We bought locally grown food — hooray!
Last July, I wrote about reading Barbara Kingsolver’s book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.
Since then, I’ve wanted to buy more locally grown food. We got the ball rolling last month by picking strawberries at a local farm. (We’re sometimes a little slow on the uptake, but we get there eventually.) Yesterday on the way home from a family celebration (more on this to come), we drove by a farmer’s market… one by the side of the road… the BEST kind, in other words. :)
We spent $10.50 and purchased the following: two tomatoes (like the ones I photographed above), four peaches, one cantelope, two ears of corn, and a 16 oz. bottle of honey. The only food not grown in Georgia were the peaches (from South Carolina). The honey was from, literally, just down the street. The honey cost almost half of the total.
While they don’t sell local food exclusively, quite a lot of the food comes from no farther than south Florida, or no more than 700 miles from here. As the summer continues, more and more of the food will be from Georgia.
I am tickled pink about finding this place (and the farmer’s market just around the corner from this one).
These places are slightly more than 10 miles away and gas isn’t cheap. But it’s so worth it to me to make the trip once a week or so to purchase locally grown food.
The idea is to work your menu around what’s available locally… And that’s our plan, too. I’m not saying we’ll never buy out-of-season produce again… In fact, I’d be lying if I said that. But I’ll feel SO MUCH BETTER about eating the South Carolina peaches and the south-Georgia tomatoes we purchased today than I will about eating the California cherries that are in our refrigerator right now.
Buying a little locally grown produce is a small thing, but every little bit helps. And if all of us do it, we’ll make a HUGE difference. This link can get you started, but keep your eye out for places while you’re out and about; neither of the places we found today are on the list.
So give it a shot, won’t you?
13 Responses to “We bought locally grown food — hooray!”
By Steph Corwin on Jun 19, 2008
oh thanks for that link. I’ll add this to be list of things I want to improve on. Maybe I’ll make a trip to our farmers market this week as a start
Ahhh… if you go let me know it goes. In your neck of the woods, you probably can buy a LOT relatively “local.” Yay!
By Kelsey on Jun 19, 2008
Oh great link thanks so much!
You’re welcome, Kelsey! Let me know if you try buying locally. :)
By Dr.Cason on Jun 19, 2008
I’m so craving fresh fruit. We have some here -mangoes and papayas but other than that I’ll have to dream of the US again!
I’m so confused. Where are you? (I looked at your blog and couldn’t figure it out. Am I just blind?)
And I want to go SCUBA diving!
By AMomTwoBoys on Jun 19, 2008
Mmmm…people are mocking me with tomatoes today. They look SO good!
Great link! I’m a big fan of our local farmers market…when I remember to go! And we have a farm nearby that we frequent. Dylan LOVES to pick apples & berries!
The tomatoes were fantastic. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a tomato so good. (Granted, I didn’t eat them until recently, but still.) I apologize for my continuation of the mocking.
By Jen on Jun 19, 2008
Supporting our local farmers is such a wonderful thing to do, I really need to do it more often myself. It’s crazy because it’s always so much cheaper than the grocery store and tastes a million times better as well! Thanks for the motivation, I’m going to the farmer’s market this Sunday!
Yay! Let me know how it goes!
By Jenny on Jun 19, 2008
That’s great! I always make sure to ask if it’s local because I found that one of our local stands (in the city we used to live in) brought in all the food! What the?
Again, good for you :-)
Thanks, Jenny! Yes, it’s important to ask if it’s local. I learned this from reading “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. “What the?” is right.
By Missy on Jun 19, 2008
That is really great! I have not yet made it to our farmer’s market, but I am definitely looking forward to those SC peaches!
Thanks, Missy! The only peach I’ve eaten from that batch was a little tart, but REALLY juicy. I’m sure they’ll get sweeter as we get farther into the season. :)
By chris on Jun 19, 2008
Man I love tomatoes…Thanks for the heads up on Kingsolver’s book, I’m definitely going to read it this summer.
Let me know what you think of it. I just LOVED it… and it was the first Kingsolver book I’d gotten all the way through… and I LOVE to read, so I don’t know what’s up with that.
By Lis Garrett on Jun 19, 2008
Good for you!! And as big a supporter I am of locally grown and organic, I’m slightly embarrassed to admit I haven’t read Kingsolver’s book (man, she a GREAT author!!). I got it for my MIL last with with the intention of borrowing it, and I never have. I suppose 20 hours in the car on our road trip will give me ample time for reading. I just have to remember the Dramamine!
Read. This. Book.
You will LOVE it.
Would you believe that I couldn’t get through “The Poisonwood Bible,” and I LOVE reading. I may have to try it again.
By Sandy (Momisodes) on Jun 19, 2008
That is fabulous! Those tomatoes look wonderful :) Thanks so much for the link.
You’re welcome, Sandy. I hope you find something good. :)
By Sarah on Jun 20, 2008
In downtown where I live on Saturdays, there’s a market every week (I just found out about it). Also, I’m growing locally. Cross your fingers that we’re able to water enough to keep my tomatoes alive. I can’t use graywater on food crops, but at least I know my lantana won’t die.
Awesome, Sarah! I’m glad you found that market.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed about the tomatoes.
By Suzanne on Jun 21, 2008
You’ve discovered one of my absolute favorite things about living in Florida-those farm stands. I’m searching for a new favorite since we’ve moved. So far, so yummy!
Suzanne, we’ve not been back since we went the first time. We need to GO! I’m so glad you stopped by to say hello. :)