By: Sarah Pittman, Human Nutrition Graduate Student at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
As the years go by, it seems that people are getting more and more unaware of where their food originates. There have been significant social movements to bring people back to the source of their produce and meat. An example of this is “farm to table” also known as “farm to fork.” This phenomenon started in the 1960s and ’70s when Americans became increasingly dissatisfied with processed foods.1 This “farm to table” is also known as the “hippie movement” on the West Coast, it has now grown into a worldwide sensation.
How to get involved in farm to table:
- Dining at restaurants that participate in farm to table
- Visiting local farmers markets and purchasing produce
- Supporting farm to school programs
Other possible institutions that participate in farm to table:
- Farm to school
- Farm to hospital
- Farm to restaurant
- Farm to prison
- And many others!
Pros of farm to table1:
- It helps boost the local economy and support local farmers
- Both consumer and farmer benefit from farm to table
- It can help the environment by produce not having to be shipped long distances
Cons of farm to table1:
- Produce is seasonal and you can only get certain fruits and veggies in different times of the year
- Many farm to fork operations have to offer food at higher prices to cover the high cost of the produce
Do you participate in farm to table? We would love to hear from you!
References:
1. Farm to Table: A Movement for Local and Organic Food. WebstaurantStore. https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/postdetails.cfm?post=1532. Published 2019. Accessed September 30, 2019.
2. Janzer C. The History of the Farm to Table Movement. Restaurant Insider. https://upserve.com/restaurant-insider/history-farm-table-movement/. Published 2019. Accessed September 30, 2019.
3. Farm to Table: Building Local and Regional Food Systems. Sare.org. https://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Topic-Rooms/Farm-to-Table-Building-Local-and-Regional-Food-Systems. Published 2019. Accessed September 30, 2019.
4. Diane Harris, Megan Lott, Velma Lakins, Brian Bowden, Joel Kimmons, Farm to Institution: Creating Access to Healthy Local and Regional Foods, Advances in Nutrition, Volume 3, Issue 3, May 2012, Pages 343–349, https://doi.org/10.3945/an.111.001677
Photo by Canva.
