Local Matters
Celebrating Central Ohio's Homegrown Grub
By Kelly Laine Abrams |
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Photo by Chris Casella Plant a seed, give it water, ask the sun to shine upon it, offer it your love and watch it grow.
The same could be said for a vision: plant an idea, water it with good old-fashioned hard work, support it with an innovative team, and watch it develop.
In 2005, a not-for-profit organization called Local Matters sprouted from a vision of a healthier Columbus. Local Matters, named by Columbus entrepreneur Jeni Britton of Jeni's Ice Cream, is the earthy love-child organization of the Greater Columbus Food Shed project and Central Ohio Chef-Grower Network. They are on a mission to reconstruct the connection between Central Ohio and healthy local food, with Michael Jones, Executive Director, as their fearless leader.
According to Jones, Columbus is faced with three main obstacles that must be overcome to achieve local-produce prominence: supply, access, and education.
"How do we go about supplying local food?" he questioned. "How do we make sure everybody gets local food, especially healthy local food, and the other [issue] is the recognition that there is such a huge educational component that's missing."
Local Matters is bridging the gap between Ohio Farmers and communities in need of local produce through an initiative called Farm to Fork.
"The program sort of functions in two ways. One is the market opportunity for farmers, but it's also kind of our hub for getting more healthy food out there" said Jones, adding that the time came for them to "put our money where our mouth is," and give farmers an actual platform to sell their produce.
So was born Greener Grocer, a produce stand at the North Market in downtown Columbus, which features not only Ohio fruits and veggies, but other local treats like Krema Nut Company products and locally harvested honey. And to make their wares even more accessible, they deliver. Sign up at their website and receive a "Fresh Market Bag" every week, packed full of seasonal goodies. Prices for the bags range from $20 to $30.
Local Matters has also widened the path to local produce with its Veggie Van, designed to drive into low-income areas in Columbus that lack a market supplying local produce, and create a "farmer's market on wheels." With disappointing results in 2009, the Veggie Van's first year of operation, Local Matters has revamped their approach and are now teaming up with Central Ohio food shelters. They will be offering the same product, but will be utilizing food shelters as a place to vend. Continuing with their emphasis on making the connection between farms and communities, Local Matters is partnering with elementary schools throughout Central Ohio to offer a groundbreaking 28-week food-education program through Child Development Central of Franklin County Head Start that is now reaching over 1000 central Ohio elementary students a week.
"There's really nothing like it in the country, and it's one of those things that we're really proud of," Jones says passionately. "There's a program out there called Food is Elementary, and the whole notion of [Food is Elementary] is really teaching children about whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables, which is really what the focus of our educational opportunities to children are."
Next time you're out to dinner, or chopping veggies from the grocery store, think about what you're eating; where did it come from? If you shopped at the Greener Grocer, or if you're at a restaurant that is in cahoots with Local Matters, you might just be able to answer that question.
Food is what Jones describes as a "common language," bringing communities together in ways that other things cannot. So how can we prove him right? Eat local!
Learn more about Local Matters and the services they provide at www.local-matters.org, and the Greener Grocer at www.thegreenergrocer.com.
Originally Published: July 1, 2010
