Food has always been a challenge for me. I’ve been labeled a picky eater for as far back as I can remember. When I was a teenager, I decided to become vegetarian. While my Mom was supportive of my decision, it made others around me even more convinced that I was being difficult about eating. But the truth was, eating caused me pain. Almost everything I consumed seemed to cause my stomach to hurt. Nothing felt good about eating and I did not know why.
Finally I had a breakthrough with food. I found out that I was gluten intolerant. I began eating a gluten-free diet and reducing dairy. I also found out that yeast in food and drink was an issue for me. Suddenly I could eat and not be in pain. It gave me a direction about what to avoid, but it drastically reduced the foods I could consume. I had to learn a new way to eat.
The answer I found was eating local foods that were in season. I began attending farmer’s markets. Eventually, I joined a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture Share. As I aligned my body with the seasons, eating finally became an enjoyable experience for me. For me, eating local food helps me feel more connected to the land, the seasons, and the people who grow my food. It also feels aligned with the mindfulness and intentionality that I try to bring to my Reiki practice and to my life in general.
Why Eat Local?
Eating local often means eating foods that is fresher and closer to harvest, which can support better quality and flavor. I personally find local foods just taste a lot better. A lot of the reason I was struggling to find foods to eat is because I didn’t like the taste of produce that had been picked too early or was on its way to spoiling.
Another benefit of local foods is that there is a shorter time between harvest and you bringing it home, so it’s less likely that the nutrient value has decreased. Food that is imported is often older and has been sitting in transport vehicles and distribution centers before it reaches the store (MSU Extension 2013).
Public health sources also encourage diets that are rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and other plant-based foods, because they are associated with better long-term health outcomes. Eating local food fits naturally with a healthy, plant-forward way of eating (American Board of Physician Specialities, n.d.).
Local food also has the bonus of being able to talk to the farmer if you have questions about the food and how it was grown. I frequently talk with the farmer I buy produce from and love having access to this information.
Finally, local food supports the local economy. This means that the money spent with local farms stays close to home and is reinvested with business and services in your community.
What is Seasonal Eating?
Seasonal eating means choosing to eat foods when they are naturally being harvested in your area. For those in the US, this is a great seasonal produce guide that shows what is in season by region and time of year. Honestly, I never even knew I liked radishes until I had them in season from my local farm. They tasted so much better and less bitter. So in spring I’m eating more asparagus and radishes and in fall more squashes and cabbage. Eating seasonally helps me feel more connected and in balance with the Earth, its natural cycles, and my body.
What is a CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) connects people directly to the farmers to create a more profitable and transparent local food system. It helps you get high quality food and helps the farmer and the local food system, so it’s a win-win all around.
A CSA share varies from farm to farm in size and product mix, but it’s basically a subscription of farm food that is either picked up or delivered on a regular basis. How it works is that you purchase a CSA share at the beginning of the season. Farmers use the up-front payments to cover the cost of seeds, tools, etc. at the start of the season. Then the people that buy the share receive regular distributions of vegetables, fruit, and other farm products. If the farm does well that year, you may get more in your share, if conditions such as weather reduce what the farm can produce, then you may get less. This shared risk allows the farmer to concentrate on good land stewardship and growing high quality food. It also builds a sense of community and understanding of the true conditions a farm faces (Harper, 2020).
How the CSA I belong to works is you purchase a half or whole share at the beginning of the season. I go to the farm weekly and pick up my share. It typically contains fruits, vegetables, and occasionally bakery desserts. The food is picked that day. There is a board that tells you how many of which items you get and I can chose the produce myself. Sometimes it changes and you can pick from a variety of items available. They have add-ons like a pick your own flower share and a milk share. They also have some bonus features for CSA members only such as a pick your own blueberry event. Additionally, there is a newsletter with tips.
The CSA I belong to often gives me so much food that I can’t eat it all before it spoils. I freeze some of it so that I can have local produce in the winter too.
Benefits of a CSA include:
- Fresh, high quality food often picked within hours of you receiving it.
- An opportunity to try new foods that you may never have discovered otherwise.
- Connection to the people that grow your food.
- Joining a community of like-minded people.
(Harper, 2020)
Ways to Eat Local
I live in a suburban area of Upstate New York. I would not have expected to find a farm so close by, but I am lucky enough to have one, so it’s a short drive to pick up my CSA. Even if you do not live near a farm, local produce may still be available through a CSA, farm stand, farmers market, food co-op, or local pickup site. You can search for local Farmer’s Markets, CSA, and farms here. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service is another good resource for finding a CSA. Taste the Local Difference also is a great resource.
Another really accessible way for me to eat local is to grow some of my own food. This idea may seem intimidating, but I keep it very simple. I use container pots on my deck and I have herbs like basil, cilantro, chive, and rosemary. They are easy to care for and are up high enough and close to my house that animals don’t get to them. This can be a good solution for anyone with a little outdoor space, even if it’s just an apartment balcony. My space is big enough that I can also accommodate a few small containers of lettuce and a hanging plant with cherry tomatoes. They are pretty simple to care for. It doesn’t get more local than your own backyard.
Storage is key
One of the biggest lessons I have learned from my CSA newsletter is that storage matters. A lot of produce spoils because it is stored incorrectly, not because it is “too old” too quickly.
Here are a couple of my favorite tips to help produce last longer:
Lettuce–rinse it in a salad spinner and put in an air tight bag after drying with a paper towel.
Strawberries–rinse with vinegar and then water and pat dry. Store in an air tight container.
If you are looking for more tips on making your produce last longer, you can find a helpful article here.
This is the salad spinner I use to rinse my lettuce before I store it. It has a top that goes over it not seen in the picture that you push to spin it.
Reiki, Diet, and Daily Living
When I was reading about Mrs. Takata, the Reiki Master who helped bring Reiki to the United States, I was struck by the way she encouraged people to improve their diets and eat more vegetables. That idea stayed with me because it reflects something I deeply believe: caring for our energy and caring for our body are not separate things. A commitment to Reiki can also be a commitment to a healthier, more conscious lifestyle.
For me, that means choosing food that supports wellness, simplicity, and seasonality. It means eating in a way that feels connected to the Earth and aligned with my values.
Closing Thought
I do not think healthy eating has to be complicated. For me, it begins with local produce, seasonal rhythms, and the support of a CSA that makes all of it possible. It allows me to feel more connected to my food and where it comes from. If you are trying to eat more vegetables, eat more mindfully, or find a way to make healthy eating more accessible, both a CSA and your local Farmer’s Market can be great places to start.
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Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This post as well as products or services listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
References
American Board of Physician Specialities (n.d.). Benefits of eating locally sourced foods. Retrieved May 24, 2026 from https://www.abpsus.org/eating-local-foods/
Choung, S. (2025, February 28). 17 easy hacks to make your produce last longer. Good Housekeeping. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/cooking/g63972994/hacks-to-make-produce-last-longer/
Haberly, H. J. (2000). Reiki: Hawayo Takata’s story (9th ed). Archedigm Publications.
Harper, A. (2020, February 19). Benefits of community supported agriculture. Michigan State University Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/principles_and_benefits_of_community_supported_agriculture
Local Harvest. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2026 from https://www.localharvest.org/
Michigan State University Extension. (2013, April 13). 7 benefits of eating local foods. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/7_benefits_of_eating_local_foods
North Carolina State University Extension. (2012, February 21). Community supported agriculture (CSA) resource guide for farmers. https://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms-csaguide/
SNAP-Ed Connection. (n.d.). Seasonal produce guide. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/resources/nutrition-education-materials/seasonal-produce-guide
Taste the Local Difference. (n.d.). Find local food & farms. https://www.localdifference.org/find-food-farms/
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service. (n.d.). Local food directories: CSAs. https://www.ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/csa
