Yikes! We're dancing as fast as we can to keep up with the tomatoes ripening in our backyard and in our community garden plot. Our kitchen is a sea of orangey red globes of various varieties and sizes. Last night we also ate peppers and chard from our gardens. I guess that makes us locavores, which is virtuous, right?There is a lot being written about local produce lately. A large grocery chain is on the local bandwagon these days, although can we call blueberries from the Maritimes local when consumed in Ontario? There is an article in the New York Times today pointing out how few energy calories are expended to move food across the US while driving to the grocery store burns tons of energy calories.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/opinion/20budiansky.html?src=me&ref=general
It's all so complicated, isn't it? What I know is that I don't have to wash anything off my tomatoes to make them edible. And we like picking produce in our back yard. And we enjoy the stuff we pick up at local markets knowing that it supports those business people who live in our community and the young people they hire in the summer. The markets represented above are among those we frequent. This is all important , and I'm hoping that some of the area farmland that is being paved over might continue to be used for agriculture.
What Would Jesus Eat? Well he ate locally because that was what was available. I think we should too, whenever possible. I don't think God hates us because we eat California strawberries and Washington state cherries, but why not eat Ontario-grown? God bless our farmers!
Thoughts?
Agreed! Just came back from a small community in the north and they can no longer get locally grown corn because the farmers have all retired and no one has carried on. This is my fear with the places around here. I know one is run by a younger generation who will continue to produce, however a few of the others are run by older folk, what will happen when they pass on?
ReplyDeleteThe local grocery store where we were had corn but it had been trucked in from who knows where!! We had a feed of local corn last night, so much tastier AND grown a few miles down the road. Yah for local food!!
I agree 100% - with so much produce at this time of year grown locally, or at least in Ontario, I rarely buy otherwise. Obviously there are exceptions, but I will not buy California strawberries or Peruvian asparagus or U.S. raspberries at this time of year. And the first thing I think of when I pick the tomatoes or peppers in my backyard is that I don't need to worry about any possible cancer-causing agents to wash off!
ReplyDeleteThat's an important point, Nancy, about our agricultural workforce getting older, and without replacements.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that folk are becoming more intentional about buying local. I'm with you, Johnny, that there is peace of mind in picking our own produce. Our community garden insists that there are no chemicals used for any purpose.