I am really thankful that today was my first local food pickup day from the newly organized foodshed buying club, as it was a rotten day otherwise. And, for those in the Northeast with me, you know why it would have been a terrible day to drive around in the blowing snow to several farms to pick up food. I would have just gone to the grocery store like most everyone else. But, the wonderful people who organized the foodshed buying club did all the legwork for me. It was super easy...I can't think of any possible way it could have been easier, in fact.
Orders can be place online, anytime of the week, and orders placed by Sunday night at midnight will be ready the following Friday afternoon. I chose a small sample of items from different farmers...local cheese (one cheddar and one feta), yogurt, fresh eggs, and some ground and stew beef. I had ordered a quart of raw whole milk, but the demand was more than the farm had anticipated (yay local shoppers!) and I was one of the last people to place an order...so goes the biggest drawback of shopping locally. You get what is available and you don't get what isn't.
I am very excited about our pickup, and the farm who ran out of milk gave me a special tub of orange flavored yogurt to try for free! The site we picked up from was large and well organized and we were able to meet some of the farmers who are involved in the organization. Everyone was more than friendly and made an effort to get to know us. Kira said it the best after we left: "mom, do we really have to go to the grocery store now? It's so boring compared to the farm and that shed with the food!" Buying locally is worth it just for the education I am giving my children, but the food...SO delicious.
I'd say, as far as the financial risk, a $15 annual fee for this is better than great! What a bargain! And, as far as the risk of getting what I've ordered? I just treat it like I do the farmer's market in the summer...wait and go to the grocery store after to pick up anything that might be missing or just readjust meal plans for the week! It's always an adventure! And who can beat the value of someone else doing the driving and the sorting for you? I did bring my own bag to bring home the produce, but everything was nicely sorted and in boxes in the walk in cooler before we got there!
My only problem with the whole process is...what to order next week!?!
Visit the site! Join in the club!
http://www.foodshedbuyingclub.com/
Friday, January 8, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Local food...and losing weight?
This past summer, I noticed that as I ate more food out of my garden and from the local farmer's market, I began to lose weight. Naturally. Without effort. Of course, I suppose this is to be expected when you eat less meat and more veggies. The kind of veggies and fruit that are filled with fiber and water. Yummy!
Of course, with my research on eating seasonally, I have found that most of the seasonal winter foods are traditionally meant to "fatten us up" for winter. Vegetables are more starchy and more meat is usually consumed. Cheeses with longer storage possibilities are eaten. The fat brings us better insulation for winter.
So, what now? Tonight, I weigh in for a weight loss competition that my friends and I are starting...my motivation for joining comes in three parts. (1) I don't fit into my clothes anymore! A problem, since I'm broke and don't want to buy new ones! (2) I don't feel healthy. I used to be in great shape when I lifted weights daily and was a speed walker (often topping 4.7 mph just walking!). Now, I just feel sluggish and tired. (3) I want my children to learn healthy habits, meaning I need to get out there and be a good role model.
I suppose this will only be a small bump in the road for my eating habits. I don't see a lot of overweight people who say they live locally and seasonally. It's just finding the right balance for me. So, I'll continue to blog here for those who are following my simplify your life blog. But, I'll also be weighing in with a new blog on my journey to regain my healthy spirit...and don't be surprised if you see a lot of crossover!
Of course, with my research on eating seasonally, I have found that most of the seasonal winter foods are traditionally meant to "fatten us up" for winter. Vegetables are more starchy and more meat is usually consumed. Cheeses with longer storage possibilities are eaten. The fat brings us better insulation for winter.
So, what now? Tonight, I weigh in for a weight loss competition that my friends and I are starting...my motivation for joining comes in three parts. (1) I don't fit into my clothes anymore! A problem, since I'm broke and don't want to buy new ones! (2) I don't feel healthy. I used to be in great shape when I lifted weights daily and was a speed walker (often topping 4.7 mph just walking!). Now, I just feel sluggish and tired. (3) I want my children to learn healthy habits, meaning I need to get out there and be a good role model.
I suppose this will only be a small bump in the road for my eating habits. I don't see a lot of overweight people who say they live locally and seasonally. It's just finding the right balance for me. So, I'll continue to blog here for those who are following my simplify your life blog. But, I'll also be weighing in with a new blog on my journey to regain my healthy spirit...and don't be surprised if you see a lot of crossover!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Simplify Your Life!
After taking a good long look at my current state of disorganization, I have come to realize that if I really want to simplify my diet I may have to take a good long look at the rest of my life. This past holiday season was my most stressful yet. I was trying so hard to stick to my local food plan, but just plain ran out of time...for anything. It wasn't the holiday planning slowing me down...it was the clutter that I can feel closing in on me. Our attic is full to the brim with who-knows-what. Really, I have no idea what we have up there...it is being "saved" for that garage sale that never happens. And the downstairs is just as bad. I keep collecting more and more "things" to fill up the small space that we call home. And I just plain don't have the room. I feel constantly overwhelmed by the sheer number of things around me and I know that there really isn't the time to clean it all up.
Which leads me to the other problem I am having with my goals. In all the books I read about this great lifestyle of shopping locally, cooking seasonally, and keeping a clean homestead the primary instigator is female, and either childless, unemployed, or both. I know that it was a good thing for women that the women's lib movement happened...but did it really liberate us? How many women who work full time (like I do) have the time to cook every meal from scratch from local or homegrown food, keep a clean home, maintain a garden, and maybe do a little sewing on the side? I would guess not many! And I envy those women who are able to stay home and care for their children without holding a full time job...but I am not one of those women. I am the only working member of our family who qualifies for health insurance. I am unable to even cut back to part time work, because we would then pay unimaginable amounts for basic plans. So, I spend half my nights away from my family and half my mornings trying to sleep in (since I arrive home from work at 4am) and then go right back to doing it again.
And that leads me to a solution I wasn't even able to consider before. A new organization in our area just started called The Foodshed Buying Club. Look for them on the internet or catch up with them on facebook...they have pooled the resources of several local farms and will do the pickup for you! I have just placed my first order with them and I only have to make one stop on Friday to pick up all the goodies! Fresh, local meat and dairy heading my way! Yipee!
Although I have been disheartened by the time it can take to pursue my local and seasonal goals, I am trying to put a plan in place. First, to find good places that don't require a lot of time to travel to. Second, to get a plan in place for the upcoming year to store more local produce for longer usage. And third, to get the rest of my life (house, schedule, and body) simplified.
So, while this blog is still primarily about the food, you can expect it to be peppered with other aspects of the slowing down of the Painter life.
By the way, wish you could have all tasted my fabulous roasted pumpkin soup from last night, roasted right in the shell of a blue Jarrahdale Pumpkin that we picked up at the farmer's market last fall and saved for just the right blustery winter night (the night my husband said "can we cook this thing? it's really getting in the way!"). :)
Which leads me to the other problem I am having with my goals. In all the books I read about this great lifestyle of shopping locally, cooking seasonally, and keeping a clean homestead the primary instigator is female, and either childless, unemployed, or both. I know that it was a good thing for women that the women's lib movement happened...but did it really liberate us? How many women who work full time (like I do) have the time to cook every meal from scratch from local or homegrown food, keep a clean home, maintain a garden, and maybe do a little sewing on the side? I would guess not many! And I envy those women who are able to stay home and care for their children without holding a full time job...but I am not one of those women. I am the only working member of our family who qualifies for health insurance. I am unable to even cut back to part time work, because we would then pay unimaginable amounts for basic plans. So, I spend half my nights away from my family and half my mornings trying to sleep in (since I arrive home from work at 4am) and then go right back to doing it again.
And that leads me to a solution I wasn't even able to consider before. A new organization in our area just started called The Foodshed Buying Club. Look for them on the internet or catch up with them on facebook...they have pooled the resources of several local farms and will do the pickup for you! I have just placed my first order with them and I only have to make one stop on Friday to pick up all the goodies! Fresh, local meat and dairy heading my way! Yipee!
Although I have been disheartened by the time it can take to pursue my local and seasonal goals, I am trying to put a plan in place. First, to find good places that don't require a lot of time to travel to. Second, to get a plan in place for the upcoming year to store more local produce for longer usage. And third, to get the rest of my life (house, schedule, and body) simplified.
So, while this blog is still primarily about the food, you can expect it to be peppered with other aspects of the slowing down of the Painter life.
By the way, wish you could have all tasted my fabulous roasted pumpkin soup from last night, roasted right in the shell of a blue Jarrahdale Pumpkin that we picked up at the farmer's market last fall and saved for just the right blustery winter night (the night my husband said "can we cook this thing? it's really getting in the way!"). :)
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