I’m no newbie to the Eat Local movement. Growing up in upstate Vermont, “Think Global, Act Local” bumper stickers plastered the backs of my neighbors beaten down Volvos, my mom’s garden took up most of the backyard, and we were part of a CSA (community supported agriculture, for those of you not in the know) for a while as well.
So yeah, I’m a big believer in knowing where your food comes from and keeping things in season and local but the truth of the matter is, participating in direct farm to consumer programs in the past was really kind of a pain in the ass.
So much biking!
When I lived in Brooklyn right after college, one of the most annoying chores in my semi-communal household was riding your bike all the way the hell out to Bushwick to the community garden where our CSA did their drop off. Granted, some people like the extra perk of self-righteousness of having to work to get your food but I got sick of it real fast.
This was pre-iPhone, back when “app” was still just a douchey way to say “appetizer,” so we didn’t really have any other options beyond biking with a giant backpack full of produce through the streets of Brooklyn. Today, however, young, idealist neo-hippies and hipsters have it easy, thanks to startups like CitySprout.
But wait! Local food isn’t just for hipsters and hippies!
You’re right, health-conscious reader, it’s not. It should be for everyone and CitySprout is making that possible with their awesome service that connects customers directly with farmers.
It’s super simple:
You sign up for free and then browse what foods local farmers are making available. You don’t have to commit to months and months of random fruits and veg that are the norm with most CSA. Instead, you pick exactly what you want, pay the farmer through the CitySprouts site, and set up a place and time to meet for your delivery.
If you’re rocking that environmentally friendly vintage bicycle and the nearest pre-set delivery spot is too far a way for your legs to pedal, you can sponsor a new delivery location in your ‘hood.
Yeah, you do still have to do pickup.
But while CitySprouts doesn’t deliver the way some other local food apps to, the fact that you can interact directly with the farmer and that they don’t have to cut their prices for wholesale means you’re likely to get a better deal than you would even in your local grocery store.
So let’s assess the benefits:
- Local food supports local farmers.
- Competitively priced.
- Easy pickup.
- Zero commitment.
And the downsides:
…Yeah, I’m drawing a blank here.
This one is a total no-brainer, guys, but companies like CitySprout need a certain critical mass in order to be effective so if you’re down with local food, down with supporting farmers, and haven’t quite found the solution you’re looking for, be sure to head over to CitySprout.com and jump on board ASAP.
I mean, you don’t want to miss out on the springtime asparagus, do you?
