Just the Facts When:  Throughout 2008 What:  Pledge to make a change in the way you eat in 2008 - where our Eat Local Challenges are all or nothing eat local propositions, the Eat Local Pledge is a way for all of us to make small changes in our daily eating habits that we can sustain throughout the year - day in and day out. How:  You decide how you are going to do it and what you are going to pledge to do.  But, the Mad River Valley Localvore project is here to help.  This year we are planning to offer more workshops and events that will make it easier for all of us to eat more locally. Click here to take the pledge today!   See what others have pledged.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of pledge am I taking anyway???

You are taking a totally customizable pledge - you pledge what you are comfortable doing.  Some people are pledging to forgo factory farm meat, some are promising to eat a certain number of local meals each week, and others are pledging to become politically active in local food issues.  Obviously the pledge is personal and what you pledge depends on how committed you currently are to eating local food.  Local food newbies might want to consider a pledge to buy only locally raised eggs or to join a CSA.  For those who are already eating a largely local diet, maybe you make a pledge that takes you to the next level.  Our pledge form has several suggestions or you can make up your own pledge.

Is eating locally more expensive?

Not necessarily. Remember, you determine what you are pledging to do.  But even when we think about eating local in general, most of us pay a big premium for out-of-season foods like cherries in winter or prepared foods like spaghetti sauce, usually with a long list of ingredients we might prefer not to have in our bodies. Eating locally, we can buy fresh ingredients in season and direct from the farmer–without paying for the embedded costs of trucking the produce across the country. Most people eating a typical diet could save money by eating locally.

Will it take a lot of time?

Because you are deciding what you want to pledge to do, you will determine how much time it will take to fulfill your pledge.  If you pledge to grow and preserve all of your own food, obviously it is going to take quite a time commitment.  On the other hand, we are lucky in the Mad River Valley to have stores and restaurants committed to local food - everyday it is getting easier to be a Localvore! 

• Checkout our Food Sources page for where you can get local food. 

• Check out our recipe database for great ideas on how to prepare local food.

How do you monitor if people are sticking with the pledge?

We don't. It is strictly on the honor system. However, if you are not able to stick to your pledge, it would be really good to know why. This information could be helpful to others who take the pledge in the future.