I am seeing that making local habit has more than one meaning in our community. As a business owner in Central Oregon, making local habit means to me buying from locally owned businesses. For others it seems that make local habit is to buy food that has been grown in Central Oregon. One thing that needs to be considered about buying food that is grown in Central Oregon is that we have a very short growing season. We also can get frost every month of the year and that includes during the growing season. So growing produce in Central Oregon is very difficult. I have done this in past years, have had a beautiful crop that is ready to harvest in a month’s time and then get frosted out. Yes you can grow here, but it is difficult and very limited as to what grows best. That is where the Willamette Valley comes into play.

“Local” a lot of times is what is referred to when people are looking for seasonal produce: berries, cherries, stone fruit, corn, etc., items that are not easily grown in Central Oregon, or not in large enough quantities.

Should the farmers markets keep out the local farmers that are struggling to grow and sell produce that is grown here? I don’t think so. If anything, the door should be wide open for them. They are local business owners, they live here, employ here. The money they earn stays in our community. The farmers that come from the Willamette Valley to sell their product do not live here, employ here or spend their money here. They return home to their community, and that is where the money they earn here goes. They are improving their local economy, not ours.

Make local habit by purchasing from local businesses. If you are looking for produce from the Willamette Valley, seek out the businesses here in Central Oregon that sell it. You can get farm direct Willamette Valley produce at other places besides the farmers market. If you buy from locally owned businesses, the money you spend with them stays here in Central Oregon. By shopping locally owned businesses, you are making local habit. If we all made an effort to support local, be it farm, retail or services, it could be what brings our community out of this recession.

Connie Lowe

Bend