www.eatlocalchallenge.com

Local food: the afterlife

by Suzanne Miller

Since joining the Eat Local Challenge last year, I’ve focused on growing, harvesting and eating local food.  The fun stuff.

But not all the food I buy or grow ends up on my plate.  I cut off carrot tops, cull the cauliflower and peel the potato.  And then…?

Recently my Eatwell CSA newsletter talked about the farm’s compost, which is made from food waste gathered in the Bay Area.  This snippet caught my eye:

“Keeping food waste out of the dumps is very important.  In the dump, food waste decomposes and produces methane, a greenhouse gas.”

I emailed Eatwell and asked what I should do with my scraps.  The answer?  A stern “Compost! And if you fail, try, try again!”

My husband looked with unease as I hauled out white 5-gallon buckets for my annual “what the hell” compost attempt.

But this time, I decided to do something different:  bokashi, or “effective micro-organism” compost.

One Local Summer

by the editors

Did you miss the May Eat Local Challenge, or are you ready to take part in a new challenge?  Head on over to Pocket Farm to find out the details of One Local Summer. 

By participating in the challenge, you agree to make a local meal each week during the summer.  For each local meal you make, you are entered into a contest to win Eat Local Challenge paraphernalia. 

The One Local Summer challenge is into it's second week, but it's not too late to join!

Read about week one's participants here.

Storing Foods to Eat Local

by Birdsong

I just read with interest Ex Pat Chef's post about how foods ripen.  I have certainly experienced the tastes, both of freshly picked and fully ripe fruits or vegetables, and those that will never ripen or have any flavor.  I also have pondered a lot about preserving foods for the lean months as I continue to refine my personal ELC. 

I made it through the month of May eating heavily within a 50- to 100-mile radius, only to discover I had made a rather large dent in the freezer.  I have been steadily restocking, as well as eating almost entirely what is in season as June progresses into July.  We were lucky to be able to freeze lots of fully ripe strawberries in late May and early June, and will be able to add to that stash over the summer, as the growers of ever-bearing varieties see a second flush of fruit.

Fighting for Small Farms

South Central Farm, the 14-acre urban garden serving the needs of a low-income area of Los Angeles, is still fighting to save the farm from developers. You can help by participating in South Central Farm International Solidarity Days. I've posted an update with all the details at the bottom of my original post on their plight.

Update, 5 July:

They are bulldozing the farm. I'm ashamed of my city today.

You can still help. From the South Central Farmers:

If you do only one act of solidarity, then call or e-mail L.A. city council woman Jan Perry. Ask Ms. Perry to work with the people of Los Angeles and broker a win-win deal for the farmers, the land developer and the city. Implore her to help negotiate the sale the land to the farmers. councilperson.perry@lacity.org  or jan.perry@lacity.org and telephone here 213.473.7009.

Her bio can be found here. She states she is committed to green space. I guess we'll see.

The full story about the farm and news coverage.

This entry is cross-posted at mipmup.

image credit: South Central Farm