How is “Local” (Food, Farm, Business) Defined?

In case you missed the conversation (150+ comments) last week at cvillenews about the Charlottesville City Market’s first vendor who happens to be a franchise, it’s worth a read. The main question I see is – what does “local” mean to you? ( outside of the context of a City farmers’ market)

Personally, local matters. We do our best to shop local, eat local, stay local, participate locally …

Charlottesville has seemingly been a leader in the locavore movement (see: Forbes and Tom Tom’s Locavore Expo (no longer available) for starters) and it’s been interesting and fun to watch and participate in the “I really want to know where my food is coming from and from whom” evolution. See: Buy Fresh Buy Local (archived: 2012).

Does local mean: only local money and people? What if you grow and franchise? Are you now less local?

To what other industries does the demand for “local” extend?

Related reading:

One of my new favorite things is the NPR + TED conversations, this one being especially interesting and pertinent:

“Food. Where does it come from, and what impact does it have on culture and the world around us?” How does Food Shape Cities?

* there is also a useful reminder in the conversation that 1) you’re never anonymous on the internets and 2) be honest.