Eating Local

What a nice weekend! The weather in Madison has been absolutely unbelievable. It has been in or near the 60 degree range for the past 4 days. I could get accustomed to this kind of weather in November.

Last weekend was REAP's Pie Palooza.
I had a wonderful time volunteering and met up with friends after my volunteer shift to try some pie for myself! I tried a delicious slice of spinach quiche and a fabulous slice of sweet potato pie. Our two pieces came with salad, beverages and an added bonus...Sassy Cow Creamery Ice Cream! http://www.sassycowcreamery.com/Index.htm

Mike and I also went to a dinner party this past weekend where we were fortunate enough to eat a wonderful Mexican meal made with local ingredients. Our friends grilled local venison meat and we had home-made salsa from locally grown tomatillos, peppers and tomatoes. What a treat indeed!

In Wisconsin we are getting ready for a long and cold winter (though recent temperatures don't show it). As the temperatures dip and the days get shorter the growing season ends.
So what can we do to ensure that we keep eating local?

1. CSA Winter Shares. I just realized that some CSA farms have a winter option that extends your CSA season into December. Winter shares typically include cold-hardy crops like spinach, broccoli, and kale, as well as storage crops like carrots, potatoes, squash, onions and garlic. I will definitely be looking into a winter share next year!

2. Indoor Farmers Markets. Many farmers markets move indoors in the colder months. It may take some research to find out what is available in the area, but it is well worth it!
In Madison, the Dane County Farmers Market moves indoors this weekend to the Monona Terrace. Some items that are likely to be found are;

Fruits (Apples Cider, Jams, jellies, and preserves; Pears; Pear and apple butters; Raspberry products), Stored Vegetables (Carrots, Garlic, Potatoes, Shallots, Turnips), Fresh Vegetables (Chard, Greens, Kale, Lettuce, Micro-greens, Radish, Spinach, Tomatoes), Meats Beef, Bison, Brats and sausage, Chicken), Cheeses (Flavored cheeses, Goat cheese, World-class aged cheeses, Fresh cheese curds) and Baked Goods (Biscotti, Cheesecake, Pastries, Cinnamon rolls, Breads) Specialty Items (Mushrooms, Maple syrup, Wool products, Candles, Honey, Pesto, Vinaigrettes, Eggs, Hot sauces, Flavored sea salt, Goat milk soap, Salsa, Yarn, Sheepskins, Hides and leather, Soups, Pasta sauce, Fresh-ground whole wheat flour, Herbal vinegar)

3. Preserving: Canning/Pickling/Freezing/Drying. If the proper equipment is available preserving is a wonderful way to extend the use of local vegetables and fruits. Meats, fish, and berries can be easily stored in the freezer. Herbs, mushrooms and some vegetables can be dried using a dehydrator. Fruits and Vegetables can be canned and cucumbers, carrots and beans can be pickled. I'm not a "canner" but here is a link to helpful tips. http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/

4. Think beyond locally grown. Don't forget to focus on locally produced and supplied items in the winter. Even though our growing season is limited, there are plenty of companies that produce breads, sauces, salsas, pastas, milk,(etc.) all year long!


The challenge to eat local will increase in the next 6 months but I'm excited to see what kind of things Mike and I can come up with to keep our local/organic percentage as high as possible.