Posted in my other blog: Nov 17th, 2009

So.....I have been reading and hearing about all of the 'local food' movements and really tossing around the idea of getting my own farmers market stand to sell some of my extras (mainly eggs). It is really reasonating with me. It is partly easy b/c LA is a freaking mecca of local food. REALLY. I thought of so many items that I can get local within LA that most people cannot. Beer, Wine, Dairy, Meat, Sugar products, veg's, citrus, various oils (pecan oil in particular), nuts, not coffee beans but we do import, process, and package many brands of coffee (and thank God, CC's) in Nola and BR.

Dont get me wrong I love the Whole Foods movement, and I love the idea of eating organic. BUT really, how 'organic' is it to have 'organic' cauliflower shipped to you from CA to LA in January. Seriously. This is a HUGE issue.

I am currently reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Kingsolver. It is so great. We are definitely going to pursue keeping our own shoats, and I am certainly putting up a broiler or 'Cornish Cross' pen in the spring. I am getting more chicks. The chicks are more about selling the eggs than anything. The 25 hens or however many I have are more than enough to provide my 2-3 dozens a week.

So, I wish I could be like the Planet Earth people and just straight up give up my non-local food. Me, not so much. I am going to gradually remove (via eating) my non-local food and replace with a much better awareness of local product. I am going to have to start with the milk in Hammond (via AL Coop) and making myself a regular visitor of the Farmers Markets. Reality is though, I have no intention of goingto the market every Saturday. I am going to have to be able to go to the farmers and get my stuff.

Even more so, I am going to have to improve my ability to produce my own stuff. Tonight with my conventional dinner, I had a green salad with my own red lettuce and bunching onions (with olive oil and balsamic) and green beans from my garden.

Some of my notes:

--Make and freeze/dry homemade pasta in bulk
--Freeze homemade soup rather than buying cans
--Freeze my own chicken stock rather than buying
--No more canned food
--No more trans fat
--No more HFCS
--NO more soda (Good bye Diet Coke)
--Stockup and preserve in-season foods (like blueberries or apples while in IN)

Foods I can get grown in LA:
--Rice
--Sugar
--I am going to have to check on the beer/wine (where does Abita get it's hops, etc)
--Pecans
--Steens
--Meat
--Dairy
--Veg
--Fruit
--What about salt-we have a salt dome.
--Local bread from Clinton
--Grits
--SEAFOOD
--Cheese

Foods I grow/produce:
--Eggs
--Veg (Lots)
--Potatoes (spring)
--Limited Fruit (blueberries, pears); This I need to improve. I have to think about what would be best. Blueberries are easy but very locally available as are strawberries and citrus....I do still want to add citrus. I think I will work toward peaches (which do great in Ruston) and plums.???
--Jelly
--Pickles
--Herbs
--Dried/Canned Tomatoes
--Peppers
--Chickens/Pigs; We will be added piglets hopefully by Christmas. I will buy the broilers for around first of Feb or so. They will be ready to butcher around end of March before it gets too hot. I plan to get five piglets. A breeding trio, one for 'roasting party', and one for putting up. Maybe 8-9, that way we could put up two and share a couple. Once we butcher the animals we can vac pack and freeze for future use. Homemade sausage and maybe even Pancetta is on the drawing board. A smoke house may be needed.
--I already get my beef once a year from Deddy. Local, Grass fed, corn finished beef. It is amazing.

Foods I will be looking for:
--Oils
--Flour
--Vinegars
--Supplemental fruit and veg
--Salt
--I will add more to this list. I feel so empowered and ready, but know that I will have so many issues. What about baking powder/soda, etc. SO many items to come.

I have to say that the resolve of my faith in this movement is because of my faith in God and that He would not want us to live on this earth without regard for how our food consumption is affecting not just our own waistlines, but the health of the earth. I need to have more respect for my own body and respect for the world we live in. I have said about organic gardening.....I garden the way God would. I need to start living that more. Maybe it will make up for the Nursery Select I use on my ornamentals.