This is a Food and Farming related blog written by Michelle Northrup. The views expressed within are solely the author's. To read the previous posts, click here.

"Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To give the poor dog a bone:
When she came there,
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none."

It has been a month of grocery shopping with my three goals in mind:

1. Purchase products grown/produced with in a 100 mile radius
2. Purchase products grown/produced in Michigan
3. Purchase products grown/produced from the closest location

What I wanted to determine is: would I have to spend more money to buy local foods? If so, exactly how much extra money would I need to add to my budget in order to do that?

At the end of the month, my food purchases were broken into the three categories: 33% from within the 100 mile radius, 23% from Michigan, and 44% from outside the state. My overall spending on food for the month increased by 37%, from $260 to $356. This was a surprise. I thought it would be higher given that staples such as bread, milk and eggs cost two to three times what I had been paying.

Some Observations:

One: My cupboards began to resemble the rhyme of Old Mother Hubbard
We were eating up the stores of food that stuffed the shelves of the pantry and freezer. Since my family and I started in May and the local produce was not in full swing, I found myself digging out the berries and apples that we had picked in season and stored by freezing them. As the snack stores in the pantry dwindled, it was hard to find a local replacement (which in my opinion was good since these snacks tended to be highly processed).

Two: Though the pantry was becoming paltry, my enjoyment of the food I was consuming grew.
Through this experiment I gave myself permission, no matter what the cost, to purchase the great variety of tasty foods that are produced in our area – whole grain breads, lean meats, fresh milk and eggs, even tea. What made it even more enjoyable was being connected with the producers in my community.

Three: There are lots of products made right in Michigan, several that I was already purchasing on a regular basis.
But beware there are also products that said “Michigan” but were not made in Michigan at all. To see products, not just food, that are made in Michigan visit Buy Michigan Products.

Finally: It takes effort to support your local economy.
I was reading every label and searching the internet. My daughter, who shops with me frequently, likened it to a treasure hunt. Unfortunately, I do not always have time for a treasure hunt. At those times it was frustrating to search the labels, especially if I forgot my glasses. Luckily, there is a learning curve and it does get easier and faster as time goes by.

Michelle Northrup is an AmeriCorps VISTA service member serving the Grand Vision as Internal Communications Coordinator. She previously worked for the Manistee Symphony Orchestra. Her and her family recently moved to Traverse City to take advantage of the great schools and the great outdoors. Michelle often says "she lives to eat" and looks forward to enjoying the diverse culinary opportunities in the region.