< Garedening? | Main | Unexpected Lows >

What really counts as local?

Posted at 2:08 PM on April 7, 2008 by Sareen Dunleavy Keenan (8 Comments)

Our family naturally talks a lot about local food. We started our own local eating based on our desire to buy food from individuals instead of companies. This was easy and a great way to put our toe in the water instead of diving head first into 100% local eating. Now that we are into this commitment of moving towards all of our food being sourced locally, discussions get more complicated.

Up here in the land o' 10,000 lakes, we have many foods that could in theory be called local. Take for example the processed food giants of General Mills and Pillsbury. These are local companies that have helped the economy of this area a lot over time. At one point, these could have fit into the definition of local but now, who knows where the food comes from. Actually, someone does and I am sure that I shouldn't dismiss these companies out of hand. Truth be told, my family never really ate anything from them anyway, so for us, it was an easy elimination.

However, the debate really got heated when we were trying to buy butter the other day. We could have bought a pound of: Land o' Lakes butter for $3.00 at the large chain grocery store, Polka Dot butter for $2.69 from the neighborhood non-chain convenience store, or Hope Creamery organic butter for $5.39 which is from farmers in the area. Technically, all of these places are based in MN and can all be called 'local.'

This is where I struggle. Idealistically, the Hope butter is who we want to support. Realistically, that just isn't going to make it into our budget every month. Don't get me wrong. On the days when we have fresh bread and all I want is bread and butter, this butter is certainly the way to go. Corn on the cob? Bring on the Hope butter. However, when I am baking or using butter for simple every day uses, it is very hard to justify $5.39 per pound. And what is wrong with Polka Dot butter anyway?

Ignoring the conventional vs. organic argument, how do you sort out how local is local enough? Is all local food created equal? In a perfect world, this wouldn't be a problem. But when checkbooks and budgets are involved, there has to be a line. Where do you draw it?

Comments (8)

---

Hi Sareen,

Very true Sareen - especially now when food & transportation prices are increasing rapidly. One thing that I look at for myself is that my first priority is that I need to sustain myself (or in your case your family).

And economics plays a large role in that self-sustainability. We can look at the what benefits we create when we purchase the local organic butter (supporting those local farmers) but if that benefit creation negatively affects my own life, then I am not being self-sustaining.

Something that I am trying next week here in Boise is to work with a "group" purchasing of local farm products. Many of these items are being carried by our "co-op" but by buying more direct, the price for these same products has gone done a little bit (basically because we have eliminated a middle-man price markup step).

Not sure if MPLS / STP has anything like this, but it might be a way to lower the cost of that organic butter a little bit so that you can still fit into your family budget the "more correct" choice.

But if it was me, while I want to support the local farmers, there is probably a greater chance of that small independent neighborhood grocery store going out of business than the organic butter dairy farm. My choice would be to maximize my purchasing at the small independent business before buying the expensive butter at the pricey coop.

Anyhow - my take on it....

Posted by Scott | April 7, 2008 10:34 PM

---

I was standing in the wild oats today looking at the good Organic Valley butter for $5.49 a pound, the wild oats brand is a dollar cheaper.......yeesh.....I appreciate Scott's comment about supporting my own economy....sometimes I feel so informed that I feel guilty for not making the "right" choice even if it means going without other things.....I hope this comment doesn't make it to Tim's stupid things white people do site...more Yeeshes...:).

Best regards, Vera

Posted by vera schabicki | April 7, 2008 11:45 PM

---

Correction to above, Tim never had any thing about stupid things white people do on his blog, this was someone who commented and linked to one of his posts.......sorry for the sloppy writing...I am perpetually tired.

In contrition, Vera

Posted by Vera Schabicki | April 8, 2008 1:15 AM

---

Believe me, I understand the jones for Hope Creamery butter. I happily used some last night and it's super delicious. I also understand the large dent in your wallet after buying it. It's hard to make a choice between affordable and supportable.

Posted by kate | April 8, 2008 9:02 AM

---

Here is what I would do if I were you:

Have a pound or two of Hope Creamery in the freezer and use it when you need the direct, unmelted flavor of great butter, like on bread, and whatever else you crave. Use the next most local stuff for baking, etc.

This is the kind of thing I do with olive oil.

Support the best, but be economical as well.

Maybe you can't be perfect, but you can still be pretty good.

Posted by lectric lady | April 9, 2008 11:14 PM

---

Kate, Don't you know it! The butter is fantastic. I have had arguments with people that believe butter is butter is butter. Hope always turns them around.

lectric lady - that is what I plan to do. I think that the majority of our butter goes to baked goods. And while they could probably be enhanced by good butter, I think the sugary sweets contained within are enough of a treat.

Vera, I am trying to stay far away from the arguments on Tim's section! So much for the sleep deprived brain of this young mother!

-sdk

Posted by Sareen | April 12, 2008 7:30 AM

---

Butter is never just butter! Especially when it accompanies a loaf of bread straight out of the oven. Our 'local' butter is from Oregon...

Posted by Sarah | April 14, 2008 10:25 PM

---

Sarah,

No doubt. I am working on making a loaf of bread today, and at work, we only have generic butter (at least it is butter!) and i don't know how old it is. I am scared!

Posted by Sareen | April 18, 2008 8:35 AM