Announcement: August Eat Local Challenge

"I want to escape the trap that I, like most Americans, have fallen into the last four decades: obtaining nine-tenths of our food from nonlocal sources, with shippers, processors, packagers, retailers, and advertisers gaining three times more income from each dollar of food purchased than do farmers, fishermen, and ranchers.  I want to reduce the distance that my food travels before it reaches my mouth and my mind ..."

- Gary Paul Nabhan, Coming Home to Eat

What if all of our food decisions for a month were based on what was available in our foodshed?  What is it like to eat only what's in season?  What if we all became more aware of where our food really comes from?  What if local businesses got the message that people actually care about where their food comes from because of the sheer number of people asking questions about sourcing?

Life Begins at 30, in association with Locavores, is pleased to bring you the August Eat Local Challenge.  During this August, we challenge you to set some goals that will include eating food that is local to you.  Life Begins at 30 will be hosting a month-long meme along with suggestions for how to do this, and an update of how everyone is doing.

You will be able to design your own Eat Local challenge, noting your level of participation (eat local all day every day, once a week, one big event during the month, etc) and your "exceptions" - those things that aren't local and that you won't be able to live without as long with other specifications.

By taking this challenge, you will be joining a group of bloggers and non-bloggers alike who are willing to make the effort during August to source their food and eat accordingly.

Interested?  Move on to the Nuts and Bolts.

Need more convincing that local is the way to go?  Move on to the Reference Guide.

Not a blogger, but want to participate?  Sign up at Locavores today!

Comments

[FarmGroupie]

Count me in! I will add this to my blog this evening. I am definitely in for the challenge and hopefully as many people as possible will join us. August is the perfect time to do the challenge here: corn, tomatoes, squash, basil, eggplant, peppers, peaches, apples Mmmmmmmm.... I am getting hungry just thinking about it!

What a great suggestion.

Thanks!

[Sam]

Although I signed up straight away when i read about the Locavores in the Chronicle a few weeks ago, I have since been worrying myself stupid about it. In preperation for August I have been thinking about what I eat in terms of what is local and what is not.

I suddenly realised this challenge will be bvery difficult, and I won't be a stellar straight A pupil.

A fellow blogger pointed out the following to me via email:
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While supporting local producers is fine, if it's to the exclusion of other small, sustainable producers of heirloom products it can cause great hardship and may even lead to extinction of certain products. I have read a bit on this subject and I think Patrick Martin, Director of Slow Foods USA sums it up best:

"Small family farms are essential to guaranteeing the diversity and safety of our food supply." But we need to "think locally, but ship nationally" for regional products that might disappear unless they are raised in much larger numbers.
For example, some heirloom varieties of American livestock are on the brink of extinction because there are no longer buyers for them in an agribusiness-dominated market, and farmer's markets in urban areas only accept local producers. "They are important to our survival," notes Martin. "As the Irish potato famine demonstrated, depending on one variety of livestock or produce can be disastrous."
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So then I started thinking about it from that perspective too. What local person wouldn't want our local farmes to be sucessful in a wider arena?

My conclusion, is that during Locavore month, therefore, I will attempt to learn more about what is local and what is not. You know - question where my food is coming from more than I usually do, so that I can start to educate myself about what I am eating. Whenever possible, I do my shopping at the local Farmer's markets anyway, but when it comes to staples like flour and sugar and nuts, I know it will be far more difficult. Plus - I don't want to go and buy copies of long-life things already in my pantry just for the sake of being local because that would be wasteful.

I am really greatful for Jen for her blogging initiative on this subject because I feel like Life Begins at 30 will be a good place to come and get informatio, discuss ideas and plead for assistance in what I think is going to be a more difficult challenge than we first imagined.

so big thanks Jen, in advance!

[Jeanne]

Who is this that thinks this? Eesh. I wonder if they have really thought this through. I apologize up front but this is a very naive statement.

Eating local is not about snuffing out regional producers outside of the immediate region. It's also not just about eating good food that one "ships nationally." Eating locally supports local farmers and producers which results in vibrant and connected communities. In the big picture it's also about lessening our environmental impact (or footprint as the susdev people say). Read P. Hawken's Natural Capitalism for a crash course.

I think Slow Food is a wonderful organization. It's evolved over the years from one of precious elitist foodies to be one of conviction and commitment around biodiversity--much more inclusive and a more sound talking point. But to take what a former ED (Mr. Martins left well over a year or so ago.) said and commit to it blindly, well that's something I just can't do.

We all need to be conscious of the choices we make. If your friend is inclined to weekly shipments of heirloom varieties I certainly hope you get a dinner invitation!

So eat local, eat organic and when you can't eat for terroir--truffles from Elba, wine from Italy and lobster from Maine--but remember this time it's not just about the food, it's much bigger, it's about the environment.

What Jen is looking to do is to raise that consciousness--and Sam I support you 100% in your approach!!

[Jane]

Patrick Martins wants us to "think locally, but ship nationally" because that is his business. My understanding is that he left Slow Food to start Heritage Foods USA, which sales Slow Food-approved products and ships them anywhere in the country.
http://www.heritagefoodsusa.com/who_we_are/staff.html

[Sam]

Oh - it's all so confusing and too much for my little brain. Did anyone ever say food and politics don't mix?? Well thank you for all the comments, like I said I am looking on this as an educational experience. If someone makes an argument and it makes sense - then I think oh that sounds right - but it is a much harder process evaluating all the opinions and knowing who to believe or who is making the soundest judgement and what their motivation is.

So thanks, again, for being a source of information here on this site, both Jen and the commnetors.
I hope by the time August comes it will be a little clearer to me.

Plus, whatever anyone says - there is NO WAY I stop eating my Marmite even if it has to be shipped from the end of the universe.

[Owen]

Count me in - I'm already pretty heavily a locally produced food consumer. We get a CSA box from Winters, we grow some fruit and veggies ourselves and so forth.

So I will try even harder to buy the extras from local producers - that means especially eggs and meat.

[Annie]

Just wanted to let you know that I'm participating as well. What a wonderful "challenge" this will be. Thanks!

[Sherrill]

I'm in...we will see what I can obtain first from my garden, then the local farmers and the farmers market, with more homebaking too. Life can more fun just being simple...thanks for the challenge.

[Timmi]

So then I started thinking about it from that perspective too. What local person wouldn't want our local farmes to be sucessful in a wider arena?

My conclusion, is that during Locavore month, therefore, I will attempt to learn more about what is local and what is not. You know - question where my food is coming from more than I usually do, so that I can start to educate myself about what I am eating. Whenever possible, I do my shopping at the local Farmer's markets anyway, but when it comes to staples like flour and sugar and nuts, I know it will be far more difficult. Plus - I don't want to go and buy copies of long-life things already in my pantry just for the sake of being local because that would be wasteful.