vision northampton 2015 Each year, more and more food is cultivated by Northampton residents. Food production is occurring in the rich alluvial and the thin, rocky soils alike, yielding nutrient-dense, delicious products. Northamptonites are enjoying breakfast provided by their local food system. They are enjoying apple butter from apples grown and processed in the western hills; they are frying up salty bacon strips from the pigs running free in the orchards; and they are making scrambled eggs from their neighbors’ chickens, home fries from potatoes grown in the Meadows, and a fresh salad from their rooftop garden. It’s 2015, and communities all over New England have caught wind of the success of Northampton’s vibrant local food system, and its positive impact on Northampton’s food security and town-wide sense of pride and self-sufficiency. One by one, the downtowns of little villages and big cities are becoming bustling markets of fruit, vegetable, and meat, offering an array of specialty items such as fresh juices, jams, spreads, pickled goods, maple syrup, yogurt, and cheeses all grown and made by local farmers and processors. Food deliveries are primarily carried out by electric vehicles, bicycles, and draft animals. The
price of fuel has continued to rise, but the potentially harmful effects are not disrupting Northampton’s supply of food. Food is fresh, abundant, affordable, and accessible to more and more citizens. Whether people are living in the center of town, in a remote neighborhood, or in an assisted home, there are numerous venues and delivery services making food accessible to everyone. Schools have implemented their own gardens that supply the cafeteria, and students are excited to visit to the garden to watch it grow. Food waste from school cafeterias, restaurants, and homes is picked up weekly and transported to the City’s compost facility. Each week a new load of organic material is brought in, and a steaming batch of fresh compost is delivered to one of many farms spread around town, boosting soil fertility and maintaining a sustainable agriculture system for Northampton. In an new era of expensive and scarce fossil fuels, Northampton is prepared to provide food for its citizens, along with the additional benefits of boosting its local economy, strengthening its social fabric, and fortifying its residents’ ability to live more sustainably.
Feed NorthamptoN visiOn nOrThampTOn 2015
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