June Thrive Challenge

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Comment by kristen addix on July 11, 2010 at 11:11pm

I shop at my local farmers market. I also only shop in the stalls that are fully organic. I also than find out how local they really are and that's the next step for me.

Comment by Nancy Renwick on June 30, 2010 at 6:02am

I live in northern Illinois. I joined a local CSA as a worker share. We are on week 4 of our boxes. I have learned many new veggies I would not know what to do with, like garlic scapes. I mix them with canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained,chopped 3 to 4 scapes 1/4 c. evoo, in the food processor w/ salt, pepper, and a Tbs of lemon juice to a dip consistency. I love it.
Bok choy, lettuce mix, kale, green onions, radishes,kohlrabi, sweet peas,cilantro, basil, and oregano are in the box, I love working out side in the dirt and have learned so much.
Pulling beds and weeding are great work outs.

Comment by Adrienne Ball on June 27, 2010 at 4:34pm

Oh 1 more...Mama Earth Organics has an excellent delivery service that I subscribe to if you live in the Toronto area....every week I receive an exciting box of local, organic fruits and veggies..yums!

Comment by Adrienne Ball on June 27, 2010 at 4:32pm

oh and Ontario fresh peas too!

Comment by Adrienne Ball on June 27, 2010 at 4:32pm

Attention Torontonians - The farmer's market at the Brickworks on Saturday's is outstanding...please go immediately if not sooner :-)
Also, cherries, garlic scapes (excellent for raw pesto) and salad greens are in abundance and CHEAP.

Comment by Maggie Bernal on June 25, 2010 at 2:50pm

we have a local Farmer's Market twice a week in our city, and my husband and I grow much of our own herbs, fruits and vegetables, and some nuts. It doesn't sustain us completely, but helps, and is so much more flavorful than anything you can get in the store!

Comment by Lisa on June 25, 2010 at 3:03am

I have a farmer's market just down the street from me that runs every Saturday morning. It's wonderful to go and see all of the fresh, local produce. The Ontario strawberries are in right now and I just can't get enough! YUM!!! I try my best to select seasonal foods as often as possible. I try to be picking berries and fruit all through the summer and then freezing them to use through the winter!

Comment by Christina McLean on June 16, 2010 at 8:27pm

We have a farmers market every saturday one block from my house! Right now, jersey peas and blueberries are in season. There is a health food store a few blocks away where I can purchase hemp oil, chia seeds, bulk nutritional yeast and I got them to start carrying frozen acai packets for my smoothies! Also, one block away is Sara's Produce where I buy lemons & limes, zucchini to spiralize, and last minute items for recipes. I have 5 raised garden beds growing broccoli, collards, spinach, oregano, thyme, basil, mint, lemon balm, pineapple sage, garlic, okra, squash, tomatoes, husk cherries. I've been learning to use fresh herbs from the garden instead of store bought dried herbs. I just increase from 1 tsp dried to 1 tablespoon fresh. Made raw vegan pesto tonight! My strawberry patch just ended its season and we are working on a grape arbor... I also work at a grocery store and get a discount, so I buy organic berries, dates, bananas and nuts there.

Comment by Marianne on June 14, 2010 at 11:14am

I live in Oslo, Norway. Here we have a farmers market only once a month. The food sold there is mostly dairy and meat products, but I try to get what I can of the vegetables they do sell. This month it was jerusalem artichokes, cucumbers and tomatoes. I also get a bi-weekly delivery from a company that delivers (mostly local) organic vegetables and fruits, and that usually covers what I need of greens. It is fun because I never know what I am getting so this forces e to be creative with the food I am making.

Comment by SaraMarie on June 13, 2010 at 12:16pm

This is my first post :O) I live in Kansas, so the farmer's market is in full swing. I love being able to support other growers, especially when the veggies I have planted are not quite mature. This is the third year for the garden I planted in a lot behind my parent's house located in a small town. At first, some of the neighbors thought it was a bit crazy, but now a few of them have even started their own gardens on the side of their house or in their backyard!The strawberry patch has by far been the best this year.
Even though I live closer to the city now, I know that my family is still benefitting from the fresh produce. It is so rewarding to go "shopping" for dinner in your backyard. I take the extra produce to work or the post office so that none is wasted.
I was so excited to have stumbled across this website and information. The more we can educate one another, the easier it will be to attain a healthy body, lifestyle, and planet. I am looking forward to trying some of the products on this website, and for the Vega Newsletters!

Comment by Jodi Effertz on June 12, 2010 at 5:00pm

I have a garden and when it's not producing what we need I buy from the farmer's market or go to a local grower and buy. I hate buying from walmart or the local grocery store with all the preserves and pesticides included. I don't want my food from 14 hours away I want them local from Wisconsin. Even when we visited Italy I went to a farmer's market and packed my backpack full of fress produce.

Comment by Shanon Stranik on June 9, 2010 at 6:47pm

I belong to my local food co-op, where all the produce is labeled with the name/location/story/picture of the local farm/farmers that produced each item. Sometimes I even get to meet these very same farmers at my local farmer's market during the Spring/Summer.

Comment by Debra Benfer on June 9, 2010 at 12:18pm

I love going to the local farmer's markets. I'm lucky in that there are at least 3 within a 5 mile radius of where I live. My mom started growing her own vegetables (yay Mom!) after I became vegan and she shares her produce with me and my family. I also grow a few of my own (spinach and onions right now) and can't wait until I can have my own garden!
My tips:
1. Get supplies from your local store to start growing your own food. It doesn't have to start out as a full garden, but even one or two types of produce is a start and you don't need a lot of space!
2. Search online for food sharing opportunities. This can be volunteering at a garden in exchange for food or looking for groups to swap/share produce. And, what I like to do, is search Craigslist in their "free" section. I've found listings for free food when folks have an overabundance of food they've grown that they're looking to give away.

Comment by Aletheia on June 9, 2010 at 6:54am

Unlike most people with bikes, with time, with space, or with cars at their disposal, I can't always get to farmer's markets or tend to a garden of my own -- I'm just a frugal college student! But I am nonetheless determined to stay as local and as sustainable as possible. I do this not only for the environment, but also for the great sense of reward that comes with knowing where your food comes from! This summer, equipped only with a few packets of seeds and my own two feet, I joined a community garden nearby, which is about a 10-minute walk from my residence. I would say that joining a community garden has been one of the most enriching experiences as a 20-year-old and has really proved to me that I don't just have to wait until I have my own place, or my own car, or my own family to take part in the local gardening action! For anyone else low on resources (like me), here are some tips!

TIPS:

1. JOIN A COMMUNITY GARDEN.
Not only is the experience of working together with people rewarding, but you also harvest a huge variety of produce that would have taken much more work to harvest on your own. You also learn a lot and get to try different vegetables that you probably never would have planted yourself.

2. REDUCE, REUSE WITH CONTAINER GARDENING.
I've also started my own kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts, and witloof chicory seedlings in containers. These containers were picked up on my walk home from school one day, from the end of my neighbours' driveway, and I was happy to make good use of them. On garbage day you can often find old potting trays tossed out--make use of those!

3. SAVE BY EATING SEASONAL.
Purchasing food that comes imported from far away places isn't the most sustainable thing to do, and in addition, can sometimes be costly too. In-season produce will often be the "manager's special" at grocery stores, and since the abundant availability coupled with the lower cost for transportation often means that eating local produce is not only responsible but also money-saving. For example, lettuces are in season here in Ontario during the month of June, so I've been profiting by eating lots of fresh, crisp, and refreshing salads!

Best wishes to everyone this month as we all start becoming more aware of our environment, of our food, and of our own respect for both.

:-) Aletheia

Comment by leah on June 8, 2010 at 11:30pm

I have a small orchard and harvest most of the fruit (3 or 4 varieties of apples, 3 varieties of plums, pears, and cherries); although sometimes I have so much I do donate it to the local food bank. I hope to catch the cherries this year as they are hard to get before the birds.... Also we pick blackberries on our property. During the summer/fall we eat lots of it fresh, but also I can some, freeze some, dry some, make juice, apple & plum sauce as well as jam. These are great to have handy year round and are delicious if sometimes abundant in the summer.

Comment by Cristin Elisa on June 8, 2010 at 9:01pm

We have just started growing veggies in various pots on our rooftop deck. We don't have a yard, but fortunately the rooftop deck gets lots of sun exposure, and it has been very rewarding to actually harvest our own lettuce and arugula leaves for salads. We also have chives, rainbow chard, kale.. and more arugula!
[Arugula makes a delicious pasta 'pesto': arugula, hemp oil, pine nuts, lemon juice and sea salt in the food processor. Yummy over whole-wheat or spelt spirals, especially when you add vegan blue cheese crumbles.]
We're lucky enough to have multiple farmers markets within a 5 mile drive, and one within a 15-minute walk. I go every week! Yes, the prices are a bit higher sometimes, especially when it comes to organic fruits and nuts. However, I find that it's so much more rewarding to buy from farmers markets. You meet the people who grow your food - that's pretty cool!

Comment by Jill on June 8, 2010 at 3:27pm

Awesome tips and ideas so far! Anyone have a great vegan recipe that's seasonal in your area to share?

Comment by Monique on June 8, 2010 at 8:40am

Tips galore!!! It is easy to be local, and highly rewarding in that there are so many benefits to eating local. It is a win-win-win scenario. Eating local decreases one's carbon footprint, it supports local farmers and business, it makes food more personal and therefore more enjoyable, we become more in tune with the seasons, and food tends to taste better!
I live in a major city in a small apartment, but have found many ways to eat local, and usually organic too.
1. Check to see if there is a food co-op or food-share program in your area. These programs will offer highly affordable boxes of produce, delivered to your neighborhood once per week. The focus of these boxes is to provide local produce, often organic, at affordable prices. An example of such a program is here, available in major cities accross Canada, not-for-profit: http://www.foodshare.net/goodfoodbox01.htm
2. Find farmers markets in your area; plan your weekly schedule to accomodate. Most cities have farmers markets that run year-round. These are family-friendly, fun, and a great way to discover new seasonal foods. I was surprised at how much I could still get in the winter months.
3. In the summer months, u-pick! There are tons of growers within a short drive of any major city that offer pick-your-own options and prices. Makes a great family outing or Saturday date, and is a super way to save money for bulk projects: examples are making your own pies to freeze, canning homemade tomato sauce, or blanching and freezing fresh veggies to last through the winter. I recommend getting a good book on freezing and preserving foods if going this route, and buying a little apartment-sized chest freezer.
4. Grow herbs on your balcony or window sill. Pretty, and tasty too!
5. Look for small local grocers or health food stores. These are often family run, and they are more receptive to requests for local options.
6. If you or someone you love happens to be an omnivore (some people are, or find themselves married to one), find a local butcher. Small butchers are usually family-run businesses, and they often source their products locally from small farms who raise naturally or organically.
7. Using the options above, I find I rarely have to visit a big-box grocery store. When I do, however, I look for local options and read the labels of canned/boxed foods choosing those that are, at the very least, packaged in my own country.
I hope these tips are useful! I live my life by these and am so much more happy and healthy for it.
I LOVE REAL FOOD!!!!

Comment by Chris on June 8, 2010 at 7:48am

I always grow a garden in addition to buying produce at the local markets. This year i took a slightly different approach and decided to plant "dishes". So i have a row where i planted the ingredients for a kale salad of the recipe section (Kale, carrots, mint,..) and sections of zuchini and tomatoes for a "pasta" type dish. This way things shouldn't go to waste.

Comment by Susie Mueller on June 8, 2010 at 7:46am

For the past three years I have planted in Earthboxes. Living in Forida with such sandy soil. This is a great way to control that issue. This year a friend of mine and I bought raised beds.(One for her yard and one for mine) They are only 4 x4x2 however loaded with great veggies. We decided to try our hand at square food gardening. Great square foot gardening web sites really helped us out. We grew most everything from seed. Our efforts for this growing season have produced. Eggplant, cucumbers, tomatoes, yellow squash, cantaloupe, pole beans, jalapeno peppers, and herbs.(That is what is in my box). It is amazing just how much can be planted in such a small space with this type of planting. My earthboxes are loaded with tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. Using The Trive book I can just walk out my door grab some veggies and I,ve got a great pizza or some wonderful dressing. The Eat-Clean Diet cookbook by Tosca Reno also has great recipes for veggie lovers too.

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