RI Monthly lists local food finds

Meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, and more; people are constantly buying products just like these, but why not get great ingredients for your meals while supporting local business as well? That's what this month's issue of Rhode Island Monthly is trying to encourage.

They found some of the best places to get local products. So The Rhode Show had to check out a few.

Purchasing locally grown food is becoming more and more popular.

“I like the diversity of the people that come out and just the community feeling of it,” said Matt Barletta, Co-owner Rhode Island Roots LLC.

If you've ever wondered where to get the best that the area has to offer, you can find a few in this month's Rhode Island Monthly. There's plenty to choose from like Gray's Grist Mill in Westport, Mass.

"This mill is the oldest continuous mill in the country. It's still going on after 365 years I guess,” said miller, Thornton Simmons.

Their product can be used to make Johnny cakes, Indian pudding, biscuits, and granola bars. The corn is indigenous to the area and grown in Exeter. Simmons then packages the meal and sells to local markets and restaurants.

Before becoming the finished product, corn and other veggies need to be planted at places like Lucky Foot Ranch in North Kingstown. "I opened up the farm in 2009, me and my father, we're in a partnership. We grow an assortment of vegetables from peppers, squash, tomatoes, to winter squash, pumpkins, head lettuce, leaf lettuce, radishes, beets. The whole nine yards but I would say that tomatoes are our specialty” said co-owner, Matthew Thibodeau.

Farmers spend their days in the dirt to deliver a great product to consumers.

"When you do what you love you don't work a day in your life so i really don't even consider it work. It's an eight day a week job. I'm out here from sunrise to sunset pretty much every day unless I’m selling at the market or something,” added Thibodeau.

Farmer's markets, like the one in Goddard Park in Warwick, are perfect for getting locally grown products. Breads, plants, dog treats, and even beauty products can all be found at the same place--making it convenient for those whole are looking for a variety of products.

This month’s issue of Rhode Island Monthly will tell you more about the locations and hours of farmer’s markets across the state as well as the many local products that can be found in Rhode Island.

Editor, Jamie Coelho visited the set to touch upon the importance of local food.

“Rhode Island is a small state but people don’t realize that it’s actually third in the nation when it comes to direct marketing sales on a per farm basis,” said Coelho.

It was important for her and Rhode Island Monthly to let others know how much local, healthy food that there is in the Ocean State.

Coelho brought in same experienced writers to touch upon subject like meats, seafood, breads, and even provided a map of the farmer’s markets in the state.

“Being from this area I don’t get all over the state all the time so having this map now it has helped us to really get out there and see some new places other than just focusing in Providence,” Coelho added.

The June issue of www http ://www.rimonthly.com is on newsstands now.