St. Lawrence County ranked low in community health

"St. Lawrence County is ranked among the worst in the state when it comes to community health, and Jefferson County is not far behind," said a front page story in yesterday's Watertown Daily Times.

Green shaded areas are food deserts.

I found it interesting that, while obesity is discussed as an issue in the article, little is said about access to affordable, healthy food.  In fact, St. Lawrence County has eight census tracts that meet the definition of a "food desert" - a low-income community with limited access to affordable food sources like large supermarkets.

While our climate may constrain us, St. Lawrence County has rich farmland and we could produce more of our own food here.  This would be better for our health and indeed, better for the environment.

Join us at GardenShare as we work to build a strong local food system that reaches everyone in the County with healthy food!  

Gloria