Looking for Fresh Foods?

Many are these days. Still there are some who don't have time to make their thumbs green. Don't garden but still want fresh foods? All is not lost, there is a place to start your search. You can visit LocalHarvest and search by your zip code to find local Farmer's Markets, CSA (Community Shared Agriculture), blogs, forums etc. The search is country wide and continues to grow. I've found most of the farms we visit for our grass-fed milk, meat and CSA via talking with folks I know, and meeting new people who share this interest. Most farmers talk and love sharing with their customers so when you stumble upon a farm that you like, chances are the farmer will point you to another in the area. They are big on word of mouth marketing (still the most effective and honest marketing in my opinion).

Having spoken with a few friends who've asked how I've gotten in the know ~ well now ya know. Homesteading, farms, CSA programs and farmer's markets bring communities together! For us, it's a family affair. A note though, you could find yourself on a rabbit trail.... it can be fun!

We love talking with the farmers and learning about where our food comes from (and what to do with it). I'm convinced it's the best way to obtain the freshest foods! The kids love seeing where their food comes from even at the age of 3. My daughter is quite taken with the cows we visit when Tuesday comes around. We buy our milk on Tuesdays because they milk on Monday and those who know waiting the rest of the week out will not lend itself to obtaining some whole milk. We were just up there yesterday and the cows were in the field grazing but a few stay near the fence for a good cheek scratch. I made our first batch of homemade ice cream (American or Philly style). My gosh I'm sold there's no going back. The dairy farm we visit breeds Jersey cows on site. Their milk is more full of protein than Holstein breeds. It's also more full bodied so naturally our ice cream is creamier (without additional fat). I think I'll attempt making butter from the heavy cream they sell as well.

Fresh foods! Visiting these local venues is the best way to get back in touch with our foods and purge our lives from boxed items loaded with un-natural ingredients woven with preservatives. If you didn't want to tread on a farm or there isn't one in your town, try hitting up a farmer's market {they're popping up everywhere these days}. Chances are the prices will be more friendly to the wallet. With no middle man farmers are also able to pocket something like 90% profit for their labor of love verses 20-30% profit. Dont' be discouraged, I just watched a local PBS special on a park in the Bronx that was transformed into a local community garden. It was amazing to see the farmer's market right in the inner-city hosting a wide variety of merchants with items from all over New York state. Folks living in the city of all income and race had the same access to fresh foods! The program blessed my heart. I hope this concept starts sweeping the nation.

With the greater awareness of genetically modified foods growing in the public sect, combined with the growing number of foods that are being genetically modified (without most of the public's knowledge) folks simply want to know where their food comes from. And honestly I think we have a right to know. I think we should be able to feast on food that not only taste fresh, is fresh, and do so at any income level in society.

Granted I know this post is not for everyone. I have friends who simply find it fits their lifestyle to have a love hate interdependent relationship with mega supermarkets. Target and Walmart have food along with everything else so it's an easy one stop shop. I'm not pointing any fingers here if you are such person. Each of us do the best we can for our families and in the end food will never replace love. We all love our families. We all want the best for them and aim to cultivate good eating habits in our kids. I realize access is a factor in obtaining local foods and that the word "local" can be stretched. After-all I'll admit we drive some 50 miles to get our meat. With gas prices you could think I'm out of my mind. I go once a week and see it as an educational field-trip for my family. They interact with the animals and talk to the farming community. They might not eat the foods they do today if not for this experience? Hard to tell, a picky toddler will often say no to anything he he. For me it's a priceless education each time we go to one of the many farms we visit and buy from. Our kids are not taught in school where their food comes from and every thing is commercialized. As a parent I take up that responsibility. I know mom's who run to 4 different stores to hit up all the various sales to match up coupons and buy only a few things at each store to complete their grocery shopping. That could be considered running all over creation for a few meals. It's perspective and what's best for you and your family. I like personally having the peace of not having to worry about the coupon. I go to the farm, buy the cuts of meat I want and that's it. I go to our CSA pick up our lot of in season vegetables and we're done. No more price matching here for this gal. Yes we live on a budget and we also know where our whole dollars are being spent though. I'm loving the idea of not being dependent on the supermarket for our groceries. It's a life style change and I realize though it's for me and my family all this talk about farms might be making your head spin.

Our kid's education about food couldn't be any more real to them if they were not going to the farm and seeing where their food comes from. I think all kids should know. If I was not an AG (agriculture) student in high school I'd have no idea either. My childhood schooling didn't consider the farm as a notable learning environment worthy of a field trip. I hope things have changed. We eat together as a family and thank God at each meal for the bounty and access to fresh foods. We thank the Lord for his provision as we eat more and more fresh foods of the seasons. Our pallets have yet to know such variety. It's coming, spring seedlings are growing and a harvest will be gathered. We're praying over our CSA and invested in it's production aside from our financial investment which brings things full circle for us as Christians. We do desire to be good stewards of the earth and preserving what God created and made available to sustain our bodies. Eating genetically modified foods not only has a flavor loss it makes my stomach churn at the very though. I don't believe humans can create sustainable foods that surpass what God already created. I'm just sayin'... I realize there are some who don't share my viewpoint on this though I can't disconnect my faith from this part of our lives. This could be considered rambling and be that as it may, at the very least I wanted to share the link for Local Harvest with you. Cheers to eating fresh! Love your comments.