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Our Location: |
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Living the dream of re-use and recycle, what was once
an A&P grocery store at 268 East Front Street in downtown Burlington
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Newsletter Archive
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About Us: Why Buy Local?
Why Buy Local?
Local food systems provide several advantages over conventional
and global markets. Buying locally strengthens regional
economies, supports family farms, provides
“fresh-from-the-field” foods for consumers, protects the
environment, preserves the local landscape, and fosters a sense
of community.
Buying local food
strengthens our regional economy…
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Purchasing food produced
locally or regionally and/or
buying products from locally
owned businesses allows us
to retain economic resources
in our area. It keeps our
money circulating within our
region amongst people we
know and care about.
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Buying local food supports
family farmers in our
community, some of whom have
farmed the land for
generations.
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Supporting local farms can
help retain and create jobs
for our region.
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A strong local economy
insulates our region from
national and global
recessions.
Buying local, sustainable
food provides diverse, high-quality, fresh foods…
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Locally produced,
sustainable food is often
fresher and more nutritious
than conventional products
grown far away and shipped
in trucks for several days.
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Buying local allows us to
know who made/grew a
product, how it was produced
and exactly where it was
produced. We can KNOW and
ask questions of our veggie,
fruit, dairy, herb, honey
and meat farmer! As a
result, we, informed
consumers, can avoid the
mega-industrial farm
practices that may concern
us.
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Buying local actually
increases our choices and
our exposure to unique
products.
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Local flavor is quite real
and refreshing! Small,
sustainable farmers who know
their local ecosystem and
know the varieties that
perform best in their
climate and soils are able
to grow and preserve the
literally thousands of
fruit, vegetable and grain
varieties that exist. Buying
local can help bring back
the look, feel and taste of
all the amazing variety the
land has to offer!
Buying local preserves the
natural environment…
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By supporting local
sustainable agriculture, you
protect our region’s
farmland and ecosystems, and
hence our food security,
from urban sprawl and
development.
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Buying local food conserves
natural resources. Sixty
years ago most families
consumed food produced
within a 200-mile radius of
their homes. Now we
regularly consume food
produced thousands of miles
away. Farm consolidation,
cheap fuel and an extensive
transportation system have
brought these changes. So,
now we eat a head of lettuce
grown 3000 miles away and
the cost and environmental
effect of the energy it
takes to get it to us far
outweighs the benefit of its
caloric energy once it’s on
our table! It is far more
environmentally responsible
to grow and consume food
that can be grown much
closer to us. Then, we
benefit from fresher, more
nutrient-packed food as
well!
HOW TO GET BACK
TO BUYING LOCAL
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Eat seasonally.
We can gradually re-adjust
our diets to eat fresh foods
that coincide with the
growing seasons in our
region.
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Put your money where your
mouth is.
The old saying is true that
you get what you pay for.
Although the massive buying
power and low prices of
chain stores can be enticing
in the short term, we must
be willing to pay for the
real and fair cost of
quality items now lest we
pay more dearly for global
agribusiness’ environmental,
health and social
degradation later.
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Company Shops Market will
help!
Together, we can provide a
demand and outlet for our
locally, sustainably
produced foods. Company
Shops Market will provide
you with seasonal meal ideas
and recipes. The store will
also offer many in-store
demonstrations to spark your
cooking imaginations. And
together, we will journey
back to a secure, local food
economy, enlivening the rich
agricultural heritage in our
midst!
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