Your Guide to Shopping Local
Looking for more ways to shop locally in your community? Or to support more farmers and small businesses? This step-by-step guide is here to help you navigate how to find local farms and businesses near you.
Supporting local farms and small businesses is more important now than ever. The benefits of shopping locally can affect your health, your community, and the future of our progressing world. When I started prioritizing local farms and businesses in my community, I realized the amount of hard work and passion that farmers and business owners put into their work. And as our neighbors, they deserve more. You can find more information about the benefits of shopping locally in my post here, titled “3 Reasons to Start Shopping Local”.
Can’t find anything near you? This guide will also show you how to find farms or small businesses that can ship or deliver straight to your home, so you can continue to support small businesses and farms from wherever you are!
How to Find Local Farms Near You
One of the easiest ways to discover farms in or near your community is by using a farm-finder website. There are plenty out there to use, but I’ve done the work for you and found some of the top farm-finder websites available for free!
LocalHarvest: Farmers' Markets - LocalHarvest
LocalHarvest allows you to search for local farmers markets and family farms in your area in just a few clicks. All you need to do is type in your zip code, and LocalHarvest will provide you with a list of surrounding farmers markets or farms.
2. Local Farm Finder: Local Farm Finder
Local Farm Finder is a great option for folks who may not live near a farmer’s market or farm. Here, you can find both local and online businesses that are willing to ship or deliver directly to your home. You will first need to complete a short form with your name, email, and zip code. Then, the website will direct you to an entire list of shops varying from farm-fresh meats, produce, and dairy. You can place your order online and get farm-fresh food delivered at your door!
3. EatWild: EatWild
EatWild can be used to search for solely grass-fed meat, dairy, and eggs by state. You can also use this website to find information about meat production, if you’d like to learn more about the importance of grass-fed and pasture-raised meat.
4. RealMilk: Raw Milk Finder - Real Milk
Looking for local, unpasteurized milk? RealMilk can help you find raw milk suppliers in your area. Simply choose your state, and use the interactive map to find farms near you!
In order to make sure you are getting the best quality, don’t be afraid to talk to your local farmers or business owners! Especially at farmers markets, getting to know your local farmers can be a great way to ask them about their growing productions, or to build community overall. Happy farm-finding!