When the average North American sits down to eat, each ingredient has typically traveled 1500 miles. Call it the Diesel Diet or simply "the way things are," but facts are facts. Your carrots are better traveled than you are.
The one thing I have tried hard to avoid in all this blogging is a Holier-Than-Thou attitude, and I really feel like my last post was laden with a large dollop of holiness. The 100-Mile-Thanksgiving, like its predecessor the 100-Mile-Diet, is an exercise in both restraint and in reach. It is HARD. It is NOT FOR EVERYONE. But not everyone pauses to consider the consequences of one's daily choices, especially in terms of diet. I am trying to pause, and to consider. The people at my Thanksgiving table are not converts. They're mostly family, and mostly, they indulge me my peculiarities. They all (we all) like to eat. That each item of food they'll eat is local will be mostly immaterial to them. They'll mostly care if the food is good. That I can share it with them is a joy to me; that they'll enjoy it is my reward.
I guess all I am saying is it is really important to stop and consider. Thanksgiving is an opportunity to do just that. If you can bring just one dish to your own celebration that is made from locally produced ingredients, you are doing a lot to help your local farmers, and your global community.
4 comments:
you didn't sound holy. I'm doing the 100 mile Thanksgiving too. Or trying to at least. I think I've got about 90% of the stuff nailed down, but I allow myself salt, spices, sugar etc. Make sure you take lots of pictures! Oh, and your political sign recycling idea? Pure genius.
I didn't read it as 'holy' I read it as 'striving.'
I haven't attempted the 100 mile food concept, but I am sold on the concept.
I don't think the post sounded that bad either. But I am glad you pointed out it isn't for everyone, but something to be aware of. While I try to eat local as often as I can, I haven't yet gotten my garden up to preservation capacity. With winter lasting about 7 months up here if I wanted to eat entirely local it would be a lot of wild rice and fish.
A good example to all us and I commend you for it. It can be difficult for those of us living in the city. I make a point to buy all our vegetables during our winter in the local farmers market.
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