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Writer's pictureBrither Ann

What Buying Local Means To Locals



I know a lot of people are probably tired of seeing "shop local and support your community". I know what it's like to hear that all the time, when I was younger I used hate hearing that. What I didn't realize when I was younger, is that people supporting small local businesses is what fed me growing up. My dad use to own a small construction company, and people employing him is what fed me, clothed me, and gave me the opportunity to have the best thing I've ever had in my life; Horses. My dad is now a local oyster farmer, which in turn still will feed my family.

When you buy local that's what you do, you feed families, you pay their light bill just one more time, you give a little girl dance lessons, or horseback riding lessons, you give a little boy his new baseball glove, or send a little boy to space camp he didn't think he was gonna get to go to again this year. Being a just starting local photographer, you're helping me to buy business cards so I can have a career doing something I'm passionate about. Every small local business has some tiny human behind it, and that one tiny human started with a passion for something, then turned into a dream, then cried with the ups and the downs of turning that dream into a reality. I know cause I'm that tiny human doing the same thing.

There are so many people out there that don't understand some of those things. There are some people that just don't know where to start. If you're one of those people you can start by going to a restaurant that uses locally grown food, places like Local Craven food Market . There are so many small things you can do like buying that cute little ten dollar bracelet you saw in the window of that cute little boutique while walking downtown. The Farmers market is a perfect place to start buying local. The farmers market isn't just farmers selling vegetables, and fruit. The farmers market has local photographers, local painters, knitters, jewelry makers, bakers etc.


While we are on the topic of buying local... local farmers now more then ever need your support. Without farmers you wouldn't be clothed, you'd be starving unless you yourself can farm, and you'd not have those lovely spirited beverages. That poor old man you see on the side of the road with his old beat up chevy, with the water melons in the back of it, is no different than those farmers that have the big fancy tractors, and that big ole sprayer. That Farmer is still a farmer. That farmer needs those 3 extra dollars just as bad, or maybe even worse than that "big" farmer. I'm not saying we should pit farmers against each other in anyway. I'm saying the little guys need support too, they need to pay bills too.Next time you are driving down the road and see one of those "little" farmers, and you have a few extra bucks in your pocket, buy that water melon, buy that corn, buy that squash. It will make that man or woman so happy, and it might make their day after only four customers all day, after they've sat in the heat for a majority of it. You won't regret buying from a "little" farmer, it'll be the best watermelon you'll ever taste, trust me.

You wanna know why it'll be the best watermelon you ever tasted? It'll be the best watermelon, you ever tasted because that "little" farmer went outside everyday, and loved that watermelon, positioned that watermelon so the sun hit it just right for the perfect amount of sweetness, then he watered each individual plant with care, not to much water... just enough. That goes for every small farmer out there no matter what he or she is growing. No small farmer is in it for the money, the reward for them is much greater, it goes from knowing that it fed someone, that someone enjoyed what they grew. And you know what you're gonna do? You're going to finish that watermelon, and you're gonna tell your church friends where you got it, you're going to tell your sons teacher, your neighbor, and your sister in law, because it was the best fruit you'd ever had. Guess what? By doing that you just helped the "little" farmer.

My mom is a "little" farmer. My mom enjoys what she does, she picks her veggies, and fruit everyday she needs to. She even waters each individual plant, like I said. Those small town farmers are our future whether you know it or not. Farmers on a large scale or small don't get the recognition they deserve. Without pig farmers you would have no bacon, without cow farmers dairy or meat you would have no steak, no tea, and NO COFFEE! I don't think I need to continue with where I was going. So please put money back into your community, and watch it grow over time, it'll be worth it. You'll make a dream a reality. Buying local means being a kind soul.




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