Introduction

Hi Everyone!

My name is Ryan and I am a student at James Madison University which is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Harrisonburg is a quaint rural town nestled in the Shenandoah Valley where locals are seen tending to their gardens, shopping at local businesses and relaxing on their porch swings after a long day. The community of Harrisonburg is a mix of 20,000 college students, blue collar farming families, simple Mennonites and passerbys traveling north or south on Interstate 81. Fruits and vegetables are plentiful in this town and picked off the vines of local farms. We have a Farmer's Market downtown each Saturday and one on campus each Wednesday where local farmers showcase and sell their fruits, vegetables and dairy products to students and locals alike. 

My reason for creating this blog is to challenge myself to become a "locavore". A locavore is a person who is dedicated to eating food that is locally produced. My motivation stems from the environmental and economical impacts associated with drawing food from across the nation and the world. In order for my food to reach its final destination, my kitchen cabinet, fossil fuels are being emitted and harming our ecosystem. Also local farmers and the local Harrisonburg economy do not benefit from my purchases of food from around the globe. During my challenge I will purchase food from within 100 miles of its point of purchase. If this is not possible I will resort to the following principle:

If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic.
If not ORGANIC, then Family farm.
If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business.
If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.

In this blog I will share the challenges I face on this journey as I will be attempting this on a college student budget. I hope to gain a better understanding of where my food comes from and the work it takes to arrive on my plate. I will share my experiences of meeting local farmers as well as working with farmers on their land to gain an appreciation and understanding of their hard work. Please feel free  to share any ideas or critiques in the comments section underneath the posts! I will be posting as many photos as possible to document this lifestyle!

Thank you for following and let's eat local!

~Ryan