Agriculture continues to be a booming industry. In 2021, it was reported to make up for over 10% of jobs within the United States. Many of these jobs are found on the farm. Whether caring for the animal for meat and dairy or producing maple syrup, this field of expertise is crucial for our country to continue to move forward.
You may not think it over much, but local or small farms need people to buy their products in order to stay afloat. While it might feel easier to buy store-brand milk, buying a gallon that is labeled to come from a nearby family can make a huge difference. As you read, you will be able to see all of the ways that farms are benefitting you without your notice.
If you want to show off your pride, you can do so loud and proud. Apart from buying from farms in your area, you can get merchandise from YNOT Lifestyle that includes farm hats and shirts with sayings about supporting local farms and eating beef!
Local Economy Boost
Farms are often located in rural areas, constantly struggling with poverty. The money made through the products that they sell goes back to the area they are located in. This means that when you buy from a farm in your area, you are giving back to your community. This money could go towards necessary things such as a change in local education or in other businesses.
Safer Food Supplies
Whenever foods or beverages travel from different states or countries, they make a lot of stops in between. During these stops, the products can come into contact with other bacteria that your body might not be used to. Not only that, items like fruits are more likely to come in bruised, giving them a poorer look and taste.
When you buy from local places, you are getting items that you only have to travel a few miles. Their labels may even contain information about how they grow their products. Because they are from your area, you have an easier time getting in touch with them if you have any concerns.
Along with being safer, locally sourced foods are much fresher in quality. Those apples you pick up are less likely to be covered in preservatives and are likely to last longer because they have not been on a truck for days or weeks. Meanwhile, the meat at the butcher shop will not turn brown the day after you buy it!
Animal Safety
A big problem that people have with the agriculture industry is the alleged abuse that they think animals go through. They have seen media depicting chickens being held in small cages or cows being tortured. This is a myth for small and local farms. These areas keep fewer animals because they are only outsourcing products to a small demographic. Their animals have a wider range to roam, unlike big corporations, which are more confined.
Local farms are also less likely to use growth hormones when feeding their animals. They care about keeping their environment healthy, so many of them are organic. Because of this, you will not have to question how processed your dinner is!
Jon Opportunities
One of the challenges facing the country currently is employment. Even after COVID-19’s peak, there are still many that still need income. As mentioned before, the agriculture field makes up for plenty of jobs. When you keep buying locally, these farms will need to produce more items, which means they will need more hands on deck. As an added bonus, the people they hire might be friends of yours!
Healthier Eating Habits
As mentioned previously, foods outsourced from other areas are likely to be preserved so that they last longer. While you might not notice this as you eat the foods, your body will see a difference over time. Certain chemicals can be harmful to the body, such as giving headaches or stomach pains. Even worse, you might be allergic to some of the materials or dyes that they use.
The foods at local farms are labeled, showing that they are often nothing more than just the product itself. The freshness of these products may also motivate you to want and put more of the farm’s other items into your diet, promoting overall clean eating. Talking with the farmers, you can get recipe ideas!
Not only that, but foods sourced by local farms can also keep you eating seasonally. There are different weather conditions that work better for specific fruits and vegetables. For example, a farmer will not try to push a cucumber on you in the wintertime. If you are seeing them at the store during that time, you might want to be hesitant to trust them.
Other Ways to Show Support
Although this article discussed how much buying local products at the grocery store helped farmers, there are other ways you can take the initiative:
- Sign Up for a CSA: CSAs are “community sourced agriculture” boxes. When you purchase these, you will get a box every week containing local fruits, vegetables, and plants.
- Research Restaurants: Whenever you want to dine out for your lunch break, find out what restaurants nearby get their ingredients from local sources. This may make for much tastier foods!
- Educate Your Loved Ones: While you might know the importance of local support, you cannot guarantee that your friends and family do. Keep them aware so that they can make similar purchases.
- Go to Farmers’ Markets: The grocery store is not the only place you can shop; Farmers’ markets often bring together a few different farmers from nearby, so you will be able to get to know a few different families and get a wide range of great products!
No matter which options you partake in, you are doing a great service for farmers now and into the future. By keeping them running now, farms will be able to stay in business for years to come, which will promote a great lifestyle for later generations.
While YNOT Lifestyle might not be a farm for you to buy food from, their products are inspired by farmers and ranchers. They know the lifestyle these people have come with plenty of benefits and deserve a lot of praise. Even if you do not work in the industry, you can show your gratitude to those who are by sporting a “Support Local Farmers” hat.
The entire YNOT brand is created to help people get over the difficulties of life, which people in agriculture often feel. Wearing their items and making an effort to buy locally can make all of the difference in one farmer’s view of their own expertise. So “YNOT” give it a try? Learn more about the different clothing items YNOT Lifestyle offers by visiting their website today.