As a family we try to buy
locally no matter where we are. This is much easier when we are stable for
longer periods of time like we have been in Albuquerque since January. Now that
we have hit the road again for the next nine weeks, we have be slightly more
creative when trying to support local business and farmers. It’s really easy to
slip into buying from big box stores that are convenient, but not always great
for the economy or the environment of the places we are visiting. So, how do we
buy locally while we’re on the road? Here are a few ways:
1.) Find the local farmer’s
markets – Most areas have weekly farmers markets, especially in the summer. A
simple google search for “farmer’s markets in (whatever city you're in)” will generally give you a
list of markets, as well as times and locations. We also try to stop at
roadside stands whenever we see them.
2.) Check Craigslist –
Farmers who sell local eggs and local honey often advertise on craigslist. They
will often meet you out somewhere or you can pick things up at their location
if you’re comfortable with that.
3.) Scour the bulletin boards
at local haunts – Small supermarkets, laundry mats and restaurants often have
bulletin boards where locals can post small advertisements for goods, services
and events. This is especially true in smaller towns. We have used these boards
to find eggs for sale, weekly farmer’s markets and even craft fairs.
4.) Ask the locals – I
used to watch Rachel Ray’s $40 a Day and one of her biggest tips was always
to ask a local where the best restaurants are. This is a tip we have used not
only for restaurants, but also for farmer’s markets, things to do, and pretty
much anything that we might want or need while we’re in an area. If you want to
support local, ask the locals!
5.) Harvest Hosts – This trip
we have added a new method of finding local farmers to support. Another
fulltime RVer referred us to Harvest Hosts, which is a network of farms and
wineries that will allow you to stay a night or two on their property (in your
RV) for free. These are mainly dry camping opportunities, but the program
allows you to find plenty of farms you would have never found otherwise. The membership
fee for the program is only $45 a year and then you are asked to purchase
something at each farm you stay at, which is kind of the point for us. Our
first Harvest Host stay was at an alpaca farm and it was so cool that it
deserves its own blog post, so come back in a few days and I’ll post pictures
and a description of that fun night!
Do you have any tricks for
buying local while you’re traveling? I’d love it if you shared your tips in the
comments. It’s great when we all learn from each other!
