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Getting ready to move

Posted at 8:03 AM on September 13, 2008 by Scott Swendsen (4 Comments)

Well, it's been awhile. I have been slowly packing preparing for my big move back to Minnesota and I am really beginning to realize how much I am going to miss the local food scene of Boise.

I remember how worried I was back in January at the beginning of this year-long study of eating locally. What possibly could grow in Boise? I knew about the farmer's market and the local coop and that there were wineries and orchards around but what about milk, eggs, bread, green leafy things, meat and most important - beer?

Now as I am getting ready to move in the next month or two, I am realizing just what I might be giving up in moving back to Minnesota. All of those wineries and orchards come to mind first. Idaho is blessed with a very long warm and dry summer which makes for great fruits - grapes, peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, pluots, apples, and cherries all grow with ease and perfection. I can not begin to even think that most of these fruits will be available for locavores like me back in the short growing season that much of Minnesota experiences (heck, they had frost there several weeks ago!).

The excellent quality of wines from Idaho will also be greatly missed. While there are a few wineries back in Minnesota, the varieties of wines and grapes is greatly limited. Here, with the hot summers and cool winters and the wonders of irrigation from the results of mountain melt-off, an amazing number of wineries exist and many superb choices are available for my drinking pleasure. In fact, since there will be extra room available in the U-haul, I will definitely bring along home a couple of cases to tie me through that bleak cold Minnesota winter....

I could go on - the berries, local wheat from Beth's organic Canyon Bounty Farm, cheeses from Ballard Creamery, milk from Cloverleaf Dairy, eggs and lamb from Jeannie at Meadowlark Farms, the wonderful produce from Clay & Josie at Peaceful Belly, the great breads from the various local bakeries, all of the local farmers, ranchers and individuals bringing in meat, honey, flowers, vegetables, fruits, pasta and other food products to the Capitol City Public Market every Saturday morning - I definitely could go on!

I am sure that some of these foods will be available back in Minnesota. I will have to re-learn that art of seeking out the local grower, asking the produce manager for hot tips on local veggies, riding my bike through the countryside looking for signs next to small farms that indicate beef or pork is being sold, hoping that there is more Minnesota cheese available than there is from Wisconsin.

One thing I do know is that I won't be without my local beer! Fortunately, that staple of life is readily available through small local breweries and brew-pubs scattered through-out the Twin Cities and Minnesota. So while I may be missing out this winter on fresh greens from those geo-thermal hothouses of southeastern Idaho, I certainly won't be lacking good solid nutrients, eh?

Comments (4)

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Scott,

Where will you be living in Minnesota? There is lots of wonderful local food - but you're right -fruit and wine are not our strengths. I've got my freezer loaded with berries, the apples are in in great abundance and variety. I also canned some local pears. As for Dairy, meat and poultry - there are lots of sources. Minnesota cheeses take a bit of looking for but they are available.

Posted by Diane | September 16, 2008 5:36 AM

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Scott - It can be done. Well, the fruit, I am not so sure about. I have canned Michigan and Colorado peaches and called it close enough. At least they weren't out of the country right? But seriously, any non-fruit or veg is easy. The beer, you are right, is fantastic.

You might just get here in time to throw a few things in the ol freezer before winter hits. Maybe. That frost is coming quick! Let me know what I can do to help.
Sareen

Posted by Sareen | September 17, 2008 9:48 PM

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Scott,

Why the move to Minnesota, and like Diane said, to where? If it is to the Twin Cities, I know a lot of Eau Claire's bounty with be within 100 miles of your place.

But like Sareen said, you better start storing! Good luck with the move!

Gina

Posted by Gina Keenan | September 21, 2008 3:04 PM

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Good luck! Drive safely.
Paulette

Posted by P. Thompson | September 26, 2008 11:35 AM