Ethics of Eating Locally

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Ethics of Eating Locally Raised and Grown Food

For many years I was a vegetarian because I was opposed to the way that commercially-farmed animals were treated. The problem was that when I was vegetarian, I was always sick, and the low-fat diet that when along with vegetarianism didn't support my mood.

So, for a while, I simply ate organic meats, milk, and eggs which helped my physical and emotional health, but I still felt some unease with the conditions associated with the larger organic farming practices.

As I began to read about organizations like Slow Food, and Weston A. Price Foundation, I discovered that there was an alternative to eating commercially-raised food. It requires a bit more effort initially, but in the long run it rewards you with the freshest food available. I feel comfortable with the ethics of eating locally as well.

I became a LocaVore

A "locavore" is someone who eats the vast majority of their foods from local, known sources, and in my case, with an emphasis on organic.

The benefits of eating this way are numerous. Econonmically, I support local farmers who have been financially devastated by commercial farms. This is ecologically sustainable, as travel requirements are considerably less, using less energy and resulting in fresher food for the consumer.

Additionally, using no pesticides is better for the earth, the farmer (who doesn't have to be exposed to pesticides repeatedly) and for the consumer.

And in terms of ethic treatment for animals, smaller farms allow their animals to have the life they are intended to have: cows graze out on pasture, and walk about freely; chickens are truly free-range, and pigs are also allowed to roam freely. They aren't given hormones in order to produce more milk, and because they are free to roam and eat their intended diets, they are healthy and do not require antibiotics.

I've weighed out the moral issue of eating animals with the tremendous nutritional benefits my family has gained. My children are healthy and have never required antibiotics when they become sick -- they recover quickly and don't develop chronic infections. I've chronicled my recovery from depression on this website, largely due I believe, to the inclusion of fats and nutrients found exclusively in animal foods.

We practice mindful eating, and offer gratitude for the animals who have sacrificed their lives in order that we may eat this way.

For us, eating meats from small, local farms has been a middle ground that we feel good about.