So I've developed this obsession of late with local food.  I'm almost mortified to tell you that I've just messaged (via facebook nonetheless) the people that make the cereal I had for breakfast this morning to ask where the ingredients in the cereal come from. Adding that I was surprised not to see this information on their website.

Cringeface.

Yes, I'm that in need of a life.

In my defence, shouldn't more people take an interest in where their food actually comes from?  I think so.  Do we ever stop to wonder where and how the food that will ultimately become a part of our very bodies originated?

This is about conscious eating.  Giving a shit about the most important commodity of your life: YOUR FOOD.

Eating local is by no means a new concept and I'm unapologetic in the fact that I'm not pursuing this path of local eating on some rampage to save the planet.  Trust me, I'm no evangelical environmentalist.

Nor am I all about the fact that eating local preserves green space and farmland or the certainty that it promotes greater food safety, supports the local economy OR helps to build communities.  This isn't just about the fact that you're cutting the amount of fuel used to bring your food to you, nor is it solely to do with drastically reducing the amount of time since the food was picked (and rapidly losing nutrition) to being put on your plate...

No.

I'm doing this for a far more out there, hippy-dippy, mad as shit reason.  For me, eating food that was grown where I live means the ultimate in becoming one with the environment I live in.  I am a product of my environment.  My environment shapes me.  To me it makes sense that I'll do far better adapting to my environment by eating the food that grows here as opposed to food shipped from far off lands thousands of miles away.

The plants that grow where you live are producing medicines to medicate the ecosystem where they're growing.  Daniel Vitalis

For me, you just have to look at nature to see the obviousness of this.  Animals in your environment do not shop at Asda.  They eat local and are therefore well adapted to their environment.  Except pigeons in the town.  They're usually mankily diseased.  But that's because they're eating the shit that people in town eat.  Actually, seagulls in town can look pretty healthy.  Quite aggressive little bastards mind you...

Moving on.

As far as I'm concerned, the closer the food is to me the better.

This doesn't have to be rocket surgery.  It's not about banishing all food that wasn't grown on your doorstep and becoming a local foodist overnight.

It's about gradual steps towards choosing food closer and closer to home.  Bringing it back home, baby!

Two words: Farmer's markets!

I had the most fun ever at the last farmer's market I went to.  (See above re: getting a life)

It's amazing to be able to talk to the person that actually grew or raised (for meat purposes) your food.  To look them in the eye, ask any questions and really get to know where the hell your food is coming from.  This is the power of local food, making sure you talk to people and avoid becoming a social retard.

Zombies hate people that eat local.  Even though they insist on it themselves.  Dicks.