The meanings of local

There is an interesting article on the meanings of local food posted on the USA Today website. It explores the concept of local using the narrative perspective of a farmer. The farmer considers the various uses of the label local found in grocery stores near him and in the region and points out the multiple interpretations (40 miles, 100 miles, on up) that are used to brand produce and other products as local, obviously in an attempt to capitalize on the rising popularity of this food trend. I've been really hesitant to frame local food as a trend, but it has reached a tipping point where there is clearly a cache to labeling products "local" and it is being used regardless of the other meanings and values many engaged participants in the "movement" hold. This is particularly interesting to me as these are the themes emerging from my own research. There are a whole set of practices involved in the broader notion of local that I (we) have a hard time matching up with the Wal-Mart notion of local (which is their new strategy post-organic). I think its important to continue this dialogue in order for "local food" to maintain some meaning, value (use, exchange and otherwise) and integrity.

So lets keep talking about it! What does "local food" mean to you?

Collards with Garbanzo Beans and Sausage

Tonight we had an extremely satisfying dinner that was so easy to put together after a long day at school. In an attempt to use more dried beans I had some garbanzo beans (aka: chick peas) waiting to be used. While using dried beans seems labor intensive, it really couldn't be easier- you just need some time. I soaked the beans overnight and then simmered them yesterday morning for a few hours- they are never quite as soft as canned beans, but will be just fine with a little extra cooking. I also had sauted collard greens (from the farmer's market) with olive oil and garlic yesterday. Tonight, when I got home, I browned some sausage (English Bangers from our friends at Violet Hill Farm) in a large frying pan. When the sausage was almost done I deglazed (to get all the flavorful bits) with a splash of water, tossed in the garbanzos and collards, drizzled a bit of olive oil, et voila! Dinner was ready.

It is very satisfying to look at my plate and realize that most, if not all, of the ingredients were produced locally. This is something I strive toward and achieve with regularity. Since the sausage and collard greens were from NYS it got me wondering about the chick peas...where exactly do these beans come from? The package says they were distributed in Colorado, but where were they grown? I did a little research and learned that most garbanzo beans come from India and other far away places even though they are supposed to be very easy to sprout and grow. The wheels are spinning for the garden next year...

The magic and mysteries of soup

Fall is here and I can really see it in the CSA share these days. We are now transitioning from all the lovely summer veggies to nice, hearty produce like the beautiful savoy cabbage, sweet potatoes, carrots, and of course squash of all kinds (including, acorn, dumpling, sunshine, butternut and buttercup). Squash can be a little intimidating to make and it does take a little time and care to prepare. This is especially true if you want to peel it and cube which can be a challenge for anyone (darn those sturdy skins!). I find myself roasting them a lot, particularly if I don't know what I'm going to make!

Last week I had some time and roasted a buttercup squash that I made into a delicious "pumpkin" cornmeal cake (alas, I forgot to take picture, but I'm sure I will make it again), and the rest of the squash turned into my favorite chocolate chip squash bread recipe (which I posted here last winter). Yesterday I had a little time, and a lot of squash from this week's share, so I cut an acorn squash in half and roasted it in a greased baking dish at 375 for about 45 minutes. I didn't yet have a plan for it, but I knew that if I roasted it the idea would come. This is also great for me, since I work a pretty full day on Fridays and would be a little pressed for time when I get home. When I finally did get home I decided to make Diane's Friend's "Pumpkin and Cheddar" soup. I happened to have everything on hand, including some home-made veggie stock in the fridge (which I substituted for the chicken stock in the recipe). I love making veggie stock and freezing it for later with all of the wonderful veggie scraps I have left over from prepping everything. Its great to have on hand and is a great last use for these scraps before they head to the compost bin!
The soup was delicious, which I already knew since Diane had made it last week. I love the smooth creamy texture and sweet and spicy flavors. I also added a bit of smoked salt to give a little more smokey flavor as well.

This recipe was featured this week in our CSA newsletter.

NYC Compost Giveback

Last weekend was the annual NYC compost giveback. I eagerly await this time of year so I can get as much free compost as I can shovel, load and transport home to nourish my garden. This year I went alone and I figure that I ended up with about 300 pounds of the "black gold." I had such nice experiences with other compost shovelers (I was given a baby shovel to use and also a bottomless bucket to ease the bag-filling), but also learned that this may be the last year for the giveback. Due to budget cuts, the city will no longer pick up leaves (which is the main ingredient in the city compost!) I was horrified when I heard this bit of news...at a time of economic uncertainty it seems that programs like this should be a priority. Between the plunging economy and the locavore movement, people may grow more of their own food. The compost is a wonderful addition to any garden, one that will be sorely missed if the information I received is true. There is one last compost giveback this year, in Staten Island the weekend of October 18th- go and get it! See the NYC Composting Project for more details: http://www.nyccompost.org/program/givebacks.html