What Makes Food Local?

Upcoming Exhibit: “What Makes Food Local?”
Event: Ann Arbor Local Food Festival
Event Date: Thursday, August 27th, 2026 
Event Time: 5:00 – 8:00 pm 
Event Location: Ann Arbor Farmers Market (315 Detroit Street, Ann Arbor, MI) 

What Makes Food Local? is a public philosophy project about the many things people can mean when they call food “local.” Sometimes they mean something straightforward: the food was grown nearby. But often they also mean something thicker than distance. They may mean that they can know the grower, trust how the food was produced, eat with the seasons, support nearby farms and food businesses, or feel some connection between the food and the place where they live.

The project grows out of my research in the philosophy of food, especially my work on farmers markets and the meaning of “localness.” One of the ideas behind this work is that “local” is not always a single, fixed criterion. In actual food practices, localness can involve geography, relationships, trust, seasonality, ecology, community support, regional identity, and other values. Different institutions can also make different dimensions of localness matter: a farmers market, a farm stop, a CSA, a co-op, a restaurant, and a grocery store may all make food “local” in slightly different ways.

For the 2026 Ann Arbor Local Food Festival, I am developing an interactive public philosophy exhibit that invites festival-goers to think through these questions for themselves. The activity asks people to reflect on which dimensions of localness matter most to them, and whether their answers change depending on where and how they participate in the local food system.

The goal is not to define “local food,” but to make a familiar idea feel a little less obvious, and to offer a framework that helps people think more intentionally about the local food practices they already take part in.

If you are interested in bringing this project to your own farmers market or local food event, please email me at emhardy@umich.edu!