The Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance-led (CLEDA) Central Louisiana Local Foods Initiative aims to strengthen our region's local foods economy, while also increasing access to healthy and fresh foods for everyone. When our region's residents first think of a strong local foods economy, many ideas come to mind, and often begin with farmer's markets and community gardens. While both farmers markets and gardens are important, a strong economy needs many components to work effectively. Residents can make the greatest change in the region's local foods economy through their own community. Whether you live in Natchitoches, or Leesville, Jonesville, or Colfax, each of Central Louisiana's nine parishes now hold emerging Eat Local groups, which are designed for local residents to identify existing challenges in their own local foods economy, and then find opportunities to alleviate those challenges. Examples of Eat Local group successes include developing the Colfax Farmers Market in Grant Parish, and creating the Natchitoches Community Table, which allows Natchitoches Parish's emerging  growers to sell their produce in a collective, low-risk environment. These Eat Local groups continue to be the most effective way for local residents to become an active participant strengthening their own local foods economy. There are other ways for everyone to be involved, most of them simple, yet powerful. Perhaps the best and easiest way to support CLEDA's local foods initiative is to purchase just $5 of produce each week from a local grower. If each household in our region spent just $5 at a local farm, Central Louisiana would see $91 million back in our local economy. A collective effort to strengthen our local foods economy can be easily achieved by spending $5 weekly on locally grown produce and participating in your parish's Eat Local groups. To learn more about CLEDA's local foods initiative, or to find your parish's Eat Local group, visit the CLEDA facebook page, or email jdean@cenla.org to receive the local foods initiative's online newsletter. The Central Louisiana Local Foods initiative is funded by a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation Challenge Grant and the Rapides Foundation. Project partners include the Food Bank of Central Louisiana, the Louisiana Public Health Institute, and MarketUmbrella, as well as other Eat Local groups and farmers throughout the region.

 For those interested in learning more about this program or to volunteer, please contact the Good Food Project at (318) 787-6893.

• Cabbage
• Bulbing Onions
• English Peas
• Leek (Sets)