A year of eating locally . . . mindfully . . . simply.
For those of you following my progress on cooking through all the recipes in Simply in Season, I thought I’d let you know that I have about 70 to go, so obviously I’m not going to finish by the end of next week! I’m hoping by the end of September now. Or maybe October. Sigh. I’ve decided I’m not going to sweat it too much, to take things when they come into season and not make so much food I don’t know what to do with it.
“Cancerous is exactly the state of our twenty-first-century global food empire. Whither concentrated orange juice, thither the vast, unmeasured apparatus of commodities markets, shipping fleets, wholesale buyers, and shopping carts.” p. 124
Empires of Food: Feast, Famine, and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations, Evan D.G. Fraser and Andrew Rimas
One of the things I love most about my CSA is the Yahoo Group where members post tips and ideas for using the vegetables we get in the share. Last week fellow member Kathy Simon share her list of kitchen “must haves.” She let me share it with you!
DH is such a sweetie! He put in a garden bed for me this weekend and also helped fence in the garden area to keep the bunnies out. The bunnies have eaten my beets and carrots but the peas survived. The bag garden is working well for them, but after the peas are finished we’ll take them out and put a more permanent bed in.
School for Working Girls in Bangladesh
In 2004 I had the privilege of visiting Bangladesh. I had just started working for the international relief & development organization for which I still work. In high school I had gone on a youth group mission trip to Costa Rica, and in college I studied for a summer in London, but I had never experienced anything like the month I spent in India and Bangladesh. It was like my eyes were opened.
The girls in the photo here stole my heart. They all work — either for relatives as maids or in the garment factories. The organization for which I work is helping the parents in the area of microenterprise and financial literacy so that they can afford to eat without sending their children out to work. They also run classes like these for the girls who work. They are held in the evening, after their working hours. This is still a sacrifice because that means they are unable to help out in their own houses while they are at this school. Luckily the parents have realized the importance of education. So while these girls don’t get to go to regular school, at least they get some education.
I was shocked at how young these girls look. And yet they said their ages were anywhere from 8-12. Our field staff told me that they look young because of malnutrition, but at the same time they don’t really know how old they are so they just guess. I visited this area around my birthday and couldn’t imagine not knowing how old I was!
Every time I buy clothes, I think of these girls in Bangladesh. I have no idea if they have made it or not. I have no idea where to buy sweat-free clothes. I did sew my own for awhile but then I realized that they probably work in the textile mills too.
So why am I telling you this story? I was struck by how many commented in this week’s Food & Faith Challenge that they had never heard about Fair Trade, or where to get it. I hope that you will be inspired to dig more into this issue. While it is important to support our local farmers, it’s also important to think about those who make our things that aren’t local.
The winner of this week’s Food & Faith Challenge was Jen, who blogs at The Big Binder. Ironically enough, I know her! We are part of a West Michigan blogging group. Random.org surprises me sometimes.
The winner of Women Food and God was Abby S. She said, “This book caught my eye in the bookstore – very catchy title! I’d love to win a copy, because I’m always interested in spiritual approaches to dealing with eating problems.”
I was also struck by many of the comments in the Women Food and God giveaway. There are so many people out there just like me who struggle with weight and the reasons behind we eat. I’m going to try to explore this issue more in the future.
As always, thank you for reading and commenting. The issues are big. There are no easy answers. But I enjoy learning and sharing, and hope you do too!
FINALLY! You can now expect lots more recipes. As I said before, it’s been pretty hot and chilis and stews were just not appealing. But now I have lots of glorious green to play with! So what was waiting for me when I arrived at pickup?
Scallions
Is it just me, or are there TONS of resources out there for saving money? *Cough cough* Real Food on a Real Budget ad on your right. Frugal blogs galore. And, there are lots of “how to cook” e-courses floating around. Yet my biggest stumbling block is TIME. I’m not alone. When I was on an Alice Waters webinar a few months ago, they polled the audience to find out what the biggest obstacle to cooking at home is and the winner by a long shot was lack of time.
I have eaten
the berries
that I bought
at the market
with which
I was going to
make you
a nice pie
Forgive me
they were so fragrant
so sweet
and divine
This post linked to Things I Love Thursday
L to R: Jolon of http://savvychicsavings.com, me, and Megan of http://whatmegansmaking.com
You might have noticed I’ve been a bit lax in the recipe department this week. I’m just waiting for my CSA to start this coming week (woo hoo!) so I can dig into the spring recipes. I do have a few recipes from the “winter” and “anytime” sections of Simply in Season, but seriously, who wants to make Vegetarian Chili or Winter Borscht when it’s 90 degrees out? I did hear a rumor that strawberries are ready so I may go hunting for them this weekend.
(the following tips are my own and not from the book pictured above)
1. Participate in a CSA. And use ALL of it.
Many people balk at the sight of the up-front costs, but we’ve found it is a deal if you can eat all of it. It does take some preparation and planning (I’ll be posting about how we do it this CSA season starting when our CSA starts next week). Also, take advantage of any U-pick opportunities, and if you notice people at pick-up not taking their full share (some people don’t like kale, for example), ask if you can have their unwanted vegetables. Some CSAs also offer working shares, where you receive a discount for working on the farm. Sometimes it’s not just field work, either – they might need marketing help, accounting, etc. Never hurts to ask, especially if you have more time than money.
2. Get a herdshare and learn to make home dairy.
Again, raw milk might seem more expensive per gallon, but once you calculate everything you can make from it (cream, butter, yogurt, the list is endless) the price doesn’t seem so bad. Now that our milk share quantity is at its peak season, I’ll be posting some how-tos over the next few weeks.
3. Find a source for whole grains and other bulk items.
This might take some research. For me, I discovered that our local health food store has the best prices. There are a few local mills I want to check into, too, but for now the convenience can’t be beat.
4. Find someone who has their own chickens.
Eggs are a great source of protein, and inexpensive when compared to meat. For the best deal on free range organic eggs, find someone who has their own chickens and is looking for a way to get rid of some of their eggs. They might be willing to give you a deal or barter in exchange for services.
5. Try not to eat anything you can’t get from the above sources.
Funny thing, when I go to a regular grocery store I always end up with things not on my list. Planning my meals around the vegetables, eggs, milk, I get from the above sources and avoiding the store as much as possible really helps with that.
6. Buy in season.
Usually the first few asparagus and strawberries command a premium price at the farmer’s market. If you can be patient, the prices will fall as everyone else begins to get inundated at peak harvest time.
7. Learn how to preserve food.
That way, you can buy when prices are lowest and stock up. Preserving doesn’t always mean canning, either – there are many fruits and vegetables that you can freeze, and as long as you have the freezer space it’s super fast and easy.
8. Grow your own.
Easier said than done, I know. At least try some potted herbs and container plants. I’m trying bag gardening for the first time this year. I’ll let you know how it goes.
9. Share with others.
This rule applies for lots of things. No pressure canner? Food dehydrator? Ask around, I’m sure someone will be willing to let you borrow theirs. Also if you can find people to “go in” with you on large bulk purchases you can often get a discount. Share a cow, for example.
10. Buy the book Real Food on a Real Budget
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