eat local in the winter

I am not sure if anyone is still reading this, but I wanted to remind all of you about the winter farmers markets here in Eau Claire and that you can shop at Just Local Food. It is a great way to keep supporting our local farmers and everything that is good about that. At the one in November, we were actually able to buy some onions, carrots, and other veggies. I am sure that they are done now, but there is a ton of different meats to buy. There is beef, buffalo, pork, lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, and I am probably missing some. Tomorrow night, I am making all local meat (and onion, egg, and bread crumbs) Swedish meatballs. If you eat meat, you can really limit your trips to the big grocery stores for some/all of your meat all year long. You can get it at the farmers markets and Just Local Food. The markets also have honey, salad dressings, cheese, and other local items to pick from. An idea for Christmas is to make some northwest Wisconsin gift packages. We have honey, syrup, sorghum, lingonberries, cheese, beer, and jam already in ours for our families. I will be honest, it is not as nearly as expensive as I thought it was going to be, and all the money stays right here in northwest Wisconsin. Let's do our best to keep it going throughout the winter.

All markets are open from 9 AM - 1 PM each Saturday.
November 10 First Lutheran Church1005 Oxford Avenue, Eau Claire
December 8 St. Raymond of Penafort Catholic Church1 1/2 miles south of Brackett
January 12 Unitarian Universalist Congregation421 South Farwell, Eau Claire
February 9 First Congregational UCC310 Broadway, Eau Claire
March 8 Hope United Methodist Church2233 Golf Road, Eau Claire
April 12 Trinity Lutheran Church1314 E Lexington Blvd, Eau Claire

momentum

Come to think of it, yeah garbage totals do seem to be dropping. Just another consequence of eating locally.

The local food movement does seem to be gaining a good deal of momentum. The Foodlums of UWEC are very active lobbying for local food on campus and spreading the word in general.

I have dreams of creating a community garden, possibly near the downtown next summer. It may be a rental-type lot such as the one in Demler park, or it may be volunteer driven with a CSA aspect and/or to be donated to a local foodbank. Or both!

We picked some grapes along the river the other week and it made for some tart, delicious grape juice.

Peace,

Ben

Tomatillo Pork Chops and Education

I don't want to be thought as a "blog hog" (this is my last entry until another one comes up), but I wanted to add a couple things before the end of the Eat Local Challenge. First, if you have not seen the recipe book From Asparagus To Zucchini, you should take a look at it (I am not sure if Just Local Food still has any, but we bought ours there). There are a few recipes for everything you can think of. A couple nights ago, we had tomatillo sauce (tomatillos from Sylvan Hills Farm and are they good and fresh!) covered pork chops for dinner. On the side, squash (CSA) with local syrup and butter on it, some tomatoes (CSA) with bread (homemade) and Havarti (Nelsons) cheese.

Has anyone else seen a decrease in the amount of their weekly garbage due to the Eat Local Challenge? We have noticed it specifically in the last two/three months since a lot of the produce has started coming up.

I would like to encourage and challenge all of us "localvores" to think this winter how we can introduce eating locally to more people. I look at myself. Ten years ago living in Rockford, IL, I will be honest, I was eating a lot of frozen pizzas, stuffed jalapeno poppers, packaged pot pies, sixty-nine cent frozen burritos, not thinking about where my meat came from, organic was probably not in my vocabulary, nor was sustainable, etc. Did this happen overnight? No. Did they all happen at the same time? No. Was it from one experience or one person? No. How did I go from that person to who I am today when it comes to the type of food I eat and what I pay attention to? Simply, it was gradual and involved meeting different people and reading different articles/books, etc. I frequent the Phoenix Park Farmers Market weekly. Personally, I think as a community we do a better job at eating locally than a lot of communities. I would also argue that a decent percentage of the people who shop at the weekly markets are not really aware of all the positive aspects of eating locally. I think for a lot of the people, it is part of their habit or way of life. That is great. However, how do we reach more people? How do we do it? What is our goal? Do we have one? Are there measuring sticks? How do we get local food in cafeteria settings (hospitals, schools, prisons, nursing homes, etc.) How do we introduce it to kids so they ask for it at home? How do we knock down barriers?

There is a great energy and movement here in the Chippewa Valley. At the same time, it seems that there is a history of eating locally and/or having local producers. That is a huge advantage. Many areas of the country do not have that. With the energy, history, and existing conditions, it seems that we are ripe for a powerful local food revolution here in the Chippewa Valley, if it is not already happening. Let's keep this thing rolling!

local soup and bread

This weekend consisted of processing our last 25lbs of tomatoes bought at the Farmers Market on Saturday (salsa and tomato sauce). Saturday evening, we had a potato and leek cream soup (Cooking Light magazine's all-time best soup recipe) and jalapeno cornbread (throw some of Wisconsin's finest local butter or local honey on that, and I'm telling you, you will be making it again the next night). All made with local food. If you want to get flour, etc for homemade local bread, we highly recommend Just Local Food in Eau Claire. They have it from a company in MN.

Looking for the most local beer? Head out to Northwoods, buy a growler, and fill it up. Refills are only $6. Like Davin who lives across the street from me said, it is like going to Just Local Food and getting your milk.

Middle Eastern Bison Casserole - Chippewa Valley style

Our family is really enjoying this month taking eating locally up a couple of notches. I am not sure if most people in west central Wisconsin realize it, but it is like we are living in the Garden of Eden when it comes to the variety of different foods and drinks we can get locally. Thanks to our CSA, the farmers market, and our Demmler Gardens plot, I don't remember the last time I was in a grocery store other than Just Local Food (and for me, that is a good thing).

I wanted to share a meal we had earlier this week, Middle Eastern Bison Casserole. It was supposed to be a beef casserole, but we used bison instead. The recipe is from the American Heart Association's Low-Salt Cookbook. Also, we are doing our best with eating everything within 100 miles, except we decided to still use spices that we already had. In addition, we use the flour from Just Local Food that is from MN to make homemade bread. I think it comes from closer to 200 miles away than 100. Other than that, we are doing well. We have been eating homemade pizzas about once a week too. Fresh basil, homemade dough, tomatoes, peppers, local cheese, etc. Last weekend we bought 50 lbs of tomatoes at the farmers market. The cost....only $16. We were able to make a ton of tomato sauce for pasta, pizza, soup, etc. Just a reminder, this will probably be the last weekend with tomatoes at the market.

I would also like to recommend the book "Grub". A great read and some decent recipes in it, also.

Enjoy!
- 14.5 ounce can no salt added tomatoes, well drained (we used tomatoes from our plot in Demmler Gardens)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onions (our plot again)
- 2 teaspoons sugar (could use honey)
- 3/4 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces lean ground beef (we used bison from the Phoenix Park farmers market)
- 8 to 10 ounces eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices (from out Sylvan Hills CSA)
- 4 ounces low fat cream cheese (a local dairy, Crystal Ball, if I remember correctly)
- 1/2 cup fat free or low fat plain yogurt (homemade from Castle Rock milk)
- Whites of two large eggs (from Just Local Food), egg substitute equivalent to one egg, or one large egg.
- Paprika
- I would also recommend adding some Sylvan Hills garlic to this.

- Combine tomatoes, onion, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
- Cook beef in pan for three minutes, or until brown, stirring constantly. Put in colander and rinse with hot water to remove excess fat (sigh). Stir into tomato mixture.
- Put eggplant slices in one layer in casserole dish and top with beef mixture.
- In food processor or blender, combine remaining ingredients except paprika and process until smo0th. Pour over beef mixture and sprinkle with paprika.
- Bake for one hour, uncovered, at 350 degrees.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 10 to 30 minutes for eggplant to absorb liquid. If serving after only 10 minutes, use a slotted spatula.

------------------------

I will leave you with this word...lagom.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagom

Thanks. Eric Anderson

Soups On

I felt like a chapter out of Man, Woman, Vegetable... the other day when we had company coming, and what I thought I had in the pantry I had not. I was frantic trying to think of what we would serve our guests, while keeping with the local challenge. So with a few leeks, zucchini and pata pan squash on-hand, I got busy. I found some frozen chicken broth I had saved from a chicken I bought from some Amish folks awhile back, dug some ground beef out of the freezer that we had gotten from Dan Sommerfeld, sauteed my veggies, and threw in some fresh thyme from our CSA box. I even found a rogue potato still in our garden and some hearty tomatoes still hanging on to add to the mix. Delicious beef vegetable soup for all. For dessert: mashed apple compote from local orchard apples. The best part was knowing where every single ingredient came from. I love this month!

Eat Local Breakfast #1

My favorite (and easiest) local meal thus far has to be breakfast. I am a huge fan of breakfast and an even bigger fan of a healthy, filling bowl of oatmeal. To start my day I've been making oats from the Whole Grain MIlling Co. based in Welcome, MN (approximately 243 miles away from Eau Claire). To complement this fiber rich treat I have been adding blueberries that I froze from Charlotte's Berry Farm earlier this summer. I top it off with a little Organic Valley Soymilk (and some not-so-local cinnamon) and I'm ready for my day! I am feeling pretty good about this local addition to my diet and also appreciate the low cost of the meal. I hope everyone is finding themselves equally healthy and filling local meals and I can't wait to hear about them!

Local Food in Unusual Settings

Yes, even local food can turn up in the most unusual of places.

Example #1

Royce Roberts, our Sous Chef here at Native Bay, called me early in the afternoon. He was standing in the woods and was pretty sure that he had stumbled upon a jackpot of laetiporus sulphureus -- better known in the culinary world as "chicken of the woods" mushrooms. I drove to meet him and, sure enough, we identified and harvested 8 pounds of these beauties (pictured above). Chicken of the woods have an incredible flavor and are named for their texture, which very much resembles that of chicken when cooked. At the restaurant, we often have to pay over $25/pound for these treasures and those usually come from across the river in Minnesota. But here we are with eight pounds of them for free, and they'll be hitting the menu tomorrow.

These mushrooms represent a tiny fraction of incredible wild foods that are growing in our region as we speak. In addition to at least 6 other varieties of fungus that are edible and ready to pick right now (and you thought morels were the only worthy variety), we've been fortunate enough in the last week to get our hands on wild grapes, plums and apples. Additionally, there's a host of other foods growing out in the wild that are just free for the taking. (I suppose now is a good time to add a word of caution that if you aren't certain the wild food you've found is edible, particularly with mushrooms, don't mess with it. This is a good way to get yourself sick or dead.) Just goes to show, fantastic local food isn't just at the farmer's market or the grocery stores.

Example #2

Speaking of which, I was on my way to my girlfriend's house to cook a big, fat vat of soup for dinner (all local, of course) when I passed a young boy sitting with a produce stand on a main drag here in downtown Chippewa. I turned around and stopped to chat with him. The boy was selling produce that was straight out of he and his mother's garden (he claimed that she did the planting, he did the watering and they shared in the weeding). Let me state publicly that there is hardly an experience that can bring you as much joy in our modern world as buying produce picked only a couple of hours earlier from a twelve-year-old on the side of a busy city street. I bought two huge cucumbers, three jalapenos and a pair of beautiful red bell peppers (the latter two ingredients of which immediately went into the soup pot -- which was delicious, by the way) and gave the kid $5, even though he only tried to charge me $3.


These are just a few small examples of what makes the Eat Local Challenge so exciting. I'd love to hear some other folks' experiences thus far...

My take on the challenge...

I first heard of the Eat Local Challenge last spring while attending the ground breaking ceremony for the UWEC Foodlums’ garden in the courtyard of Phillips Science Hall. After the speakers had their say, a lingering group of Foodlums remained to enjoy the sun, the grass, and the remnants of the donated local cuisine. Arwen Rasmussen of A Second Opinion magazine approached our patch of lawn, introduced herself, and proceeded to tell us of some bold San Franciscans called the Localvores. As the story goes, back in 2005 these West-Coasters decided to receive all of their dietary sustenance from within 100 miles for the month of August.
The Localvores have since worked to extend the success of their challenge beyond the bay area, and into local communities around the world. This year the Chippewa Valley is part of the effort slated for the month of September.

Not a futile act, but an actual concerted effort toward change, the Eat Local Challenge stands to draw attention to what so often goes unnoticed. In this ever-increasingly developed world we have grown disconnected from something so simple as eating. There was an age that required our ancestors’ entire waking day just to find adequate nourishment. Today is a bit different. Now we pick up a phone, drive around to the window, or throw it in the microwave. We have become removed from this thing that is instrumental to our very existence.

We have become distanced from our food, both physically and mentally. Minds have moved on to other matters than the dinner plate. And our indifference has bred a far different place setting than that of our grandparents. If as individuals we are too busy to be concerned with our food, then whose job does it become? The task has been left to the hands of corporations – entities that are chiefly concerned with profit, and with quality only to the extent that it moves product. Yes product, today’s diet may as well be of plastic for how the business is run. The produce of the supermarket is engineered for quantity. High yields and a long shelf life to outlast the great distances of shipping. The meal of today travels on average well over 1,000 miles before we stick a fork in it.

The Eat Local Challenge operates at a personal level. Any interested individual is welcome to participate to whatever degree best befits their lifestyle. However, as it is a challenge, folks are asked to make some concessions to their daily routine. There are some who plan to attempt 100% local while others may try a couple meals a week. As little as one local meal a week can be an eye-opener to the array of goods available right here in our valley. The challenge is also intended to be doable. If you cannot go a month without your morning cup of coffee, then make an exception. Some of the common exceptions will be coffee, spices, and oils.

Personally I have resolved to approach the 100% mark as best I can. I do expect to miss my routine coffee and staple oil, so it goes. To lessen the individual burden, one friend proposed the forming of a Third Ward Neighborhood support group. We have spent a while going back and forth over the organizational format. Initial thoughts were to have a group of seven, each person having their specific cooking night. Further deliberation preferred more flexibility to the nightly menu. Not wanting to make a crutch of the support group, we are more apt to convene for dining a few nights a week as opposed to all. It just works that it is easier to manage family portions, and I will no doubt be trying some items that I otherwise would not. Besides, why not one more reason to socialize?

I may be out of luck for my daily coffee, but other sacrifices will have some more latitude. For my love of the fry pan, I can substitute butter for olive oil. Perhaps in a radical mood I may even try my vegetables raw. By default I will be eating out less, though I have been lobbying my favorite businesses to join the effort and tweak their menu.

If not by choice, then by force. Some of my friends are participating without their initially knowing. It happens on frequent occasion that I prepare meals with friends and roommates. For September these mealmates, when I am involved, will also be eating local. What better time than this harvest season to feed friends and allow them a new taste of their own region?

For the masses… a few of us intend to spread sign-up sheets around the town. Multipurpose of course, these documents will serve to measure the level of community participation, as well as create a contact list. Should another restaurant opt to add a 100 mile feature to their menu, then the word can be spread as simple as email. Feel free, as well as strongly encouraged, to sign-up and try one local meal a week. If you can commit to more, kudos, do it.

From my end, I can accept changing my lifestyle. That is, for a month anyway. I may find that a 100 mile diet is not to my taste. Though I figure I can wage these 30 days to make this personal discovery.

...This article will be published in the September issue of The Progressive Outpost...

The Future of Farming and Local Food

It's great to see all the local interest in local food - especially among the foodlums and students from the Economics Department and others that are working to create a healthier food system on this planet. I recently read an article about the Fresno Farmer's Market at Fresno State (CA) which employs students who work on the campus' 1,000 acre farm. This market does 1 million dollars per year! Students not only learn farming but can also take classes in "culinology" which is the study of new food products. Business and architecture students get involved in the design and management side of the market too. This is what is so wonderful about food - it is a great "organizable" thing that brings people together from different walks of life. Some come for the health benefits others to save the small and medium family farm. Still others join in for religous and/or ethical reasons. And at the end of the day it's also about celebrating our time together and re-establishing our connection to place, to our families, to our communities as we take time to Slow down and appreciate quality, local agricultural traditions - old and new. See you at the September Eat Local kick-off - Andrew

Saturday, September 1st 5:30-8:00pm: Stone Soup in Demmler Park

After talking with numerous friends, neighbors, colleagues, etc I've decided that I'd like to open up the challenge by inviting everyone to share 'stone soup' by the community gardens at Demmler Park of the third ward. Stone Soup is a children's book I remember from my childhood in which a community is brought together by a wanderlust child who promises to make the finest of soup from a magic stone. With simple contributions from the whole town and the child's contribution of a magic stone, the boy and the rest of the town are able to enjoy a meal fit for royalty with each individual pitching in only what they are able to give.



http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1316+jefferson+ct.+eau+claire+WI+54701&sll=44.745801,-91.496098&sspn=0.240915,0.462799&ie=UTF8&ll=44.804478,-91.487489&spn=0.007521,0.014462&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1



I've just moved into a nice place that sits on the park limits and think that an early evening soup of completely local ingredients would be a fantastic way to get people together to share recipes, cook together, play games (and music?!) and mark the beginning of a month of culinary, community, health and environmental safari.



If you'd be interested in bringing yourself, friends, family or whoever to contribute to this dinner, please let me know (barneszj@uwec.edu) what locavore local (100 miles from eau claire) ingredients you would like to contribute to the soup (the farmers market is in phoenix park that morning... if you would like to contribute meat of any sort, please bring it precooked, ready to throw in the pot as we may not have resources to properly cook it... please remember to keep any lipids/spices/etc completely local when doing so). Besides any local ingredient, I ask that everyone bring a spoon, bowl and beverage/cup for water.



I'm thinking that we might have 30-40 people show up and hopefully the weather will cooperate to make this a night to remember.



FYI. I plan on having two or more pots of soup, at least one of which will be completely vegetarian (or vegan?) for anyone who does not wish to eat meat or meat products. Also, people can add spices to their individual bowls as they see fit, but again I plan on having the pots of soup be completely local.



Hope to see you there and please RSVP so I might have an idea of how many people to expect!



Please bring family, friends, games, instruments, and your locavore appetite.

10 Reasons to Eat Local Food

This post was written by Jen out in CA who is the editor of www.eatlocalchallenge.com. She has given A Second Opinion permission to reprint her post. For more awesome challenge ideas or inspiration to join us, check out Jen's site. There is a load of info on it.

Eating local means more for the local economy. According to a study by the New Economics Foundation in London, a dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy. When businesses are not owned locally, money leaves the community at every transaction. (reference)

Locally grown produce is fresher. While produce that is purchased in the supermarket or a big-box store has been in transit or cold-stored for days or weeks, produce that you purchase at your local farmer's market has often been picked within 24 hours of your purchase. This freshness not only affects the taste of your food, but the nutritional value which declines with time.

Local food just plain tastes better. Ever tried a tomato that was picked within 24 hours? 'Nuff said.

Locally grown fruits and vegetables have longer to ripen. Because the produce will be handled less, locally grown fruit does not have to be "rugged" or to stand up to the rigors of shipping. This means that you are going to be getting peaches so ripe that they fall apart as you eat them, figs that would have been smashed to bits if they were sold using traditional methods, and melons that were allowed to ripen until the last possible minute on the vine.

Eating local is better for air quality and pollution than eating organic. In a March 2005 study by the journal Food Policy, it was found that the miles that organic food often travels to our plate creates environmental damage that outweighs the benefit of buying organic. (reference)

Buying local food keeps us in touch with the seasons. By eating with the seasons, we are eating foods when they are at their peak taste, are the most abundant, and the least expensive.
Buying locally grown food is fodder for a wonderful story. Whether it's the farmer who brings local apples to market or the baker who makes local bread, knowing part of the story about your food is such a powerful part of enjoying a meal.

Eating local protects us from bio-terrorism. Food with less distance to travel from farm to plate has less susceptibility to harmful contamination. (reference)

Local food translates to more variety. When a farmer is producing food that will not travel a long distance, will have a shorter shelf life, and does not have a high-yield demand, the farmer is free to try small crops of various fruits and vegetables that would probably never make it to a large supermarket. Supermarkets are interested in selling "Name brand" fruit: Romaine Lettuce, Red Delicious Apples, Russet Potatoes. Local producers often play with their crops from year to year, trying out Little Gem Lettuce, Senshu Apples, and Chieftain Potatoes.
Supporting local providers supports responsible land development. When you buy local, you give those with local open space - farms and pastures - an economic reason to stay open and undeveloped.

Bountiful Market

The downtown Eau Claire Farmer's Market should certainly be the first stop for anyone entering into the Eat Local Challenge. Here's a list of the things I bought there this morning for the restaurant:

Heirloom tomatoes, summer squash, nasturtium flowers, sweet corn, melons, meadow mushrooms, wild grapes, wild plums, Freedom Ranger chickens, organic eggs, leeks, scallions, red/orange/purple bell peppers, red potatoes, garlic, shallots, buffalo tenderloin, maple syrup, honey, raspberries, crabapples, fennel, fingerling potatoes, cucumbers, and Fameuse apples (maybe -- Dan and Helga aren't entirely sure if that's the variety). Tack on the ingredients that are also available there that I get through other means (like organic milk, cream, cheeses, grass-fed beef, pork, lamb, pumpkinseed oil, broccoli, fresh herbs, cauliflower, beets and much more) and you've got a virtual grocery store at your disposal (and fresher than the average grocery store too).

Honestly, with the number of high-quality vendors at this market and the breadth of incredible foods that they offer from right in our own backyard, you'll be able to easily overlook the "challenge" part of the Eat Local Challenge.

I'll leave you with a quote from Barbara Kingsolver's newest book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. (This is a highly recommended book to read over the course of September, about one family's journey into eating exclusively local for an entire year.)

"Food is one of those rare moral arenas where the ethical choice is generally the one most likely to make you groan with pleasure."

Hankering for apples?

In case anyone out there can't wait to get a start on apples this season, we just went out to "Class Apple" south of Eau Claire off of Hwy 37 and got some delicious Paula Reds that are already in season.
Also, for produce that won't be in season next month, we have started canning and freezing from our garden. Has anyone tried freezing salsa instead of cannining it? I am curious as to what will happen.

Mobile Wood Fired Oven

Puff the magic dragon may have lived by the sea, but this mean dragon lives on an old truck bed trailer. Designed and built by some local folks, the purpose of this mass of bricks, clay, sand and straw is to get really hot. Hot enough to bake bread, pizzas, roast vegetables, and singe all the hair off of your hand if you forget to put a glove on first.

I'll post more on the oven during the actual challenge, as it will be making it's way around the valley in September, including an appearance at Just Local Food on Saturday August 25th, Phoenix Park on September 11, and possibly the New Earth Festival in Fall Creek a few days later...

The oven was built by a handful of people using the old technique of cobbing - cob is a mixture of sand, clay and straw put together by hand (or foot, as in the picture here). The cob is then formed into balls or bricks and mushed together to form whatever you want - a bench, a big oven, or even a house. The first time this oven was constructed we used cob for the roof of the oven. It later caved in on a batch of bread, and the oven was recently rebuilt using firebricks to line the inside so it won't cave...

What does this have to do with local food? Well, when I was considering the challenge, and what it means and really the purpose - I asked where does our food come from, and how is it prepared, and what is used to cook it? Maybe we get a local carrot but put on miles by cooking it with petroleum (which we were trying to avoid, right?).

So in the interest of exploring, in the spirit of the challenge, I wondered if we do have some resources around here to cook food. Of course! The sun being a great option, via a fancy solar oven or a simple solar box oven made from foil and cardboard. If it isn't sunny, fire is another option. It does make smoke, and may not be the perfect environmental solution, but it is local, makes great food, and works well in this brick lined clay oven. A small fire made from a few sturdy logs can burn for hours, and make the oven hot enough to bake a few pizzas (the one in the picture cooked in less than five minutes) then bake a bunch of bread with the residual heat. The oven is big enough to share space with neighbors, too. So a few batches of bread can be baked all at once or right after one another.

Now, to find a source for local spelt or wheat to make bread from...

Coon Creek Family Farm

Greetings from Coon Creek Family Farm! - Home of the Maro's - Vince, Julie, Sasha and Ilya. We are a small certified organic family farm located just 11 miles south of Eau Claire. You can find us every Saturday at the Downtown Eau Claire Farmer's Market.

Our small family farm is committed to producing great tasting, healthy food for our local community. We utilize organic farming practices - working in harmony with nature. We love what we do and believe strongly in being good stewards of all that God has blessed us with.

Look to Coon Creek Family Farm as your local source for certified organic chickens, turkeys, eggs and vegetables. In addition, we offer a beautiful handcrafted goat milk soap which is made in small batches here in our farm kitchen. This soap is great for your skin and makes a wonderful gift.

In addition to finding us at Farmer's Market, you can also come out to the farm to purchase our products. Please call before coming to ensure we are home. You can also buy Coon Creek Family Farm poultry and soap at Just Local Food in Eau Claire. Our delicious chicken can also be found on the fantastic menu at Native Bay Restaurant.

Neither Vince nor Julie were raised on farms. Vince grew up in Milwaukee and has always had a love of gardening. Julie grew up in Appleton but thrived on regular visits to the family farm located just outside Berlin, WI. Some of her most treasured memories are of visiting with her great-grandma Lucy whose chickens free-ranged the family farm before such a term was ever coined or needed. It is in this tradition that we now raise our delicious certified organic poultry for our family and yours. To find out more about us visit: www.cooncreekfamilyfarm.com

eat local ideas

The Twin Cities Natural Food Co-ops are also doing an eat local challenge of sorts. Their challenge is to eat 80% local ingredients from Aug. 15 to Sept. 15. I found the website interesting, in particular a sample menu for some local meal ideas. I am always excited to find more meal ideas so I thought that you might be too! Check out the links below for some eat local inspiration...

http://twincitiesfood.coop/files/EatLocal_menus_8_5x11r_8-31.pdf

http://www.twincitiesfood.coop/

Your Local Farmers

Hello there. I thought that a nice addition to the blog would be a sort of "get to know your local farms" posts. So I will start and anyone else can post about a local farmer that they think all should know about.



Wheatfield Hill Organics

Wheatfield Hill Organics is a small, 5th generation family farm near Durand. Bordered on the west by the Chippewa River and on the east by limestone bluffs, the rolling land was chosen by their forefathers in the early 1900's for pasturing their dairy cattle. Although not used today for dairying , they continue to care for this land by producing certified organic forages, fruits, vegetables and beef. Their beef graze on native natural pastures from early spring through late fall, and in winter are fed organic grains and alfalfa hay. You’ll notice the difference organic makes with Wheatfield Hill beef and produce.

Helen and her family are regular farmer market sellers and have been for years. Wheatfield Hill is also a major supporter of the Eat Local Challenge. Helen is one of the nicest ladies you will ever meet. She always has a smile on her face. Stop by their booth on Saturday and support the challenge.

Native Bay gears up for "The Challenge"

Hello everyone! Nathan Berg, Chef/owner of Native Bay Restaurant, here. I just wanted to jump on board and let everyone know how excited all of us at the restaurant are to be gearing up for the Eat Local Challenge.

Here at Native Bay, utilizing fresh, local foods is a continuous -- not just a month-long -- challenge. Similarly, we're betting that after you see the culinary and social pleasures associated with this short challenge, you'll be incorporating a significant amount of local foods into your diet on a permanent basis.

Now, since Native Bay focuses on local foods all of the time, you might wonder what it is that we'll be doing differently for the Challenge. Well, here it is: During the month of September, we'll be highlighting numerous items from all four of our menus (Dinner, Lounge, Lunch and Sunday Brunch) that will be made entirely of locally grown or produced items. With these dishes, every single component will come from no further than 100 miles from our doorstep -- the only exceptions (and we mean ONLY) being salt, pepper, oil and vinegar!! These items will be prominently marked on the menu so that you can easily come in, sit down and choose from a host of completely local dishes. We'll even have a wide selection of beers to choose from that fit the bill, as well an offering of non-alcoholic drinks (can anyone say "melon agua fresca"?) for the more temperate, or underaged, of you.

Additionally, on Monday, Sept. 17th, we'll be holding our 3rd Annual Local Bounty Dinner where we celebrate local farmers and producers by having them sit down and relax for a change, while we serve up a five-course dinner featuring the very fruits (and vegetables) of their labor. This year, as an extra bonus, we'll be composing the entire five-course dinner from local ingredients (see exceptions above) to make it extra-friendly to those involved with the Eat Local Challenge.

Finally, we haven't yet pinned down the details, but Native Bay's kitchen will be moving to downtown Chippewa Falls for the Harvest Festival in late September to help congratulate all those who have taken the challenge (and even just those receptive to some good local food). More details on this to come...

As for myself, I will be actively engaging in the Challenge and posting up some thoughts on the matter over the course of the month. I'm happy to be a part of this exciting event and will glad be of assistance in any way I can.

* As an endnote, I've got a modest proposal for Sally or anyone whose taken an interest in her quest for local soymilk. Grampa Glenn, recently seen selling organic strawberries at the downtown Eau Claire market, also grows organic soybeans for the Japanese market. He's already holding a bunch of these soybeans for Native Bay and can surely supply more. So, I'll figure out how to get them and then, at the end of this month, just in time for the challenge, I'll hold a workshop here at the restaurant and teach you all how to make your own soymilk from scratch. Anyone game?

blueberries for sal

Okay Chippewa Valley, the catch to this eat local challenge is to start preparing right now. In case you haven't made it out to the berry farm for blueberries there is only about 1.5 weeks left for the blueberry season. Luckily, Charlotte's Berry Farm has tons of berries to pick right now. They sell the berries pre-picked by the pint, or you can pick your own in a gallon pale. It saves you a little money to pick your own, plus you are more likely to get bigger berries if you pick your own. The biggest berries seemed to be on the underside of the berry branches. There were also some on the ground that were easy to snatch up. I suggest going with a friend, bringing a water bottle, and wearing sunscreen. There is little to no shade in the berry patches and it gets warm! I opted for the gallon pale which cost me about $10.88 - well worth it. FYI - Charlotte's does not accept credit cards. Having no cash on me, they sent me home with my bucket of berries on the honor system. I have to run back out there and pay for my berries. I highly doubt Festival Foods uses the honor system these days. Also, raspberries will be ready shortly. You can call Charlotte's at any time and listen to the pre-recorded message stating what berries are ready and when you can pick. 832-7186

Happy picking and don't forget to freeze them!

http://www.pickyourown.org/freezingblueberries.htm

Sunopta Brand Soybeans

I've also recently inquired about Sunopta brand soy products, more specifically, edamame. As a vegetarian for 3.5 years I am anxiously wondering what protien rich favorites of mine are grown locally. I contacted Sunopta (also knowsn as Sunrich Naturals) and found out some interesting info. The woman I spoke with was very helpful in answering my questions about where their soybeans are grown. She said that for the last 2 years the soybean crop in America has been very poor. The "in the shell edamame" that they sell is purchased from China. This is the only soy product they sell that is purchased else where and they said the shelled edamame has been hearty in the U.S. She did not know where the beans for their soymilk come from. She was very honest about their purchases from China, and also explained that Sunopta is working very hard to switch back over to American grown soybeans. When this happens all soybean product packages will wear a stamp of "American grown" approval on its package.

Currently, the package says this...

"Sunrich Naturals (registered trademark) uses U.S.-Grown product whenever available. When U.S. supply is short, we rely on the global farming community for produce that meets the same quality standards while we work with U.S. farms to increase supply. Thanks for your continued support!"

I respect their honesty very much. I encourage you to check out www.sunopta.com and explore their diverse line of products and do some digging for yourself!

soybean search continues...

I just got off the phone with Organic Valley's Customer Service Department. I inquired as to where the soybeans come from to produce their soymilk. There is a 6 digit number printed on the top of each carton next to the expiration date. This number serves as a code that tells you where your particular carton of soymilk came from. The soybeans that Organic Valley uses come mainly from Iowa and Indiana. The nice man on the phone did not think that OV had any soybean farms in Wisconsin. My particular carton came from Lisbon, Iowa. Lisbon, IA, is approximately 258 miles from Eau Claire, WI!! I think I have found my delicious soymilk match.

Check out this link...

http://ofrf.org/pressroom/organic_news_clips/051008_desmoinesreg_organicimports.pdf

My Search For Soy Milk

In an attempt to prepare for the September Challenge I have been searching for local soymilk. With Eden Foods located in Michigan I was hoping to find something a bit closer to home. Organic Valley looks to be partially located in WI, but also has farmers all over the nation. After perusing their website I am still unsure as to where the soymilk actually comes from. Organic Valley has a creamery in WI but they also have many nationally produced products that make their way into our grocery stores. The website states that their soybeans are grown in America and are rainforest friendly! Unfortunately many soy beans are grown in the Amazon and directly contribute to rainforest destruction. Organic Valley seems to be a pioneer of saving the rainforest, but I worry that their soymilk is not grown locally in WI. I plan to do some further investigation as to where these beans are actually grown. Wish me luck on my soymilk challenge and I will keep you updated.

Local Looking

So since we got the idea to do the challenge I have begun looking at most everything I buy in a normal gorcery store. To my surprise lots of things that I normally buy are made right in WI or at least in the surrounding three states. So I wanted to say to everyone worried that they will only get to eat what they can find at the farmers market or they are worried that an all organic local meal will cost a fortune, there other options. Just look. If the organic bacon found at Just Local is a bit too pricey for you, there is bacon at the local grocers that is made in WI.

It all has to do with label reading. Now I know that Old Dutch Potato chips are made in St. Paul. So fear not chip loving friends, St Paul is in the 100 mile radius. And there are so many products like that out there. You almost can't find cheese that isn't from somewhere in WI. I mean you really have to look for it. And there is local pasta from Madison as well as local sauces and delictable toppings. So make this challenge a fun food finding mission. That way when Sept is over and you have completely been converted to the local ways, there will be plenty to eat and enjoy.

Local Pizza

So there's plenty of pizza around - but what qualifies as local? Baked locally? Dough thawed locally? Unfortunately, I'd guess very few ingredients of any pizza you'll find locally are made from local ingredients. A true shame, and huge opportunity for local farmers - because pretty much everything on a pizza can be local.

Leave it to the innovators at ROMAR greenhouse (Martha and Bob Hamblin and friends) to take a midwest dietary staple and make it from entirely local ingredients. Handmade crust from organic flour (as local as possible), sauces made from a variety of heirloom tomatoes grown on their farm and cheese from hyper-local Gingerbread Jersey. Toppings will vary, but at their recent on-farm tasting event they had 8 kinds and I can't remember them all. The roasted vegetable pizza was killer, with ample carmelized onions (soon to be garlic as the first green garlics of the season are coming on). Other varieties featured clean meat from local farms you'll recognize from the downtown Eau Claire Farmers market - a gyro pizza with lambalot lamb, beef from Little Spring Valley, and elk from Moss Elk.

Want one?

You could make one tomorrow for yourself.

The pizzas from ROMAR are near. For a farmer to make a product like this (frozen most likely) and distribute it legally there are PLENTY of hoops to jump through. Many indeed for food safety, but many other rules tend to favor big companies over small farmers. Anyhow, ROMAR is indeed hoop jumping inbetween weeding, picking, mulching and the unstoppable general farm chores.

And hopefully the pizzas will be available for you in September for the challenge...

(vegetarian pizza pictured)

Off and running.....

Well the info for the challenge is off and running. We are putting posters up everywhere, there are magazines out with the info and our manifesto in it and we are on are way to securing radio spots and, hopefully, TV appearances.

We hope that you will post ideas and information with us as well as get your friends and family to check us out. Maybe leave a comment or two.

Happy Eating!

The idea for the September Challenge wasn't an original. Though one day we may want to take credit for its success in Western WI, the idea came to me from the http://www.locavores.com/ which is a stationed in the Bay City area in California. Since -they have fresh produce year round they have story after story on how to eat locally and how to stick to the challenge. I encourage you to take a look. See how others did the challenge and what roadblocks they came up with and how they had to alter their plans because of business meetings or mother-in-law dinners.
Great website. Check it out!

Welcome!

A Second Opinion magazine with support from the Farm Fresh Atlas of Western Wisconsin and the UWEC Foodlums welcome you to the Chippewa Valley's Eat Local Challenge blog-spot. In SEPTEMBER 2007 we hope you will join us in an Eat Local Challenge where for one month you only eat foods from within 100 miles of yourself.
We hope that in the up coming months you will join us for lively discussions about eating locally as well as your accomplishments and alternations to the Eat Local Challenge that will begin and soar through September 2007.
Our goal is the educate and bring awareness to the idea of knowing from where your food comes and knowing your local farmers.
Now we understand there will be some hestitation but what is a challenge without a little speculation; a little doubt. So Join us will you? We hope to hear from you soon.