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Next week, the challenge begins. It's the Buy Local Challenge, and hundreds of people have already signed up to answer it.

It started in Southern Maryland, and is spreading to other parts of the state, dovetailing a national "locavore" trend as consumers attempt to buy food that's produced closer to where they live.

In this promotion, Marylanders are being asked to try to eat at least one locally-grown or harvested item each day. It can be vegetables from a roadside stand, or beef from a local farmer. This is the time to walk up to a produce stand and pick tomatoes from a bushel that has just been brought in from the fields, or gather a sackful of peppers and onions and make a salsa. Grab some cucumbers and onions, slice and dice, toss them in a bowl, add a splash of white vinegar, water and little bit of sugar for a refreshing side dish.

Buying local has many advantages, the most obvious of which is helping the region's farmers. There's more: local foods don't have to be trucked across the country, they are often fresher, and you get to see where your food comes from. And the taste? Hard to beat.