Want to lower your use of fossil fuels? It's been estimated your food travels an average of 1,500 miles from the farmers' fields to your table. That means a big need for oil. Most of the energy needed to produce food doesn't go into the growing. The vast majority of the energy is consumed by packaging, storing and transporting.

Fortunately, there are ways to lower the need for oil that are fun and make for some great eating. You might try your hand at growing some produce in your own garden, or join a community garden if you don't have the space. If you'd prefer to leave the growing to the folks with real expertise, i.e. the farmers, you can do your best to buy food that was produced within 100 miles of your home.

Gardening or buying local, either way you get food that's great tasting and at its most nutritious because it's at its freshest. When you go to a farmers market you can ask about the sustainability and safety of the producers' methods. You'll learn more about the foods your area produces. You'll probably come across some of the indigenous and heirloom foods that give your community its food heritage. Farmers markets are great places to get tips on cooking with delicious local ingredients.

FoodRoutes is a national non-profit dedicated to reintroducing Americans to their food, the seeds it grows from, the farmers who produce it, and the routes that carry it from the fields to your table. As the folks at the organization point out; buying your food from local farmers will help keep their farms profitable, reducing the pressure to sell their land.

Want fresh, locally grown food, but don't know where to find it? At the FoodRoutes web site the LocalHarvest community level map makes it easy to find sustainable farmers, farmers markets and community supported agriculture projects in your area.

To have a look at the map & start buying fresh, go to: Find Good Food Near You

Thanks Doug!