Our Mission at BFBL-GLV is to Support the Lehigh Valley Local Food Economy
Program Overview
BFBL-GLV is dedicated to strengthening the Greater Lehigh Valley’s local food economy through:
- educating our community about the many benefits of choosing locally grown foods;
- promoting our local food partners;
- facilitating local food purchases and improved fresh food access;
- providing research about our local food economy;
- and enhancing the connectedness of our local food system.
BFBL-GLV is a program of the Nurture Nature Center, a 501(c)3 organization. Buy Fresh Buy Local is a network of chapters across the country, dedicated to increasing the economic viability of small family farms and strengthening regional food systems by expanding markets for locally produced foods. These chapters are working to rebuild local food systems and promote sustainable agriculture by connecting consumers in communities throughout the country to fresh, locally grown and produced foods. Each Buy Fresh Buy Local Guide showcases local food producers and businesses who pledge to adhere to the standards of their Buy Fresh Buy Local Chapter, helping shoppers navigate the crowded food marketing landscape.
Through the creation of local food guides, community events, and educational materials, Buy Fresh Buy Local makes it easy for shoppers to find and connect with local food and the farmers who grow it. Learn more about the national Buy Fresh Buy Local here.
Buy Fresh Buy Local is a registered trademark of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (Pasa).
Find Local Food
Wherever you are in the Greater Lehigh Valley, BFBL-GLV makes it easy for you to find locally grown foods with our many free resources including our Local Food Finder, downloadable Local Foods Guide, Farmers’ Market Map, Lehigh Valley Harvest Calendar, and monthly newsletters to help you stay on top of what’s fresh & local in the region.
Fresh Food Access
Use your SNAP/EBT card to purchase fresh, local fruits and vegetables at participating locations, and receive discounts through the Food Trust’s Food Bucks program where they match every dollar you spend, up to $10 per day, with Fresh Food Bucks! In addition to this financial incentive, there are countless health benefits to using your dollars for fresh & local foods!
Why Buy Local?
Because it’s a win-win-win in every way! Click the button below to discover some of our favorite reasons to buy fresh and local. Hint, hint… It’s all connected!
Food System Research
BFBL-GLV is deeply engaged in food policy work. Through topical forum discussions, in-person tabling events and educational programs, market surveys and system networking, we have gathered valuable information about our local providers, consumers, and businesses. We’ve used this information to develop meaningful resources for our community and have conducted intentional research projects like our foundational Assessment Report: The Lehigh Valley Local Food Economy published in 2013.
