We, like many in Westchester, are big fans of farmers’ markets (…if you couldn’t already tell from the feature-length farmers’ market-themed photo essay in the October issue of Westchester Magazine or our local farmers market guide online) There are few better ways to get your hands on locally made and grown goodies. But there are other ways, too.
Eat Local NY is essentially a farmers’ market online. Not everything is made or grown in Westchester, or even in nearby counties necessarily, but it’s all New York State-sourced. There are not a ton of products on the site yet, but it’s a promising concept that hopes to bring the inertia of community farmers’ markets into the virtual space. The site’s founder, Derek DiGuglielmo, a 26-year-old Dobbs Ferry resident, launched the site in the spring of 2013.
So far, the site stocks about 100 food products: condiments like Brooklyn Delhi’s roasted garlic achaar (a relish), for example; gift sets from companies like Drink More Good (soda syrups), Maya’s Jams (jams), and Urban Sproule (sea salts); along with a range of honey, granola, sauces, and confections. New items are added almost every week.
But DiGuglielmo envisions Eat Local as more than an online store. He sees it as a way to educate the community about sustainability and the importance of eating local. Eat Local has partnered with City Growers, donating a portion of the site’s revenue to fund educational workshops for kids, such as trips to rooftop gardens in Queens to learn about local farming. DiGuglielmo is also working with The Food Bank for Westchester to explore options to address hunger here in Westchester.
“I’m constantly talking to people and trying to get them involved,” says DiGuglielmo. I’m nowhere near content. There’s still a lot of work to do, and its still a really young company. I’m trying to add products, and we’re adding a handful on a weekly basis.”
