Comments on: What’s for dinner?

By: Patricia

Patricia — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:01:07 +0000

Robin,
There are lots of angles and they are worth mentioning….We have a shortage of rice because farmers here are encouraged and subsidized not to grow any, so they put up McMansions and don’t farm them and get paid handsomely. Most of the beef for fast food comes from South America where they knock down the rainforest which cleans our air and grows wonderful things…and then ship it around the world for hamburgers….that is not eating locally and paying the middle man handsomely…

We don’t grow any chocolate locally….I still have my piece on Tuesday and Thursday pm…..

I think we would all be healthier if we ate 80% locally and then checked out how many miles our food is coming from ….water is getting to be a problem everywhere.

Think globally and act locally. If we all just did the best we are able too, what a difference it would make

By: Robin

Robin — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 06:08:48 +0000

Hi there Patricia - my mother and father had a very healthy veggie patch - and eating out of the garden was a very normal thing to do. I feel it makes sense to eat local produce when we can - I also try to eat seasonally (well - a bit!) My sister is very up-in-arms about an aspect of the 'eat local' movement, where people are encouraged to buy Australian rice rather than Asian rice - when we have a shortage of water here and a lot is used for agriculture (it's a big problem because rivers are dying because of irrigation draining their water) - whereas Asia has quite a lot! Just thought I'd mention another angle. Cheers, Patricia. Robins last blog post..Making The Most Of Life

By: Patricia

Patricia — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:25:42 +0000

Yes!
just gets better and better Jannie…
Chocolate is very good

By: Jannie Funster

Jannie Funster — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:44:14 +0000

Ah, deer yes. Luckily our back yard is all fenced in.

I am very very happy with YES! magazine. I scrolled down and lost myself in the article “10 Things Science Says Will Make You Happy.” Number 11 should be read Patricia’s Wisdom Blog.

Chocolate? Okay, I’m there.

Jannie Funsters last blog post..$69.97

By: Patricia

Patricia — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 21:39:40 +0000

Friar,
Yep you would have to import food in and fill up your freezer during harvest season….BC is working a great deal with hydroponic gardening and then there are “cold frames” for year round salad…

That chocolate issue is truly a big one for me too….and Olive Oil is a must on my list ….I just work at doing the best I can…

But then again you have wonderful fish in your ponds….how about I bring the strawberries and chocolate?

By: Friar

Friar — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 03:29:27 +0000

Well, living in NorthEastern Ontario, in Canadian Shield country (i.e. mostly granite rock…few farms), I wouldn’t be thrilled with a 100 mile diet.

That would pretty much eliminate all fruit, except for apples from the odd orchard. (And blueberries or strawberries, maybe a few weeks of the year).

And chocolate….well, forget THAT!….unless you live on another continent!

By: Patricia

Patricia — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:10:28 +0000

Jannie,
Hope you found YES! magazine interesting.
I am working on planting a salad bowl first this year…then to keep moving it to shady spots and re plant every two weeks…see if I can defeat the deer and have fresh salad all summer – actually I have 4 bowls to work with…and rotate.

I am not a great gardener just like puttering, but wow does it pay off, in feeling great.

By: Jannie Funster

Jannie Funster — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 00:29:38 +0000

I too am a local food advocate. Big on bulk. We do have a good Co-Op here and church programs. I need to look into what I can do more of, garden. And can would be good. Here I go now to Yes magazine.... Jannie Funsters last blog post..$69.97

By: Patricia

Patricia — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:12:25 +0000

Betsy,
Thank you for coming by and I know you folks are great gardeners – it is such earthy fun. 4 young couples on my street have ripped out their grass and have been putting in fabulous gardens this year – this is so fun to see. Also we made the kids swing set fort lumber into a raised bed so I don’t have to bend over to pick the specialty blueberry bushes which are short growers.

Vered,
I read Yes, Magazine from cover to cover and follow it on twitter and facebook….Fran Korten the publisher lived across the street from Obama’s Mother in Indonesia – and that it is so positively packed with information. It revs my engines !

They always have a page or two about alternative products and children’s needs – and a issue every couple of years about alternative healing…

Mark,
You might be surprised about your community and what they are doing with food. The Slow Food movement is huge also, but I did not pick on them as I am preparing my garden!

I did find this quote: “Americans now spend more on fast food than on higher education, personal computers, computer software, or new cars; more than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music combined.”

Most fast food is not locally grown food…it is imported food – traveling thousands of miles and losing most of it’s nutrients.

I just read a story about CSA boxes that folks in New York City enjoy.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:59:41 +0000

Thanks for sharing. My father who grew up in the depression also was on a farm and said that his family's life did not change during the depression, they had ample food and were still dirt poor. In my community today, I don't think too much is going on in regards to co-ops and gardens. Marks last blog post..Must We Choose Between a Spiritual Path and a Material Path of Success?