The old adage says that you are what you eat. After a short trip to your local grocery store, this reality becomes rather unsettling.

You drive past the seemingly endless array of fast-food offerings on the way to the grocery store with its tree-less parking lot. Inside, you are struck by the allocation of space -- glass, plastic, metal and cardboard packaging are all that one sees.

The fresh produce section is usually tucked off to the side. It is cold. There is no aroma of ripening peaches, no stirring of primal instincts to devour a ripe mango. The life has been taken out of the only living part of the grocery store. The produce section of our local stores is unfortunately not a reflection of local flavor and production.

As a professional horticulturist, my first stop on any visit to a new land is the local market or grocery store -- many places have not yet taken the grocery store out of a local context. Whether it is Central America or distant India, a visit to a few markets and grocery stores provides a good snapshot of local eating trends. I poke around among the mangoes and strawberries, looking for answers. I bracket the socio-economic range as well, taking in the bargain center and the upscale green market.

I try to visit open-air and farmers markets first, but worldwide this is more difficult. Local markets are all too often giving way to national or international chains. The central and wholesale markets in any big city are exciting places. Crowded with chefs and food professionals, the wholesale market is a feast for the eyes, nose and palate. The time I spend on these market tours provides a wealth of insight into the local people and their food preferences.

In the midst of our economic crisis there is a renewed emphasis on green living and growing one's own food. Some grocery stores have changed as well, reaching out to the local communities for products grown closer to home or sponsoring farmers markets and green groceries in their parking lots. The marketing departments of many stores have seized on this idea, but the story that is told along their aisles remains largely unchanged.

And why should all of this matter to you? As South Floridians we have an opportunity to consume freshly picked produce. We live in a location rich in the tradition of winter vegetable production and summer fruit farming.

GO TO REDLAND

Time is precious to us all, but you owe it to yourself and your children to take a Saturday or Sunday drive out into the Redland, the heart of the South Florida agricultural community. Avocado, mango, lychee and longan orchards grow next to fields of okra, beans and squash.

Here there is no air-conditioning. The aromas of fruits and vegetables tempt your senses. When was the last time, standing in the grocery section, that you opened up a plastic container of strawberries to drink in the aroma? Subdued under the artificial conditions of a grocery store, the aroma shrinks away. In the fields it acts upon your senses. The experience is unique and unforgettable. Television, computers and iPhones cannot come close to the feel and taste of the real deal.

Visit the local markets of the Redland. Ask for local products. Imported fruits and vegetables are not bad, mind you, but you have the rare opportunity to buy local. Talk with the vendor about the fruit. Be demanding, but also understanding. Agriculture is a tough business. As a visitor to the farmers market you see only the end of the process. You do not see the long nights spent protecting the crop from organized and relentless thieves. You will not hear about sleep lost to protect the crop from freezes or the worry over hurricanes.

THE GROCERY STORE

When you come back to the city, go to the local grocery store. Ask to see the produce manager and talk about the products. Remember that the produce manager does not make decisions about buying local. These are corporate decisions that come from above. Find out whom to write to and put your thoughts down on paper. There is no need to be harsh or unfair, but offer your thoughts about local products and what you would like to see on the shelves. The response and the actions may surprise you.

We live in unprecedented economic times. Business is difficult, jobs are scarce and hours are long. There is, however, a small consolation to these realities. We as a community are thinking more about local agriculture and community gardening. These are wonderful activities that will nourish both the body and the soul. Remember that you are what you eat, and what you think and experience. Keep on gardening and producing for your own table. Embrace your community, and of course, eat your veggies!

Richard J. Campbell, Ph.D., senior curator of tropical fruit at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, wrote this report.

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