Meat and potatoes are easy to come by in Alberta, but other local food requires more legwork.
Alberta produces a cornucopia of food from arugula to zucchini, as well as dairy products, eggs, apples, honey, berries and booze.
Linking hungry urban Albertans to farmers was one of the aims of Local 101, organized by caterer Wade Sirois.
“It has become a crusade for me,” he said. “I hate hearing, ‘there is nothing to eat right now.’ ”
He also advocates the slow food movement, which promotes the sale of fresh, local food and fairly pays farmers for their work. He wants people to know they are responsible for keeping farmers afloat.
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“Agriculture doesn’t end until someone puts that food in their mouth,” he said.
Jennifer Cockrall-King, editor of the Edible Prairie Journal published in Edmonton, said there is no single list of local suppliers.
“Alberta grows a lot of product and it is not always on the hook,” she said.
“It is a much wider and broader list than many think.”
The province produces staples such as sugar, flour, salt and cereal. There are also value-added products that shoppers may not realize are local unless they read the label.
Albertans spend 11 percent of their household income on food; residents of developing countries spend 50 percent or more.
Local food may be expensive, but Cockrall-King said consumers who spend only 11 percent of their income on food could probably afford more and should make an effort to support farmers.
Calgary food writer Dee Hobsbawn-Smith said local farmers are needed, so “take out your wallet.”
She said consumers should scout out neighbourhood stores, farmers’ markets, on-farm stores and small butchers.
“If we don’t support the people who are feeding us in our backyard, what happens,” she said. “As well, community-supported gardens allow subscribers to share in the work and the harvest.”
For more information, visit www.chomp aroundalberta.com. The website lists tours, rural activities and producers who sell their goods directly.
