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Craving Fruit

Posted at 11:41 AM on January 20, 2008 by Donna McClurkan (6 Comments)

Prior to our focus on eating locally, which started January first, our family regularly consumed fruit at or above the USDA-recommended levels. There was nothing intentional about this. We simply love fruit: in salads, in pineapple smoothies (with frozen berries, vanilla soy milk, yogurt and orange juice) and in-hand (apples, grapes and bananas).

As we head into the third week of our project, it’s becoming painfully clear the 12 or so remaining pounds of locally grown blueberries we froze in August are not going to last through winter. Small servings are being doled out to Anna (11) in celebration of a good grade on a test or a cheerfully completed project. This isn’t workable for much longer. We need variety and quantity.

As I meander through the produce section of our supermarket, I marvel at the beauty and bounty. I pick up, and subsequently choose to replace, a beautiful, heavy and fragrant pineapple, grown and transported a distance of 4,354 miles from Kalamazoo. Could there possibly be some truth to the criticism that local-food advocates measure improvement by self-denial rather than actual impact? Ugh. I just want to put good food on the table, but this question bothers me. I have to find a way to answer it, but not today.

Amid the assortment of colorful and carefully stacked apples, I choose Fuji grown in Michigan and make this culinary decision: they won’t be good in smoothies, but they are good out-of-hand, and will probably make a good dessert.

Comments (6)

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I'm glad to see someone from MI participating in the Locavore Nation Project & will follow your blog with keen interest.
Would it be possible to correspond with you privately? I have questions about the organizations mentioned in your bio. I too live in MI & want to learn how to eat more locally.

Posted by Julie | January 20, 2008 2:37 PM

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I sympathize with the quandry "buy locally vs. buy variety." I've been trying to use more locally grown fruits and vegetables for a few years. The fresh vegetables I grow in my garden and preserve don't last until snowfall. I'm lucky to have fruit preserves at Christmas. I haven't been able to buy enough in quantity to can/freeze to last through the year. I don't think I have enough canning jars and freezer space to preserve enough fruits and vegetables to last until the next growing season. I compensate by buying lots of frozen vegetables on sale but who knows where those come from....

My grandmothers and great-grandmothers faced this all the time. How did they manage?

Posted by Anne | January 20, 2008 5:01 PM

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Hi all - I'm Julia Schrenkler, Interactive Producer with American Public Media. We're looking for open conversations on the blogs, so please share your questions here. Thanks!

Posted by Julia Schrenkler | January 22, 2008 9:15 AM

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Donna, in this last entry you stated, "Could there possibly be some truth to the criticism that local-food advocates measure improvement by self-denial rather than actual impact?" I see it as a process and a progression in the issue. Sure, at first there is the act of denial of eating 'foreign foods' (beyond whatever limits you identify as local). But then a person is forced to engage in a more thorough investigation of what really is available locally. New worlds begin to open up. Statements like "I didn't know ____ is grown in Southwest Michigan" and " This locally raised____ has flavor I never tasted before" start coming out of your mouth more and more frequently. You start putting more importance and pleasure into your eating and on the interactions you have with the people you are connecting with to get your food. In short, you start becoming more conscious in yet another sphere of your personal universe. And your universe starts becoming a larger place.

Posted by Brusselsprouts | January 27, 2008 7:21 AM

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When I was growing up in Ohio in the 50's my grandmother grew or purchased peaches,cherries, apples etc. I remember the basement wash sink full of peaches--probably two full bushels-- waiting to be peeled, halved and stuffed into quart jars.

The fruit cellar was always full of gorgeous jars of peach halves, cherries and applesauce. I have no memory of actually eating any of this fruit--which is odd.

When plums and pears (from trees on our property) were ripe we ate plum kuchen and stewed pears. Of course there were concord grapes and red currants.

Every inch of my grandmother's small house lot was planted with fruit trees, vegetables, grape vines and one year even peanuts. After Easter, the neighbors gave my grandmother the chicks and ducks that were so "cute" on Easter but not good as pets. They grew up to provide a nice dinner. but NOT for me!

Posted by joanne S | January 28, 2008 8:13 AM

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Hi Donna. Your comment "Could there possibly be some truth to the criticism that local-food advocates measure improvement by self-denial rather than actual impact?" is interesting. To appreciate and "graze" locally grown food-especially here in SW Michigan-throughout the year-one needs to plan. Planning means participation. I recall assisting my mother in putting up many--many quarts of peaches, apple sauce, and preserves. I remember the scent of apples in my grandparent’s fruit cellar. At one time tropical fruits were a treat-place in stockings at Christmas or we eagerly awaited the box of grapefruit some lucky relative brought back from the long journey to Florida. With easy access and availability we tend to forget....

I'd substitute self-denial with thoughtful planning/participation--and, though "work"- preserving whether canning or freezing is one way to participate-and create.

Having seen the near collapse of our local farming communities and the dismantling of support infrastructure-I really appreciate the locavore movement.

Growing our own food allows us to directly participate in the ecstasy of life

Thanks for your blog....

Posted by Ron | January 29, 2008 11:47 AM