Eating local food helps reduce fossil fuels used in transport. While cherries in winter are a wonderful joy of modern life, they also have a deeper cost. Recently here in Perth we have had and still have food shortages. It has become obvious how much of our food isn’t grown or processed here, and how dependent we are on imported food. 

There are many, many foods that are grown well here in WA. We have a Mediterranean climate, like the west coast of America, and the southern European countries. This means cool, wet winters, and hot dry summers. These conditions are different to the east coast of Australia, where the rain is more evenly distributed throughout the year. 

 The traditional Mediterranean way of eating is well studied and one of the healthiest on the planet. It promotes lower levels of cancer, cardiovascular disease, blood sugar issues and dementia. It promotes longevity. Here in Perth and the south-west we are in an ideal situation. Many Italian and other southern European families have grown food here for generations, and some still do in some suburbs of Perth. 

What grows well here, and is grown here, is also recommended for an ideal Mediterranean type diet. (No, not the pizza/ pasta/ chicken parmigiana type of Mediterranean diet!).

Vegetables: cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower etc), carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, leeks, onions, garlic, nettles, capsicum, sweet potato, potatoes, lettuces, beets, silverbeet and spinach asparagus, and many more.

Legumes: broad beans, bertolli beans, all sorts of green beans, peas.

Fruit: lemons, oranges, all citrus, figs, pomegranate, apples, pears, all sorts of melons, avocados, apricots, dates, olives, peaches, apricots, strawberries.

Herbs: basil, coriander, rosemary, sage, thyme, basil, chives, dill, maroram, oregano, parsley, saffron, tarragon, bay leaf, chives.

Grains: wheat (for sourdough bread), barley, millet, oats.

Meat and seafood: here in WA we have lamb, beef, free range chickens for meat and eggs, and plenty of fresh local sustainable seafood. Seafood is an important part of a traditional Mediterranean diet. 

Dairy: cow, goat and sheep dairy are all eaten in the Mediterranean in small to moderate amounts in the form of cheeses (including soft cheeses like fetta and ricotta), yoghurt and milk. These are all also produced in the south west of WA. 

I encourage anyone remotely interested, to grow something themselves, that they can eat. It is very good for the soul, and also makes us less dependent on the trucking industry, fossil fuels, and huge corporations. It is a wholesome act toward creating a better world. Even in a small apartment or sharehouse, it is possible to grow something.  Or to care for an existing food plant, tree or garden with water, manure and love. 

A lemon tree, a rosemary bush, a herb patch, a pot of parsley- these are all easy to grow and care for. We do have unique growing conditions and alkaline sandy soils, like in the Mediterranean. But with a little knowledge, it is possible to grow food in your backyard, front yard, verge, verandah or windowsill. Whether we rent or own. Check out the local gardening Facebook groups or Green Life Soil company blog, and connect with others. 

Also, I encourage you to support local businesses, buy local fruit and vegetables, dairy and meat, and seafood. 

Health is not just personal. By eating a Mediterranean type diet, and fresh food that grows well here, we can eat well and prevent many health issues. By growing a little food ourselves and by buying local food from local businesses, we also nourish healthy local communities. We reduce our dependency on large corporations and fossil fuels involved in transport. We become more conscious around food. 

As we become more conscious around our food, we connect more with the Earth, the Mother, the source of all our food.