FRISCO — At the supermarket, meat- and produce-purchasing decisions can take a number of factors into account ranging from price to health content.

But sourcing isn't always one of them. Consumers often get little or no information from the grocery store label about where their fresh foods originated. Foods, particularly produce that is out of season, may have been brought in from other parts of the country or even the world — a process that will impact both the product's flavor and its footprint on the environment, say representatives of the High Country Conservation Center (HC3).

“It's beneficial for the environment and for people to grow their own food, mostly because of all the energy that is put into growing food and transporting it,” said Jennifer Santry, HC3 executive director. “It's also about keeping dollars inside our community. We can grow (food) ourselves and support our own community.”

Which is why the organization is co-sponsoring and collaborating on efforts countywide to promote the production and consumption of locally and sustainably grown food.

It was the theme of Thursday's talk on local food production programs held over happy hour drinks at Vinny's Euro-American Restaurant in Frisco by a group called the Resource for Sustainable Living.

“There are some major things happening in our community to show people you can actually grow food here in the High Country,” Santry said.

Local efforts

During the 90-minute meeting, Santry and Joanna Rybak of the Summit Prevention Alliance, a partner in local food production efforts, discussed current Summit County programs.

The programs revolve around two — soon to be four — community gardens in town, which have become the heart of the movement for local food production.

Nancy's community garden, located alongside the Community and Senior Center in Frisco, provides 19 plots for seniors, low-income families and sponsored organizations. Silvana's community garden in Silverthorne has 38 plots and is going into its third year of operation without a greenhouse. A third community garden at Dillon Valley Elementary School is in the planning and design stages, and the 40-plot “living classroom” in the High Country Conservation Center's backyard in Frisco, will be planted for its first growing season this summer.

Some of the plants harvested from the community gardens will be sold at farmer's markets in Dillon and Breckenridge, donated to food banks and, in the near future, made available to low-income customers through food-stamp programs.

“It was fantastic we had the funding to be able to grow food and donate it,” Rybak said.

LiveWell Colorado, a Denver-based organization that promotes healthy living, has provided support for the Summit community gardens.

The next step will be making the local food production programs and produce accessible to local students.

The community garden planned for Dillon Valley will feature a geodesic dome, expected to create a year-round growing environment, and each class will have a plot. The living classroom at HC3 will also have a special children's plot, and the organization hopes to see locally grown produce included in school lunches.

Santry said she also hopes to eventually incorporate urban farming, with livestock including chickens, goats and bees, into local food production programs.

More information on local growing programs and community gardens is available at www.highcountryconservation.org under the green living tab and at www.summitpreventionalliance.org under the programs tab.