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Wow, it has gone fast!

Posted at 2:55 PM on January 1, 2009 by Gina Keenan (3 Comments)

This year was a self-discovery on the subject of food. I like to think we would have tried eating 80% local food without being in Locavore Nation, but I am not so sure. Being in Locavore Nation kept us committed during the darker days of last winter, when I am sure we would have caved in and taken up non-local foods.

The most important thing I learned this year, is that it is important to cook, and that by cooking I am helping the health of me and my family. It is difficult to eat local without cooking. I love cooking, but with three kids under 5, I was slacking a bit on the cooking detail (excuses, excuses). Before January of last year, I found I was buying more and more processed foods-even though most of them were organic. And I hadn't realize this was happening. I was a bit frustrated with the increase in cooking initially, but I discovered if you keep cooking simple, everyone was more happy. I got the meals on the table faster, and my kids prefer trying new things when they are separate and not mixed together.

We also added a lot of new foods to our diet as a result of being locavores. We, as a family, are now fans of turnips, ramps, beets, rutabagas, brussel sprouts, pumpkin seed oil and sorghum syrup. Two of my kids became huge fans of the brussel sprouts, even eating them raw, and my pickiest eater even decided he liked them. All of these items were included in our diet only because of choosing to "go local".

I also came to realize that Eau Claire has an awesome local food selection. We are very lucky in that regards. I must admit, it would be more difficult eating a locavore diet, without such good quality and diversity of local foods. There are tons of in season fruits and vegetables, ranging from cranberries to apples to sour cherries. Free, range or organic eggs are a plenty year round. Meat-well, though I am vegetarian, I am still amazed at what is available. Beef, elk, bison, turkey, pork, lamb, and chicken are all available at the farmer's market or Just Local Food Coop. It can be hard to not eat local. And being Wisconsin, there is well, lots of beer. I think any beer drinker would be amazed at the variety of local brews available. There are also some decent local wines available. And if you want vodka, there is a vodka made in Benson, Minnesota-still within our "local" circle-it is also near my hometown.

And then we come to my favorite, dairy products. Eau Claire is an epicenter of dairy. In the near past, the price for dairy in the nation was set in Eau Claire. It is nearly impossible to buy a dairy product in Eau Claire that is not produced within Wisconsin, even at a conventional grocery store. Wisconsin produces over 750 types of cheese, and the quality is amazing. Luckily, I adore dairy products.

One example of the amazing quality of local foods is we can have two types of organic, non-homogenized milk lines delivered to our home. One is Castle Rock Farms and the other is Crystal Ball Farms. Yes, the milk man is alive and well in Eau Claire. Just Local Foods Coop delivers the Crystal Ball Farms milk in a biodiesel vehicle even. How cool is that? The home delivery of milk has been a god-send for us as we go through over four gallons of milk a week, and those glass jars are heavy when being pulled in a Burley by a bike up a giant hill. The kids didn't appreciate being squished by the milk in the Burley either.

Well, we are hooked locavores. We plan on continuing this lifestyle, and continue to log our food purchases (it is easier to be accountable that way). We do not feel deprived, and it has so many great advantages from eating really good food to less garbage to less money to weight loss. Who can resist being a locavore?

Comments (3)

I've enjoyed reading about your journey. You've inspired all us girlfriends and make our weekend get-togethers more enlightened by trying the local places. Happy New Year!

Posted by Bonnie | January 2, 2009 3:16 PM

Hey Gina,
I think you're correct. Had we not been involved in the project this year, I don't think I would have attempted to try to be at least 80% local. It's not that I wouldn't "do my part", I just don't think I would have truly approached it as a way of life.
There's always something else that we could make at home being made for us.
Best,
Paulette in Seattle.

Posted by P. Thompson | January 5, 2009 9:34 PM

Paulette,

It has been great following your adventure of local foods out on the West Coast. Have you par-taked of the Seattle Tithe? That is such a cool educational organization. Take care.

Gina

Posted by Gina | January 6, 2009 3:24 PM