Buy Fresh/ Buy Local: enough said

As part of the school’s participation in National Library Week, guest speaker Mindy Carbonneu, who works with the Farmer’s Market in Agriculture Education for the Hampton Roads chapter of the Buy Fresh/ Buy Local organization, spoke to students about the benefits of purchasing local produce.

Carbonneu began her presentation by posing a question to students.

“How many of you have met the farmer that grows your food?” Carbonneu asked.

In return, students listened to information and answered questions regarding the benefits of local food production in return for apples.

According to Carbonneu, apples that are grown and bought in Virginia result in a difference of about ten tons of carbon emissions compared to apples shipped from New Zealand.

Carbonneu also encouraged  the school’s students, as a whole, to stimulate the local economy by purchasing produce grown in Virginia and especially in Hampton Roads.

“When you buy local food, you are insuring that local farms stay in business,” Carbonneu said.