Bring Biodiversity to Your Table

by Nova Wetherwax - Community Market's Produce Manager 10/1/09

In the last several years, “local” has become the buzz word for the most ethical consumer. Buying local produce, either at your neighborhood farmer’s market or from produce retailers, supports the local farming community, your local “food shed”. Beyond the economic, environmental and health benefits, buying local produce supports alternative varieties of food as well.

Even in the Certified Organic produce industry, fruit and vegetable varieties are selected for their ability to survive being picked, packed, shipped and stored. This system excludes some of the most delicious, beautiful and nutritious varieties, simply because they do not survive the harvest and distribution process that takes the food from the farm to the grocery store.

When we buy locally grown produce, we are supporting an economic niche for those varieties that are excluded because they are too fragile to pack and ship. This helps to ensure the biodiversity of our farms, and the passing down of heirloom varieties. As our climate and water resources change, it is highly important that we have the access to and knowledge of a broad variety of crops, so that we can adapt and maintain our vibrant local food shed.

Many of the local farmers we feature in our produce department grow heirloom varieties of not only tomatoes (which are the most common and popular) but summer and winter squash, potatoes, lettuces, beets, leeks, herbs, cucumbers, stone fruit, apples, figs and more! The more we seek out biodiversity from our local farms, the more we support our future ability to grow and eat close to home.

Here are a few local growers and the varieties they harvest:

Jose Perales, Sebastopol: Winter squash, chili peppers
Jim Leonardis, Lakeport: Purple beans, Heirloom Zucchini and Cucumbers, Lemon Basil
Bonnie Pitkin, Healdsburg: Gravenstein, Jonathan and Greening Apples
Shone Farm, SRJC, Forestville: Armenian Cucumbers, Athena Cantaloupes, Sugar Baby Watermelons
George Quivera, Sebastopol: Red and Green Oakleaf Lettuce, Little Jem Romaine