| Author |
Farm Kitchen:  Local Food Experience Is Disappointing  |
|
|
JessieMae
True Blue Farmgirl
702 Posts
Jessie
Raleigh
North Carolina
USA
702 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 14 2011 : 8:28:28 PM
|
I'm working on the "Know Your Food" beginner's badge, and I'm getting really discouraged. I purposely saved the food journal requirement for now when I'm in Bend, Oregon. This area is supposed to be very supportive regarding organic and local food, but I'm getting frustrated! I've been here 7 days now, and I've tried hard to find local, organic food sources. So far, it's been a big strike-out! Since we're on vacation I don't have access to a really outfitted kitchen, so we've been eating out more than usual. We're buying locally PREPARED food, but the INGREDIENTS are origin-unknown. Today, I lowered my expectations and went to a market that a few locals recommended as a good source of local food. While there was a lot of imported organic and exotic foods, there wasn't much local food. Here's what I purchased there for my lunch:
- A "Nancy's Panini" sandwich (assembled at the store but all ingredients of unknown origin
- A chocolate chip cookie from the Bend Cookie Company (locally made but ingredients of unknown origin
- A "Lady Alice" apple (not local and not organic)
- A bottle of Crater Lake Vanilla Cream Soda (locally made but ingredients of unknown origin
The total cost for this meal: $9.47
This is almost one-tenth of my weekly grocery budget, blown on one meal for one person. How can working-class people afford this? No wonder so many people are eating junk food from corporate assembly lines!
Jessie Mae
Farmgirl Sisterhood #134 |
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2011 : 9:52:12 PM
|
Jessie- That is frustrating, but I think that this might be the wrong season for it. The Pacific Northwest has has a really unusual year with below normal temperatures and above normal rainfall. Here in Montana our annual Strawberry Festival was put on with no flats of strawberries for sale!
I recommend looking for local producers when you get home. I am having local eggs delivered every week for only $2.25, and can buy meat chickens from the same lady for only $5 each. I get organic free range turkeys for about $25 and with as big as these guys are it turns out to be about $1 a pound! Keep looking! You will find that gold mine! Once you find one good contact they usually know other contacts!!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
|
 |
|
|
Turtlemoon
Farmgirl Legend Schoolmarm
378 Posts
Tanya
Port Orchard
Washington
USA
378 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2011 : 10:03:30 AM
|
Yup, we have been cold this spring/summer so far! Check out the local farmers markets, even they are a bit slow right now but many of the farmers do have greenhouses so... I pick up many goods there and make take it home and prep for quick sandwiches, etc for the week. This is the best way if you do not have a garden to eat local on a budget. I also have made friends in town (and use freecycle) to locate people in the area to trade xtra garden goods or to go pick off their fruit trees/bushes. This has worked out very well!
Raggedy Ann stuck in a Barbie Doll World
FarmGirl#1737
http://www.etsy.com/shop/moonhonu |
|
|
|
plantcarazy
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Jenn
Montana
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2011 : 10:11:21 AM
|
Alee, you are my hero with those meat prices!! I am in the Missoula, MT area and you would think that I would be able to find more local here, (especially diary and meat are my frustrations--veggies and fruit is easier), but it has been a small challenge as well....do you have any good contacts for diary or meat in this area?
It has been a very unusual season so far, lots of flooding and cold! Very challenging garden growing.......
......Born again Farmgirl |
Edited by - plantcarazy on Jun 15 2011 10:12:30 AM |
|
|
|
FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2011 : 10:34:33 AM
|
I agree with Alee...keep looking--it's out there. In our area, we have some great resources, and I'm taking the "give and take" approach. We have forgone some items, such as red meat each week, and replaced it with lower cost local poultry and fish. And don't forget, junk food and mass produced convenience food is just as expensive--even moreso, down the road when combatting health issues--snack food is outrageous! I can pop popcorn for far less than a bag of chips, and I control the ingredients.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2011 : 2:08:19 PM
|
Jenn- Haven't ever lived in the Lolo area, but I would look on local harvest. Talk with the fruit and veg people and see who they buy from. Keep looking! They are out there! Also don't forget craigslist and any sort of local yahoo group. That is how I found my local egg lady :)
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
DeborahLee
True Blue Farmgirl
85 Posts
Deborah
Starkville
Mississippi
USA
85 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2011 : 2:18:40 PM
|
There's nothing a librarian likes better than an information challenge! I "googled" a bit and found Winter Green Farm, located in Noti Oregon. Here's their URL: http://www.wintergreenfarm.com/ It looks like they are a local (ish) CSA and maybe if you contact them, they can help you out on a temporary basis or at least point you in the right direction. I have no idea how close Noti is to Bend, but according to their web page they do go to the farmer's market located in Bend.
Good luck!
Deborah
Professor, librarian, writer and farmgirl! |
|
|
|
plantcarazy
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Jenn
Montana
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2011 : 2:20:05 PM
|
Thanks Alee, I never thought of Craigslist. I usually get most of my things from the Good Food Store in Missoula, and local farmers markets. I have had a goal to try to go straight to the farmers/ranchers as well. I like to see the source if possible and have met nice people along the way!
......Born again Farmgirl |
|
|
|
Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2011 : 11:13:22 PM
|
Jess, hit up Salem's Saturday market if you get the chance. It's held saterday mornings downtown behind the capitol building.
Thats my old stomping grounds when I lived downtown there a couple years ago. I know there's a fellow who sells local grown grass fed beef, and there are quite a few other vendors who deal in local produce, cheese, and eggs, I bet baked goods too.
If you happen to be in Salem on a sunday also and you're of a church visiting persuasion, hit up my church family at Soma Church in west salem.
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
|
|
|
wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2011 : 08:01:33 AM
|
Jessie where I live its almost impossible to find good local food. Most of the farmers where I live grow big crops like soybeans, tobacco, field corn and lots of gmo crops for animals. Once in awhile you we see someone set up selling stuff but usually they have gone to the finley market downtown and brought it back to sell here. Its mostly imported from other states.
When sweet corn comes in thats when I get lucky and find good corn to freeze.Most of the stuff I buy from the store is not from around here. The organic produce and meat it not local. I just found one store and believe me none of them are close to me that carries a local chicken. I usually like freerange chickens but I thought these tasted really strange. I have raised them in the past and mine never tasted like these. They were also really tough and their skin color was weird. Because these stores are not close and I drive a deisel truck I only shop every 2 weeks unless its absolutly necesary.
We only have a walmart and a terrible IGA store thats a joke for food. Then about 45 minutes there is a Kroger. Thats where I get most of my organic produce. In the summer they have been carrying more local produce. So things are looking up that way. I just make sure I plant a garden and try to grow some of my own stuff. I don't have a big garden but beans and tomatoes are my favorite things to grow. Managed to put in a row of beets and some sweet potatoes. I always plant zuchini and manage to get some until the squash beetles kill them.
Goodluck and keep looking. I know I am really trying to find good clean food. Money of course is an issue but all we can do is the best we can. Hopefully with more people intersted in good food it will become more available.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
Edited by - wooliespinner on Jun 16 2011 08:02:59 AM |
|
|
|
Merry
True Blue Farmgirl
765 Posts
Merry
Ankeny
Iowa
USA
765 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2011 : 10:08:50 AM
|
try localharvest.com, maybe there are some locals one there, and maybe also a csa or two.
Merry
Farmgirl #536
http://afarminmyheart.blogspot.com/
Your life is an occasion, rise to it. Mr. Magorium |
|
|
| |
Farm Kitchen: Local Food Experience Is Disappointing |
|
Local Food Experience Is Disappointing
