March 18, 2014 • Page 18 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com ? CATTLE Buying local benefits the environment, too Buying local has many benefits. But while consumers may know that buying local helps grow the local economy by supporting local business owners and creating jobs, they may not realize the positive impact that buying local can have on the environment as well. Eco-conscious consumers often go to great lengths to ensure their money is being spent in an environmentally friendly way. But one of the easiest ways to be an eco-friendly consumer is to support local businesses, which tend to benefit the environment in a variety of ways. * Shopping locally reduces the environmental impact of your purchases. When buying from a large national chain store, chances are the products you're purchasing were produced outside of your local community, oftentimes halfway across the globe. That means those products had to be shipped to reach the store shelves in your community. Such shipping leads to greater fuel consumption and air pollution. But local businesses often buy their supplies from other local businesses, cutting down on shipping and, as a result, benefitting the environment. * Local businesses often operate from the center of town. Local businesses typically need less space for their stores, which allows them to set up shop right in the heart of town as opposed to on the town's outskirts. That makes local businesses more accessible to community residents, who might be able to walk or take a short bike ride to smaller, local businesses. On the contrary, larger chains tend to diversify their offerings and, as a result, need more space. This often pushes them to the fringes of towns, eliminating the possibility of walking to the store. That means consumers will have to drive to the store, increasing their fuel consumption and their carbon footprint as a result. * Shopping locally employs your neighbors, reducing their carbon footprints as well. Another benefit to shopping locally that's often overlooked is the impact it can have on your neighbors' carbon footprint. Local businesses often employ members of the community, which trans- lates to shorter commutes, less highway congestion and less fuel consumption. So while shopping locally reduces your carbon footprint, it's also helping members of your community reduce their own potentially negative impact on the environment. * Shopping locally can protect local wildlife. Many people prefer to buy locally grown foods From Page 17 based on her mood. "We Town Grocery in Mitchell weren't sure if she had a since last summer and has good mom or not." been a popular product at "We try to give them Pomegranate Market in names that we wouldn't Sioux Falls. On its own, give our grandkids," she Moschell Farms also sells said. "Everyone makes a big half and whole cows to deal out of it because I those who wish to buy that name them all but, you much. know, everyone that puts a Prairie Town Grocery number on it, they're nam- owner Leonard Lambright ing them, too." said the product is similar The farm has more than to buffalo meat, because it's 35 cows and 25 calves. The lean and high in protein. calving process usually "It's a good feeling to prostarts in mid-March and vide a product that is locally Scottish Highlands are usu- grown and you know that ally born at about 30 to 40 it's quality meat," pounds. Moschell Farms Lambright said. "I'm really usually grows the cattle to proud of what is being done about 20 months before by Moschell Farms." butchering, and the cattle But buyers should know grow to 700 to 800 pounds. that the meat sells fast. Moschell Farms has its Moschell says they've been cattle feeding on grass from sold out as far as two years start to finish, as opposed to in advance. finishing the cattle with "She actually sells her corn or some other type of meat really reasonably," grain. That helps make the Moschell laughs. "Actually meat leaner. too reasonable, I think." Forth says it can take a Forth said there's a reawhile to learn how to cook son for that. the meat, because the "I just wanted my meat ground beef cooks much available to those people slower than a typical pack- that wanted it," she said. "I age of hamburger. She said didn't want to have people the roasts can oftentimes be have to be a millionaire in easier to cook. order to buy it. I didn't Locally, the meat has think that was right. It's because they feel such foods are more fresh and been carried at Prairie worked out well." buying locally grown foods reduces fuel consumption. Those things are true, but buying locally grown foods also can help protect local wildlife. When local farms can afford to stay in operation, local farmers are far less likely to sell their lands to developers. That can help protect the habitats of local wildlife. We Have a Full Line of Hoxeng Crop Insurance LLC The debate over foods containing GMOs continues The foods people eat and how those foods are grown and manufactured has long been a topic of contention. Recently, the subject of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, has garnered its EHRESMANN ENGINEERING For All Your Steel Needs! STEEL SPECIALS • Flat Bars • Solid Bars • Angle Iron •Channel Iron • Round, Square & Retangle Tubing • Many More types of steel to choose from We Want to be Your Steel Supplier Call us at 605-665-7532 share of attention. GMOs are organisms that have been altered via genetic engineering. Foods that contain GMOs have been produced in part in a laboratory by foreign genes from plants and animals. 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