Local Food Movement Continues to Grow
By: Jessica Dean
Updated: July 8, 2011
For years we've heard about the local food movement. Groups of people
called themselves "locavores" and sought out produce and meat grown and
produced locally by farmers they knew.
What could have been a trend has stuck around and only seems to be growing into something people now expect at their stores and restaurants.
For five years farmer Robert Lashley has raised fruits and vegetables at his Willow Springs Market Garden in Pulaski County.
"Our mission is to bring locally grown produce to our community that's free of chemicals and pesticides and the Cafe is just one method of doing that," said Lashley from a field of vegetables at his farm .
The Cafe to which he referred is The Root Cafe, a newly opened restaurant in Little Rock's revitalized South Main Street District known as Soma.
"We decided it would be fun to open a cafe that offered local foods in a retail setting to people in Arkansas," explained Root Cafe owner Jack Sundell.
The Root Cafe offers items like hand-patted burgers made of Arkansas beef, chicken salad made from Arkansas poultry and in-season fruits and vegetables, among other things.
A map and corresponding photo book help diners learn more about the farms from which their food came.
In the several weeks it's been open, The Root Cafe has grown in popularity as Arkansans seek out locally grown and produced food during their lunch hour.
"We thought we'd be doing more education when we started out, trying to teach people about healthy food," said Sundell, "but what we've found is that people are ready for it.
"I think there's a huge local food movement going on," diner Sayler Fletcher-Gibbs said. "People are growing stuff in their backyards now. I think it's really taken off. "
One person who knows about that growth is farmer. Hardin spent years talking about the benefits of local food, opening the local food based Argenta Market in downtown North Little Rock.
"I've been in the local food business since 2004 and I've never really seen it like this. It's all culminating," said Hardin.
Hardin and others point to an increase in consumer education as the reason for the growth.
"Five years ago you wouldn't have that many customers coming through, one customer after another, saying 'where's the local and what's seasonal,'" Hardin explained.
Those consumers say for them it's all about supporting local farmers, supporting the local economy and of course, taste.
What could have been a trend has stuck around and only seems to be growing into something people now expect at their stores and restaurants.
For five years farmer Robert Lashley has raised fruits and vegetables at his Willow Springs Market Garden in Pulaski County.
"Our mission is to bring locally grown produce to our community that's free of chemicals and pesticides and the Cafe is just one method of doing that," said Lashley from a field of vegetables at his farm .
The Cafe to which he referred is The Root Cafe, a newly opened restaurant in Little Rock's revitalized South Main Street District known as Soma.
"We decided it would be fun to open a cafe that offered local foods in a retail setting to people in Arkansas," explained Root Cafe owner Jack Sundell.
The Root Cafe offers items like hand-patted burgers made of Arkansas beef, chicken salad made from Arkansas poultry and in-season fruits and vegetables, among other things.
A map and corresponding photo book help diners learn more about the farms from which their food came.
In the several weeks it's been open, The Root Cafe has grown in popularity as Arkansans seek out locally grown and produced food during their lunch hour.
"We thought we'd be doing more education when we started out, trying to teach people about healthy food," said Sundell, "but what we've found is that people are ready for it.
"I think there's a huge local food movement going on," diner Sayler Fletcher-Gibbs said. "People are growing stuff in their backyards now. I think it's really taken off. "
One person who knows about that growth is farmer. Hardin spent years talking about the benefits of local food, opening the local food based Argenta Market in downtown North Little Rock.
"I've been in the local food business since 2004 and I've never really seen it like this. It's all culminating," said Hardin.
Hardin and others point to an increase in consumer education as the reason for the growth.
"Five years ago you wouldn't have that many customers coming through, one customer after another, saying 'where's the local and what's seasonal,'" Hardin explained.
Those consumers say for them it's all about supporting local farmers, supporting the local economy and of course, taste.
