Further to the "Where to get started" post the following websites are great ways to stay on top of local food topics and find local producers.
BC Food Specialty Directory - http://www.bcspecialtyfood.ca
Vernon Food Action Society - http://foodaction.ca
Community food - http://www.communityfood.ca
Central Okanagan Food Policy Council - http://www.okanaganfood.com
BC Food Security Gateway - http://bcfoodsecuritygateway.ca
Kelowna Farmers Market - http://www.kelownafarmersandcraftersmarket.com
Urban Harvest - http://www.urbanharvest.ca
UBCO Preservation Farm and Research Initiative - http://www.preservationfarm.net
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Meghan - 100 Mile Diet Experience recap
How do I recap all that I have learnt through this 100 mile experience…I have been exposed to both the 100 Mile Diet book by Alisa Smith and J.B MacKinnon and the Canadian Food Network's 100 Mile Challenge in the past but only took the information in passing as interesting but something that would not be feasible for me. So this experience was one that I jumped at trying with both feet. It's funny, the changes that I have made have become so natural and my thinking process, so aware of food issues and the importance of local I can hardly go a day without mentioning it or questioning my choice or others close to me about their food choices.
I had to go into the a larger supermarket the other day and I just confirmed for myself that no matter how beautified the store layout may be or how they are marketing certain products to me, I am not interested in simply picking up food because it looks good and the price is right. I want to know more and I especially do not want food that can't be recognized as food by my elders. I know I am echoing Michael Pollan here but I really believe this.
I have been a "real" foodist for the last few years, questioning things that have to be manufactured in order to be eaten or have ingredients that you do not recognize as food or can even be read. But taking on the 100 mile diet has brought into focus first the abundance of food that we have (which I sort of new about but only during the main growing seasons) but also the very important steps of supporting our local economy and protecting our local environment. Having grown up around local apples all my life, I never questioned why you would enjoy apples during their peak seasons only and from where and how long I could get apples, I just knew this and would never go looking for an apple in May and June from another country because I wanted it. So why are other food products not the same because I honestly didn't know enough about them and they were always on the supermarket shelf when I wanted it.
Eating local has encouraged me to read label more then before (as I would look at ingredients and nutrition information) seeking to understand where the products have come from and honestly choosing products that do not even have labels and packaging.
Eating local has reconfirmed for me that everything in moderation is okay. As in rich butter and cheeses but if they are "natural" not due to labelling but due to actual content then that is okay for me.
Eating local has encouraged me to beware of what is in season and where I can get it. Building relationships and taking an interest in where our food comes from speaks volumes to understanding both our environment and the role that local food producers play in our economy.
Eating local has highlighted the need to spend money on things you believe in rather then buying what is convenient and accessible. As a student this is probably the hardest part of this challenge because money is not as readily available as it hopefully will be when I am working full time in a profession of my choice. But at the end of the day, I think about how important it is that I put fuel in my body that will enable me to succeed and if that means spending more money then that's a choice I am going to make. Don't get me wrong I have never been a ramen noodle person or kraft dinner eater, I am very fortunate that I have grown up in a family where we prepare food from scratch and eat whole grains, vegetables and fruit religiously. I am lucky that my food pantry and storage cellar have always had canned and fresh frozen food along with ancient grains and legumes that many people are just becoming familiar with, so I know I have a heads up. So I must move forward and encourage others to put their money where their mouth is and buy for your health, for your community and our planet.
I am sure I have missed many things in this reflection but nonetheless I have learnt so much and am very grateful for this experience and being able to share it with all of you.
Eat good food, preferably local and do not forget to taste what you are eating, as food is more then for sustenance it is an experience and one that should be shared.
I had to go into the a larger supermarket the other day and I just confirmed for myself that no matter how beautified the store layout may be or how they are marketing certain products to me, I am not interested in simply picking up food because it looks good and the price is right. I want to know more and I especially do not want food that can't be recognized as food by my elders. I know I am echoing Michael Pollan here but I really believe this.
I have been a "real" foodist for the last few years, questioning things that have to be manufactured in order to be eaten or have ingredients that you do not recognize as food or can even be read. But taking on the 100 mile diet has brought into focus first the abundance of food that we have (which I sort of new about but only during the main growing seasons) but also the very important steps of supporting our local economy and protecting our local environment. Having grown up around local apples all my life, I never questioned why you would enjoy apples during their peak seasons only and from where and how long I could get apples, I just knew this and would never go looking for an apple in May and June from another country because I wanted it. So why are other food products not the same because I honestly didn't know enough about them and they were always on the supermarket shelf when I wanted it.
Eating local has encouraged me to read label more then before (as I would look at ingredients and nutrition information) seeking to understand where the products have come from and honestly choosing products that do not even have labels and packaging.
Eating local has reconfirmed for me that everything in moderation is okay. As in rich butter and cheeses but if they are "natural" not due to labelling but due to actual content then that is okay for me.
Eating local has encouraged me to beware of what is in season and where I can get it. Building relationships and taking an interest in where our food comes from speaks volumes to understanding both our environment and the role that local food producers play in our economy.
Eating local has highlighted the need to spend money on things you believe in rather then buying what is convenient and accessible. As a student this is probably the hardest part of this challenge because money is not as readily available as it hopefully will be when I am working full time in a profession of my choice. But at the end of the day, I think about how important it is that I put fuel in my body that will enable me to succeed and if that means spending more money then that's a choice I am going to make. Don't get me wrong I have never been a ramen noodle person or kraft dinner eater, I am very fortunate that I have grown up in a family where we prepare food from scratch and eat whole grains, vegetables and fruit religiously. I am lucky that my food pantry and storage cellar have always had canned and fresh frozen food along with ancient grains and legumes that many people are just becoming familiar with, so I know I have a heads up. So I must move forward and encourage others to put their money where their mouth is and buy for your health, for your community and our planet.
I am sure I have missed many things in this reflection but nonetheless I have learnt so much and am very grateful for this experience and being able to share it with all of you.
Eat good food, preferably local and do not forget to taste what you are eating, as food is more then for sustenance it is an experience and one that should be shared.
Meghan - Friday, November 25th - Foodie Friday at UBCO
Today was the first Foodie Friday at UBCO. What is Foodie Friday you ask? Well it's an event put on by the Food Action Committee (FAC) at UBCO to increase awareness of food related issues and services on campus. The farmer's market that I attended back in Oct was organized by the Food Action Committee as well as hopefully many other both small and big events on campus around food issues.
Luckily for me having just completed by 100 mile diet, I had lots of resources (from having contacted local farms) as to where to find local dairy, vegetables and meat which we wanted to share with the campus community at our booth. Our goal was to increase the awareness of what local foods is at the very basic level which I personally feel we achieved. The Foodie Friday coordinator put together this great poster (right) where we listed what was in season when, so that people can become a bit more conscious of hopefully food choices they can make. We also used the great map that Amy created to help us defining the local area on a larger map so that we could show people our 100 mile diet radius and used this to tell people about the many possible food options within this area. We knew that although food is an important topic, we had to find a way to get people to come up to our booth and engage, so what better way then by offering food! We had wonderful food that was kindly donated by Urban Harvest, consisting of multicoloured carrots, different radishes (white, watermelon, and daikon), also some kale and we made a yogurt dip from local natural yogurt, garlic, salt and pepper. We also were partnered with the UBCO Preservation Farms project as we were collecting contact info of interested people in either a future CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and those interested in the FAC.
Although this was a three hour event, the time flew by as many people were interested in both tasting the local food, hearing about where and how to access it but also lots of talk about how do we prepare this or what do we eat it with. I was so pleasantly surprised that so many students especially were concerned about food and are making choices to consume organic food when possible. This is the first steps but we would also explain how the consideration and incorporation of local food purchasing results in a positive impact and investment in our own community. Many had not thought of that but liked the idea. So many people came by and said how supportive they were of working towards better food options and access on campus and for those people we make sure to collect their names because we need more student like that when it come time for future events like this one but also the Farmer's Market.
I must not forget to say that although many of the same messages came up in this experience as did the Farmer's Market booth I felt that many people were not hearing this for the first time. This was very exciting and a positive result giving hope to the fact that we are making progress and through increased events and discussion the importance of local food was starting to set in. Of course different locations will generate interest from different people but those that I saw at the Farmer's Market day chose to come out to that event, where as with our Foodie Friday we were located in the UNC at lunch time so our exposure was greater, which I felt made a difference.
I really enjoy doing these booths because I feel that I never give myself enough credit for what I know about local food. Through these experiences I see that I have the knowledge and can apply it in a way that can be explained to someone that is not familiar with the topic. I feel this is the best way to learn but also a great way to demonstrate your knowledge. I hope that in the future I can continue to engage our community on this issue as I feel strongly about local food and do feel that simple, basic changes can made a difference.
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| Foodie Friday at UBCO |
Although this was a three hour event, the time flew by as many people were interested in both tasting the local food, hearing about where and how to access it but also lots of talk about how do we prepare this or what do we eat it with. I was so pleasantly surprised that so many students especially were concerned about food and are making choices to consume organic food when possible. This is the first steps but we would also explain how the consideration and incorporation of local food purchasing results in a positive impact and investment in our own community. Many had not thought of that but liked the idea. So many people came by and said how supportive they were of working towards better food options and access on campus and for those people we make sure to collect their names because we need more student like that when it come time for future events like this one but also the Farmer's Market.
I must not forget to say that although many of the same messages came up in this experience as did the Farmer's Market booth I felt that many people were not hearing this for the first time. This was very exciting and a positive result giving hope to the fact that we are making progress and through increased events and discussion the importance of local food was starting to set in. Of course different locations will generate interest from different people but those that I saw at the Farmer's Market day chose to come out to that event, where as with our Foodie Friday we were located in the UNC at lunch time so our exposure was greater, which I felt made a difference.
I really enjoy doing these booths because I feel that I never give myself enough credit for what I know about local food. Through these experiences I see that I have the knowledge and can apply it in a way that can be explained to someone that is not familiar with the topic. I feel this is the best way to learn but also a great way to demonstrate your knowledge. I hope that in the future I can continue to engage our community on this issue as I feel strongly about local food and do feel that simple, basic changes can made a difference.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Juliana - Where to get Started
Feeling Inspired? Here's is a list of where we found some basic foods and local brands to get you started...
This list is non-exhaustive and feel free to add places you've found great local foods in the comments section! Remember to try new foods and meet the people behind the food you buy, this can be the richest experience of eating!
D Dutchman Dairy
Choices Market, Nesters Market, Natures Fare, Rutland IGA, Winfield IGA and Bankhead Store
Blackwell Dairy Farm
Paul's Produce, Pandosy Foods, Pioneer Market, Mediterranean Market, Fresh Green Grocer (Lakeshore Rd)
Jerseyland Organics
Lakeview Market, Okanagan Grocer (Guisachan Village Mall on Gordon), Pauls Produce (Guisachan Village Mall), Urban Harvest, Natures Fare and Quality Greens (Spall Plaza)
Carmelis Goat Cheese Artisan Inc:
Choices Market, Okanagan Grocery and Save On Foods
Grains
Okanagan Grocery (Guisachan Village Mall)
Quality Greens
Natures Fare
Nuts
Gellatly Nut farm (West Kelowna)
Fruit and VegetablesBC Fruit Packers store (Clement St)
Urban Harvest
Choices Market
Paul's Produce
Quality Greens
Farmer's Market
Meat (Beef and Chicken)
Kelowna's Farmers Market
Johnny's MeatsChoices Market
Don't forget about local farms and fruit stands!
Also, don't be afraid to ask for help at local grocery stores, the managers and employees are happy to help! The manager from Choices gave me a full tour of the local foods inside his store!
Meghan - Watermelon Radish "Fries"
Here is a great recipe that I got from a friend but sadly I didn't have all the ingredients on hand to make it but did make a variation of these fries that were very yummy!
1.5 lbs watermelon radishes, scrubbed clean and removing the green outer layer
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
sea salt (to taste)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Chop watermelon radishes into large matchsticks.
In a bowl, add the rest of the ingredients to the matchsticks and mix well. Spread evenly into a 9 x 13 lined with parchment paper or larger roasting pan.
Bake for 30- 40 minutes, turning 2-3 times, or until crisp on the outside and golden brown.
Meghan - Spring Valley Middle School
Today was our presentation at Spring Valley Middle school which I was very excited about. I am noticing how much I like and how easy it is talking about food and educating others on options and resources in our area so I was hoping this was going to be the same. I knew in advance that we were going into a non-traditional classroom where the students may not be in rows of desks with notebooks in hand and I was prepared for that. We knew in advance that there would be a maximum of 10 students in the class for our presentation and as such we had prepared a draft outline of what we wanted to go through but really we were just going to hopefully have a conversation with the students about where food comes from, what food we have locally and about our experience eating within 100 miles. This morning before heading out to the presentation I cleaned, cut and organized our food samples we were taking so that it would be easy for everyone to just help themselves as they wished. When we arrived in the classroom everyone was doing their own thing; some students doing homework in a loft area, others putting up art on a board, yet another cutting out wood pieces for a model that they are working on and lastly one just hanging out reading. We were met by the principal teacher and were given a tour/introduction to the students as they continued to work on their tasks as a way of warming them up to our presence and see that we are approachable the open to interacting with them. We started by telling them a bit about what we were there for and how most food that we get has to come a long way to get here. We then talked about what it means to eat locally and asked them what food they liked as a way of breaking the ice. Then we started talking about how different foods have a culturally connection to their areas based on what food is available to them. Some of the students pointed out that they like pizza and we explained how many of the components to make pizza can actually be found in our local area. This gave us a way to explain a bit more about local food, talk about foods that are found locally and then introduce our BC food map. We all broke off and talked to different students about what the map shows and how you can learn from it. The student I spoke to found it very interesting to see how many food options there was in the lower mainland but also that we are very lucky with the quantity and options we have here. He pointed out how it must be hard from people that live in the areas where there was only one or two "commodities" (from looking at the map) and this gave me a great opportunity to talk about food deserts and how challenging it can be for some communities to access local food. We also talked about how we each can have a different definition of local and that it doesn't need to be the 100 miles that we used for our challenge but that having an awareness of where your food comes from is important. We talked briefly about food miles explaining that the distance from production to consumption can be a long ways and how sometimes it's better to buy something locally, even if it costs more because it is better for the enviroment and our local economy.
We then had a little tasting of the food that we had brought into the class. We explained what it was, when it's grown and how it can be prepared. Amy's small apples went over well and they started with those because they were familiar but with the encouragement of their teachers, the principal (who had dropped in) and us we were able to get all the students to try at least one but in most cases they tastes them all. They started to tell us a bit about the bistro they run and what they have learned from the experience. They shared that they had been on a field trip to a farm and they found it interesting and we were given a tour of their mini greenhouse grow operation where they have herbs and kale that they use in their food in the bistro or just enjoy during the day when they are hungry. The student I was talking to told me that he often forgets to take his iron pills in the morning and feels very low energy during the day and he like that he can just wonder into the "garden" and have some kale which helps him feel better (I left so good about this because some of the kale plants from my parents yard we had dug up and given to this class along with parsley and mint.
We were invited to come and see the bistro they run for the school, where they make up a few different options for meals and snacks. They were very proud to show us how and what they do in their bistro and you could clearly see that they were working well as a team to make a product that they supported. Everyone had their role and knew what to do without being asked so that was neat to see. They wanted us to taste their quinoa salad that they made along with a few dessert loafs which were all very tasty and we were happy to try.
Overall the class was attentive and interested in what we were presenting. I feel that bringing food in was a great way of engaging the students with different food options that they would normally not have eaten. I also feel that we all learned something from this experience, them about eating locally and us about how much students of this age do actually know about food. I feel that with awareness like we did through this class, it could make it possible for more dialogue about local food both in their homes and with friends. I know this experience has certainly done that for me.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Celebrate food... from field to table quiz
I found this great website, Celebrate food... from field to table, that has a little 15 question quiz that you can test your knowledge of where in Canada our food comes from.
Test you knowledge and learn something new: http://www.celebratefood.ca/en/game
I reviewed these and pulled out a few of the questions to have ready for our Spring Valley Middle School presentation if things were getting challenging and we needed material to stimulate the class with. Let's hope they are not needed.
Test you knowledge and learn something new: http://www.celebratefood.ca/en/game
I reviewed these and pulled out a few of the questions to have ready for our Spring Valley Middle School presentation if things were getting challenging and we needed material to stimulate the class with. Let's hope they are not needed.
Meghan - Preparing for Spring Valley Middle School presentation
So in preparation for our visit to Spring Valley Middle School on Wed. Nov 16th I needed to find some local produce. Given that there was not a Farmer's Market the weekend before our presentation I decided to check out Urban Harvest's warehouse sale on Saturdays from 9am - 1 pm at their distribution centre on 806 Crowley Ave. (right next to Okanagan Street Food in the North End industrial area).
I was so pleasantly surprised by the feel of the space, the quality of the produce and the diversity of goods, it really felt like a little fruit stand or market. The week prior to their warehouse sale they list on their website the food items that will be for sale that week and which farms they come from. This made it a bit easier for me to pick out which items to buy that were within our 100 miles for the presentation and tasting. Although most of their produce is locally base with a few exceptions (bananas, avocados etc). On their website they sometimes explain what the items are or how it's used if it's something different. They also tell a bit about the farmers where the produce is coming from along with linking you to their website if they have one.
I had such a great time finding really near and different gems. I had to limit myself for buying everything I wanted for this event so as to not saturate the students we were presenting to. The final produces that I decided to buy were celeriac (celery root), watermelon radish, white radish and sunchokes. For our presentations we kept everything raw.
Celeriac (celery root) is a ugly looking root vegetable which can be eaten raw or cooked. It taste like a very strong celery which can be added to salads, boiled, braised, sauteed or baked. So lots of options for this vegetable and it's available most of the winter months.
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| Watermelon radish |
White radish is a round radish the size of a small apple or orange. Its taste is a milder pepper flavour then the traditional red radishes and as such many people eat them like an apple. This radish can be cooked or served raw. It is available in the summer and fall seasons.
Sunchokes (Jerusalem artichoke) are in the sunflower family and has nothing to do with artichokes. They have brown lumpy skin (reminding you of gingerroot). The white flesh is nutty, sweet and crunchy which makes it great both raw or cooked. They are available from October to March in most areas.
Also in preparation for this presentation I was able to find a great BC food map for us to distribute to the students to help them see what we have available both in the valley but all over the province in the way of food options.
Sources: BC Food map - BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation (http://www.aitc.ca/bc/uploads/bc-food-map.pdf)
Watermelon radish picture - Urban Harvest (http://www.urbanharvest.ca/item/14819/)
Meghan - Friday, Oct 28, 2011 - UBCO Farmer's Market
Today was the first (of hopefully many) Farmers Markets at the UBCO campus. There were many vendors with all sorts of interesting, local and tasty foods. Along with many interested and engaged students, facility and staff that were coming by to check out the event. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to run a booth as a way of engaging the campus community and educating them on our project of eating within 100 miles.
The variety of just basic knowledge on what eating local was, all the way up to understanding what the 100 mile diet actually looks like was diverse. I had people come by the booth and say what do you mean by "eating local" or "what is local food" for which it was a wonderful opportunity to answer that question for them and share our experience. I also had many people that were very familiar with eating local or within 100 miles and understood the principal and they would sharing their experience and their practices. Many people asked abut price, access and choices available which were great questions and I took them through what I had learn. I explained what grows in our area and where they could find these items. Many were surprised by the choices that we actually have around fruits and vegetables even dairy and eggs. Admittedly grains was still a bit of a challenge to find and I explained that but also guided them towards where you can find those things. Price came up in a few cases where people, especially students, commented that they could not afford to make the choices they would like because of their limited budget but would love to buy more local in the future. I explained to them that if they just choose one thing and make that their local purchase that it is still a step and if you simply budget for it then eventually you will find that you can add more things that are local. Many students commented that they are making efforts to be socially conscious of their food choices and as such really embraced the idea of local food also because of the impact on our local economy.
Through many of the discussions people mentioned that they would like to start a garden but didn't have the space for it living in residence or in an apartment. The discussion often moved to ways that they could do that, such as putting potted plants on their deck for herbs, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers etc but also how they could engage through community gardens. I was pleasantly surprised how many people were interested in ways that they could connect to the earth and slow down the pace of their hectic lives and gardening and eating more fresh local food was a way that they would like to start doing that.
I feel that this event was a huge success, for the campus community and vendors, because I saw many people (myself included), caring bags of veggies etc and because people were talking and learning about food and where it comes from. The vendor in the booth next to me had to call her family member to bring more supplies and a friend of mine with a booth was planning on going to the Kelowna Farmer's Market the next day but ended up selling out of many things. I would say that's a good sign of success.
For my part, I felt the day was time well spent because I spoke to many people about our experiences which helped to educate people a bit more about the importance of local food and what it means to our community. I hope to be part of future Farmer's Markets on campus in some capacity.
Through many of the discussions people mentioned that they would like to start a garden but didn't have the space for it living in residence or in an apartment. The discussion often moved to ways that they could do that, such as putting potted plants on their deck for herbs, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers etc but also how they could engage through community gardens. I was pleasantly surprised how many people were interested in ways that they could connect to the earth and slow down the pace of their hectic lives and gardening and eating more fresh local food was a way that they would like to start doing that.
I feel that this event was a huge success, for the campus community and vendors, because I saw many people (myself included), caring bags of veggies etc and because people were talking and learning about food and where it comes from. The vendor in the booth next to me had to call her family member to bring more supplies and a friend of mine with a booth was planning on going to the Kelowna Farmer's Market the next day but ended up selling out of many things. I would say that's a good sign of success.
For my part, I felt the day was time well spent because I spoke to many people about our experiences which helped to educate people a bit more about the importance of local food and what it means to our community. I hope to be part of future Farmer's Markets on campus in some capacity.
Meghan - What was local food for my grandmothers growing up?
After my Day 2 post, Mary asked that I should talk to my grandparents about what it was like for them growing up and where their food came from, so on our next dinner night this week I took the opportunity and I had no idea where the topic was going to go, if they were going to remember or had even sort of payed attention while they were growing up. To my surprise my maternal grandmother told me all sorts of interesting things that I had never heard her talk about before and when I mentioned it to my mother, she indicated it was new to her also. So I must have just asked the question that had maybe never truly been asked for her to share before or maybe it was just my sincere interest that brought all the details of her childhood food sources back to life.
Enough suspense already eh! My maternal grandmother grew up in Southern Saskatchewan and she told me that they had a huge garden where they grew; beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini and squash and I suspect much more. They had a cow to meet their dairy supply, which my grandmother started to share how her mother (my great grandmother) would have made yogurt. They also had chickens and even turkeys. My grandmother said that they had so many turkeys that they would sell them off to the neighbours and towns people. I guess my great grandmother was very good at raising turkeys. I asked my grandmother if they grew any of their own lentils or other grains for which she could not recall but given that Canada grows a significant amount of lentils I am sure they were not that hard to come by. My grandmother told me that they used to grow chickpeas and for a special treat her father would roast them over the fire for them to enjoy and it tasted amazing. Oh they sounded so good as she was describing this because I love chickpeas and I only which we could get them locally and then experience that warm toasted sort of taste that sounds amazing. I bet they would taste so much better then the dried chickpeas that I often enjoy as a snack. Don't get me wrong I love them, but this would elevate it to a new level. I will have to see if around here we could grow chickpeas and get on that. I had not given much thought to if they grew in pods like other beans but they do and just need to be harvested from small bushes just the same as soy beans (which I have brown in our yard, although that was several years ago). According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Canada is one of the major exporters of chickpeas. Now that I know this I am going to be doing more research and find out how I can buy "local" (ie Canadian) chickpeas rather then from Turkey or Myanmar. Who knew we grew so much chickpeas!
I asked my paternal grandmother about the food she ate growing up and her response was very different from my maternal grandmother's. First I must way that there is 10 years difference between them with my paternal grandmother being in her 90s and my material grandmother in her 80s, so different times but also different locations. My paternal grandmother grew up just east of the Saskatchewan border in Alberta, first in a very small town and then they moved in Saskatoon. She is the second youngest of eight girls so her main memories about food was that she ate whatever her older siblings didn't want to eat which sometimes left her with not a lot of food. She does not recall having a garden or vegetables often at the dinner table but does remember a lot of potatoes and porridge as staples as a young girl. They had a neighbour, a bachelor, that worked his own land and often would bring by some of his harvest to my grandmother's family as my great grandfather was not around and their land did not produce anything. When they moved to the city, she recalls having exposure to more and different vegetables but sadly nothing sticks out in her mind other then her enjoyment of parsnips and turnips. Sadly I feel I may have started asking these questions too late but never the less, I will keep asking the questions in hope that each time she will remember a bit more and then I can piece together a bigger picture of what her local food looked like growing up in the prairies the 20s and 30s.
I have yet to hear from my material grandfather so he is the next on my list to ask and I am sure his stories will be interesting as he was out on the open range with their grazing livestock for a large part of his growing up years and not at "home" having dinner with his family being the eldest boy.
Source: Government of Saskatchewan website (http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=e698460c-7eb1-4615-87ed-695f31e5483f)
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| Chickpeas in pods |
I asked my paternal grandmother about the food she ate growing up and her response was very different from my maternal grandmother's. First I must way that there is 10 years difference between them with my paternal grandmother being in her 90s and my material grandmother in her 80s, so different times but also different locations. My paternal grandmother grew up just east of the Saskatchewan border in Alberta, first in a very small town and then they moved in Saskatoon. She is the second youngest of eight girls so her main memories about food was that she ate whatever her older siblings didn't want to eat which sometimes left her with not a lot of food. She does not recall having a garden or vegetables often at the dinner table but does remember a lot of potatoes and porridge as staples as a young girl. They had a neighbour, a bachelor, that worked his own land and often would bring by some of his harvest to my grandmother's family as my great grandfather was not around and their land did not produce anything. When they moved to the city, she recalls having exposure to more and different vegetables but sadly nothing sticks out in her mind other then her enjoyment of parsnips and turnips. Sadly I feel I may have started asking these questions too late but never the less, I will keep asking the questions in hope that each time she will remember a bit more and then I can piece together a bigger picture of what her local food looked like growing up in the prairies the 20s and 30s.
I have yet to hear from my material grandfather so he is the next on my list to ask and I am sure his stories will be interesting as he was out on the open range with their grazing livestock for a large part of his growing up years and not at "home" having dinner with his family being the eldest boy.
Source: Government of Saskatchewan website (http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=e698460c-7eb1-4615-87ed-695f31e5483f)
Meghan - Week 2 follow up
Okay so it's been almost a week since the official challenge of eating local has ended. I do not feel that much has changed in the way of what I am cooking at home, and how I am eating. Now that may be because I still have tons of veggies, grains, cheese and nuts so I either didn't eat enough last week or I over purchased not knowing what I would want or how much I would eat. Either way I feel like I am still eating almost 100% local, with a few minor exceptions like I am using some non local food from my freezer.
In the spirit of fall clean up, my parents where bringing in all the squash and tomatoes from the garden and as many of you know a large portion of the tomatoes where still green. So other then fried green tomatoes what do you do with them... I don't know where or who told my mother to keep the tomatoes on their vines but she did and as such we setup a storage space in the cold room where we are going to hang the tomatoes on their vines from until they ripen (see picture). Over the next few weeks as they turn red we will still be able to enjoy fresh local tomatoes from our garden and I think that's a great thing!
My roommate just picked up this great veggie slicer which makes zucchini or cucumber and I bet other things into noodles. I wish I had had this last week because I can't get over how great it tastes and how much you do not even notice that it's not pasta. I cut up other veggies, added it to my home made tomato sauce that I had canned earlier in the season and used some asiago cheese to add some protein. My first non 100 mile food that has been added back into my diet has been bananas but only for in my green smoothies as I have not had the interest to go into a grocery store and have to make purchases the conventional way.
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| Tomatoes ripening |
My roommate just picked up this great veggie slicer which makes zucchini or cucumber and I bet other things into noodles. I wish I had had this last week because I can't get over how great it tastes and how much you do not even notice that it's not pasta. I cut up other veggies, added it to my home made tomato sauce that I had canned earlier in the season and used some asiago cheese to add some protein. My first non 100 mile food that has been added back into my diet has been bananas but only for in my green smoothies as I have not had the interest to go into a grocery store and have to make purchases the conventional way.
Friday, November 18, 2011
AMY - Short Report
Eating foods grown and produced within 100 miles of your home sounds like a simple enough task. I mean, of the food one already consumes how much of it really comes from outside of this range? Well, for me it was almost everything. Taking on challenges, especially dietary ones, in the middle of a busy lifestyle can be a very challenging mission. However, the importance of eating local food is very high. I wanted to take on this challenge in a manageable way, but a way that would highly increase my awareness of local food, my interpretation of what is good food, and perhaps even improve my health. These are the reasons which pushed me to take on a short version of the 100 mile challenge for this term project. I was happy to have Juliana and Meghan to work with for this project, as support is always helpful!
The first one or two days of this challenge were the hardest for me for a couple reasons. Firstly, I was not as well-prepared as I should have been, partly due to the small amount of time between having the idea, and carrying it out and partly due to general ignorance. Secondly, I am by no means a chef, although I can cook certain meals in the kitchen, combining ingredients without a recipe is something I can have trouble with. In the beginning, the problem was that I was focusing on what I could not eat rather then what I could eat. I was looking at the challenge the wrong way; I focused on making versions of foods that I know. After a couple days I realized this was not the best way to go about eating local foods, I had to change what I knew about food in order to create delicious meals.
Mid-week, I started to look up meal ideas with the ingredients I had found on allrecipes which was an effective way to begin for me. Although most of the recipes I found still had to be tweaked or altered I began to really settle into a groove of cooking partially from a recipe and partially from my own skills. While I was doing the challenge, I was watching the food network documentary on Mission BC’s 100 mile project to supplement my learning. It was by their day 4 and my day 3 that “honey, wine, and wheat becomes the top priority” of those families and myself. This is the first day I made my own bread/biscuits. I think it was also one of the days I was most proud of my accomplishments, because not only did they fix my carb cravings, they actually tasted really good! I also collected local honey and wine, as did the families in Mission BC.
By the last few days I had really become experimental and innovative, really stepping outside of my comfort zone of food. I made my own pasta noodles, which I will admit did not turn out magnificently, but were still edible. I made stew which was one of my favourite meals, and egg salad sliders. Most of my meals ideas were created by myself but also partially from allrecipes, Juliana and Meghan, and the 100 mile website.
When challenge week ended, I was definatly proud, educated and also quite releived. I liked being able to eat with my family again, and have sauces and breads again, and be able to eat meals at restaurants. However, I learned so much from this experience, that I cannot see myself ever going back to my “pre-challenge” diet. Although currently I enjoy the occasional banana and chocolate bar, I have knowledge of where that food comes from and the amount of chemicals potentially in it from pesticides or preservatives, so I do not have these foods frequently. I have kept some of the ties I created to farmers in the area, such as eggs. All of my eggs now come fresh every few days from a farm about 2 miles from my house, owned by a family friend. I found local organic cheese to taste much better than what I was eating before, as well as vegetables.
One of the most rewarding parts of this challenge was not only the pride in myself and alteration of my own eating habit but showing other people how much better local food can taste. I would often share my meals or part of my meals with friends or family so they could see how flavours and combinations can really mesh well, especially with local foods. I know that I increased awareness, my ability to see food for its good qualities and flavours, and I believe my health as well. This means overall, mission completed!
Eating locally is not a limitation; it is a way of thinking – a mindset. Benefits of local food definitely outweigh the challenges. The taste and texture of local food, the locally circulating economic flow, the decrease of food miles, increased skills in the kitchen, the community/family ties and the personal health are just some of the reasons to try eating local food. Challenges would be lack of availability with familiar foods especially, time consuming meals and snacks, smaller selection of foods in stores and or restaurants, winter time or food deserts, picky eaters and sometimes price point. Local food is a movement, it’s happening all over the world and the central Okanagan is a fantastic place to be a part of this movement. If the reasons above are not enough for you to try local eating or the 100 mile challenge, than just do it as a challenge to yourself, your family or your community.
AMY - Spring Valley School
As Juliana mentioned, the class we visited at Spring Valley Middle School was no ordinary classroom, it had a variety of hands on activities in order to properly educate these students according to their interests and abilities. I was pleased to notice they had a small herb and petite veggie garden in a room labeled “office”. I love that the students had incorporated some food into their learning experience in the classroom.
Our presentation was extremely casual and relaxed, to better suit the students. We helped them decipher and read a map that Meghan found which visually showed which food can be grown where in British Columbia. We also fed them a snack, consisting of watermelon radish, white radish, Jerusalem artichoke, celeriac (or celery root) and small sweet apples. At first the students all gravitated towards the apples, because they were familiar. However, with some bribing we were able to get some of the kids to try the other vegetables as well. We talked about what these foods were, and why the kids hadn’t heard of them or seen them before.
One of my favourite conversations included what the kids currently liked to eat – their favourite foods. I helped them think about which foods in their diet now are or could be locally produced. Also about what food, such as McDonalds (a common favourite) is not grown within 100 miles.
The bistro was really interesting to see, as Juliana mentioned the students run a lunch time bistro right out of their school and they sell a huge variety of foods. The classroom teacher is trying hard to keep the food healthy, homemade, and if possible, local which is fantastic. When a couple of the students were making food such as burgers, we talked a bit about which of the ingredients used would have to be cut out if they were eating locally, and what they could add instead. Some of the students were shocked to realize how much food they consume isn’t local at all and how far it has to be shipped.
It was a stimulating experience talking to this classroom, and the teachers. I believe that the students learned something about what it means to eat local and why we were trying to raise awareness. However I think they learned the best from seeing and touching and eating the foods, as well as when we talked about which foods are or aren’t local. They are really interesting kids, and like Juliana mentioned we learned a lot from them as well. Such as the level of knowledge students their age have about food, and why food matters to them. When they showed us their bistro we were able to eat some quinoa salad they make which was delicious and had mint and herbs from their “office garden”!
Overall it was defiantly an experience to remember, and I am glad we were able to share our experience doing the 100 mile diet and raise some awareness about local food.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Juliana's Spring Valley Middle School Reflection
I'm very happy with the way today's presentation at Spring Valley Middle School went, both the kids and us learned some great things. The kids got to learn about the 100 mile diet, local food, how far our food travels and how lucky we are to live in an area so rich in food production. We got to learn about how much middle school aged kids know about food and where it comes from. We also got to see their "greenhouse" closet and bistro.
Walking into the classroom, we knew right away this wasn't an ordinary room and there wasn't ordinary learning going on. One boy was standing on a table posting art t the wall, two kids sat upstairs in a loft area doing homework, one girl was working on a model for an outdoor classroom and another boy was mixing beats on a mixer. We were warmly welcomed and introduced to all the kids. Instead of having them all come to us we visited them in their stations and started talking about where we were from and why we were there. Eventually, once the kids were comfortable with us, they gathered around and we began a small group discussion about food. The kids seemed genuinely interested and gave us their full attention. We explained that the average meal travels around 2000 miles from the farm to our plates. Then we talked about what it means to eat locally from farmers in our area. Te kids shared about field trips they had been on to farms in Kelowna. We talked about their favorite foods and what foods they grow in their classroom greenhouse. The grew peppermint, kale, swiss chard, tomatoes, peppers, and parsley. The foods are grazed on by the kids in class and also used in their bistro. We got to try their quinoa salad with their peppermint and parsley.
During or discussion we gave the kids a map of BC with the foods that are grown in BC on the map in pictures. The kids loved the map and this sparked some more great discussion. One boy loved seeing that the Okanagan has Llamas and kiwis. The kids could see how lucky we are to live in such a rich area where local food is plentiful. We also showed them areas on the map such as Bella Coola that are food deserts.
Next we tried some local apples from Vernon which were a huge hit with the kids. We also showed them and let them try watermelon radishes, sunchokes, white radishes, and celeriac. None of the kids had tried any of these vegetables before and were pleasantly surprised once we finally convinced them to try them. We spent an extra half an hour after our discussion watching the kids run their bistro, they were so excited to show us what they work on everyday.
Overall, this experience was extremely positive and I feel that the kids took home a good message about how eating locally is good for the community, the environment and your own health!
Walking into the classroom, we knew right away this wasn't an ordinary room and there wasn't ordinary learning going on. One boy was standing on a table posting art t the wall, two kids sat upstairs in a loft area doing homework, one girl was working on a model for an outdoor classroom and another boy was mixing beats on a mixer. We were warmly welcomed and introduced to all the kids. Instead of having them all come to us we visited them in their stations and started talking about where we were from and why we were there. Eventually, once the kids were comfortable with us, they gathered around and we began a small group discussion about food. The kids seemed genuinely interested and gave us their full attention. We explained that the average meal travels around 2000 miles from the farm to our plates. Then we talked about what it means to eat locally from farmers in our area. Te kids shared about field trips they had been on to farms in Kelowna. We talked about their favorite foods and what foods they grow in their classroom greenhouse. The grew peppermint, kale, swiss chard, tomatoes, peppers, and parsley. The foods are grazed on by the kids in class and also used in their bistro. We got to try their quinoa salad with their peppermint and parsley.
During or discussion we gave the kids a map of BC with the foods that are grown in BC on the map in pictures. The kids loved the map and this sparked some more great discussion. One boy loved seeing that the Okanagan has Llamas and kiwis. The kids could see how lucky we are to live in such a rich area where local food is plentiful. We also showed them areas on the map such as Bella Coola that are food deserts.
Next we tried some local apples from Vernon which were a huge hit with the kids. We also showed them and let them try watermelon radishes, sunchokes, white radishes, and celeriac. None of the kids had tried any of these vegetables before and were pleasantly surprised once we finally convinced them to try them. We spent an extra half an hour after our discussion watching the kids run their bistro, they were so excited to show us what they work on everyday.
Overall, this experience was extremely positive and I feel that the kids took home a good message about how eating locally is good for the community, the environment and your own health!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Meghan - Day 7
Today is the last day of our challenge, I am sort of sad. I think this is going to be a gradual change as I still have local products that I am going to continue to use and lots of people that I would still like to talk to about their experience with growing and producing locally.
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| Spelt pasta with chicken cacciatore and veggies |
I started out with some of the rye bread that I bought from Quail Farm's along with some honey from Okanagan Honey this morning. Also had some grapes and an Aura apple. Lunch consisted of cheese, hazel nuts, celery and carrots. Dinner was chicken cacciatore with carrots, celery, garlic, spinach and home made tomato sauce along with the spelt pasta that I purchased from Quail Farm's. Very tasty and the only difference from what I would do normally is have some olive oil in the pan while sautéing the veggies. I can see what a difference that makes though, my veggies became more dehydrated this way then sautéed and I felt like the tomato sauce was trying to revive them a bit. Nonetheless it tasted great and looks good too! For a night snack I had an Ambrosia apple and some pumpkin seeds.
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| Herbs from the garden |
I helped my mother a bit with cleaning and sorting of her herbs from the garden today. They all had to be washed and any unhealthy bits had to be taken off so they could be either dried or put in the freezer. She had basil, parsley, mint, oregano, thyme, rosemary and chives which you can see in the picture took up a large part of the kitchen island. It's a big job prepping them all but it's better then seeing them go to waste.
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| Spelt berries (kernels) cooked |
I also prepped some food for Tuesday, which is my long day at school, which will include my spelt berries (kernels). I am used to cooking with wheat berry (which can be found as hard wheat berry or soft wheat berry) which is just the kernel that flour is made from. We use it in salads all summer as a source of grain and protein to help keep you full longer and healthy. So it was an easy step fro me to try spelt berry. I brought 1.5 cups to boil in 3 cups of water and then let it simmer for 45 mins or until they are soft. The shell cracks off and you see the white fetish and you know it's done. It has a bit of a nutty taste but if you eat quinoa you will find this taste to be mild. Something to think about adding to our pantry and now that you know it can be found locally then all the more reason to try it!
Today I met my fruit and veggie requirements, my grain requirements, meat requirements but only made part of my dairy requirement.
Meghan - Day 6
Today is oatmeal day and it's so good. I can't believe how different these fresh oats taste compared to the stuff I normally by at the store. I am so happy I found these and that I get to enjoy them. My only concern is that most mornings I just do not have enough time to cook and eat oatmeal. Oatmeal is not something you can't eat fast, it's a slow meal but does sustain you for a while after so a great option when you have time. I was going to use the fresh apple sauce but really felt like blueberries so added that to my oats. I have to say I missed having cinnamon but that's okay, I can have that next time.
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| Oatmeal with hazel nuts |
I went to the Farmer's Market this morning. Talked to lots of interesting people. Picked up some spelt kernels (berries) which I am going to cook up like rice and add them to a salad and or have with my stir fry. I also bought some beef from Vale Farms in Lumby.
I learnt something very important about fresh eggs today while being at the market. So I have been hard boiling them and I guess that making hard boil eggs is not advisable with fresh eggs, because they are very hard to peel and the inside membrane is hard to remove. I experienced both of these challenges, and I just assumed that it was because I had not cooked them long enough or something. But I guess fresh eggs need to sit for at least 5-6 weeks before they become good to hard boil. Fresh eggs are meant to be cracked and cooked. Important lesson. Now I don't have the space to save eggs for several weeks so as easy as it would be to keep buying fresh eggs which I would love to do, I am going to have to give up some fridge space if that's what I want to do.
Bought some rye bread that was grown and made in Vernon at Quail Farm's which is the same place that I got my spelt pasta from. I had that for a snack today with some local honey from Okanagan Honey in Kelowna which was really tasty.
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| Brussels sprouts grown on long thick stalks - who knew! |
Lunch was on the go so had some hazel nuts, an egg, cucumber, celery, carrots and an Aura apple. Sadly dinner was not within 100 miles because I was out celebrating my material grandmother and my paternal grandfather's birthdays, they both turn 93 years old. It was a bit weird eating rice, didn't realize how much I missed it.
Today I met my fruit and veggie requirements, my grain requirements (hurray!), some meat alternative requirements but didn't make the dairy requirements.
Juliana Reflections and the Future
I am really glad we did this challenge! I feel like even in a week, my eating habits have improved, I feel healthier, I have more motivation at the gym, I have more energy, I got to meet people in the community who make my food. My food had a face this week and that feels nice. My food was environmentally sustainable this week and that also feels nice! I was forced to try new things like parsnips, and also I have beets still to cook that I never got around to. I don't feel that a week of doing this has made us experts but it has opened my eyes to the possibility of this diet as a permanent lifestyle. I feel like we're just getting started and already the week is over. I still have tons of local veggies to finish up. I was surprised to be wrong about the cost of eating locally. I know it would be different if I had a whole family to feed but the vegetables and fruit I bought were often at par and even cheaper than buying them from Superstore. Milk, eggs and other proteins especially cheese were more expensive but they last a single person quite while. My suggestions for anyone who wanted to give this a try would be...
1. Try to recruit some friends....It was amazing to have Meghan and Amy to do this with because we could give each other tips on where to find certain things, recipe ideas, moral support and encouragement. Together we could also reach more people and spread the ideas of the 100 mile diet further.
2. Start in Spring or Summer....Start when the markets are open and thriving so that you don't get discouraged by a lack of variety! If you start in the spring or summer then you'll be way more prepared to successfully make it through the winter with canned goods, jams, dehydrated foods etc.
3. Try new things!....Don't stick to your usual shopping list, try new vegetables, you'll learn a new skill and might even find something you really enjoy eating! Like beet leaves, edible flowers, dandilion leaves, parsnips etc.
4. Plan & Prepare....Make sure you set enough time aside to meal plan and prepare foods so that you have a few things to take on the go such as Meghan's pumpkin seeds or nuts. Try making homemade granola bars or easy things to grab when running out the door. Have your veggies pre-washed and chopped so that meals wont take too long and make you feel like you're always in the kitchen.
5. Meet the people who make your food... Don't just buy your local produce from the supermarket, go to the farmer's markets and orchards, farms etc and meet the people who make, grow and produce your food. They often have neat stories and your food becomes more personal. This enforces your reasons for doing the 100 mile diet and promotes success! It is also community building and easier to recommend a face to your friends than an item in a grocery store.
6. Read "The 100 Mile Diet"....This was a great source of comfort and knowledge for me as we went through a week of many adjustments and hard choices. It feels good knowing that sugar cravings and frustrations are part of the process and Alisa and J.B are vocal about their struggles but they succeeded and you can too. They also have amazing recipes and food ideas. Their stories will make you laugh and encourage you to keep going. It is also a resource you can recommend to your friends who are interested in what you are doing.
7. Support Restaurants who serve local...Many restaurants in Kelowna serve local foods, support these as a way to treat yourself to not having to cook. Raudz downtown is known for using foods that are in season and from farms in Kelowna. The Train Station pub on Clement uses almost exclusively local foods including beef, cheese, ice cream and beer.
8. Eat by the Canada Food Guide...Make sure a Amy did, that you are eating enough of the different food groups so that you don't become lacking in nutrients. It is important to eat a variety and not just what is easiest or cheapest.
9. Don't sweat the extra bucks....Spending a little extra on certain items is a reality of this lifestyle but there are things to think about, for example you'll probably not be eating out as much which saves you money such as forgoing the daily Starbucks or Timmy's run or grabbing a treat at the mall, you will be losing weight which can also save you money depending on your lifestyle, and you're giving to your community which gives back to you.
10. Finally, tell people about what you are doing....this is a movement and it doesn't help the environment or the community if only one person is doing it, it's a group effort. Having said that, it doesn't take everybody doing it to make a difference. People responded really well when I told them what we were doing and expressed interest in making changes that would be better for the environment and the community. Maybe you'll inspire someone to eat not within 100 miles but within BC at least, or maybe within Canada, every little bit helps.
1. Try to recruit some friends....It was amazing to have Meghan and Amy to do this with because we could give each other tips on where to find certain things, recipe ideas, moral support and encouragement. Together we could also reach more people and spread the ideas of the 100 mile diet further.
2. Start in Spring or Summer....Start when the markets are open and thriving so that you don't get discouraged by a lack of variety! If you start in the spring or summer then you'll be way more prepared to successfully make it through the winter with canned goods, jams, dehydrated foods etc.
3. Try new things!....Don't stick to your usual shopping list, try new vegetables, you'll learn a new skill and might even find something you really enjoy eating! Like beet leaves, edible flowers, dandilion leaves, parsnips etc.
4. Plan & Prepare....Make sure you set enough time aside to meal plan and prepare foods so that you have a few things to take on the go such as Meghan's pumpkin seeds or nuts. Try making homemade granola bars or easy things to grab when running out the door. Have your veggies pre-washed and chopped so that meals wont take too long and make you feel like you're always in the kitchen.
5. Meet the people who make your food... Don't just buy your local produce from the supermarket, go to the farmer's markets and orchards, farms etc and meet the people who make, grow and produce your food. They often have neat stories and your food becomes more personal. This enforces your reasons for doing the 100 mile diet and promotes success! It is also community building and easier to recommend a face to your friends than an item in a grocery store.
6. Read "The 100 Mile Diet"....This was a great source of comfort and knowledge for me as we went through a week of many adjustments and hard choices. It feels good knowing that sugar cravings and frustrations are part of the process and Alisa and J.B are vocal about their struggles but they succeeded and you can too. They also have amazing recipes and food ideas. Their stories will make you laugh and encourage you to keep going. It is also a resource you can recommend to your friends who are interested in what you are doing.
7. Support Restaurants who serve local...Many restaurants in Kelowna serve local foods, support these as a way to treat yourself to not having to cook. Raudz downtown is known for using foods that are in season and from farms in Kelowna. The Train Station pub on Clement uses almost exclusively local foods including beef, cheese, ice cream and beer.
8. Eat by the Canada Food Guide...Make sure a Amy did, that you are eating enough of the different food groups so that you don't become lacking in nutrients. It is important to eat a variety and not just what is easiest or cheapest.
9. Don't sweat the extra bucks....Spending a little extra on certain items is a reality of this lifestyle but there are things to think about, for example you'll probably not be eating out as much which saves you money such as forgoing the daily Starbucks or Timmy's run or grabbing a treat at the mall, you will be losing weight which can also save you money depending on your lifestyle, and you're giving to your community which gives back to you.
10. Finally, tell people about what you are doing....this is a movement and it doesn't help the environment or the community if only one person is doing it, it's a group effort. Having said that, it doesn't take everybody doing it to make a difference. People responded really well when I told them what we were doing and expressed interest in making changes that would be better for the environment and the community. Maybe you'll inspire someone to eat not within 100 miles but within BC at least, or maybe within Canada, every little bit helps.
Juliana Day 6 and 7
I got over my sugar cravings and breakfast probably helped. I had a wonderful smoothie with Dutchman milk, a raw local egg, local raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. This breakfast goes down easier than the oatmeal but keeps me full for a shorter time. I'm also used to putting bananas in my smoothies for sweetness which I miss.
For lunch I was at my parents' house and scrambled for something local. Nothing. Nothing in their house was local except a box of apples in the garage from my Grandma's tree in Summerland. So I recruited my sister and we did some peeling! I made a delicious apple sauce. I was hungry soon after. I think Meghan has the right idea, lots of small meals throughout the day. My suggestion if we'd been doing his for longer would be to at least carry a ziplock of nuts in my purse to help between meals. Dinner was leftovers once again as I raced off to work.
On Day 7 I awoke to make a tasty omelet with spinach and feta cheese. For lunch we were invited to Jake's parents' house and we had to eat what was made for us...homemade pizza which tasted amazing! This of course was not local but I couldn't ask my mother-in-law to specially make my meal especially since it was a spontaneous invite so I couldn't even bring my own ingredients. Spontaneity does not partner well with the 100 mile diet! For supper I steamed some broccoli, carrots, parsnips (which I have never tried before), and sauteed up some mushrooms and Chicken. This was accompanied by fresh sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. I definitely taste a huge difference in the flavour of some of the vegetables that are organic, local, such as the cucumbers. They were long, English cukes but had a tougher skin than usual and a far stronger aroma of fresh cucumber. They tasted more bold than the ones I typically buy from Superstore I was really surprised.
On Day 7 I awoke to make a tasty omelet with spinach and feta cheese. For lunch we were invited to Jake's parents' house and we had to eat what was made for us...homemade pizza which tasted amazing! This of course was not local but I couldn't ask my mother-in-law to specially make my meal especially since it was a spontaneous invite so I couldn't even bring my own ingredients. Spontaneity does not partner well with the 100 mile diet! For supper I steamed some broccoli, carrots, parsnips (which I have never tried before), and sauteed up some mushrooms and Chicken. This was accompanied by fresh sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. I definitely taste a huge difference in the flavour of some of the vegetables that are organic, local, such as the cucumbers. They were long, English cukes but had a tougher skin than usual and a far stronger aroma of fresh cucumber. They tasted more bold than the ones I typically buy from Superstore I was really surprised.
AMY - Reflection
Well, if you told me a week ago about all the delicious, wonderful things I would be eating on this challenge I probably would have called you a liar. Fresh veggie sauce, smoothies, buttermilk buns, roasted chestnuts, local wine, cheese and apples are some of the best things I have eaten, not just in the past week. I have also been watching the 100 Mile challenge for mission BC, as kind of supplemental learning throughout the experience. I was able to keep pretty close matching their 100 days to my 7, to conclude with the final episode today. I know that their experience was much longer, took a lot more effort and was more of a learning experience than mine, but they also had support from James and Alisa, as well as one another. I would defiantly do this challenge again, perhaps for 100 days, down the road. However I don't think I am in a great position to do so now. Local food can be more expensive, especially if you buy organic, and it takes a lot longer to cook from scratch than from a box. I did not expect my family and friends to do this 7 day challenge with me, but the fact that they weren’t made the experience a lot harder. I always had to think ahead, instead of getting hungry at 5 and making dinner for 6, I pre thought almost all of my meals a day or two days in advance to make sure the chicken was thawed, or I had fresh veggies or cheese or other ingredients I would need.
In the films there was one family, the Peter’s, who I feel I most identify with. Sherida Peters had some cooking experience going into the challenge, but was pushed out of her shell and out of her comfort zone in order to meet the challenge requirements and put a good meal on the table all the time. I also had some previous cooking skills, and I consider myself a pretty good cook - for specific meals. Trying new things is hard, especially cooking new things without a recipe. I had to do this with almost everything I made. Although the website I previously mentioned was helpful in looking up meals by ingredient, I frequently discovered the recipes shown had ingredients that I hadn't found locally.
I thought the Weremchuck-Williams did extremely well on the challenge, by diving right into the idea of 'where does this food come from?' I know the exact location of most of my food, the eggs, the tomatoes, blueberries, carrots, onions, potatoes and more. If I did this challenge again I would love to be able to spend more time on it, look at the sources of all my food and try making more on my own. Visiting places like bee ranches, orchards, farms, and other local food providers could have made this more rewarding.
The things I found out that I did not like about the challenge were the people who did not accept what I was trying to accomplish. Some people were very discouraging, and it was hard to bounce back from that. Other people would say things like "that is not possible", when I was asking about things like bread. I think overall, if we were to really succeed with eating local food, the community would really need to come together and all provide support for one another. Local meals are healthy, and very very tasting! It's not a limit on what you can eat, it's a healthy alteration of your lifestyle. I really think people need to know where their food comes from and be ok with that. If you're food is out of your garden, perfect you know exactly how it got on your plate and you won't take it for granted when you buy an apple in January. If the food you eat is packaged processed food, how can you really know how it was made and what it went through to get on your plate? Ergo how can you appreciate it and know what health affects it may be causing you? If you know where you're coffee beans are grown and where they are ground to be turned into powder, than I feel it's alright to have that, so long as you're trying to be more local. This idea also cam acrross in the 100 Mile diet 100 day mission BC challenege when a lot of families signed up for 50% local or 80% local. This is trying to eat more local, learning about where your food comes from while still enjoying the things you might miss on the challenge. I think 50-80% depending on the season would be a fantastic goal for my future, and although I don't plan on regulating it or blogging about it in the near future, I know that these 7 days have procided a strong learning curve for me, and like most of the families in Mission, I know I won't go back to eating the same diet as a week ago, and I am happy to report, I did not cheat once!! I was able to eat ONLY 100% food grown and produced within 100 miles of here shown on my map for all 7 days. And I know that in the future, I will have more respect for the food I eat, I will cook more and I will have increased knowledge of how food is grown and how local it is.
AMY - Day 7
I can't believe it's day 7! I feel good, maybe because the challenge is almost over, or maybe because I have been eating fresh local meals, or maybe because I have learned a lot about where my food comes from, or perhaps because I have improved my skills in the kitchen?
Could be all of the above. Today I had a smoothie for breakfast, and put in a few frozen cherries from our tree this time to mix it up. I had an apple and cheese for a snack, and for lunch I made quiche! I looked a few recipes to get an idea of what to do, but none of them used 100% local ingredients that I had in my kitchen, so I ended up winging it. They stuck to the pan quite a bit, despite me covering the edges in flour beforehand! Apart from being a bit tough to get out of the pan they were really good! The shell was not as flaky as you would expect, but I liked the taste of whole wheat in them.
For dinner I had spelt noodles with fresh pasta sauce. I put the rest of the canned tomatoes with green onion, lots of basil, some parsley, onion, peppers, garlic and fresh tomatoes in a blender, and added this mixture to some bbq'd chicken I had heating in a pot. I grated the last of my mozzarella with some fresh cheddar and put in on the dish. It was so good! The sauce does not taste like my usual pasta sauce, but it was very good because of how fresh it was and I could add the exact ingredients I wanted to.
I plan to have a final snack or frozen blueberries later on, and in the next few days I will incorporate "non-local" food back into my diet. There are 2 main things I have been craving, and those are tea and chocolate. The tea is something I have a lot, especially on a cold evening and I have somewhat replaced it with warm chestnuts and wine, but tea is one of my favourite things! And chocolate, I have only been craving because my family has been eating it right in front of me! Ah it was so hard not to just grab a piece and be done with it, but I was able to resist, and I feel like it will taste even better the next time I have some, which will probably be within the next couple of days.
Overall, this experience was extremely worth it, and I would recommend doing 100 mile meals or taking the challenge for a few days, or a year! Knowing where you're food comes from and how it's grown, and even who is responsible for growing/producing it is really important!
Could be all of the above. Today I had a smoothie for breakfast, and put in a few frozen cherries from our tree this time to mix it up. I had an apple and cheese for a snack, and for lunch I made quiche! I looked a few recipes to get an idea of what to do, but none of them used 100% local ingredients that I had in my kitchen, so I ended up winging it. They stuck to the pan quite a bit, despite me covering the edges in flour beforehand! Apart from being a bit tough to get out of the pan they were really good! The shell was not as flaky as you would expect, but I liked the taste of whole wheat in them.
For dinner I had spelt noodles with fresh pasta sauce. I put the rest of the canned tomatoes with green onion, lots of basil, some parsley, onion, peppers, garlic and fresh tomatoes in a blender, and added this mixture to some bbq'd chicken I had heating in a pot. I grated the last of my mozzarella with some fresh cheddar and put in on the dish. It was so good! The sauce does not taste like my usual pasta sauce, but it was very good because of how fresh it was and I could add the exact ingredients I wanted to.
I plan to have a final snack or frozen blueberries later on, and in the next few days I will incorporate "non-local" food back into my diet. There are 2 main things I have been craving, and those are tea and chocolate. The tea is something I have a lot, especially on a cold evening and I have somewhat replaced it with warm chestnuts and wine, but tea is one of my favourite things! And chocolate, I have only been craving because my family has been eating it right in front of me! Ah it was so hard not to just grab a piece and be done with it, but I was able to resist, and I feel like it will taste even better the next time I have some, which will probably be within the next couple of days.
Overall, this experience was extremely worth it, and I would recommend doing 100 mile meals or taking the challenge for a few days, or a year! Knowing where you're food comes from and how it's grown, and even who is responsible for growing/producing it is really important!
Saturday, October 22, 2011
AMY - Day 6
I cannot believe day 7 is almost upon us! Although a week is a short time, I feel like I have learned so much already and it's opened my eyes to how much more we all have to learn about our food, where it comes from and how it's grown!
Today I had two small breakfasts, I had apples and cheese, and blueberries and yogurt. For lunch I had what I call, 'fresh egg salad sliders'. I had the usual buttermilk buns rolled in oats, which I paired with egg salad. For the egg salad I boiled 2 eggs, sliced them, paired them with chopped pepper, onion, leek, and fresh white cheddar. and ate the egg on the bun to complete the 'slider' idea. And of course put some kale on the side for nutrition and aesthetics I got every kind of food group in this meal, and I was pretty proud of it.
For dinner tonight I tried a similar thing to yesterday, I was out all afternoon so before I left I put the beans and tomatoes from Mary, potatoes,onions, leek, chicken, carrots, wine, rosemary and water into the croc pot and let it cook for a while. I made some more fresh buns and had this for dinner. This included everything except enough dairy. However, I will probably have another snack this evening, apples and cheese or blueberries or roasted chestnuts and wine... mmm.
I am excited for tomorrow, and I know that some of my habits and all of my knowledge will carry on past tomorrow.
For dinner tonight I tried a similar thing to yesterday, I was out all afternoon so before I left I put the beans and tomatoes from Mary, potatoes,onions, leek, chicken, carrots, wine, rosemary and water into the croc pot and let it cook for a while. I made some more fresh buns and had this for dinner. This included everything except enough dairy. However, I will probably have another snack this evening, apples and cheese or blueberries or roasted chestnuts and wine... mmm.
I am excited for tomorrow, and I know that some of my habits and all of my knowledge will carry on past tomorrow.
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