About Buy Fresh Buy Local Chesapeake

Why Buy Fresh and Local?

• Fresh food and produce is healthier and more nutritious (and delicious!)
• More of your food dollars stay in the community to support local farmers and build local economies.
• When local farmers farm sustainably, they preserve open space, keep their lands productive, and protect their land from urban and suburban development, which harms the Chesapeake Bay.

Buy Fresh Buy Local Chesapeake is one of nearly 80 chapters throughout the country (and currently the only one in Maryland), working to promote locally grown food to the public, connect consumers to local food producers, and change local food priorities. The Buy Fresh Buy Local brand, under the auspices of the Food Routes Network, is nationally recognized.

The Chesapeake chapter began in 2006 with a group of dedicated individuals who had farming, restaurant, and food policy backgrounds. Since May 2010, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) has been the coordinating organization for the chapter, providing staff and organizational support.

For over 25 years, CBF has been making the connection between local sustainable agriculture and the Chesapeake Bay's water quality by:

• advocating for policies and legislation that benefit farmers and the Bay.
• educating students, teachers, and the public about sustainable agriculture.
• putting conservation into practice at CBF's Clagett Farm with its CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), grass-fed beef, native tree nursery, and education center.

What's Next?

We're just getting started. In the future, check this website for:

• an online food guide with lists of farmers, producers, farmers markets, and more resources.
• outreach events at fairs and festivals to educate consumers and promote sustainable agriculture and healthy local food.
• invitations to special events, such as a Graze Fest at CBF's Clagett Farm, highlighting grass-fed beef and local produce or an Oyster Fest featuring aquaculture oysters.