About Food From Small Farms

Simply:  It Is Better For You

Fruits and Vegetables

According to Harvard Medical Center for Health and the Global Environment, vitamin and mineral content of fruits and vegetables depends on the specific variety of the fruits and vegetables, the production method used, ripeness, post-harvest handling, processing and packaging, storage and transportation. Most varieties of fruits and vegetables found in supermarkets are chosen first and foremost for yield, growth rate and ability to withstand long-distance transport. Unfortunately these traits which benefit national and international produce distribution often come at a cost: nutritional quality.

Small, local farmers, on the other hand, are able to grow produce of superior nutrition.  Why?

• Local farmers favor taste, nutrition and diversity over durability in transport.
• They grow a greater product diversity, which means greater nutritional diversity.
• Produce is sold right after harvest (at peak freshness and ripeness), which makes them more attractive and healthier.
• Produce handling is minimized and typically not harvested with industrial machinery, decreasing damage.
• Transportation and processing is minimized which maximizes freshness and flavor and nutrient retention.

Grass-fed Meats, Eggs & Dairy

The opinions and issues surrounding grass-fed animals are many and complex.  A study done by the College of Agriculture, California State University at Chico and published in the Nutrition Journal September 2010 concluded that grass-fed beef has a better fatty acid composition and higher antioxidant content than grain-fed cattle raised in conventional industrial farms. Grass-fed beef tends to be lower in overall fat content, and therefore calories.

Click on these links to learn more about the seasonal availability, varieties, nutritional content, storage, uses and recipes for specific vegetables, fruits and meat/dairy/eggs.