Get out your cookbooks and take the canning jars out of storage - peak harvest season is upon us. Along with co-ops across the country, your Twin Cities co-ops are hosting “Eat Local, America!” again this summer, inviting you to focus on eating more local foods. Co-ops around the metro area are beginning their Eat Local focused activities as early as August 1 and ending by the 30th of September. Check your local co-op's website and newsletter for details!

Eat Local, America! is a great way to engage with food growers and producers in the region. We encourage participants to set a goal for themselves – whether it means eating one meal a week made with local foods or trying to eat 100% local foods. We define local food as food that was grown in Minnesota and adjacent states, but maybe you want to define it differently. However you prefer to define “local,” challenge yourself to think creatively about the foods you eat throughout our harvest season. Read a great intro to eating local here, featuring Kari from Mississippi Market and Allie from Linden Hills Co-op.

Seward Co-op kicked off its Eat Local month with a celebration August 1 featuring local vendors and prizes; learn more at www.seward.coop. Anyone purchasing $20 or more in local items at Seward--anytime in August--could win a cartload of groceries, so look for the local shelf signs throughout the store.

Lakewinds Natural Foods is planning a very special dinner on the farm to celebrate the conclusion of their Eat Local activities. Farm to Fork, on Sunday, September 26 is a local 5-course dinner at New Prague's Cedar Summit Farm. Advance tickets are available starting August 9; visit www.lakewinds.coop for details.

This is also a great time to take advantage of classes on home food preservation. Suzanne Driessen from University of Minnesota Extension will teach about the basics of home canning on Tuesday August 17 at the Wedge Co-op, and the essentials of successfully freezing food for later use on Thursday September 9; look for more Wedge Eat Local events at www.wedge.coop. Mississippi Market's series of food preservation classes, taught by Master Preserver Liz McMann, began in July and continues through September Go to www.msmarket.coop for a complete schedule.

Why Eat Local?

Co-ops cultivate relationships with local growers and producers both to support local farmers and to provide the freshest products for our shoppers. Local foods are fresher, taste better, and typically retain more nutrients by traveling faster from field to plate instead of spending days or weeks in shipping.

Each region has a unique variety of products available during the peak harvest season. Eating local foods supports biodiversity and local food producers. In addition, eating local food helps stimulate the local economy, as dollars spent on local foods support our neighbors. Local business keeps wages and taxes in the community which in turn support other local businesses. It's a beautiful cycle of economic life, and best of all, we can help support it just by eating fabulous food.

Food lovers can learn about all participating Eat Local, America! co-ops and initiatives at www.eatlocalamerica.coop.