I’m taking the October 2008 Eat Local Challenge. We were asked to describe how we’ll be participating in this challenge. Here’s mine:
What is your definition of local?
Local for me is 100 miles from Newtown, CT (just east of Danbury). This year (and for this challenge), I’m extending local to include the items I collected while visiting friends MA and VT. My vacation turned into a locavoring getaway with our “tourist destinations” being local farms and farmers markets. So, I consider the products I brought home local since they were when I got them and are very much in the spirit of this adventure.
What exemptions will you claim?
- Coffee — for this challenge, I’m dropping the convenience and speed of K-Cups for fair trade, organic, and locally roasted beans.
- chocolate — but from local chocolatiers
- several grains — There is local wheat, but not the kind you can use for bread and pasta. (I did try making my own pasta using it. It was edible, but there’s a reason they use durum.)
- legumes & beans
- some spices
- cooking oils
- vinegar
- distilled spirits
- possibly nuts
- sugar
- Bread will be from Wave Hill bakery. I don’t know where they get their wheat, but they are local, artisinal bakers and this is the best bread in CT.
- Sam Adams Octoberfest — It’s regional and in season and it just might end up in my refigerator.
- Social events–where it wouldn’t be practical or kind to be inflexible.
What is your goal for the month?
I’m looking to find ways to make local eating more sustainable from a personal perspective. I’m in this for the long haul so I might as well enjoy the journey.