Where I work they’ve been trying to get everyone to think more sustainably, and we now have a scheme that challenges us to pledge that we’ll make changes (a new change every month) to green up our home and work environments. My New Year’s resolution, pledged to whomever was listening at work, is to buy nothing unnecessary, and – for food purchases – only to buy stuff that is locally grown or produced whenever possible. In a few months time I hope to be harvesting my own vegetables and herbs, but today I thought I’d do my best in Wholefoods. I know, I know, Farmers’ Markets. But the thing is, I can WALK to Wholefoods, whereas a trip to the Farmers’ Market (if I’m not going to go in the car) will require buying and fitting panniers/a basket to my mountain bike, which is not going to happen.
Anyway, the shopping list was short and sweet, although I did suddenly get the urge to make muffins (as part of a different, doctor-ordered, eat flaxseed challenge), which threatened to mess up the locavore attempt. So, OK, exceptions were made for the molasses and dates that the recipe required, but how easy was the rest of it? Milk, and buttermilk (for the muffins), no problem – we have a great local dairy with a bottle return scheme and everything, but no one round here makes yoghurt. Hmm. Our Wholefoods usually has eggs loose in a basket from a local producer, but I was told the hens (at this particular farm) weren’t laying! Fortunately some other pre-packaged eggs were local (which is good, because hens are not something I’m planning to include on the old farmstead… at least not at first). But how to cater to my craving for fruit? If only I lived in California, or Washington State! After much searching I settled for a bag of tangerines from Florida, which is almost a neighbour, and a big bottle of fresh, locally produced apple cider (for those Brit-side of the Pond, no, this is not alcoholic! It’s just apple juice… no really). Quite pleased with myself about the (non-alcoholic) cider – this is not something I would have thought to buy, but it’s actually quite delicious!
