Why Buy Local?

QUALITY

Freshly picked produce tastes better. When you buy local the produce on your dinner table may have been picked that morning. Local farmers focus on growing varieties for flavor as opposed to shelf-life.

HEALTH

Local produce is healthier. The fresher the produce is the more nutrients it retains. Local farms which practice sustainable methods reduce the use of pesticides and fungicides decreasing health risks.

ENVIRONMENT

Local produce is better for the environment. Sustainable farming focuses on minimizing use of toxic products which adversely impacts the environment, rather these farms replenish the nutrients of the soil. Also, by reducing the shipping of produce it helps save money and burn less gas.

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

BEC produce supports local growers such as Lewis Orchards in Dickerson, MD, which utilize the methods of Integrated Pest Managment (IPM). IPM is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.