Sniff out locally grown food resources

If you haven't caught on to all the talk about eating local foods, we're afraid you're being taken for a ride—literally. Even most produce grown right in the United States travels an average of 1,500 miles before it gets sold, says The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). That's a huge carbon footprint for foods that end up being a pale imitation of the fresh, tasty choices grown in your own region.

The problem is, how do you find locally grown food? It seems somewhat mysterious if you're used to dashing down to the nearest grocery store and buying whatever's available. The good news is, it's easier than ever to get locally grown food. Green LA Girl just posted an inspired collection of locavore hacks. We added their best ideas to ours, to show you how to hook up your own local food connections.

Find the nearest farmers markets Check listings with the USDA and Local Harvest.
Use your iPhone Find local farmers markets and check what's in season near you.
Join a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Weigh the pros and cons of CSAs before you look up a CSA near you.
Make it through the winter Local selection is naturally limited by season, but we can show you how to eat locally all winter.
Grow your own After all, the Obamas do. You can grow your own food, even if you live in the city, if you don't have much to spend—even if you don't have anything to spend at all!
Share your crop Grow more than you can use? Share, trade and sell with neighbors.
Use it up Too much kale? Recipes for what to do when you end up with too much of one thing on hand.
Have it delivered It's not necessarily local, but organic delivery services can help fill in the holes.