Simple tips for helping people to incorporate local (home-grown) and seasonal eating into their lifestyles

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Permalink Reply by Tamra on May 13, 2009 at 7:16pm

--Join a CSA.
--Shop at farmers markets.
--Grow just one food producing plant. The simple act of growing just one basil plant, for example, helps people connect with the seasons and understand what it takes to get from seed to table.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle W. Flannery on May 14, 2009 at 7:31am

Tamra - what's a CSA?

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Permalink Reply by Angie Knost on May 14, 2009 at 10:41pm

A CSA is Community Supported Agriculture, where-by members of a local community buy a "share" of a farm and receive a weekly allotment of produce for a certain number of weeks through the growing season. Typically the farmer receives the shares paid in advance of the season and can grow accordingly. This is very popular here in the NE. The farmer benefits by having that influx of funds in order to start off the growing season and the members of the CSA benefit by receiving the local harvest.

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Permalink Reply by Angie Knost on May 13, 2009 at 7:47pm

Seek out pick-your-own berries, produce or whatever. It's always seasonal and usually in abundance! Then can it, freeze it or preserve it for later use.
Raise chickens! You'll always have the best eggs around!

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Permalink Reply by Gillian on May 13, 2009 at 11:13pm

Reading the labels in the supermarket will help you get an idea of what is growing seasonally - most places say product of.....

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Permalink Reply by chris w on May 13, 2009 at 11:38pm

How about being willing to try new foods? I've liked the challenge of stepping away from the basic 'always there' foods and planning menus around the abundant harvest foods. I don't know if that makes sense but so many people are used to buying foods in chain supermarkets that they loose the challenge of 'OK, I have ten zuchinis to use up before they go bad, how many ways can I cook them' There are so many foods out there that aren't sold at the chain supermarkets.

There are a couple of supermarkets here that sell locally grown produce by the way, so that's also a good place to start. They have signs up that say 'locally grown'. Also, how about 'gleaning'. Some places have gleaning groups that go in and hand pick what the farmer does not harvest. Sometimes its free.

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on May 31, 2009 at 1:48pm

seems like salting the soil is NOT a good idea considering the ancient literature of how one culture killed another by salting their fields.

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Permalink Reply by Glenn Fletcher on May 14, 2009 at 6:46am

Just imagine if someone invented a new machine that converted "crap" into edible food. Everyone would want one!
The thing is that we all have one already. Its called your compost heap and kitchen garden. If people think of what is being done in those terms then the message becomes clear.

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on May 31, 2009 at 1:49pm

like the Star Trek replicator :-)

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Permalink Reply by Michelle W. Flannery on May 14, 2009 at 7:40am

Read labels. Know where your food is coming from.
Shop at roadside/front yard stands.
Visit local pick your own farms for fruits and vegetables year-round.
Eat at restaurants that advertise the use of locally grown foods.
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables
Use fresh homegrown herbs to flavor cooked foods.

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Permalink Reply by John Walker on May 14, 2009 at 7:49am

Community supported agriculture.
You buy shares in a farm ($20/week for 20 weeks eg)
You then get 1/2 bushel or bushel or some other known quantity of food (in season).
Great if you don't grow your own food or like salads.........
pax
John

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Permalink Reply by Angie Knost on May 15, 2009 at 7:18am

Michelle, I'm glad you mentioned the bit about restaurants! Here in Vermont we have something called the Vermont Fresh Network. Member restaurants support local farmers--year round!--and supply their customers with the diversity of foods...produce/meats/cheeses/eggs/dairy...all locally produced! We are sooo lucky to have such a supportive system in place.

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