So you’ve made a commitment to eating more foods that are locally grown or you’ve at least been thinking about it… but it’s a big change, you’re a little overwhelmed and you don’t exactly know how to start? Never fear…

You’re 10 simple steps away from kicking the mangoes-in-maine supermarket habit.

7. Join a CSA and/or a Food Co-op. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Many farms have CSA programs whereby you purchase a “share” in the farm. By paying an annual membership fee, you are helping the farmer cover the cost of growing the produce (seeds, tools, etc ) in exchange for a weekly ( or semi-weekly, or monthly ) share of the harvest during the growing season. Each farm has a limited number of CSA memberships available each year according to the amount of food they can produce, and they fill up early! Be prepared to sign up 6 months or so in advance of the next growing season, or be put on a waiting list for the next year. To find CSAs in your area, ask around at your farmers markets. Many farmers there will also have CSA programs or certainly know of some. Food co-ops are also membership-based and allow members to buy from many different farms, but in bulk, so pricing is often reasonable. Food co-ops allow you to see what a number of farms have available, order from as many as you like, and pick everything up in one designated spot ( some food co-ops will even deliver to your door ). Some CSAs and co-ops require that you volunteer a bit of your time actually working on the farm or in the co-op. This is a great way to meet like-minded people, get a little exercise and get your hands dirty side by side with the folks that work hard every day to feed us.

 

8. Identify restaurants that specialize in or use lots of locally grown ingredients. Eating local doesn’t have to mean giving up a night out on the town. Nor does it mean you have to abandon your ideals when you eat out. More and more restaurants and chefs are joining the local food movement. Some farmers specialize in growing food exclusively for local restaurants. Eating at a local-food-friendly joint is also a great way to get new recipe ideas. Depending on where you live, finding these restaurants may be challenge. Ask your local farmers (because you know many of them by now, right? Right??) and Google restaurant local food [your town/city here] for starters.

 

9. Find U-Pick farms in your area. Besides being able to stock up on blueberries (asparagus, strawberries, you name it) very inexpensively, a U-Pick adventure makes for a great day trip. Roll down the car windows, turn up the stereo and road trip it for a bit. Once there, you’ll enjoy the mild exercise while you wander, pick, socialize and fill up your basket / bucket / wheelbarrow with yummy treats. Some U-Pick farms will also pick FOR you,so you can just call ahead and swing by to pick up your 10 pounds of rhubarb.
10. Winterize your diet. “But, it’s winter and I live in Washington”. All is not lost! In fact, more and more farmers markets are open year ’round – yes, even in cold climates. Our Facebook inbox is full of invites to winter farmers markets – all here in Missouri, in January. The markets themselves may move indoors, but savvy farmers are still picking lettuce, carrots, garlic greens, and a variety of produce that you may never have thought possible. Remember, before there were supermarkets, our pioneering ancestors still managed to feed themselves in the winter. Some produce is perfect for long storage – apples, potatoes, onions, beets – just to name a few – and can still be found at the markets. You’ll find canned food of every variety, too, as farmers have been busy “putting up” their produce in the fall to last through the winter. Cows and chickens still produce milk and eggs all winter, so you’ll still find milk, eggs, cheese and yogurt. And remember the wheelbarrow full of strawberries you picked in June? ( Psst… they’re in the freezer!)

Here’s hoping this year brings you lots of fresh, wonderful eating and many new friends!

So you’ve made a commitment to eating more foods that are locally grown or you’ve at least been thinking about it… but it’s a big change, you’re a little overwhelmed and you don’t exactly know how to start? Never fear…

You’re 10 simple steps away from kicking the mangoes-in-maine supermarket habit.

4. Identify and visit 3 nearby farmers markets. Farmers markets are gaining in popularity at amazing speed these days and you’ll be surprised how many you find close by once you start looking. Google “farmers market [your town/city here]. Chances are, you’ll have a number of choices. Visit them all! No two markets are alike. Shopping at farmers markets is much different than shopping at a supermarket. This is a GOOD thing! The first thing you may notice is the lack of some foods that you’re used to seeing in the supermarket. Remember, you’ve been accustomed to having access to food from all over the world at your fingertips – regardless of the cost to get it there. Much of this supermarket produce is neither fresh nor tasty, having been bred for longevity instead of taste, and having been long before the peak of ripeness in order to be almost ripe by the time it gets to you. Which brings us to one of the next things you’ll notice at the farmers market – the food tastes so much better. Most of the fruit and veggies will have been picked that very day just as they were reaching their ripest potential. But there are other things that are different about shopping at farmers markets. One of my “whys” for eating local is that I have always had an aversion to grocery stores. I dreaded the weekly trip to find a parking space, push a cart through crowded aisles, and stand in line to checkout. Grocery shopping was the chore I disliked the most and I’d do just about anything to postpone it. My children can attest to my ability to put together countless meals looooong after any reasonable person would have announced “we have no food in the house!” Shopping at farmers markets is so much more enjoyable – the outdoors, the leisurely pace, chatting with the farmers, finding a “new” food, running into a friend and having the time and space to visit with them. Farmers markets have taken the chore out of food shopping and now it’s an activity that I look forward to.

 

5. Have a local food potluck dinner. Once you’ve started to get a feel for what’s in season in your area right now, you’ll want to start cooking in season. A great way to get ideas for seasonally appropriate meals is to invite some friends over for a local food potluck. You’ll be amazed at the variety of dishes that will show up. Be prepared to swap recipes (ask everyone to bring the recipe along with the dish). This is also a great way to find out about new farmers markets and other places to buy local produce. “Where did you find those zebra tomatoes, John?”

 

6. Plan ahead. If you’re accustomed to running to the supermarket several times a week for staples, like milk and bread, you’ll need some advance planning. Growing up in the age of 24-hour supermarkets, the open hours of your local farmers markets may seem quaint or downright inconvenient at times. But persevere and you will be rewarded. Our solution is to make up a weekly menu so we know what we will need for the whole week. This eliminates the possibility of waking up Sunday morning and thinking “Oh, I’m feeling like French Toast this morning. I think I’ll run to the store and get more bread”. If you’ve planned ahead, you already knew you would be having French Toast Sunday morning and you would have bought homemade cinnamon raisin bread from the Amish couple on Saturday afternoon. A little planning makes the French Toast sooo much tastier! AND you don’t have to swap your Sunday slippers for your shopping sneakers and drag yourself to the store just to make breakfast. Once you get into the planning habit, you’re ready for the next step…

So you’ve made a commitment to eating more foods that are locally grown or you’ve at least been thinking about it… but it’s a big change, you’re a little overwhelmed and you don’t exactly know how to start? Never fear…

You’re 10 simple steps away from kicking the mangoes-in-maine supermarket habit.

1. Identify the WHY. With all new undertakings, it’s important to know and remember WHY you’re taking this new step. Are you primarily concerned with eating as healthy as you can? (Note: Remember that local doesn’t necessarily mean organic, so pay attention. But often organic items produced locally are fresher and less expensive than those from afar.) Are you hoping to benefit your neighbors and the local economy? Are you concerned about the fate of small farmers? Are you wanting to lighten your footstep on the planet? All of these are valid whys and yours may be a combination of several or all of them. Your why may be something else entirely. Just keep your why(s) in mind as you embark on all of the subsequent steps.

 

2. Start a garden. There’s nothing more local than your own backyard. Dorothy’s enlightenment that “There’s no place like home” applies to food as much to anything else. No matter where you live you can grow at least some food. If you don’t already have a garden, there’s no shortage of information on how to start one and you don’t know what you’re missing until you try it. Maybe you’re just into growing tomatoes and leaving the rest to someone with more time or inclination. That’s ok. Grow something. This allows you to be part of the local food chain in the most personal way. If you’re a complete gardening newbie or convinced you have a black thumb, start with a pot of herbs in a sunny window. Your first leaf of homegrown basil can be such a simple and profound pleasure it may inspire to rethink food altogether. I recommend starting the seeds yourself so that you can experience the entire life cycle of your plant(s) and begin to gain an understanding of what goes into producing food on a larger scale for the planet. This is also a great activity to do with kids.

 

3. Identify your gardening neighbors. Does anyone in your ‘hood have a garden? Chat them up. Let them know you’re embarking on eating as locally as possible. Discuss your why(s). Finding out who grows what can give you a sense of the variety of food that’s being grown – literally – all around you! This step is important because you’ll discover a whole community of like-minded folks you may not have been aware of. Don’t overlook community gardens. Many schools, for example, now have food gardens. Go take a peek at what’s growing.