Your families food

[bydand]

Just a quick question came to my mind this afternnon. My family and I are going to spend the afternoon with close friends and I am making a couple of my Pecan pies to bring along. Made me look around our kitchen and notice some interesting things.

The eggs are from a small family farm just out of town, the flour is fresh ground at a small mill I help wire years ago, Buckwheat, rolled oats, and barley all come from that same mill. Potatoes are from a family farm down the road, and the butter is a mix of store bought and farm fresh also down the road.

Am I turning granola here (God I hope not) or do all of you have things that you can get local that are around the same price as big store bought names, but just a lot better quality? It is a bit more time consuming, but not that bad really. For the difference in flavor and quality I am willing to spend a gallon or 2 extra of gas for them. This just popped into my head as I was puttering around the kitchen and this being the time of year a lot of people are in the kitchen, I thought I would ask. If nothing more than to get you to look around your own kitchen and see where your food dollars are going. I would rather have mine stay with my neighbors and community members.

 

[dubljay]

I myself live in a large city making this a little more than difficult. However my parents grow a garden every year. The excess veggies that they dont use are either given to the neighbors, or my dad takes them to work and leaves for others. During the growing season there's usually an abundance of garden fresh produce at my dads work, because everyone brings in what they dont need.

 

[bluemtn]

Well, this year has been rough on our home grown veggies. My parents usually grow their own 'maters, buy corn at a house down the road, and other kinds of 'maters and veggies at either a veggie stand next to the highway or farmer's market in a neighboring town, and sometimes the local fruit orchard. We get everything else from the store. Although, I do know a young girl that has chickens, and is selling eggs. I might try to buy some off of her.

 

[exile]

Am I turning granola here (God I hope not) or do all of you have things that you can get local that are around the same price as big store bought names, but just a lot better quality?

It's a bit harder in a place like Columbus---surprisingly, since there's so much agriculture around us; but getting access to the local producers is the trick. We do however have some local markets that bring in excellent produce from the countryside. And some of the big organic/gourmet `fusion' stores, like Whole Foods, do a certain amount of their sourcing from local producers. It's really worth it...

 

[dubljay]

Along these lines... though somewhat different...

How many here shop or have shopped at a co-op market before? They're great places. Usually local goods and at more than competitive prices.

 

[exile]

Along these lines... though somewhat different...

How many here shop or have shopped at a co-op market before? They're great places. Usually local goods and at more than competitive prices.

Have done, and yes, they can be terrific. The problem with many of them is that you have to joint the co-op to shop there, which entails a certain amount of time commitment which (for me, anyway) would be impossible, I'm stretched too thin already. But if you can find one that lets you pay a little more instead of putting in five hours or whatever of work there as a member, and doesn't require you to buy in bulk quantities (I've seen some that do this), then you can often find really good food from the local area, as you say, without it costing a fortune.