www.eatlocalchallenge.com

Eating Locally at Thanksgiving

Photo of local Thanksgiving groceries courtesy of Anita, Married with Dinner.

by Jennifer Maiser, editor

Are you looking for inspiration for an Eat Local Thanksgiving around the country? Below, find some links to blogs which have covered Thanksgiving cooking in the past. I tend to agree with Anita from Married with Dinner who writes that cooking locally for Thanksgiving is one of the less challenging projects in the year of a locavore:

"Maybe it’s because Thanksgiving is one of the few times each year when Americans eat with the seasons, whether they’re aware of it or not. But to me, planning a locavore Thanksgiving celebration isn’t just fun, it’s also pretty simple."

What are you planning on making this Thanksgiving?

Southern Michigan. Dragonwood, Life in the Garden made local chicken live pate, a mash of potatoes, leeks and parsnips, quince-cranberry sauce, and pumpkin cheesecake.

Traverse City, Michigan. Notes from a Country Girl Living in the City made acorn squash, potatoes Dauphinoise (using homemade feta), cranberry sauce and corn on the cob (frozen in the summer). For drinks, they had a local sparkling pear cide, milk and cider they pressed themselves.

Tennessee. Crafty Kim made a mostly local Thanksgiving dinner that included a delicious sounding sweet potato gratin and bread stuffing with potatoes. I particularly love that, while they wanted to make green Jello salad (traditional for their family), they at made it semi-local by using local cream and local pecans.

San Francisco. Friends Anita and Cameron have a couple of posts on their blog which would be a great guide for anyone making an amazing eat local Thanksgiving in Northern California.

Connecticut. Sophie at Late Bloomers Farm in Connecticut wrote about an eat local meal that included pickled carrots, chicken soup, cornbread stuffing using local ingredients, and local cranberry sauce.

Takoma Park, Maryland. LifetimeReader at The Purloined Letter made ameal which included home-ground corn meal. Because she couldn't get local cranberries, she made a relish of cherry preserves (canned in the summer) with horseradish.

Oregon. Amy at the Our Home Works blog outlines an eat local meal that was made with a group of friends. Her mother's wild rice dressing looks particularly delectable.

Bainbridge Island, Washington. Lauren at Dropstone Farms made pumpkin seed snacks, stuffing with local ingredients including apricots, and a homegrown turkey.

Seattle. Eigth of an Acre Bounty has tips for a Thanksgiving dish made of squash, leeks, sage and goat cheese.

Washington. Laura's eat local Thanksgiving of crab, prime rib, stuffed mushrooms and twice-baked potatoes on Urban Hennery has me ready for Thanksgiving right this minute.

Cantaloupes and Listeria: Know Your Farmers Market, Know Your Food

“You need a cantaloupe? These are better than Rocky Fords.” The man at the farmers market said.

“No, thanks, not today.” I replied. “C’mon, kiddo.” I said to my child. We moved up the walk to the table next to the end. I stopped here to smell the ends of the cantaloupes on his table while he weighed the heirloom tomatoes out for me. He handed my kiddo an extra pint of cherry tomatoes, I saw his rough hands and dirt caked under his nails as he tucked the extra treat in for her.

“Thanks!” I smiled. “And this melon, too.”

“But, Mom! You lied to that other farmer. You said you did not want cantaloupe.”

Kids. They bust you like this. I’d been bringing her to this farmers market since she was three months old in a baby carrier. But, I had never explained to her why we shop this way. Maybe now at six, going on seven, she was ready to learn.

“No, honey,” I replied. “I did not want that cantaloupe. It was grown in a Colorado. It was bought from a warehouse and the man is reselling it. This cantaloupe,” I said, nodding toward the farmer, “was grown by this man.”

“I only buy the foods here at this market grown by farmers we know. It keeps them in business, keeps them on their farms. It tastes better because he just picked it. And it’s healthier, because it’s fresh.”

The quiet farmer smiled at me, “Thank you,” he said.

“No,” I said, “thank you,” in response. To the kiddo, “Besides, it’s really important to know who grows your food so you know it is safe to eat.”

That was a month ago. Today’s headlines, September 28, indicate that warehouse cantaloupe could have been dangerous. Cantaloupes from the Rocky Ford area have been implicated in the deadliest listeria outbreak in a decade. Seventy-two people have been sickened and thirteen have died so far.

So, even at your own farmers market, make sure the farmers are clearly marking their produce for where it was grown, and if it was sourced elsewhere. Some markets do not require farmers to do this, and have wholesalers selling produce instead of the actual farmers. Be sure to ask, and Know Your Farmers, Know Your Food.

 

A Wrap-Up of Kelly's Arizona Eat Local Challenge

Editor’s Note: Kelly Reynolds, graphic designer, social media consultant and author of the blog Reynolds Report, took a personal Eat Local Challenge during the month of April. Kelly hails from Phoenix, Arizona and this post from her is a summary of the challenge—what she learned and her view on the eat local challenge. Kelly, we really enjoyed reading along with this challenge, thanks for writing!

by Kelly Reynolds

My one-month Eat Local Challenge is officially over and I couldn’t be happier with my results or the things I learned. The idea for this challenge came through some soul and internet searching when looking for ideas for my 30 by 30 list. After completing this task, I have officially crossed off four things.

For my Eat Local Challenge, it was my goal was to consume only locally-sourced foods and beverages. When I couldn’t do that, I wanted to eat at a locally-owned restaurant, farm or business. There were several times when I could not think of what I would have for my next meal, but overall, I’d estimate that I accomplished my goal about 85 percent of the time throughout the month.

A couple of the challenges were things that people run into every day—financial stress and food availability. It’s no secret that produce, baked goods, meats, etc. from local farmers markets can be more expensive than running to the nearest chain grocery store, especially due to the low costs of processed foods which are highly subsidized. As someone who has to follow a strict budget, I found it extremely challenging to go to the Saturday Gilbert Farmer’s Market each week and get anything I wanted, which made experimenting with different foods very difficult. Sometimes I was limited to $30 and had to get the staples – lettuce, onion, potatoes and ground beef.

I’m so thankful for the amazing vendors at the Gilbert Farmers Market. They were helpful each week, offering recipes and ideas to spice up even the most generic ingredients.

During the month, I also had to deal with moving. For the span of about four days—a lifetime for my challenge—I had no pots, pan or other dishes to prepare food in. I found myself frustrated and ready to throw in the towel. But, through each meal I reminded myself that this challenge wasn’t about me, it was about what I could do for the environment and the local community through my efforts. And, while I wasn’t always successful, I tried to always think of what the best food choice would be.

The best part of the challenge was Sundays. That’s when I assessed my weekend farmer’s market haul and planned most of my meals for the week. I would wash and spin lettuce, chop carrots and onion and think of new fun ways I could eat my grass-fed beef or prepare my whole, free-range chicken. That was also the biggest surprise of the challenge– that I could actually prepare food.

I’ve never been a cook or anything close to it, but through the entire challenge I would search for new recipes and tips and I actually made some great food. I even chopped the neck off of a whole chicken for the first time ever. It completely disgusted me, but I did it!

When the month ended, I definitely needed a breather. The first thing I wanted to eat was pasta, since Arizona is not known for its grain harvests. I also took a couple of weeks off from the farmer’s markets because of family and social engagements (and the desire to sleep in on Saturday).

Through this all, though, I’ve learned the importance of buying locally. I met some wonderful people at the farmer’s markets who have helped me through this journey and who have become friends. I’ve learned that buying and eating locally isn’t something that everyone can do, but something everyone should try at least once. Not only will you learn a lot about your own food tastes, but you’ll learn your limits and that you can push past your frustrations to help something and someone greater than you.

Kelly's Eat Local Challenge: Week 2.5

Editor’s Note: Kelly Reynolds, graphic designer, social media consultant and author of the blog Reynolds Report, is taking a personal Eat Local Challenge during the month of April and will be reporting weekly about her journey. Kelly hails from Phoenix, Arizona. 

by Kelly Reynolds

My Eat Local Challenge is more than half-way done – I can't believe it! The last week and a half has challenging, but extremely fun at the same time.

This week I moved across town, which gave me the added challenge of having to plan my meals without being able to cook at home. A few salads and a couple trips to Joe's Farm Grill and Chipotle later, I think I did well. I tried to eat local and organic first, but when impossible I tried to eat at a locally-owned restaurant. It didn't work 100% of the time, but I'm happy with my effort.

I've made it a priority to attend the Phoenix Public Market as much as possible. I'm impressed with both the open air market (Wednesday, Saturday) and the Urban Grocery and Wine Bar (Tuesday thru Saturday). The Urban Grocery and Wine Bar features fresh, locally-sourced produce, meat, dairy and packaged food. You can also pick up breakfast, salads, sandwiches and soups and a wide variety of wine and beer. They're definitely one of the first places an Arizona locavore should visit.

Even though I was busy with the move, I tried a few new recipes this week. I made some delicious and easy nachos using locally raised, grass fed beef from Double Check Ranch, locally grown onions and organic chips and cheese. I wish I would have gotten some peppers and different toppings from the market while I was there, but it was delicious anyway.

I also cooked short ribs for the first time (also from Double Check Ranch). I marinated them in Plum Chipotle sauce from Terra Verde Farms and browned them on both sides before cooking them for about an hour on 350 degrees. I served them with a baked potato with locally made mango salsa and a fresh salad.

I've also started spicing up my potato preparation beyond just baking. This week I fried them and next week I'm going to mash them and try a couple other recipes. What's your favorite way to prepare potatoes?

I found an amazing local Arizona wine -- Kokopelli Winery's White Merlot. It's fruity, refreshing and delicious. Kokopelli also has a bistro I want to visit this coming week.

Additional goals for this upcoming week

1. Get back on track with eating strictly local and organic.
2. Visit additional farmers markets. So far, I've only been to the Gilbert and Phoenix Public markets. Where's your favorite Arizona farmers market? What must I try?
3. Continue to branch outside of my comfort zone. Get a couple of different types of produce at the markets.