Rural Communities Need Better Options For Fresher Food

[smahala1991]

I live in a small rural community in North Carolina. The nearest grocery store is 1 mile from my house, and a half mile rom there is a Dollar store. Those are the only options here besides a couple of convenience stores, at least within a 10 mile radius. We do have two Walmarts, and a couple of other supermarkets outside the radius, but the grocery store we do have in our area has pretty expensive prices compared to Walmart and Dollar General.

I work at the Dollar General in my community. We do have several options for food items in the store, however it is sadly mostly all junk and processed foods like candies, chips, cookies, frozen foods, and sodas. It's not really filling a void that we really lack in the rural communities in the US. A lot of people in "Food Deserts" in the US lack the vital resources to gain access to affordable fresh and healthy food. There are food banks at some churches, but they only operate at certain times, and give out provisions that do not last till the next distribution, or it's not of the best quality.

I believe if the food banks would provide fresher food for those in need, then most people could cook better and eat a lot healthier meals. Another great idea for a community would be a community garden, where residents can plant fruit and veggie seeds, and once grown they can pick from each others plants. Another great option that some communities have is a blessing box, which is a small cabinet by the side of the road at a church where people can take or give canned foods, fruits, veggies, cereals, crackers, cookies, etc...

We have to eat in order to live, so why shouldn't we all be able to enjoy fresh food every so often?

[monorprise]

You got the land and resource to grow fresh food in North Carolina unlike say Arizona or New Mexico where that might be more of a challenge.

But your right access to the global markets will always be more expensive the further you are from trade access points.

Your Dollar General store is actually the best way to know the true nature of the problem. Find out why it doesn't sell more fresh food in the distribution chain and what kind of market demand there would be.

The easiest way to do that is to create a kind of standing farmers market there to see how many people would notice and buy. If you let enough of the locals know and find an inexpensive way to acquire the goods there might be a market for the new services.

Theses are the kind of problems we need to solve for long term human prosperity because as much as a City might seem attractive the reality is it is killing off its resents. with it's toxic effects.

[Lliam]

There are usually farms, ranches and people with gardens in rural communities.

My wife and I live in a rural area. Some farms have CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture). https://www.seriouseats.com/should-you-join-a-csa-what-is-a-community-supported-agriculture-pros-and-cons

Some farms have farm stands.

There are often local farmer's markets.

Some people sell canned goods, honey, dried fruit and nuts.

It's possible to get to know people who sell eggs and even humanely raised, organic meat like chicken, beef, pork and lamb.

It helps to have a freezer for storing larger quantities of meat.

[Horse-girl]

I also live rurally, we're 14 miles to the nearest shop. There are a few people selling eggs by the road but that's it and we get by just fine. The trick is to get the food shopping for the week and try to think ahead to what meals you'll cook. All the fresh food keeps fairly well in the fridge and fruit and veg baskets but then it's not too hot in the UK so I guess food spoils slower. Also having a garden allows for fresh produce to be picked just before eating.

[buzzword]

So you think there is demand for food suppliers in your area, yet you don't show the entrepreneurship to become the supplier yourself and make a profit... It sounds like you are the problem. Not all rural areas are like the area you chose to settle within. I live outside of a small town with multiple independent grocery stores including ethnic specialty grocers that sell fresh meat, fresh produce, and many other products, several independent bakeries, a fruit market, a butcher/meat market, a home made ice cream shop, 5 independent restaurants, a dozen regular food trucks, probably 20 regular road side stands that sell all sorts of produce and seafood, and there are even charitable organizations that help the poor with food and even pet food. There’s a feed store for the animals. When I dive down many farm roads I see signs at the front gates of many small farms, selling honey, selling fresh eggs, selling pot belly pigs, selling beef cattle, selling tomatoes, and so on. Many people have their own orchards, gardens, and/or livestock. Farmers also often sell off the back of trucks on the side of the road when certain crops are in season. That’s what rural America looks like to me. A lot of Americans at every level getting involved how they can from the ground up. Sure there is a dollar store on the outskirts of the town, but all typical suburban shopping at big companies can be reached in roughly 5-10 miles. Yet there is more than 100,000 acres of farmland out here, hundreds of thousands of acres of hunting land, multiple high quality fishing locations, and so on.

[RavVid]

In country areas local to me, there are back of a truck sales. I think you need it to be local farm produce because once it is past the farm gate the produce is in the distribution system and the price rises. Farmers need to get more than the food distribution network pays for motivation and to make it worthwhile.

To labor the point nothing is less than $4AUD per Kg where I am so I think the cost of food distribution network is that price. What do farmers grow in your area?

Coops can work.

In the rural community was raised in there was one general store so I get what you are on about.

[Ladsin2]

Well written Take, and it's allegedly a real problem. That said I disagree with your solution. If you live in a small town like I do there are many local farmers raising their own livestock and growing their own produce you could easily purchase at a decent price on the side of the road or at the local famer's market. Additionally I have no problems with more options, but even if healthier alternatives are introduced do you think people will actually take them? I'm dubious that if a Whole Foods moved into town that grandma would go and buy kale instead of breaking out the deep frier and sizzling up some catfish.

[Dargil]

You have plenty of arable land in WNC. You/we should be doing more family farms growing vegetables and free range chickens and selling their surplus locally. The Cherokees don't don't do that either. They have the land but they buy processed foods and have diabetes.

[DrPepper12]

Its simply not cost effective for them and i agree, healthy food should be much cheaper than processed. I wish a had a contribution to say other than yours

[Pohjolan]

They haven't figured out the logistics then.
You can literally cut out the middle man when selling fresh goods in rural areas.
If Europeans can do it then why not Americans?

[DrPepper12]

@Pohjolan Europe is much more compact, has a tradition of farm to table quality, doesn't require additives, preservatives, anti-caking agents, desicants, etc cuz its not being processed for freezing or shipping or shelf life. Rural towns do have markets spring to fall, its the urban food deserts where poverty reigns thats the true USA problem. Big supermarkets dont want to go there due to high rents and crime on products that are VERY marginal profitability

[NathanDavis]

you all used to grown your own stuff...

why did you guys stop?

what's stopping you from starting that over... lol

[msc545]

Exactly!

[MisterWack]

Healthier options should be cheaper and more available though it can’t since highly processed & artificial & non-organic foods will always be cheaper and more plentiful sadly. It is a prevalent problem.

[lightbulb27]

Agree. Yoi should all start gardening!


Stores selling garbage.

[Avicenna]

The stores sell that junk because enough people buy it, and enough people wouldn't buy the perishable fruits and veggies in many of these places for a profit to be made.

[Avicenna]

I'd grow some food on my property if I were in that area

[strateguy632]

"We do have two Walmarts" walmart sells "Celery & Cucumbers in FRESH Vegetable".

[exitseven]

Our culture is based n the automobile. Ten miles is really not too far to drive to get groceries

[UnicornLobotomy]

Naa They just don’t live rural enough to farm or buy straight from the farmers

[Staximus]

Are you telling me nobody around there tried fruit and vegetables that is too sell some? Go to a farmers market or something

[RingOfFire]

Are you serious that a mile is too far to go to a grocery store? That seems ridiculous to me.

[smahala1991]

Not counting other people’s distances in the community

[RingOfFire]

I live in a suburban area and there is a grocery store several blocks away, but I don't like it. I regularly drive to a grocery store about 5 mi away that I like much better. And it probably involves significantly more traffic than you have there to get there. But it's no big deal. I don't go to the grocery store constantly, I just make sure to buy enough so that I don't need to. I'm just not sure why that seems like the problematic distance.

[Anonymous]

If people are willing to pay for it, someone will open a store with more expensive options. Otherwise, you need to move closer to whatever place has the food you like.

[grega239]

I can get milk , eggs, juice and meat from the local farmers.

[msc545]

Maybe gardens?

[Brady]

It's the lack of money n business in farm areas.