Image by Flickr user Northfield.org

Update May 10:The results are in. Eat Local Month’s events raised $32,000 during the month of April.

Funds raised during Eat Local Month will go toward Eat Local, LLF’s sustainable agricultural initiative which is designed to grow and support local food systems by connecting local farms, producers, and apprentices to the local restaurants, institutions, and people with a hunger for farm fresh food and goods. Through a variety of education, outreach and apprentice programs, LLF is working to get good people to good food and ensure that our agrarian culture continues to be an integral part of the Lowcountry economy and way of life.

The Eat Local initiative’s current programs include the Growing New Farmers Incubator and Apprentice Program, Grower’s Groups, Farm to Table, and Community Education and outreach.

First reporting: The first annual Eat Local Month will be a celebration of the bounty of local food available in the Lowcountry and will take place throughout the month of April.

Eat Local Month's goal is to provide fun and educational opportunities for the community to actively engage in eating what is ripe, delicious and in season.

Eat Local Month, spearheaded by Lowcountry Local First, is challenging all of you who live in the Charleston area to take the Eat Local Challenge and participate in one or all of the great events they've got planned which include:

• All You Should Eat Breakfast - April 7th, 8 a.m - 11 a.m. at Butcher and Bee 
• Farm Tours (DIRT Road Trip) - April 14th, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Johns Island and Wadmalaw Island 
• 5th Annual CHEF's Potluck - April 22nd, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. at Middleton Place 

In additon to these planned events, a variety of area restaurants to feature a locally-sourced “local plate special” on their menus to be served throughout Eat Local Month. Participating restaurants will will be able to dream up any kind of locally sourced meal they can think of!

For more information on how to participate in Eat Local Month, click here.