by Ruth Woodhouse

Created on: July 12, 2008

As ideal as it may sound, it really is not practical for most people to limit themselves to eating locally-produced organic food. There are a number of reasons why this is the case.

To start with, geographical location influences what is available at any stage of the year. Obviously tropical fruits and vegetables will not be available to people living in cooler climates and vice versa. It's only natural that many foods have to be transported considerable distances, even within the same country.

What's more, the producers of these crops benefit significantly from trading with markets a long way from their location. Most of these producers work hard to earn an honest living. They are dependent on consumers far and wide, who get to enjoy the taste, as well as the nutritional benefits, of the fruit and vegetables they cannot access locally.

Then, of course, seasons affect what is available in any given region too. So if people are limited to eating only locally-produced organic food they will be even further restricted. Not only will they not have the range of natural foods that are shipped from other parts of the country, but they will only be able to eat what's in season in their own region.

No doubt there are individuals and families who do live this way. After all, in bygone generations it was the only way many people could live when they relied solely on their own produce, or what was available for barter or at local markets. In all likelihood many of them ate a very healthy, balanced diet at that.

In many parts of the world, where people are isolated and/or poor, this would still be the normal way of life. It's even very likely that many such people eat a much healthier diet than too many people in western society who live on more highly-processed, high-fat, high-salt foods than what nature provides.

In our modern western society though, a large percentage of people do appreciate and benefit in many ways from being able to eat a vast range of foods. They simply would not have access to anywhere near as much variety if they relied entirely on locally grown organic produce.

People who have their own vegetable gardens and fruit trees can feast daily on an abundance of fresh produce that tastes terrific, has maximum nutritional benefits and is free from pesticides, genetic modification, etc. Even then they may want or even need to subsidize their diet with a number of foods that aren't grown locally though.

What's more, such relatively self-sufficient individuals

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