If anyone had any doubt about the availability of local food in March, once they saw the spread at Eat Local Now, those doubts were gone. That was the point of holding the sold out gathering, on March 30th, in the first place. Well, one of the points.

"There are many reasons to eat locally," said Bradley Hole, an organizer of the event, billed as "A Ballard food fest".

"Locally grown food tastes better. Local produce is healthier for you. Local food supports local independent family farmers. Local food builds community. Local food preserves open space near populated areas. Local food production preserves and restores environmental quality and integrity. Local food production makes a community more secure economically."

200 people packed Ballard's Oddfellows Hall on mild Thursday evening in March to enjoy great local food, meet farmers, fishers and ranchers, hear the stories of the people who produce their food, and get to know their neighbors.

Eat Local Now was organized by Sustainable Ballard, and the Seattle chapter of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE). While it served as a fundraiser, organizers were committed to keeping it. While other fundraising dinners, cost $75, $100, or more, Eat Local Now tickets were $20, with lower income tickets available. Local farms, chefs and businesses donated all the food for the event, and many additional items for a raffle. In the end, Sustainable Ballard and BALLE raised $3,000 between them, even with the $20 ticket price.

Sustainable Ballard is built around an understanding that a sustainable, locally based economy is vital for a future in a world facing the end of oil, the organization's Jenny Heins explained. "We don't need to go outside our neighborhood - even off of our block - to find someone with know-how," said Heins. "We have neighbors who can teach us how to grow food, or grow it for us. We have neighbors who know how to sew, who know about carpentry, who can fix a car. And we all have things we can share, too - tools, a van or pickup, even our half empty yard waste bin."

Sustainability is not just some tofu-eating, Birkenstock wearing, hippie-dippie new movement for politically correct folks to join this month, according to Heins. It is something our ancestors did by default, and it has community at its core. "Even people who otherwise would not appear to be living what purists would call a sustainable lifestyle are more than willing to share with their neighbors," explained Heins. "It seems like a fundamental part of humanity to support your neighbors."

The focus of the March 30 event was on sharing the interesting, exciting and entertaining aspects of the local food movement through the stories of farmers, chefs and others. It allowed Ballardites an opportunity to connect more closely with the source of their food. "It was a celebration of local food and local farmers - seasonal, local and artisan foods," said Heins. "We intentionally picked a time of year when people might think little local food was available, in order to show them how much really is."

The post-dinner panel of speakers, representing chefs, farmers, community activists, and food delivery businesses, were asked to share how they got into working with local food, and what choices people can make to support a local food system.

"In culinary school, one of my instructors told me that 95% of my restaurant customers won't care what I serve them," said Seth Caswell, chef at Stumbling Goat Bistro on Phinney Ridge. "But the other 5% do care, and the 95% can be educated. At Stumbling Goat, we put the farm names right on the menu, so our customers know where their food came from, and so they can look for those farms when they go grocery shopping." Inspired by a recent farmer-chef connection meeting that was organized by Seattle Chefs Collaborative, King County, and the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Caswell said, "I can help farmers by buying directly from them."

"Eat seasonally. Eat within 300 miles of where you live. Ask yourself, 'is it local? Is it fresh?'" said Mike Peroni, a farm owner and one of the featured speakers.

"To me, involvement in farmers markets is more than just selling my produce. It is more important than that. It fights back against the big box stores. Bring your friends with you to your farmers market," he said.

The Worldwatch Institute estimates that the average food item now travels between 1,500 and 2,500 miles before we eat it, burning fossil fuels all the way. "Establishing a local food economy multiplier effect is about making the statistical case for investing in a local food system," said Viki Sonntag, research director for Sustainable Seattle's Local Food Economy Study. A multiplier effect measures the impact a consumer dollar has on an economy. If the multiplier is higher, like three or four to one, explained Sonntag, it tends to support more jobs and higher wages. The Local Food Economy Study is due out this summer.

Sustainable Ballard will be hosting a fund raiser on April 19, featuring national best selling author Anna Lapp/, along with local food experts from the area. The 6:30 p.m. dinner will be hosted at BalMar at 5449 Ballard Avenue NW. Tickets are $30.