The best diet for Mother Nature

MADISON (WKOW) – We’ve heard about diets to lose weight, lower cholesterol and fight aging. What about the best diet for Mother Nature? Local ingredients are at the heart of the sustainability recipe.

“You can feed your body, but you’re feeding your soul while eating a meal with good people,” said Mary Ann Bellazini.

Mary Ann and her husband, Marc, own the farm-to-table restaurant and winery Campo di Bellao. It is used to serve food that is often produced a short distance from the table while emphasizing sustainability.

“The sheep fertilize the pastures, and they cut everything,” explains Marc. “I don’t have to get on a mower and mow the fields; they do the work for me.”

Campo di Bella also supports other local producers, ensuring that everything served in the restaurant is handmade.

Local food is not a new concept; it is a return to our roots. While the globalization of the food system has brought many benefits, such as oranges and olive oil to Wisconsin, it comes at a cost.

On average, food travels about 1,500 miles to reach our tables in the US

“We’re getting a lot of food from a lot of different places,” said Meredith Niles of the University of Vermont. “It takes a lot of energy, transportation and other resources to move food.”

The locavore diet focuses on reducing food miles, often only eating food within a 100-mile radius.

This practice is a step forward, but it is only a fraction of the big picture of food emissions. Only about 11% of food emissions come from transport. Research shows that environmentally friendly practices often play a more vital role than farm-to-fork distance.

Balanced and organic practices are the foundation of Vitruvian Farms in McFarland.

“We’re not trying to grow tomatoes in Wisconsin in the dead of winter because even though we could do it, it would take an immense amount of energy,” said Shawn Kuhn, co-founder of Vitruvian Farms.

Despite the benefits of eating locally grown food, critics argue that switching to a local-only diet could limit nutrients and flavors. The practice could also increase the risk of disease and pests in crops.

“That’s one of the dangers of centralizing a certain type of food production in one region,” Kuhn said.

Kuhn emphasized that diversifying food-growing regions, combining local food systems with the global food system, can increase food security.

“What we’re looking for is just a little more balance,” Kuhn said. “We are not trying to eradicate the global food system, because there are many benefits.”

Buying from local food producers not only supports our local economy, it connects shoppers to the process of growing food and the values ​​they support. From water use to soil conservation, biodiversity and even fair wages, these topics can be discussed while shopping.

For those looking to make a personal impact, Mary Ann Bellazini recommends starting small.

“You don’t have to make big rows of all your vegetables; you can grow two or three in containers,” Bellazini said.

New gardeners are encouraged to explore UW Madison’s resources, including seed starting and the Q&A section.