Helpful Tips for Getting Local:

  • Start thinking “British Columbia” – a big bounty of local
  • Start small; it doesn’t have to be 100%
  • Learn what is in season each month and enjoy the freshness and variety available
  • Think beyond fruits and vegetables and also look for local dairy, meats, seafood, and grocery items
  • Support grocers and restaurants in your area that offer local food
  • If your favorite grocer or restaurant does not offer much local food, talk to them about it and ask for more
  • Visit the farmers market to learn more about local food and meet the producers
  • Sign up for a Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) box program or organic delivery service
  • Grow some of your own food or participate in a community garden
  • Each month, replace an often-bought imported product with a local product
  • Think of imported produce as a treat, not a staple
  • During harvest season, can, dry or freeze fresh, in-season produce for the winter
  • Subscribe to our Twitter @FFCF to keep up to date on what’s happening.
  • Tell others to visit our website and Get Local!

Links and Resources

Seasonal Chart

  • Support the businesses that are part of the Get Local Business Alliance.
  • Shop at farmers’ markets and get to know the folks growing your food. Visit the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets website to find a market near you or visit the Vancouver Farmers Market website for information about Vancouver markets (including the twice-monthly winter market.)
  • Visit a farm, meet the farmers and learn how your food is grown. The Fraser Valley Farm Direct Marketing Association’s website lists farms, products, and activities. Visit the Circle Farm Tours website for a list of tours by region.
  • If you’re looking for Organic Delivery Services, Meat and Dairy, CSAs (Community Shared Agriculture), Food Buying Clubs, Fruit Tree Projects, Sharing Farms, Seeds, Community Gardens, Community Kitchens, Harvest Preservation, and more visit FarmFolkCityFolk’s Knowledge Pantry.
  • Find Seasonal Recipes and learn about new varieties of produce at Simply in Season.
  • Ask questions about where your food was grown. Read product labels. Where was it processed? Where are the ingredients from? If the information isn’t there, many products have a toll-free phone number you can call to ask. Get to know your food.
  • Encourage your family and friends to Get Local! Tell them about our website!
  • Read about local food in Edible Vancouver, a great magazine that tells the story about food and farming in Vancouver’s foodshed.

How Can I Get Local?

Get Local one step at a time. Start by choosing food grown and/or produced as close to home as possible whenever you can. Shop and dine at businesses that support BC food growers and producers. Through many small steps, together we can make a big difference.

What is Local Food?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency defines local or locally grown as domestic goods originating within 50 km, point to point, of the place where they are sold. Others like the folks from the 100 Mile Diet Society challenged themselves for a year to eat only foods from within 100 miles. We urge consumers to eat foods that have been grown and produced as close to home as possible and we promote the consumption of foods and beverages grown, produced, and processed in British Columbia.

How do I choose local food?

Start by shopping or dining at Get Local participating businesses and farmers markets. When you are shopping for groceries or dining out, if you don’t see information telling you where the food was grown or processed, ask! By being an informed and inquisitive consumer, you can show that you prefer to choose locally grown food.

Do I have to change my entire diet?

Get Local is about making choices in your food consumption. Start with small steps. Change some of your shopping or dining habits. Think about supporting the farmers in our province that are working hard to put food on your family’s dinner table. Support businesses that are selling and serving local. Explore BCs growing selection of artisanal food products. Eat seasonally. Take the Eat Local Challenge for a week. Have a 100-mile pot luck dinner. Together, we can make a difference.

How do I know what’s in season?

Eating in season helps you pick the food grown closest to you at any time of year. Get to know what is in season in Metro Vancouver. Download our Seasonal Availability Chart and put it on your fridge or inside the door of a kitchen cupboard near your fridge. Check it before you shop for groceries to ensure you are buying food at its freshest. (This is a general list and product availability can change due to weather, etc.)

Comments are closed.