Buying Locally

Some exciting things are going on around here (aside from the fact that I was ... or rather my garden was ... attacked by deer last night ARGH!!!). Although my garden wasn't quite as productive as I was dreaming it would be this summer -- for the past year I've been working on changing what we buy and especially what we eat. It was my desire, after reading Serve God, Save the Planet, to begin to make better choices to take care of the earth entrusted to us by God. Then, I read Animal Vegetable Miracle (thanks to RainGarden) and started getting even more serious. Since then this is what I buy for food:

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Eggs: From a farmer less than five miles from my house. $3.00 a dozen for free-range, totally natural -- no junkola given to the poor chickens -- Rhode Island Red eggs.

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Milk: From Monroe Dairy delivered 2x's a week with the old fashioned glass bottles that they reuse.

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Vegetables: Since summer -- largely from my garden with a few exceptions like garlic and onions. Also, carrots were getting attacked by Bambi, Thumper and the E.B. so I had to supplement. Next year, in addition to considering a fence, I will plant more carrots, and I planted garlic ... maybe next fall I will try onions?? I was also reminded by RainGarden about purchasing local produce that stores well over the winter in larger quantities directly from farms for a good price. I was late trying this, but did get a hold of Butternut Squash in addition to a bunch of apples and eggplant (which don't store very well, so we have to munch on those pronto!) I will do more research and prep for next year. After Halloween I will see about getting a hold of some cheap pumpkins. I've been making pumpkin bread and pumpkin jam.

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Beef: After watching an episode of OPRAH on conditions inside of pig, chicken and cow "factories" while whipping dinner together one late afternoon -- I recommitted myself to contacting a local couple (among several here in Rehoboth) who raise their own cattle and sell the beef to local customers. I'd done the research already, I just hadn't made the call. They didn't have a lot available just then, but I did get a bunch of hamburger, some stew beef and some tenderloin. Again, these happy looking cows that I saw hangin' out among the trees mostly eat -- GRASS! You know, that stuff that they find in the field while they are roaming around. And, of course no antibiotics, etc., etc. Cool, eh?

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Bread: I've committed to making my own bread. Both sandwich type bread and also quick breads. Quick breads are great because they are perfect for the boys to pack in their lunches. (Nope, I don't have wrapped, prepackaged, snacky things in their lunch boxes ... and most things are either in a glass container, metal thermos, or wrapped with waxed paper that I then throw into my compost bin. I also recently purchased mis-matched silverware from the Salvation Army that the boys can bring to school in lieu of plastic -- and I don't have to worry about them losing it -- no biggy. Incidentally - .25 cents per fork or spoon.) OK BACK TO BREAD: I contacted (after reading one of Peter Reinhart's books) a local bakery that has a lot of organic breads and other yummy treats to see if I could purchase some of their flour. "No prob!" the guy said. So, I marched down (drove rather) and picked up my two big ole' bags of flour. One french styled white and one organic whole wheat. Half the price.

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Jams: One thing I do have plenty of now is Jam. Ripley is a committed P,B & J type of guy so I decided to make my own. Not only do I know what went in there -- but when you are buying organic strawberry jam from Whole Foods for example, it's expensive! Although I didn't calculate the cost out, I'm sure I saved plenty.

Herbs: Over the summer I purchased a food dehydrator. After failing to produce successful sun dried tomatoes in our humid southeastern Massachusetts weather, I bought one. I've made sun dried tomatoes, dried apples -- that I used in my granola -- and now HERBS! Isn't that cool? Now, talk about savings -- herbs are outrageously expensive. So far I have dried lavender, rosemary and dill. I still have a little time to do others like Thyme, Oregano and Parsley before they get harmed by the cold weather.

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Soaps: This doesn't fall into the "local" category really, but it is a big saver on money. You can make your own Laundry and Dishwasher soap that is earth friendly. So, I recommitted to doing that. I'd made some dry Laundry Soap before, this time I tried a liquid version. The Dishwasher Soap is incredibly easy. Kristi does a great job with her instructions. Click HERE for Liquid Laundry Soap, HERE for Powdered Laundry Soap, HERE for Dishwasher Soap.