GLOUCESTER Shire Council general manager Danny Green is turning ‘locavore’ for a week in April and is challenging the Gloucester community to join him.
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Danny and his wife Kerrie will join hundreds of other locavores around Australia who are taking up the Local Harvest Challenge from April 6 to 12 to eat only locally sourced and sustainably produced food for seven days.
Participants can choose the level of difficulty for their challenge, as well as what ‘local’ means for them.
Danny and Kerrie have elected to do the hardest level of the challenge by committing to eat only locally and sustainably produced food during the week.
They will source all of their food from within a 160km radius of Gloucester.
Mr Green said he was looking forward to his week of local eating and making more informed and conscious food choices.
“Eating locally makes sense. The food is fresher and more nutritious, it has much less environmental impact and it supports the local economy,” he said.
“I’m really interested to know more about the range of foods available on our doorstep. The Gloucester region has such a diverse history of food production dating back to days of the Australian Agricultural Company.
“I think I’ll be looking with new eyes at what’s on offer at the next Gloucester Farmers Market or farmgate stall at Gloucester’s Tucker Patch.”
Mr Green said initiatives like the Local Harvest Challenge could also help boost the growth industry of food tourism.
“This challenge is another way of shining a light on our local farmers and food producers and their products,” he said.
“The more viable they are, the greater the potential for tourism around their products and services, which benefits the whole local economy.”
“Council is compiling a directory of farmers, food producers and food businesses offering local products from within 160km of the town.
“It would be great if local cafes and food businesses could also get on board during the week of the challenge by highlighting local food products.”
To join the Local Harvest Challenge go to www.localharvest.org.au/take-the-challenge
Contact council’s event liaison officer Tess Hilleard at tess.hilleard@gloucester.nsw.gov.au or phone 6558 1408 to have your products included on the directory or for more information about council’s plans to support the challenge participants.
