June 23, 2008 issue
Rural and urban, local food idea grows
By Celeste Kennel-Shank Mennonite Weekly ReviewBoxes and bins of tomatoes, asparagus, rhubarb and spring onions line a shelf at Kauffman’s Fruit Farm and Market in Bird-in-Hand, Pa. Labels read, “Lancaster County Grown” and “Locally Grown.”
Rachel Hershberger, right, instructs Veloris Hess on how to keep track of baskets for Faith Mennonite Church at the Goshen (Ind.) Farmers Market. — Photo by Celeste Kennel-Shank
Norman Kauffman, one of five owners of the market in an Amish Mennonite family, has seen growing interest in such labels, both from tourists and residents.
“We really do sense that people are wanting local more and more,” he said.
Several years ago, the idea of eating locally and seasonally sprouted among some Mennonites who had followed mainstream society in eating whatever was available in the supermarket.
Now, the idea is flourishing among both rural and urban Mennonites through farmers markets and consumer-supported agriculture projects. Through CSAs, families give farmers cash before the growing season begins in return for a box or basket of the harvest weekly.
In 2005 Simply in Season, the third in Mennonite Central Committee’s World Community Cookbook series, reinforced the idea of eating locally and seasonally by providing recipes organized by when different kinds of produce are abundant.
In addition to buying locally, more consumers want food grown without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Some look especially for the U.S. Department of Agriculture organic certification. This requires food to be grown without antibiotics, genetic modification, growth hormones, synthetic pesticides or fertilizers based on petroleum or sewage sludge.
Kauffman has seen a growing interest in organic as well.
“In our orchards, we are transitioning a 10-acre plot to organic,” he said.
Amish and Amish Mennonite organic farmers have become a sizable minority by Kauffman’s estimate. The switch to organic is mainly, though not entirely, for economic reasons, he said.
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