Vermont Loves Local, and So Do I

By Patrick Buono

 

It seems to me that many people question their own identity at some point in their lives, be it consistently or just once in a while. Through various outlets like art, music, athletics, writing, fashion, our friends/families, careers, and even the food we eat, people come to express and define themselves.

Question: How else do people define themselves or their identities?

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Answer: By where they’re from and where they live, of course.

People have immense pride in their hometowns. Living most of the year in New England, naturally, I consistently hear people boasting about being from Boston, or in the greater Boston area, or how their Uncle lives in Boston, etc. etc. In addition to this immense pride drawn from such locations, the geographic area that one inhabits has incredible impacts on the cuisines that we have access to, which in turn defines how we view and consume food.

In a place like Burlington, Vermont, I have come to find myself with the access to some of the most diverse food offerings I think I could ever imagine, especially in a small city of approximately 42,000. In my three (going on four) years here, I’ve sampled dining hall food, global fast food chains, local fast food chains, various food trucks, fantastic restaurants big and small, vegan offerings, farmer’s markets, full-scale food festivals, and anything else one can imagine. Honestly, it’s incredible.

What I derive from these various adventures in the world of food is both a sense of contentedness, as well as a deeper connection to the city of Burlington and the state of Vermont as a whole. I’ve come to pride myself on being able to tell a friend or out-of-towner which restaurant I recommend or where to find a great coffee shop.

Relevant, then, is how the culture of food in Burlington is heavily derived from local food systems. It’s almost striking when the independent restaurants I’ve come to see around town AREN’T using local ingredients. In 2015, Vermont was named the “#1 locavore oriented state” for the fourth consecutive year (http://www.strollingoftheheifers.com/locavoreindex/). 

http://www.strollingoftheheifers.com

In the immensely globalized food system as a whole, this trend may seem peculiar, but more and more people get behind it every day. Vermont has bred a culture of reliance on local food production, and “by many accounts, Vermont has developed the most comprehensive food systems plan in the country and the first of its kind in New England,” heavily incorporating local foods (Rachel Carter, Burlington Free Press 2015).

People often like to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and the so-called “locavore movement” is no exception, especially here in Burlington. In a complete rejection of typical American foodways, in this movement people insist on local sourcing and careful preparation of their cuisine, no matter the kind. Massive disconnect exists between large scale, industrial food production, which in my opinion is part of the appeal of local food systems (commonly called “LFS”). Knowing that your food is from nearby, handled by only a few people, and presented to you by a trustworthy source is a powerful thing. The connections we see/taste in local food provides deep social meaning for people, as well as an outward expression of commitment (think a sort of visual statement of “I buy local” to others) to something that may not be typical in other societies. This “rebellion” is notable in a particularly individualist culture like ours in Vermont, as well as America as a whole.

“LFS efforts would appear to be clear examples to this resistance to change, calling for realignment of human social interaction in the context of place and food,” says Robert Feagan, in relation to globalization vs. localization of food. His point here reinforces my own thoughts on significance of food from nearby.

In closing, I would like remark that being exposed to all these local foods had significant impacts on me, in a positive way, and will continue to do so as I get to experience many new foods each day here in Burlington.

Works Cited

Feagan, R. "The Place of Food: Mapping out the 'local' in Local Food Systems." Progress in Human Geography 31.1 (2007): 23-42. ProQuest. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. 

Pollak, Sally. "The Local Food Champions." The Burlington Free Press: 8. Feb 23 2015. ProQuest. Web. 21 Oct. 2015 .  

"Strolling of the Heifers 2015 Locavore Index: Which States Are Most Committed to Locally-sourced Food?" Strolling of the Heifers. N.p., 7 Apr. 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.