Local Natural Food
Jacob’s Cove produces local natural food. We strive for the most natural, delicious and nutrient dense food as possible.
Local
The standard for local is quite simple. Produce is local if the producer can get the product to the consumer within 5 hours of harvest. This limits the distance to a maximum of between 250 and 300 miles. Our food actually travels an average distance of only 15 miles and is harvested the same day it is delivered. This is important for a variety of reasons.
- Ripening – Jacob’s Cove food is truly ripened on the vine. When you buy a tomato at the grocery store it is picked before it’s fully ripe. Vine-ripened tomatoes have much better flavor.
- Nutrition – Produce starts to lose nutritional value as soon as it is harvested. The longer it takes to get to you the less and less nutrition it has. Food is meant to be consumed shortly after it is picked. It is vitally important to eat food that is alive.
- Variety – When is the last time you saw a purple tomato at the grocery store? Anything that does not store for long periods of time and will not ship well will not be found at the grocery store. However, it is extremely important for our bodies to have a wide range of fruits and vegetables daily. Different colors, sizes and types of the same vegetable provides different nutrients and minerals for you body.
- Flavor – Local food tastes better. Varieties are planted for flavor, not for durability during transportation.
- Carbon Footprint – We do not waste our earth’s resources during production or transportation.
- Feed Ourselves/Community – If something should happen to the farms in Mexico or California, we should be able to provide for ourselves.
- Know Your Farmer – Buying local produce allows you to personally meet the person growing your food and see for yourself what is happening during the production process.
- Food Safety – Producing locally radically changes our current food structure and increases our food security and safety. To read more about food safety click here.
Natural
Food should be grown and consumed in its most natural state. Produce is not meant to be grown with synthetic fertilizers and sprayed pesticides and herbicides. This is damaging to the environment, the food and your body. Using these methods has severely negative consequences that we are just beginning to understand. The following are important practices that we follow at Jacob’s Cove.
- Soil Vitality – Plants absorb their nutrients from the sun and the soil. Natural soil is filled with vitamins and minerals that are absorbed through the plant and are ultimately consumed, providing your body with all of these vitamins and minerals. When chemicals are used, the soil becomes depleted of its natural resources. The plant cannot absorb something that is not there and the food we eat is then compromised. It looks like a tomato, but it is missing very important things. At our farm we do everything we can to work with the soil to maximize the vitality of the food being grown. Furthermore, healthy soil creates healthy plants which are able to resist diseases and pests creating no reason to use harmful chemical.
- No Chemicals – Chemicals are harmful to all in its path. Harmful to the soil, the plant, the produce and the consumers. Furthermore, harsh chemicals and organic chemicals unbalance the natural process of nature.
- No Preservatives – Preservatives and waxes are harmful and destructive to our bodies. Due to the fact that our produce is consumed shortly after being picked, there is need to try and preserve its freshness. The very fact that produce rots means that it is alive. When we consume food that is alive we are healthy, energetic, and strong.
Local natural food production is extremely important. It is important for the earth, our economy, our communities, and ultimately our individual bodies. Please join us in the local natural movement and sign up for a CSA share today.
