Declare Your Food Independence

With the 4^th of July only a week away, now is a good time to plan ahead and get your menu set for the day. After all, food is usually one of the biggest parts of the celebration and the fresh foods of summer make a great addition to the day.

That’s why Kitchen Gardener’s International (KGI) has declared July 4 “Food Independence Day.” They encourage everyone to support local food by growing some of your own food and supporting local food producers and growers in your area.

Kitchen Gardeners International is a non-profit group that focuses on healthier food and a healthier planet by promoting home or “kitchen” gardens and providing information and resources for those who do this. There are about 20,000 kitchen gardeners from over 100 countries who help each other out via blogs, forums and social networking, and who organize activities all over the world inspiring people to grow their own sustainable food.

It is spearheaded by enthusiastic and tenacious kitchen gardener, Roger Doiron, the driving force behind the successful Eat The View Campaign that gathered 110,000 signatures to encourage the White House to replant a Kitchen Garden.

As KGI points out, even though July 4th only comes once a year, every day can be Food Independence Day if you support local food. As they say, “local foods are patriotic, whether you’re buying them from producers in your area or growing some of your own. They’re good for our local farmers, our economies, our health, and that of the planet. Best of all, they taste great because they’re fresh from the soil.”

Here are some ways they encourage people to show your support for Food Independence Day. Join their facebook group and invite your friends to join too. You can also add your own locavore marker to the map to show others what you are planning for the day. And, on the same page, you can also sign the pledge to show your support for kitchen gardens, local foods, farmers, and food producers in your area.

Aside from showing your own support, KGI also hopes that this petition/pledge will get each state’s “first family” to follow and pledge to source their July 4 meals as locally and sustainably as possible and to announce their menus ahead of the holiday to inspire others.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

jessica w.

8:44AM PDT on Oct 28, 2011

this 4th of july our center piece dish was pork ribs from a local farmer who lets the pigs roam in their farm and pig house he built himself. they eat the leftover organic fruit and vegtables that they don't sell. :)

send a green star

Carole K.

8:22PM PDT on Jul 13, 2011

No more sustainable action than GYO- grow your own!!!!! TY for this great article & resource links; I definitely intend to use them henceforth to good advantage!

dve d.

1:15AM PDT on Jul 12, 2011

noted on the July 12

will w.

1:07AM PDT on Jul 10, 2011

J S.

10:06PM PDT on Jul 9, 2011

Thank you.

Kath R.

1:00PM PDT on Jul 9, 2011

I eat from my back yard garden all summer long.

Stella W.