New Yorkers challenged to "eat local"
ALBANY, N.Y. -- NYS Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said, "We're asking people to shop locally, within 100 miles of home, for one day, for their meals morning, noon and night."
It's National Farmers' Market Week and Hooker, the Empire State's commissioner of Agriculture, has laid down a challenge. He wants you to take advantage of the vast amount of produce and other products grown and made right in your own backyard.
"People are very concerned about where their food is coming from. They're very interested in buying local. One of the things we'd like to end up with out of this challenge is, frankly, for people to do what Governor Paterson is doing right now and that is buying local as much as possible every day," Hooker said.
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Hooker threw down his challenge Tuesday morning at the Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany. A specialty, natural foods market, Honest Weight is a mecca of locally produced goods.
Honest Weight's Outreach Coordinator Jessica Allen-Hayek said, "Here at the Co-op we don't just have locally produced produce, we also have locally made cheeses, salsa, maple syrup. Every department here at the Co-op has locally made and locally produced goods."
The challenge for everybody to buy local this week shouldn't be a problem, especially for shoppers at the Honest Weight Food Co-op who say that's why they come here -- especially for the produce that may have come in the same day. You don't get any fresher than that.
Customer Karen Pirozzi said, "I do look for local products. I like to buy local free range eggs, chickens that got to run around, things that didn't have to travel a long way to get here."
Customer Kevin Kuenster said, "It really is about supporting local business, farmers, small families. Coming here is fun. The food tastes amazing. Don't come here because you feel obligated. It's not like school. Come here, buy a few things and taste them. You'll be converted."
And if you think you've got to go a specialty shop like Honest Weight to find local products, think again. Locally grown items can be found at all the bigger chain stores, markets and area restaurants.