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!