Local & Regional Products
The Concord and Kearsarge Co-op stores believe in a strong local and regional economy based the relationships between producers and consumers. When we eat food from nearby farms, we reduce the amount of fossil fuel used in transportation. Transporting a single calorie of perishable “fresh” fruit across the country from California takes 87 calories worth of fuel. Purchasing from the Co-op keeps more money within the local economy and builds community. The Co-op works with approximately 250 New England farmers and vendors, many of which are right here in New Hampshire so that we can offer more than 1,000 products grown or made right here in New England. So there are lots of products to choose from that can help you eat more foods that are locally or regionally produced.
Download Our Co-op Eat Local Resources
- Co-op Local & Regional Vendors List (updated 3/12/12)
From fresh produce to eggs and meat, body lotion to toilet paper, flour to beans, and ice cream to pet toys, you'll be amazed at the selection!
Note: Store product availability and brand information changes regularly.
- Co-op Guide to Seasonal Produce
- Co-op Eat Local Recipe Booklet
- Resource List & Field-To-Fork Facts Handout
Did You Know? For Every $100 You Spend...
at the Co-op, $70 stays local and is reinvested in our community
at an independently owned store, $60 stays local
at a chain store, only $20 stays local
at a big box store, a dismal $6 stays local
at an online store, $0 stays local
(Small Business Administration, Rocky Mountain Institute, Be Local Concord, and Co-op Administrative Offices)
Why Local Food? Field-to-Fork Facts
Just how far does your food travel? Most likely, it travels much further than you realize. What are some of the benefits of eating local? Check out these farm-to-fork facts about local and non-local foods:
- Local foods usually are allowed to ripen on the vine for longer, increasing the plant’s nutritional value. (Harvard Center for Health and the Global Environment, 2010)
- Smaller family-owned farms typically reinvest more into the local economy by purchasing goods and services available within their region, rather than through large bulk distributors outside the region. (Worldwatch Institute, 2002; Sustainable Table, 2010 & Environmental Health Sciences Research Center, University of Iowa, 2003)
- Farmers who sell their produce locally are more likely to choose fruit and vegetable varieties for their superior flavor rather than for their durability for travelling long distances. (Harvard Center for Health and the Global Environment, 2010)
- Buying local products gives farmers an incentive to diversify their offerings, rather than focus on a single crop. Diversified fields help protect the environment by producing crops that are more resilient against pests, extreme weather and disease. (Harvard Center for Health and the Global Environment, 2010)
- Processed food in the United States travels more than 1,300 miles on average to reach consumers. (National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, 2008)
- On average, produce travels more than 1,500 miles from the industrial farm to the plate. (National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, 2008)
- On average, an American meal usually consists of ingredients from five different countries. (Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 2007)
- Typically, non-local food spends seven to 14 days in transit to reach American consumers. (Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 2007)
- Ten percent of all fossil fuel energy consumption in the United States is due to food processing, transportation, storage, and preparation. (Horrigan, Leo, et al. 2002)
Adapted with permission from the National Cooperative Grocers Association and Eat Local, America! Visit www.eatlocalamerica.coop for recipes, featured farms, and more.
Living La Vida Local: Resources, Recipes & Inspiration
So, you want to eat local. Now what? Visit our website for recipes, a guide to seasonal produce, and more. Also check out the following resources. These are our faves for finding that perfect recipe, a Pick-Your-Own farm or farmers market, learning how to grow our own food, and more!
Local Groups & Resources
New England Grown
NH Farm to RestaurantCapital City Organic Gardeners
Merrimack County Conservation District
Seacoast Eat Local
Slow Food Seacoast
Monadnock Localvores & Hannah Grimes Center
Farms, Farmers Markets & Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs)
NH Farmers Market Association
Pick-Your-Own Farms in NHCertified Organic Producers in NH
NH Department of Agriculture
Organic Gardening & Farming
NOFA-NH
Mother Earth News
Capital City Organic Gardeners
UNH Cooperative Extension
D AcresAmple Harvest (Donating Extras to Food Pantries)
Recipes
Documentaries About Food & Plants
Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead
FRESH the Movie
Food Fight
Food, Inc.
Food Matters
Forks Over Knives
Homegrown
King Corn
Lunch, the Film
Numen
The Future of Food
Dirt
Cookbooks
New Hampshire: From Farm to Kitchen, Helen Brody
The New England Cookbook, Brooke Dojny
Fast, Fresh & Green, Susie Middleton
Local Flavors, Deborah Madison
EatingWell In Season, Jessie PriceEating Local, Janet Fletcher
Earth to Table, Jeff Crump
In the Green Kitchen, Alice WatersSimply in Season, Mary Beth Lind
From Asparagus to Zucchini, Madison Area CSA Coalition
Serving Up the Harvest, Andrea Chesman
Books on Food
Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan
Food Rules, Michael Pollan
In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan
Harvest for Hope, Jane Goodall
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Barbara KingsolverWhat to Eat, Marion Nestle
Food Politics, Marion Nestle
Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy, Walter Willett
The End of Overeating, David Kessler
Diet for a Hot Planet, Anna Lappé
Slow Food Nation, Carlo Petrini
Bringing It to the Table, Wendell Berry
Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser
