Thursday, September 13, 2007

Support Local Farmers & the Environment

Like my friend, Catherine, I’ve been really trying to incorporate locally grown and seasonal foods into our meals. This has required menu planning and I’ve also made it include trying new recipes! It has been delicious and has been a great discipline for me. It is especially helping me not to overbuy food.

We went to the Farmer’s Market at Trader’s Point Creamery last week and the prices were overall very good and of course the quality was fantastic! They had a wonderful assortment of meat including pork, beef, and lamb, various fresh vegetables, dairy products, and even some baked goods, honey, and different wines. Many of the products are organic. The really great thing is that this is a year round farmer’s market. My favorite thing that I bought was fresh mushrooms – I could buy exactly what I needed instead of a whole package at the grocery store!

Andrew and I have been talking a lot about supporting local farmers and being more environmentally minded (like taking our own cloth bags to the store – lots of stores offer them these days). We aren’t going totally green – yet, but we have really been convicted about our responsibility to care for God's creation. I am troubled by the general idea that being conscious of the environment equals being politically liberal. We need to change that perception!

Anyway, here is a brief glimpse at some of the recipes we’ve been enjoying:
Monday: chili & cornbread
Tuesday: mushroom meatloaf patties w/pan gravy, herb mashed potatoes, & steamed broccoli
Wednesday: pumpkin black bean soup & warm homemade applesauce
Tonight: leftovers – it’s been a busy day :)
Friday: chicken quesadillas, fresh salsa & guacamole

I’m pretty new to all of this but I hope it sticks. Menu planning has been very freeing for me and is saving us money! I’m planning to incorporate a homemade pizza night into each week using an easy crust recipe and whatever veggies we have leftover. I’ll let you know how it goes. And I do still go to the regular grocery store – not everything is fresh and seasonal. :)

***A caveat for me is that even though I know that using cloth diapers is totally a better thing for the environment, I’m just not able to do that right now. :) Props to those that do, I admire but definitely do not envy you (except your budget!)!

I'll leave you with these passages:

Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth. Genesis 1:28

Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Genesis 2:15

9 comments:

Heather said...

This sounds like so much fun and it is extremely close to my house -do you know the hours? I went to the link you posted, but did not see any. Thanks.

Alaina said...

The farmer's market is from 4-8 on Friday evenings through October, I think and then moves to Saturday mornings. It's the place we went for the KGR Christmas party last year.

Catherine said...

I'll have to check out the Trader's Point market, it sounds much bigger than the one I've been going to! This week our market was pretty dismal, since the Amish guy didn't show up. Josh is probably glad for a break from the eggplant, but it was pretty disappointing for me!

Micah said...

If you click on the "where to buy" link it lists the hours. I think it was 8-6 everyday, but double check :)

I can't WAIT to get to shop here! Yum!

Jenna said...

We have a lovely little farmer's market here in Alamosa (but alas it will only be open until late October). Reid and I also joined the food co-op in town, which supports local food producers and organic products... And over a year ago Reid and I gave up eating meat at home (we still eat it at friend's homes and when we go out to dinner). It lowered my blood pressure, and I guess you could say I've gone pretty "green." :)

Heather said...

Thank you very much. I know exactly where it is. :) I just could not remember the time of the farmer's market. I recalled it being just one day a week. Thanks again. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Anonymous said...

This was a great post! There really seems to be a huge trend in the nation going this way -- farmers markets, greener households, etc. I bet in 20 years we're going to see a lot of changes on the food front. At least we're supporting the milk farm!!! :) I have to agree with you on diapers, but I do highly admire those who use cloth. I can't wait to go to the Traders Point Market - maybe sometime I can hitch a ride with you.

Amy K said...

Yes, I agree about the environment. But coming from CA it will always be hard for me to divorce environmental stewardship from reminders of what the extremists are like, Sierra Club, etc. But I will try. :)

About menu planning--you said it perfectly. It is very FREEING. It seems like it should be more work to put menus together but, in the end, it's easier and makes things more carefree. I never worry about what to make that night because I already know what my options are. When all the meals I've planned are gone, I head back to the store.

Jen said...

Yes, using cloth diapers won't be my contribution to the environment. I think I was scarred for life having to change my brother's diapers.

I love the farmer's market and I totally agree about the environment. Jason and Joe have always reminded me of that (in fact Joe posted about it recently on his blog)and it's easy to go the extreme to "avoid" appearing liberal, but this is our Father's world. The least we should do is try and take care of it.