August is Massachusetts Eat Local Month! There will be a number of events held throughout the state with partnering locations featuring local food.  On August 7th, there will also be a film screening of Forgotten Farms, a film about the New England dairy industry and regional food systems.

This month is a great opportunity to think about our local food system, and to find more ways to eat locally in your everyday life.

Eating local is a great way to help support the local economy and become more in tune with the seasons, the local region, and the particular ecosystems within which we live. In addition, eating locally helps you reduce the carbon footprint of your meal.

Ways to eat local

Farmers Markets

The Greater Boston area has a plethora of farmers markets during the region’s growing season, which spans from late May to November.

Find a farmers market near you by using this interactive map.

Join a CSA

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares are a great way to eat seasonally and try fruits and veggies that you might not see in a grocery store. Through a CSA, consumers can purchase their produce directly from farmers through a season-long share. Every week, members receive a box of sustainably-grown, seasonal produce.

Because CSA members purchase their share ahead of time, farmers are supported financially to purchase the supplies they need to grow crops.

New Entry Food Hub CSA, has a CSA pickup location on the Medford/Somerville campus, at the Latino Center. Pickup occurs every Tuesday.  New Entry, an initiative of Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, helps beginning, immigrant, and refugee farmers gain business and farm production skills and access to land, markets and other resources necessary to start a viable farm business.

Sign up for a fall share here.

Buy local at your grocery store

You can find local produce at many grocery stores. Next time you’re at your neighborhood grocery store, look out for the “local” label, and see if you can find produce from the surrounding region.

Sustainable Eating

Pair eating local food with some of our other tips below to be a sustainability superstar! (Click on the image to view the PDF with active links!)