I picked up a new local magazine the other day that has reignited my fire on organic, sustainable and local food. Edible Bozeman is part of a national network called Edible Communities, whose mission is to “inspire readers to support and celebrate the growers, producers, food artisans, chefs, and other food professionals in our communities”. I used to think that shopping at Whole Foods was doing good, but since moving to Montana and joining the Bozeman Co-op, reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Vegetable Miracle and taking the time to read up and learn about the issues, I’ve changed my ways quite a bit. I had gotten quite used to getting whatever I wanted whenever I wanted it (cue my memory of the endless, mile-high produce piles at WF during the holiday season), thanks to the global food economy, and never thought too much about how many miles a piece of food may have traveled in order to end up in my grocery cart. Now I think about that when I shop. A lot. I’m definitely not saying that I don’t buy out-of-season items – after all, I live in Montana where the growing season is very short. But I notice if I have the choice to buy apples from Washington state or New Zealand, and I’ll choose what used the least amount of resources to get to me. I’ve researched our local farms and food producers, food purveyors and restaurants. I like being informed about the choices I make for myself and my family. It feels healthy.