Sustainable Saturday - Buying Local All Year


Fall is officially here and this marks that last weekend of our Local Outdoor Farmer's Market.  While we are lucky enough to live in a community that has a Indoor Winter Farmer's Market through the colder months there are other options.  Two companies have emerged that will deliver fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy and bakery items to your doorstep.

Originally we tried Nature's Garden Delivered because of a deal available on Groupon.  We found the produce (that is all we ordered from them so far) to be fresh and either local or Organic and the prices to be reasonable.

Local Yokel Foods is a newer company and I have not personally used their service.  My neighbor has been receiving deliveries for the last two weeks and has been very impressed.  Many of the vendors are consistent with those available at our local Farmer's Market and the prices are the same or even less!  When I was at Kroger last evening, the sell Snowville Creamery Milk for $ 3.73, you can get this same milk DELIVERED to your doorstep for $3.49 for a half gallon. 


Local Yokel Foods is a new Food Delivery Service in Columbus, Ohio. They deliver local and organic fruits, veggies, breads, meat, dairy and specialty products right to your doorstep!

From their website:

How is my food delivered?

We use green 100% recyclable plastic bins
(There is a $15 fee to purchase the bin as part of your first order with Local Yokel Foods) to keep your order safe and fresh. We leave it on your porch in the shadiest spot. If you have a spot you'd like us to leave it at, just mention it in the comments section of your checkout order.  Just remember to place the bin and/or thermal bags back outside for pick-up. We will pick up your old bin when we deliver your next order!

What is considered "Local" food?

Since we live in central Ohio, we consider anything Ohio-Grown to be local. If it's possible to be grown in Ohio, we want to buy it!. However, we realize everything cannot be grown locally and there are times when things are not in season. We will buy out of state when those items aren't available in Ohio. Items that aren't Local will not have a label. 


What do you sell in the winter?

Plenty! We plan to have Local and Organic grown meats, cheese, eggs, milk, breads, potatoes, apples, pumpkins, greenhouse produce, locally grown canned or frozen fruits and vegetables and many more local specialty products. We also will buy Non Local and Organic produce during the off-seasons.


You can check to see if they deliver to your area here.


Nature's Garden Delivered is a broker for multiple local farmers. Anything that they cannot get locally, they purchase fresh Organic produce from farms outside of Ohio. 

There are franchises in Arizona, Georgia and the Ohio River Valley.  The Ohio River Valley includes Greater Cincinnati including SE Indiana, Northern Kentucky, Columbus and Louisville.  Also: Dayton, Indianapolis.  You can check on their website to see if they deliver to your area.
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Here is a list provided by Local Foods Columbus that lists all the Farmer's Markets, Farms, Grocers and Restaurants that sell local food (and the time of year available).

If you are not local to Columbus, Ohio or surrounding area (also Arizona, Georgia and the Ohio River Valley for Nature's Garden Delivered), there is a local resource in Local Harvest  where you can see if there is a service like this in your area, co-ops that are available throughout the winter months or a Farmer who will sell to you directly for some of these items.

To find local CSA's, farmers markets, restaurants among other information on purchasing locally produced food:

Local Harvest.org

Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association

The 2010 Ohio Sustainable  Farm Tour and Workshop Series

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