Why Local County?
Support local. Know your farmer. Eat local, whenever possible.
Sound familiar? All buzzwords we are used to hearing lately.
These are also all reasons why Local County exists. Our mission has always been to "Connect local producers with local buyers".
We believe that people value connection with their local community. They want to make smart consumer decisions while having meaningful experiences. For example, the 2018 Local County summer u-pick guide was created to give some ideas for those asking the question "where can I find a good u-pick to visit in the Edmonton area?"
If "living locally" is important to you, the Local County website is a place to start to introduce you to some great local farmers, artists, producers, creatives.
Life is pretty full of noise and advertising, and "living locally" can feel like a noble but unattainable goal, but like other major life changes it just requires small steps to begin.
One customer googled "Fresh eggs Ardrossan" and found the Local County "Pumpkin Hill Farm" profile- she has since become a repeat customer enjoying the excuse for a mini Saturday road trip. Another family searched "Honeyberries" two summers ago and after picking berries, bought eggs and have been buying eggs ever since, incorporating it into trips to explore the nearby Blackfoot provincial recreation area on days off. These are just two personal examples among many of how the Local County website has provided the first step in a local connection.
The photos included here are texted and unedited from my neighbor Cecille who runs Herbal Roots Greenhouse. She is an example of a local producer who did not have a web presence or any social media until Local County. She sends me updates and offers me tea when I visit. She has opened a gift shop backing onto her greenhouse where she includes handmade items from neighbors and creatives some of which she has met via the Local County website. She is a consistent vendor at two local farmer's markets in the summer and offers her seasonal items from her home through the week as well.
If you are new to Local County, welcome. We hope you do refer to the website if you are looking for a specific local product or experience. We want to encourage you to follow along via social media and connect with the amazing local producers featured there throughout the year. We would really appreciate your feedback if you have a comment or question about the website and if you have any ideas about what you are looking for in a local resource such as this. Did you find the U-pick guide helpful? Would you like to see more resources about local experiences in the future?
In closing, I want to encourage you to visit a farmer's market, turn into a driveway on a range road to visit a roadside stand and buy veggies and eggs using the honor system, plan ahead when buying a wedding gift and order pottery from a local artisan, try out a new baking mix made from freshly ground local organic wheat, order natural face cream and soap made locally, mailed right to you, visit a flower farm and pick your own bouquet from the field the flowers are grown in. Sound idealistic to "live locally"? It's not really. It just means slowing down a bit and seeing the real people around you and incorporating a few more personal connections into your everyday life.
