Just got home from the Farmers Market

[Critters2]

where I bought the following locally-produced items:

popcorn
catnip
granola
green onions
spring greens
whole wheat bread
dog biscuits (peanut butter--the Beagle's fave!)
salsa
barbecue sauce
peanut butter cookies
sugar cookies
bean soup mix
garlic bread mix
strwaberry jam


I did pretty well!! And none of it produced in China, all of it from people in my community with whom I can talk, ask questions about ingredients, etc. And a smaller carbon footprint--this stuff isn't shipped from halfway around the world.

Others have posted it, but it bears repeating--to find your local producers, go to www.localharvest.org

Want a cookie?

[bluerum]

1. What about the ingredients? I applaud your intentions and efforts.

However, someone has to process raw materials and ship the finished ingredients.

[Critters2]

7. A lot of the ingredients were locally raised--I asked

The salsa used locally grown tomatoes and peppers. The bread--locally-grown whole wheat flour, milled on the farm (I have friends who mill their own grains--I keep begging them to start milling oat meal!!), strawberry jam--local strawberries, granola from all local ingredients. The two things that almost certainly came from elsewhere were sugar and peanut butter. But these were probably not shipped from China or anywhere else either that far away or with such poor food inspection laws.

So, still better than buying all my groceries from Wal-Mart or Kroger.

[Warpy]

13. Oatmeal isn't milled

it's rolled. However, they can do oat flour.

[Critters2]

15. Rolled is what I meant.

But I've also baked with oat flour, and it would be nice to get that locally.

[Kurovski]

31. You can make oat flour just by putting oats into a blender.

If you can get oats locally.

[bluerum]

21. Yes much better. eom

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Love granola.... I wonder if pomegranate is grown here,

my sig says that there are some powerful properties attached to the juice. I'm gonna check into it.

[Retrograde]

4. Where's here?

Pomegranates grow in California, at least in my back yard. Occasionally the birds leave me some, and they do show up at my local farmer's market in the fall.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

40. Here.... like in the U.S., and yes I suppose California is

close enough... :)

[femmocrat]

3. No thanks, but can I offer you a brownie?

I went to a community festival this morning and came back with a bag of home-made bake goods, and some ethnic specialties. There was a sign that all produce came from a local farm.

Plus I found a few bargains at the flea market tables, so I'm recycling! I'm so proud of myself!

:)

[Critters2]

10. Well done!!

I buy so few new clothes and things any more, that I'm amazed at the prices of new items when I see them. I'd rather recycle.

[formercia]

26. Around here you can buy clothes at grange and church sales

for a dollar a bag. Some Russian exchange students made a killing. They loaded up on old ratty jeans that nobody wanted and shipped them back home.

[Jed Dilligan]

5. I wish more people here would get behind this

We're all for health care, but health care is after you get sick.

Healthy communities can be built on local produce.

A major reason we need so much health care is eating trucked-in, frozen crap.

[lazer47]

6. I went to my Garden last night and

brought back to the house

Lettuce
2 Kinds of spinach
Crooked neck squash
Green onions
New Potatoes
and they are all organically produced, by me

[Critters2]

8. Yes, even better!! I'm a lazy slug,

and several of my parish families grow things locally that I can buy directly, at the market or through a CSA. So, I do my best to support them.

Besides, I tried growing tomatoes last year, and the Beagle ate them before I could use 'em. Tomatoes and apples are her favorite treats.

If everyone grew their own food, it would be a real revolution!! :thumbsup:

[Raven]

9. Damn! Too cold here to plant yet. I'm so jealous! n/t

[femmocrat]

14. Very impressive harvest for so early in the season!

We can't plant until Memorial Day here (western PA). I'm going to buy (yes, local greenhouse!) some plants tomorrow to put in next weekend. I can't wait to see my garden growing. It has been really chilly overnight here this past week, but it is supposed to warm up next week.

:hi: and Welcome to DU!

[spinbaby]

19. What, you only grow tomatoes?

You're late for planting potatoes, onions, broccoli, lettuce, radishes, and all the other cool-weather crops. Squash and cucumbers should go in this weekend. Tomatoes and peppers, yes, next weekend when it's good and warm, although I've already got some kung pao peppers in near the shelter of the house. We're not THAT cold in western PA.

[Bzzzz]

33. My 83 year old father...

helped me put my garden out this week while I was on vacation. It was so nice to spend this time with him and he taught me so much. For his age, he worked like someone in their 30's. I can't wait to share our goodies with him when they sprout. :)

[Clark2008]

35. Oh, I want a garden so bad.

We live in the 'burbs and all our neighbors have one, but here's my problem: we just moved to the house in the fall, so there's no plot already tilled and I'm expecting any day so there's no time to till it (plus we'd have to rent a tiller and no money for "extras" while I'm on maternity leave. Sigh).

We've decided this year, we'll get the yard in order (the old owners left a lot of brush. We managed to use some for kindling in our fires this winter, but there's still tons to go) and let me recover from the baby. Then, next year, we can start a garden.

I love fresh, raw veggies.

[Bluerthanblue]

39. You might

want to try some raised beds at first (next year)- You can grow a surprising amount with much less work- and if you don't have your own rototiller or tractor it makes keeping the weeds down, and preparing the soil much easier-

you've got a pretty exciting harvest planned for this year already it sound like:D

peace,
blu

[Lobster Martini]

11. Fortunate enough to have an Amish farmer's market

A bit inconvenient and only open on weekends, but the produce is much better than what the supermarket offers. And the beards are cool.

[Cassandra]

12. I'm going downtown to my Greenmarket in a little while.

I can take the subway down and back, and am going to look for baby spinach, maybe some other greens and finish off with a "quick" run over to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, all in the same neighborhood. Not much local fruit yet.

[Pool Hall Ace]

16. localharvest.org is a great link.

Thank you so much. I had no idea I had so much near me! :hi:

[CrispyQ]

17. Great list, especially #2 & #7!! -^--^-

Our local market opened this past week! I will take a few hours away from my desk next Wednesday to check it out. And even better, there is a bus that goes right by my place of work & will drop me off a block away. :thumbsup:

[pansypoo53219]

18. no cookie

i make my own. mmm, oatmeal almond.
looking forward to the farmer's market. i have plants started.
and i recommend resale shops and even better-estate sales, ultimate recycling. and ebay to sell stuff.

[nosmokes]

20. well done! and kudos! to all who buy local/organic/fairtrade and

recyclce and re-use and realise that every purchase we make, every dollar we spend is a political act.*Break The Chains!*

[AspenRose]

22. Last summer in Arlington VA I got milk at Farmers Market

I had never had milk from an honest-to-God dairy before. You know, where the milk comes in a glass container and the cream rises to the top.

What an experience. :-)

I regularly got fresh fruit and veggies, sorbet, even got some corn relish from PA once. And yes, cookies and bread. It was hard carrying all that stuff around in a portable cooler on the Metro.

[DemReadingDU]

23. great link, thank you!

I am going to check out some farmer markets in my area!

[DemReadingDU]

24. oops, dupe

[rucky]

25. I have the farmer's market come to me...

Meet the Happy Box...

http://tourgreatmiami.com/content/view/89/1/

[Critters2]

30. I belong to a CSA. I split a box with a parish family--

I can only use so much arugula in a week! We get our first box next Saturday. We pick it up at the Farmers Market, our CSA farm has a table at the market. I can't wait!

[rucky]

36. Start planing for tomato & cucumber season now...

even with a split, you'll be inundated! Home canning kit is highly recommended.

[ArmchairMeme]

27. I just wait for them to come up each year - yum

I went to my garden and brought back Asparagus and Rhubard.

[Morgana LaFey]

28. Or join a local CSA

Community Supported Agriculture -- you pay a membership fee for the season, and get fresh produce each week. Usually "natural" (if not yet certified "organic") and often organic. Yummy, yummy stuff that stays fresh in your fridge longer 'cause it's fresh from the field.

DO IT!!

[nam78_two]

43. Yup!

:bounce:

[DarkTirade]

29. Nifty site, already got it bookmarked...

of course, since I work the night shift, I usually sleep from about 8 am to 4 pm... and the closest farmer's market to me according to this map is only open... from 7 am to 1 pm. D'oh! :)
Looking for a new job though, so if I find a daytime one I might be able to start shopping there.

[shenmue]

32. Every farmer's market I've ever been to...

was really expensive. $8 for a bag of cherries? No.

[pecwae]

34. Thanks for the great link!

I had no idea how much was available near me until I visited localharvest.

[doni_georgia]

37. I love farmer's market

Our state farmer's market is about 20 minutes from my house and I go there once a month or so, but my favorite is our local farmer's co-op. It isn't open until the summer, but it's the best, because most of the people there are not commercial farmers - just ordinary Joes who sell their surplus on Saturdays.

[knitter4democracy]

38. Yay for local farmers!

I've signed up again for my local CSA (they deliver to my door!), even though I went a touch crazy with the garden this year. It's freezing, drying, and canning season already, since I already did up one batch of basil from my garden in the dehydrator. I can't wait until my deliveries start coming.

[earth mom]

41. Great post-and a good reminder to go to the local farmers mkt here.

Not only is it a healthy thing to do, it's fun too! Thanks! :hi:

[KansDem]

42. Catnip, eh?

Watching out for the kitties! :thumbsup:

[nam78_two]

44. Hey-thanks for that link!

Its really cool-I just found so many famrs near where I live that I hadn't known about. Awesome!