links for 2008-07-31
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Fork & Shovel: A new Sonoma network that helps farmers get food on the tables of local restaurants.
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A reporter eats only Maryland food for a week.

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Produce grown, harvested and photographed by Jennifer BB
by Jennifer BB
For a fee, Mr. Paque, who lives in San Francisco, will build an organic garden in your backyard, weed it weekly and even harvest the bounty, gently placing a box of vegetables on the back porch when he leaves. Call them lazy locavores--city dwellers who insist on eating food grown close to home but have no inclination to get their hands dirty. (Kim Severson, NYT)
Okay--first, let's applaud those who are willing to put a premium on eating locally grown food. And for those who subscribe to Community Supported Agriculture shares or who "cow pool" to obtain fresh produce and pastured-raised beef--this is only a great help (key to survival, even) for small, local farmers. But is it even possible to have a bounty of fruits and vegetables growing in your own backyard and NOT want to get your hands dirty?
I've been nursing a blog post for the past couple of weeks and the first sentence waxes poetic about the joy of watching the tomatoes slowly grow on my vines, picking early Sungolds and chewing on baby Swiss chard as I pull stray weeds from my raised beds. It just takes a few minutes--about as long as it takes the water to boil for my morning tea. I can't imagine paying someone else to do it--even if I could afford it.
But perhaps it is like the small steps it takes to get people eating real food--I can't knock those kitchen centers you can go to to prepare a weeks worth of meals if it gets families eating balanced meals at the table on a regular basis. I can only hope that those who have room to grow their own food but pay others to tend it, will soon discover the delight of sowing, weeding, tending, and eventually harvesting food their own hands have touched. Check out the full story in The New York Times here.
by Jennifer Maiser, Editor
Serious Eats, this week, posted a great article about how to eat locally and sustainably on a budget. While we know from last year's Pennywise challenge that eating locally on a budget is possible, it's also easy to watch the food bills pile up when you're concerned with finding sustainable products for your family's dinner table.
Among the suggestions in the SE article, I especially like the suggestions to cut back on meat consumption, and to buy in season. In season eating offers the best value for local produce, and if you put up or preserve foods while they are in season you can have a version of them throughout the year. In addition to the Serious Eats advice, I would also suggest the following:
1) Subscribe to a CSA. CSA boxes from local farms typically offer a good value for in-season, fresh produce.
2) Get to know your farmers. You're more likely to find out about good deals on your food, and to learn what foods offer the best value that week. Just start by saying hi, asking them about their week, and asking them about the produce. Soon, many will be keeping an eye out for special deals for you.
3) Be smart about your meat purchases. Consider a cow share or meat CSA if it's available in your area (or start your own!). Choose whole chickens over boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Learn to work with odd meat cuts so that you can maximize your dollar when possible.
Jennifer Maiser is the editor of the Eat Local Challenge website. She is often found behind a camera or writing for her site, Life Begins at 30.
EatLocalChallenge.com is a group blog written by authors who are interested in the benefits of eating food grown and produced in their local foodshed.
Spanning the United States, the group is committed to challenging themselves to eat mainly local food during a specific period of time during the year.
Why do we choose to eat local? Read our 10 Reasons to Eat Local.
Interested in eating local and need some tips? Read our tips for the Eat Local Challenge.
Interested in joining a challenge? Keep an eye on this website for new challenge announcements
Check out these challenges hosted by this website's authors and affiliates:
September '07 Challenge
2007 One Local Summer
April '07 Pennywise Challenge
2006 100-Mile Thanksgiving
2006 One Local Summer
May '06 Challenge
August '05 Challenge
Need to contact us? Go to our contact page.
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