The 2008 Farm to Table Buying Guide highlights
local farmers and their produce
BY SOPHIA ALDOUS
S-E Staff Reporter
With the price of food going up, how can an individual check to see if quality matches cost? Shoppers might give the Farm to Table Buying Guide (FTTBG) a try. Featuring farms from Stevens, Ferry and Lincoln Counties, the FTTBG offers the names and contact information for local farmers and growers specializing in everything from fruit and vegetables to meat and coffee.
“The goal of the guide is to promote the local food sys¬tem,” said Terry Swagerty, Small Farm Program Director. “It’s an attempt to interest people in local food sources.”
First known as the Farm Fresh Buying Guide, the FTTBG was started in 1999 by Northeast Washington Small Farm Association, and is paid for by advertisers.
There are currently 26 local farms participating in the 2008 FTTBG, which will be available this month at the Colville Library, local cham¬bers of commerce and selected retail outlets. Approximately 5,000 guides will be printed
Swagerty’s hopes for the FTTBG is that is will create a connection between farmers and consumers.
So how far does food have to go from farm to fork? Accord¬ing to a study by the Leopold Agricultural Center, the aver¬age American meal travels 2,000 miles from production to consumption.
“We all have professional people in our lives that we consult periodically, such as our dentist, our doctor, our banker, etc.,” Swagerty said. “But if you ask somebody “who’s your farmer,” they get this quizzical expression on their face like, “that’s some¬thing I’m supposed to know?”
“No you don’t have to know it, but it doesn’t hurt to know it. And the farm guide gives peo¬ple that option.”
For more information, call Swagerty at 684-2588.
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