Contacts:
Ron Poitras
Allison Gladstone
Hancock County Planning Commission
395 State Street
Ellsworth, ME 04605
(207) 667-7131 (307) 667-2099 (fax)
locallygrown@hcpcme.org

The Locally Grown Foods Project at the Hancock County Planning Commission strives to promote and expand local agriculture in the area by providing a variety of services. We hope to foster collaboration and entrepreneurial creativity among chefs and farmers and also to find new and better ways to expand particularly promising niche markets for local food products.

Market surveys and the marketing initiatives HCPC has already undertaken, point to a large and growing unmet demand for locally grown food products by chefs in the region. In addition, local markets are expanding as well. The number of farmers markets has doubled in the last five years and interest in locally grown foods from institutions and special events organizers is increasing. There is also a growing recognition among food buyers of the importance of buying locally.

The Locally Grown Foods Project works specifically to meet the growing market expectations and to reverse the trends of declining numbers and increasing age of farmers. The Locally Grown Foods Project has been working with local farmers and restaurants for over six years and each year our scope becomes wider as we include more farms and restaurants to the list of those that we support. Ongoing projects include the yearly updating and distribution of a brochure that lists all the restaurants who buy locally grown food and where to find them. This brochure is distributed all over Hancock and western Washington County so people know where they can find the best quality dining in the area. We also work with local land trusts to preserve prime agricultural lands in the area.

This summer there are a few exciting new ways we are supporting local agriculture. To help connect area growers with high value markets, we are organizing a pick-up and delivery route that will bring farm produce straight to area restaurants. We have lined up a driver who will pick up local farm produce at two locations in the county and deliver these products to area restaurants that will buy them. The idea behind the service is to support local farmers and area businesses, thus strengthening our local community by keeping the money in the area. We are also planning apprentice workshops for apprentices on area farms so that they can learn a variety of techniques from the vast stores of knowledge of local farmers as well as small farm business courses for those interested in the marketing of their farm products.

WHY BUY LOCAL?

1) Local Food is Healthier Food

Most fresh produce loses up to 60% of their nutritional value and flavor within 48 hours of harvesting. Foods brought in from distant locations simply aren’t as good as local foods from Maine farms.

2) Local Food is Varied and Abundant

Peas in October. Lettuce in March. Northern Spy apples and other exceptional varieties of fruits and vegetables you can’t find in supermarkets. You may be surprised by what foods Maine farms produce.

3) Local Food Builds the Local Economy

Over half the trucks traveling the nation’s roads are carrying food and the distance traveled of the average mouthful of food is 1500 miles. If every Maine household spent just $10 a week more on local food (six months of the year), that would infuse $100 million into local businesses that currently goes out of state.

4) Local Food Builds A Better World

Buying local foods supports Maine communities. It protects our landscape. It lessens the environmental damage caused by transporting food long distances. And it provides a powerful reminder - to ourselves and our children - that our actions as consumers do make a difference. Make A Commitment To Local Food. Save Our Farms. Support Our State. Help Yourself, Your Children, And Your Neighbors.