Local Matters advocates that the key to expanding a sustainable, local food system is “connecting the many dots” in the community that influence our local, community food system and makes the harvest from this local food system equally available to all central Ohioans. This holistic approach has led to our involvement in three primary program areas.

We have created a model for private and public schools that incorporates an on site, edible food garden and outdoor learning environment and also includes a health, wellness and nutrition curriculum. Students grow their own food, learn how it relates to the surrounding environment and then taste the difference between foods grown locally here in Ohio and food shipped in from hundreds of miles away.

Local Matters works with underserved, urban communities in Columbus to grow their own food by planting large scale, edible food gardens and helps coordinate the efficient use of resources among these gardens.

We also work with the farm community by encouraging them to grow more edible food crops and offer ways that this food can be sold in the market. At the same time, we advocate to create market opportunities for growers by encouraging the business community, especially restaurants and grocery stores, to buy more locally grown foods. In fact, in January 2008, Local Matters decided to create our own market for growers by opening a for-profit business in the Historic North Market called the Greener Grocer. The Greener Grocer is committed to buying directly from the farm community on a year round basis and to educating the public about the importance of buying locally grown food to support small to medium size family farms.

Expanding our locally grown, community food system is more than a commodity: it’s a comprehensive way to address many of the social, economic and environmental issues that affect each of us in Central Ohio and it’s also a flavorful way of creating community!