The move toward a local food economy is not just about freshness and food miles and carbon footprints and soil organic matter. It is all of those things, but it’s also about the deeply human desire for connection
Based on this reading, I think a mixed system might be more realistic. The market economy can provide basic resources and stability, while the gift economy can exist in smaller areas like communities, friendships, or local networks. Instead of replacing the market system completely, it might be more practical to combine both systems.