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Eating Locally

May 2nd, 2009

“China wants to be the main producer for the world. The implications are huge. Cheap Chinese labor will provide mountains of “bargain” lettuce to be shipped by freighter around the world. More and more, North American consumers will eat produce from distant places they will never visit, though they might easily have grown the vegetables in their own backyards. In fact, they might be eating that imported produce at exactly the same time that it’s growing just a few miles away. This is called “redundant trade”; consider, for example, the fact that international strawberry imports to California peak during that state’s strawberry season.
basket-of-lettuce
No region feeds itself anymore: we all stand in reference the same global food system. Wherever you may choose to go, the same trucks zip across the landscape filled with the same chicken nuggets or canned cream corn, and the fertile fields are turned into housing tracts. The lettuce was grown in Asia and came to port under a Panamanian flag of convenience. All is hidden and anonymous.”

-Plenty (Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon)

brian-susy-in-dc-web
It’s farmer’s market season in most of the country, ours opened today. Unfortunately I missed it because we were on our way back from Washington DC, that’s why the posting was sporadic this week (sorry). The internet at our hotel was less than perfect so it was difficult to get things uploaded. I’ll fill you in on the wonderful things we saw on vacation soon, and I can’t wait till next Saturday morning to head to the farmer’s market!

Are you excited for farmer’s market season?

15 Comments to “Eating Locally”
  1. ChristyACB on May 2, 2009 at 7:01 pm

    Strangely enough, I’m not that excited about it this year. The reason is primarily that I’m growing a much larger variety (as well as doubling my garden size!) of things I love. My salads harvested now are really fulfilling that spring need for fresh greens.

    I’m thinking that since I’m satisfying those cravings, I’m not counting down days.

    Cute picture! I love how you guys got the WH all nice and skewed. We did the whole finger-knocking-off-the-tower pose. Yours is better. :)

    ChristyACB’s last blog post.. Colonial Williamsburg with Mom

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  2. Emily@remodelingthislife on May 2, 2009 at 7:11 pm

    I love that photo – how fabulous!!

    love this post too and all it offers us to think about

    Emily@remodelingthislife’s last blog post.. Link Love and April top Referrers

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  3. Jennifer on May 2, 2009 at 8:59 pm

    I still have a copy of that book to send you, but it sounds like you don’t need it anymore!

    Yes, I CAN’T WAIT for the farmer’s markets to open! I’ve put the date on my calendar (June 10th!) I’m waiting for fresh fish, crab meat, peas, fingerling potatoes and whatever else we didn’t grow or isn’t up yet in our own garden. Plus honey from the local apiary! Our meat CSA farm has a stand there too, where you can sometimes get extra bacon, hamburger, sausage and chicken breasts in case you didn’t get enough in your share. I’m jealous yours opens so early!

    Jennifer’s last blog post.. Sprouts

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    • Susy on May 3, 2009 at 10:28 am

      I checked it out of the library for vacation reading, I really enjoyed it.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  4. Randy on May 2, 2009 at 11:18 pm

    We are locovores in the summer! Our CSA starts on Wednesday, we are excited about it. Our CSA is actually three CSAs, we are signed up for the standard organic farm vegetables, plus local eggs and cheese and local meats.

    Randy’s last blog post.. Clematis Henrii and More!

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  5. Sinfonian on May 3, 2009 at 12:25 am

    Sad that we’re not even getting lettuce from California or Mexico anymore, but rather China. How fresh can it be after that kind of ship time? Grrr. They’ll probably just spray it. /sigh

    Makes me glad I grow my own, and worried about the shredded stuff at Subway.

    As for farmer’s markets, ours are nothing but flea markets and direct sales stands. Joy!

    Sinfonian’s last blog post.. May 2, 2009

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  6. Daphne on May 3, 2009 at 9:33 am

    I like my farmer’s markets (three within ten minutes of us), but I grow most of what I eat in the summer, so it really is just to fill a couple things in. Like red peppers (I only grow chilies) and strawberries. Sadly they don’t open until June around here.

    Daphne’s last blog post.. This and That

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    • Susy on May 3, 2009 at 10:28 am

      I’m trying to grow more of what we eat, but I always go to the farmers market to buy things, mainly to encourage the people that make the effort to grow and sell things.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  7. Mangochild on May 3, 2009 at 1:14 pm

    I belong to a local farmer’s CSA and am growing my own veg too, but I love to go the farmers markets to support all the growers in my area. I hadn’t heard the news that you posted above, but it made my skin crawl to think not only of the miles that food travels so often but also the labor involved – and the lack of compensation. I think its important to be involved in the farmers markets also to support the idea of community. I met my CSA farmer at a market, and I talk to so many people there, get tips on my own growing efforts, and how to use the veg. It feels more like there is a connection between people, and an interest in each other that then has the potential to grow into a relationship beyond “the market”.

    Mangochild’s last blog post.. Seedling Update: Seeing Progress

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    • Susy on May 3, 2009 at 3:40 pm

      I agree. We’ve become good friends with the family that we buy our milk/eggs/poultry and meat from. It’s good to know the folks that are producing what you eat.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  8. DeeDee on May 3, 2009 at 10:06 pm

    you guys have been together so long that you’re starting to look alike:) hope you had a great vacation.. that is such a good picture!

    Reply to DeeDee's comment

  9. Sandy on May 3, 2009 at 10:16 pm

    Our local farmer’s market opens next week. Still fun even though we are growing so many things ourselves this year. For sure will be buying berries when they are in season. We don’t produce enough yet ourselves to make all the jam I’ll want to make.

    Sandy’s last blog post.. Photo album: Greenhouse in May and self-watering containers

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  10. Joe on May 5, 2009 at 12:05 am

    I am ultra-excited for the farmer’s markets this year! I plan on making lots of ratatouille, as well as various stuffed vegetables. Also, gotta love that local white sweet corn – it’s the BEST!

    Joe’s last blog post.. Rain in May

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  11. Karen on May 5, 2009 at 8:55 pm

    Thanks for sharing a photo of you and Mr. Chiot! Great picture. Glad you had a great time in DC. How about sharing more recipes? You have great ideas and take wonderful pictures.

    Reply to Karen's comment

  12. Sonia Clavijo on November 23, 2010 at 3:42 pm

    Hola Susy, me alegra saber de ti… verte, y ademas saber que estas muy bien, te ves feliz con tu esposo…. me alegro, te felicito. espero pronto verte en Colombia, te recuerdo con mucho cariño. No se si te acuerdas de mi… soy la hija de Angel Clavijo de Villavicencio (Meta). Un abrazo fuerte y espero poder verlos pronto por aqui.

    Reply to Sonia Clavijo's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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