Radishes are sold by Buffalo Ridge Orchard of Central City during the Mount Vernon farmers market in April 2013. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Radishes are sold by Buffalo Ridge Orchard of Central City during the Mount Vernon farmers market in April 2013. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

CEDAR RAPIDS – The state remains in the top 5, but Iowa dropped from last year’s second-place ranking in an annual “locavore” index.

The index, by Strolling of the Heifers, ranks the best and worst states for eating local foods, based on a per capita comparison of farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture programs and food hubs.

Last week’s HomegrownIowan article explains about our local CSAs, in which customers pay in advance for a share of a farm’s produce throughout the growing season. More than 40 farmers markets also are listed on HomegrownIowan, with information I personally updated this spring by talking with our wonderful market masters to find all of the times, locations and other details about your favorite markets. Cedar Rapids also boasts the Iowa Valley Food Co-op, an online source of local foods.

The locavore index ranked Vermont first, followed by Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Iowa. Texas ranked last, with Florida, Louisiana, Arizona and Nevada also in the bottom five. Read more about the Strolling of the Heifers index on the group’s website.