Local Food Movement and the Intergenerational Factor

Photo courtesy of www.theburlapbag.com

By Sharon McMillan, New Urban Mom

Consider this statement: The local food movement is a romantic movement that gives urban cheerleaders and regionalists an anchor upon which to turn ideals into practical strategies. I think many well-intentioned people would agree that the effort we are putting into keeping more dollars in our community is not the magic pill for our economic challenges.  It is, however, a step in the right direction that requires a fully integrated and inter-generational approach to sustainable cities and regions.

Countless publications have already asserted that initiatives established to re-jig our economies by boosting local food production aren’t about to replace the thousands of jobs being lost in this current economy. In fact it won’t even come close at this point in time.

Yet, even with that knowledge I think there’s an understanding that pushing for the growth of local food clusters and an appreciation for an economy rooted in local resources – natural and man-made – sets the foundation for creating a mind-set and a generation that will in time, I believe, bring prosperity back to many regions in our country.

I’m not a planner or economist, but my perspective on what our cities and regions need is shaped by my role as a parent, working woman and resident. I’m not being narcissistic when I say my perspective is critically important, though I am being slightly facetious. “My” perspective is the perspective shared by the very people who will make the decisions to live and work in the urban centers we need to revitalize.

So as we think about the initiatives that our economies need to be more self-sufficient and attractive to the everyday residents who will have the courage, commitment and vision to turn blighted areas into real communities, let’s look at what “we” want:

• We want safe communities where our children can learn and grow in their environments
   
• We want our regions to attract forward thinking, successful companies that will provide jobs or business opportunities for ourselves and our neighbors
   
• We want housing options and cultural amenities that will boost our quality of life

There are, of course, thousands of initiatives established to address all these “wants.” We have, however, an opportunity created by economic circumstance and changing world affairs to turn one such initiative, the local food movement, into a cultural, national movement that can impact various areas of our lives.

Domestic needs of this nation have never been more important. Our communities have so much to offer but they will have to rely on both our older and younger generations to realize the full potential of our urban centers and regions.

As author Andrew Blechman pointed out in his New York Times bestseller, Leisureville, our communities’ economic and social vitality depend on the taxes, social insight and experience contributed by our senior residents – the 78 million baby-boomers in the U.S. Their influence on our younger generations – those who will lead our urban centers and regions – is critical to the success of all of our efforts, including the local food movement.

My hope for the New Year is that we see more joint-inter-generational efforts to make local food a driving and influential factor in our schools (healthy living curriculum), our business sectors and our residential communities. 

BY Guest Blogger on December 30th, 2011

TAGS: food | community development | clusters