up of neighbours, friends, family, but also producers in the region, then transforming your garage (or any other place) into a sales relay point on an ad hoc or regular.
The laruchequiditoui.fr site team will help you set up your hive, find producers and train you in the management of such a hive. Everything happens on the Internet practically and it's very convenient.
To eat organic and cheaper, you sometimes have to get active too. The "straw hat" network offers to come and shop by picking or picking up "shopping" directly from local orchards, gardens and vegetable patches. And the kids love it!
Let's get together to eat better and eat right!
If you know of other associations or organizations for eating local, do not hesitate to share the concepts and links in the comments.
