More Veg in the Macedon Ranges (and Beyond)
If the last few weeks have shown us anything at all, it has been that access to local, fresh produce is a priority in the Macedon Ranges. The supermarket shelves lay bare to demonstrate the importance of localised food systems to resilience and sustainability in this Shire.
The good news is that in the Macedon Ranges we are surrounded by passionate growers producing some of the best fresh produce in the world. The challenge has always been knowing where, when and how to access the growers.
Veg Action has developed a new website to address this challenge; connecting consumers in the Macedon Ranges to local, seasonal produce and the people that grow it. On the Get to know your grower site, you can discover your local farm gates, search for what’s in season, find out when the next farmers’ market is on, find a locally grown veggie box, and more.
There are so many reasons to eat more fruit and vegetables – particularly when it is grown locally. Buying in season directly from the farmer is more sustainable as it reduces the distance your food needs to travel and storage requirements. It also keeps your dollar closer to home, supports our local farmers and strengthens local food systems making them less susceptible to the supply chain problems we are currently seeing due to COVID. Eating more veg in our diets is directly linked to better health and reduced food-related emissions. It also allows us to reshape our food systems away from industrial livestock farming, and the land clearing, deforestation, erosion, pollution and animal welfare issues that go hand-in-hand with this farming framework.
Get to know your grower is an initiative of the Veg Action Group of the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group, with support from Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health, Macedon Ranges Shire Council, and the Healthy Heart of Victoria project.