Local Eating

A year ago, I read a book called The 100 Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating. J.B. MacKinnon and Alisa Smith, two young urbanites from Vancouver try to eat only food found in a 100 mile radius of their home. They encountered many challenges along the way, but eventually became very good at local eating. I thought if they could do this in the city, I could try it in the fertile Annapolis Valley. Very soon after reading this book, I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. She writes about how her family ate food produced in the place where they lived for one year. Both books inspired me to try local eating for our health, community and the environment.

So now I am trying my own 100 Mile Diet by purchasing as much local food as possible. It actually is quite easy to eat locally in the summer in Nova Scotia. Where I live there are at least five farm markets within a ten minute drive, as well as farms that have local foods within thirty minutes. The Wolfville Farmer’s Market on Saturday brings producers from around the area right to you. There is also a farmer’s market in Kentville on Wednesday mornings and several other communities down the Valley have started markets recently. Even the local grocery store with the slogan, Grown Close to Home, has been trying to get more local produce, as well as bread, meats, honey, cheese and tofu.

I began my local eating adventure last July driving through Greenwich. I stopped at two farm markets purchasing fresh vegetables like carrots, beans, potatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and broccoli. I also purchased whole wheat rolls baked fresh. The next day my youngest daughter and I picked four boxes of strawberries at a local U-Pick. We also picked fresh lettuce from our own garden. On Saturday I lined up for veggies at my favourite stand at the Farmers’ Market. I also purchased delicious yogurt, cheese and the largest eggs I have ever seen. If you are not vegetarians as we are, you can purchase organic meats there as well. Every week there are always new vegetables and fruits ready to try. Even local restaurants are using more produce grown close by.

But what about when winter comes? Well I am freezing strawberries and some vegetables as we speak. A new small deep freezer is in our plans as well as preserving jams, pickles and relishes, something I usually do anyway. Our garden has a lot of tomato plants so I hope to try sun-drying a few. The abundance will continue for many months to come, so I am preparing.

Do I still buy non-local produce? Occasionally. Bananas and oranges do not grow here. But why buy them when we have so many luscious berries, great fruit as well as superb vegetables available here in the summer and fall. We are enjoying Local Eating!