Co-ops Prepare for August 'Eat Local, America!' Challenge

The Wedge, along with other Twin Cities area natural food co-ops, is planning to celebrate a bountiful harvest and the producers who make it all possible later this year. How? By challenging their members, shoppers and community residents to make a concerted — and fun — effort to eat local food during the entire month of August as part of a national initiative called Eat Local, America!

The reasons to eat local food are as plentiful as the varieties of peak-season local produce available in August: Local food is fresher, it travels a shorter distance from the farm to your dinner table, purchases support family farmers as well as the local economy, and — let's face it — food grown close to home just tastes better.

Topping the list of activities is an August 1 tour of one of the area's oldest organic vegetable farms, Gardens of Eagan, and one of the area's most prominent grass-fed cow dairy farms, Cedar Summit. The guided tour is offered at a price of $25 per person, and includes transportation to and from a central pick-up location and a boxed lunch. Space is limited to 55 people and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve your space, contact Lauren Zamorano at lauren.zamorano@ncga.coop. Sign up soon, as space is limited.

Other activities are still in the works. Look for up-to-date information periodically on our website, at www.twincitiesfood.coop and in the July/August of MIX.

And get ready to Eat Local, America!