Local, “Real” Food is a gift we can give to our families.  We’ve talked about ways to include the kids in Farmers Market shopping, we’ve taken a trip down “Blueberry Lane” to local U-pick farms, and we’ve brought our experiences back here to Out of the Box Food and talked about ways to involve our kids in preparing this Real, local food.  By sharing the taste of fresh picked fruits and vegetables with our children, chances of their enjoying it grow exponentially.  When they bite into a just-picked peach, or a tomato ripened on a vine down the road, they learn to appreciate the true flavor of “Real Food” not the prepackaged, delivery truck-aged flavor of most supermarket produce.  True apples and oranges.

To further my mission to share real food education with families,  I am proud to announce, that I have joined an amazing team at Farmigo, a B Corporation founded on the belief that locally grown, organic food is healthier and more sustainable for the community and the environment.  Farmigo’s mission is to create a healthy and quality alternative to the food system by providing food directly from producers to consumers.

Right now, Farmigo is launching an on the ground “Food Communities” plan in California and New York/Connecticut which will bring weekly customized “farm boxes” from a variety of local producers and food artisans directly to schools and businesses.  What makes this model unique is the ability for each individual within the community to have flexible and customized access to local, healthy and sustainable food by providing the ability to choose which foods they want in their box each week. For example – One family may choose root vegetables, pastured eggs and grass fed-beef, while another might choose salad greens, stone fruit and fresh-baked bread.  This variety of items enables more choices and less waste.

Do you live in the California or New York area?   I’d love to help you bring local farmers and food artisans directly to places you frequent most — your child’s school, your work place, a local community center — anywhere that is already a part of your weekly routine.

Near and dear to my (Children’s Nutrition Advocate) heart, is the Farmigo school-based community.   The school-based Farmigo Community will not only provide locally grown, healthier, sustainable food to families but will also open up an abundance of opportunities to help educate the both students and parents about good food choices.  Perhaps a farmer stops by to share a new crop with the kids, or a seedling farmer offers a new seedlings each month for kids to plant and grow.  The opportunities for education are endless.  The location of the Farmigo Community at school sites will help to foster the feeling of community at each school and bring real food education to both students and parents in a delicious way.

Alright now — CALL TO ACTION!  We’ve got an incredible opportunity to bring local, real food to our families and I’d love to help you make it happen!  If you live in California, New York or Connecticut please let me know!  Leave a comment here, email me on our “Contact” page — just get in touch and we’ll make it happen!  If you live outside of California or New York, please visit Farmigo.com and share your interest.  This movement is growing fast, and we want to know where you are and how we can help make local food accessible where you live.

Until next time…