Shannon, over at Nourishing Days, is hosting a little discussion on where your food comes from. She asked me to join in by talking a little bit more about what we eat and how we live, and being a lover of all things green, I happily agreed.
I am a huge believer in supporting local businesses. The smaller, the better in my book. I had been shopping at our little natural foods co-op since I moved to this area, and was delighted to start working there last summer. All of the food we eat comes from this store. Winter in Maine can be pretty long, and prior to spring the only local produce available seems to be root vegetables and garlic, but come spring and summer, the local produce available is overwhelming (and so yummy!).
It's neat working in a store like this. I've gotten to know all the farmers who deliver the vegetables, the goat man who delivers the goat cheese (and always brings the cutest goat with him...oh yes, that's where the $10 goat came from), the bread guy who drives an insane distance to deliver their freshly baked bread, the wee-bit farmer who brings in his yummy sausages, and the mushroom man who grows wild mushrooms in his yard. Meeting all these people has really allowed me to connect with my food. I know where it comes from, I know who made it or grew it. I love knowing who I'm supporting when I buy a head of lettuce or a tub of goat cheese. And it just makes everything taste better.
At home, we try to limit packaging as much as possible. We're off all grains, starches, and sugars since finding out I'm hypoglycemic, so we tend to stick to nuts, veggies, fruit, local meats, and raw dairy. We use glass containers that we bring with us to get large quantities of bulk items (nuts, brown rice, quinoa, millet, etc.) and cloth bags for produce.
As for what we do at home, well...we keep things simple. Meals are usually quick and tasty. Nothing too complicated unless we find we have loads of time to devote to a meal. We have found interesting ways to work around the limited produce available in the winter months by experimenting with new recipes. We try to make any snacks the little one likes to eat (graham crackers, Popsicles, nut butters, raw crackers, sunflower seed butter balls, etc.) to limit the amount of plastic or cardboard coming into the house. We wash plastic baggies out and reuse them again and again. We store all food in glass containers (our local kitchen store has a great selection) and reuse any containers we've had to purchase.
We also make our own yogurt from raw milk, cheese, jams, kimchi, and kombucha. None of these are challenging at all, and in the future we hope to share how to get started doing this on your own. Then there's the garden in the works (the lasagna method), the chickens and ducks that need to be moved over to our in-town lot, and the goats that will eventually arrive after we've installed fences. Homesteading has always been a dream of mine and I never quite pictured doing it on a half-acre lot in town, but the more I think about it, the more practical it is!
In every area of our life, whether it be food or traveling, we live consciously. We hardly ever use the car, we avoid buying things new, we recycle as much as possible, we buy locally, we produce as much of our own food as we can, and mainly we just really think about every decision we make about how we live, and how it affects our planet. And the best part? It feels really good to live this way.
Here's an easy, fast, delicious, mostly local recipe we love. We call these "zucchini sticks" and I love how quick they are to whip up! The little one thinks they are French fries they are so good!
:: Zucchini Sticks ::
-however many zucchinis you would like, sliced length-wise and then cut into thinner pieces
-olive oil (enough to coat zucchini)
-Parmesan cheese (as much as you'd like)
-salt and pepper
Mix olive oil, cheese, salt and pepper together in the bottom of a big bowl. Toss zucchini until well coated. Place on a baking sheet and broil for 10 minutes, or until brown and crispy. Enjoy!
Some of the books I'd recommend for others wanting to learn more are: (Please check your local bookstore to see if you can order them!)
-The Backyard Homestead
-Fresh Food From Small Places
-Country Wisdom and Know-How (personal fav!)
-In Defense of Food
-Full Moon Feast
-Edible Schoolyard
-Slow Food Nation's Come to the Table
-Coop
-Nourishing Traditions (a book all households should own!)
So go check Food Roots out and think about joining in one of these Thursdays! Oh, and stay tuned for a cool little DIY project I have for tomorrow. Now go eat your (local) greens...!
