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in what ways are you trying to eat locally this summer or do you have specific hopes on how to have a more local diet? or do you think this is a load of crap?
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I want to reach that glory land. I want to shake my savior's hand, And I want to sing that rock and roll. I want to 'lectrify my soul, 'Cause everybody been making a shout So big and loud, been drowning me out. I want to sing that rock and roll.
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look at that sexy guy!
Yeah, who is that cool dude?
Now, to answer your question seriously Jodie, I have a ton of hope for eating locally. I feel better physically when I eat locally, and science seems to increasingly support the notion that this is not just a psychological feeling, but is tied up in connecting physiologically with our environment.
But I am also becoming convinced it is a spiritual issue. If our welfare and the welfare of our city are tied up together (Jer 29) than maybe an easy place to start is to reconnect with seasonal food around us and find ways for others to do the same.
jodester,
we would love to be growing food with you all and sharing in the work and joy. we can't wait to be home (aug. 31) after a quick stop at greenbelt. save some food and work for us in the fall. it does seem like the 'eat local' thing is growing as the melbourne papers have had some stories in recent weeks about accepting the "160km challenge" (eating food grown within a 160 kilometre radius of your home). thanks for hosting this important conversation. love to your two boys.
From someone who is outside the collective. In principle I really like the idea and applaud you and your community for its efforts. A couple of things.
I'm not sure that the wide world doesn't inherently do a measurable amount of "local" eating. I suppose examples of what is not "local" eating might help me to understand your proposition better. If we can discern what are measurable goals in eating "local" then I'm not sure that this can be constant world wide or if it is something that is "just". We live in a "global" market in which millions of folks have become dependent upon our consumption of their product. Citrus, wheat, corn, rice, coffee, fish, these industries that provide staples would be impacted if a global move were to take place to narrow all our consumption to "local" produce. Can we do it? I'm certain if we were purposeful we could eat wholly locally grown food.
Will mentions the health benefits that seem to be supported scientifically by eating locally. I wonder how much the impact of living in an intentional community impacts health and well being? Can you be as healthy not being in an intentional community and not eating locally as those that are?
I love the idea. I'm not sure I would be able to measure up to the idea. Its sort of like a diet. I've have some short term sucess but not much sustainable sucess.
John P.
My new idea for this year is to buy extra stuff from the farmer's market each week in the summer and freeze it for use in the winter. (maybe even enough to share with the Maddock's when they return) Between that and gardening it does turn out to be a lot of work. Definitely work I enjoy though. It's a bit hard to find the balance between career and feeding myself.
I don't want to tackle any of John P.'s questions, but I would be interested in that scientific support you mentioned Will. Is it really something that says specifically local food has a physiologic difference? Does it give any suggestions on how to implement it? I'm happy if I can get my kids at the clinic to eat an orange from Save-a-lot grown in South Africa as opposed to a bag of doritos.
Hey one more thought... this might be a good place to share local recipes instead of a separate blog. Here's one I tried with some of our CSA produce this week...
Beet salad with curried walnuts
found here
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=521339
it does take quite a bit of discipline to eat mostly local foods. of course it's so easy to go to the kroger and get everything on your grocery list. and for pretty cheap. this summer, i'm committing to give up bananas. instead, i'm going to eat the fruit that's in season and comes from within a decent distance. blueberries, red and black raspberries, and soon, blackberries are all growing at an orchard just 25 miles out of town. georgia and south carolina peaches are closer than california. a florida watermelon is closer than chile. of course, kentucky will have the latter fruits available soon, so i guess i could wait.
but for those of us who learn more from experience than science, i also feel better mentally and physically when i eat locally. and when i prepare food at home. it also saves quite a bit of money.
Hey dudes,
(it's eliza) :)
A quick thought on the benefits of local eating...
Something that is measureable is vitamin and mineral content. I believe these things begin to die in transit (its 'life force' if you will), and are less avaliable in less healthy soils (ie, inorganic). Vitimins and mineral content in soil is a fascinating subject. A tomato may look like a tomato, but is it really if it contains 1/3 of the nutritional value? I think this is why things taste better 'local': You "fill up" in the true sense. It makes so much sense to me: to feed the only body I have with the fuel it was made to run on. And we wonder why Americans are so unhealthy...
Regarding concern about other countries' trade-dependant economies, or the difficulty of change in general: can things not change just because they are the way they are now? Humanity has been dependant on many different types of industries in the past that we aren't now. If something is a negative thing, I don't feel happy saying change is impossible just because it's the way things have been. Not saying any change is easy! I just think we need to stay focused on the roots of the problem, have hope, and not give up because it's complicated or will take imagination.
There's my three cents. :)
Started reading Kingsolver's book yesterday (my name finally came up on the waiting list at the library!) and I am totally fascinated and inspired. Can't say that I haven't been already taking some steps in my attempt to eat and feed my family locally for all sorts of other reasons that had come into my radar. My efforts though will be seriously ramped up. I'm only a fourth of the way through the book and I feel like I've just looked under dozens of boulders to discover crawling things that I didn't even know existed. How can a person not eat locally whilst knowing such things??? I think I've unwittingly disclosed my ignorance.
Anyway, from a purely practical standpoint, there was an article on page 83 written by Camille that really resonated with me. As a mom of three young kids trying to scrape out extra time, I have found, in just my short experience so far, that having simplified what we buy cuts down on time and money spent at the supermarket and narrows the choices in what we have for dinner (or breakfast or lunch for that matter). Now to get through those winter months... Perhaps some more trips to the u-pick farms and a trip down to the garage to find and dust off the canner!
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