The importance of supporting U-pick Farms this year (& every year!)

Fresh picked raspberries from Makielski's!

I finally got around to doing some U-pick this weekend!  I've been getting great local fruit from my Farmers' Market, but it seems like each summer-fruit has passed me by before I could catch it U-pick style; strawberries, tart cherries, blueberries... since raspberries are my favorite summer fruit, I wanted to make sure I got some before the season ends!

While it's unfortunate that there aren't any organic fruit farms in this region (that I know of), I think it's important to support the local fruit crops we do have- strawberries, blackberries & raspberries, blueberries, cherries and apples just to name some of the local availability.

I've made a decision that for me, locally grown produce is what I'd rather purchase, vs organic produce from California. At least I know my money is staying in the region, and many times even farms that aren't certified organic are "no spray" or at least a less-toxic pesticide plan that big conventional farms.




My little sis Sam picking at Wasem Farm


U-pick is one kind of farm I'm used to supporting: growing up, my family didn't really do farmers' markets or farm stands, but we picked some type of berry almost every year, and apple and pumpkin picking with family friends signified fall for us. I've continued the tradition now that I'm settled here in Ypsi: Raspberries in the summer, Apples and Pumpkins in the fall. Over the years, my husband and my sister have joined in the tradition of picking apples, and carving pumpkins. My first "date" with Sam after being newly matched as Big Sister and Little Sister in October of 2004 was pumpkin carving in my residence hall's kitchen at EMU :)  As an adult, I've also added new traditions of my own, including canning, freezing, and growing some of my own fruits!

It's so important to continue to patronize our local farms, especially in years like this, where in Michigan most of our tree fruit crops were destroyed by a late spring frost. Just one example of the devastation that occured is at Wasem Fruit Farm, the farm that Mike and I have gone to for the past 4 or 5 years. The owners sent out this email to their customers just a few weeks ago, essentially stating that their apples and other tree crops were lost this season. While they do grow other non-tree fruit as well as pumpkins, apples are a big part of their farm, and the delicious apple cider they make will be also un-available this season.

 

In the email, the owners reached out to their customers, to ask how they could continue to retain our patronage in this tough year- would we come out to the farm to buy doughnuts still? What other kinds of features could get us to come out to the farm? I truly believe that each person's support can make a difference. Having farms like these is a big asset to our communities, and I plan to go out of my way to support Wasem and other local farms in whatever way I can. 

As you're grocery shopping this season, think about the alternative ways you could get your fruit fix! U-Pick operations are a bit of work for you, but they're usually cheaper than retail fruit prices. They also give you a direct connection to your food- the only more direct thing you could do is grow it yourself! If you're looking to try out a U-Pick, there is a nice state-by-state directory here and an Ann Arbor area directory here.
 

Happy Picking!



2012 Local Eating Goals

Now that (I hate to say it) we've passed the middle point of summer, I am thinking about and preparing for Fall. This year, more than ever, I am trying to live in the moment and truly enjoy each day and revel in the season- the sweltering hot days, the strangely-cool days, and everything in between. 

However, part of appreciating these summer days is putting up some of my favorite fruits and vegetables for later on the in the year, and planting in preparation for fall. Every year I have a sort of mental list of Homestead-y things I'd like to accomplish- things to grow, things to can, things to freeze, things to dry and store through winter. I'm proud to say that this year, I have actually done some significant fall planting, and I've also done a pretty fair job at "putting up" or canning/preserving/storing & locally sourcing a good deal of the things that were on said mental list! 

I will say that I've give myself some exceptions- this list applies most to food that is eaten in my home. While eating out and about, I do try to have a strong focus on local food, supporting local businesses, and avoiding questionable meat (essentially, it's questionable unless I know where it's sourced from). BUT it's hard to find places to eat that meet all of my strict qualifications! So while I am an intentional eater at restaurants, I am my best locavore self at home, where I can better control what comes into my home, where it comes from, and what I spend our $$$ on.

As I have moved towards eating more and more locally, there is a natural shift towards eating things in the season they grow in. For example, when I say that I eat only local potatoes all year long, it is because I plant potatoes in the spring, I harvest them in the summer, and store them to eat throughout summer, fall, and into winter. Then I stop eating potatoes until I can find them locally again in the spring, or grow them myself once again!

With all that stuff in mind, here's an attempt at a typed version of my 2012 Local Eating Goals.

Happy Home 2012 Local Eating Goals
* crossed off= already preserved or ready to store

Veggies to store/source locally for the entire year-
(successfully achieved this part of the list last year!)
Onions
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Acorn Squash
Carrots
Garlic (50 heads)

Other food products to source locally for the entire year-
Wheat
Bread
Bagels
Butter 
Milk 
Eggs
Meat products

Herbs to dry & store/grow indoors for the entire year-
Cilantro/Coriander
Basil
Thyme
Rosemary
Oregano
Sage

Locally grown veggies & fruits to Can-
6 pints Pickles
5 pints Tomato Sauce 
10 pints and 12 half-pints Corn
10 pints Green beans
25 half-pints Peaches
15 half-pints Pears
6 pints Apricots
3 pints Cranberry Sauce
15 half-pints Applesauce
3 pints Blueberry jam

Locally grown veggies & fruits to Freeze-
5 quarts Blueberries 
1 quart Cherries 
1 quart Raspberries
2 quarts Strawberries 
3 quarts Corn

Locally grown fruits to Dehydrate-
2 bags dried cranberries

If you'd like to set some local eating goals for yourself, I have a few tips:

• Set some perimeters for yourself- be realistic about what you think you can do
• Have strategies in mind- Where will you shop/how will you grow things to meet your goals?
• Think it out- If you want to can 60 pints of tomatoes, when will that actually happen and do you truly have the time & resources to do that?
• Pat yourself on the back, even if you don't accomplish everything you set out to! You're still making progress, and you'll have a better idea of how you can improve in future years.

What do you try to eat locally year round? 

Are there things that you think are more important to source locally than others?

Pasta with Spinach, Feta and Garlic

This dish is another great way to enjoy spinach, my favorite spring leafy green! A little olive oil, some garlic, add a dash of balsamic vinegar, and crumble some feta cheese over it all and you've got a quick, light, healthy(ish) pasta dish.

Pasta with Spinach, Feta and Garlic

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves
3 oz uncooked pasta
2 cups spinach
3/4 cup feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Bring a small pot of water to boil- when boiling, add pasta
• Meanwhile, mince the garlic, and place in a small frying pan with the olive oil on medium heat
• Chop up spinach into small 1" pieces, and set aside
• When pasta is ready, drain and add to the frying pan with the garlic and olive oil
• Add the balsamic vinegar to the frying pan, and then add the chopped up spinach
• Lastly, crumbled the feta cheese over the frying pan. Mix ingredients together, and add salt and pepper as desired

Serve and Enjoy!

Shopping small-scale: Grocery shopping with intention

Because I make a concerted effort to buy locally and in season, I make several small trips for groceries each week. I don't mind, and in fact I enjoy the opportunity to buy fresh things every few days. I usually spend between $20-30 per trip, and try to get "ingredients", as my mom would say, so I am ready to make a variety of dishes.

My grocery haul for the day 

When our Downtown Ypsi Farmers' Market starts back up, I'll shop there each week, but in the off-season, I head to the Ann Arbor FM, or like today, the Ypsi Food Co-op. If you have a food co-operative near you, I suggest you check it out.

Co-ops often have competetive pricing to larger box stores, and a great focus on sourcing local products and produce. Their focus on quality, healthy food is inspiring, and their desire to provide local options and source products from local businesses both large and small means I will always be a loyal customer there.

When I head to the co-op for a grocery run, I start by heading straight to the produce section and looking to see what's locally-grown. The fruits and veggies I purchase will form the basis of my meals, so I like to get inspiration in the produce aisle to start. This week I found locally-grown spinach, baby bok choy, basil, a variety of herbs, beets, radishes, arugula, as well as some storage apples- whoa!! I picked out bok choy, which I'll use in soba noodle soup, basil to flavor various dishes, spinach for one of my favorite salads, and Fuji apples which I will bring to work for a snack. 

Over in the Dairy aisle, I'm always greeted with a variety of local and healthy choices of milk, cheese, and yogurt. I always pick up milk from Calder Dairy, and I like to get cheese for an afternoon snack. Eggs, tofu and other refrigerated items are in this aisle as well, and although I get my eggs farm-delivered, the co-op's eggs help to tide me over when I've run out too early.

On the bread rack is a variety of bread products, both local and not- I enjoy the Barry Bagels from Ann Arbor, and today I chose some Scallion and Dill bread from Avalon Bakery in Detroit (it's delicious!).  The bread will be toasted with some jam for breakfasts this week!

The bulk food section at your local food co-op is an inspiring place to go. Beans, rice, cornmeal, flour, granola mixes, nuts, herbs & spices, coffee, and looseleaf teas are just some of the items you'll find there. On this trip, I got some polenta meal to replenish my stocks- polenta is a quick dinner meal, and easy to customize to my liking.

My last stop is the soap aisle, where I fill up our bottle of Dr. Bronners soap, as needed. I'm pretty sure we've had that bottle for 4 years! There is also bulk shampoo & hand soap, so I bring in our soap dispenser to refill those things too. It's a bit cheaper to refill than it is to buy, and saving the use of a few bottles is nice as well.

Where do you do your grocery shopping? Have you found a natural foods store or a Co-op by you that meets your shopping needs?

Friday Favorites

My favorite things today:

Seeing my neighbors get Calder Dairy (a local dairy in S.E. Michigan) products delivered

Enjoying a quick chai tea pick-me-up at one of my favorite local cafes

Breakin' out my birkenstocks!!

Waving to 4 different people I know on my walk down the street on way to the bank. When I got to the back, I talked to the teller about local Girl Scouts for 10 minutes! I love living, working, and playing in my city :)

Sticking it out until Spring

It's March, friends. The time where I start pretending its Spring, even though it is still 39 degrees outside. Once I see little crocus shoots poking up out of the ground, It Is Spring- thermometer be damned!

In my life as a gardener and a local eater, March is that fun time between growing and harvesting: I've got seedlings started, but they're not large enough to do anything with yet. I am down to my last 3 heads of backyard garlic, I am slowly but surely using up the potatoes and carrots in the root cellars outside. I have a few lonley sweet potatoes and squash still holding on in the mudroom, and have enough onions to last me right up until it's time to harvest my own!

One of the positive part of eating so much more seasonally this year is that I will really appreciate each new veggie as it comes into season.

I will be relying heavily on the Ann Arbor Farmers' Market, our local Ypsi Food Co-op, and Mix Marketplace will get me through, grocery-wise until my little seedlings are out there in the garden, growing and producing.  I can proudly say, that after eating only seasonally-available veggies when at home, that I am tired of storage carrots, onions, and potatoes. I could really use some fresh lettuce, a green onion, some chives, a strawberry, a tomato.... mmm. I'll have to dream for another couple of months.

What fruit or veggie are you most looking forward to eating when it comes into season?

Supporting Local Businesses while Traveling



View of the city from across the river

This week, Mike and I decided to take a little mid-winter vacation to Grand Rapids. We've spent a lot of time and effort trying to buy locally, so when traveling, we try to continue the trend.

Both of us had only spent one evening in Grand Rapids previously, and we wanted to learn about the city. Also, Grand Rapids was featured in some bad press earlier this year, being ranked as #10 in Newsweek's America's Dying Cities list. In response, the city made a video-it's pretty cute. We wanted to show our solidarity by visiting and spending some $$ there. Here are some spots we stopped, sights we saw, and where we stayed, in case you're ever traveling that way!



Kalamazoo Train Station



Travel: We chose to take the Amtrak train from Ann Arbor to Kalamazoo, and then a Indian Trails bus from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids. If you've never taken the train or bus to a far-off locale, here's why you should try it:

•  It's fun- there are always some characters on the train/bus
• You save on gas
• You don't have to park a car for $20/night.
• One of our favorite "experiences" was just walking to each destination- that was an adventure unto itself!



Awesome hotel!

 Hotel: We stayed at the CityFlats Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids, on the east side of the Grand River. CityFlats has a LEED Gold certification, and features Michigan-made products. It was also a GREAT locaiton, close to restaurants, coffee shops, and walkable to everything! Some of the eco-friendly features include:

• Cork flooring
• Naturally hypo-allergenic bamboo linens
• Low-flow faucets and toilets
• Locally manufactured furniture and décor

Restaurants: While in GR, we made a point of eating at locally-owned restaurants, especially those featuring locally-grown produce and products. Some of our favorites were Bistro Bella Vita, Bar Divani, Founders Brewing Co., and MadCap Coffee. Bistro Bella Vita had a LOT of local produce, and all of their meat seemed to be locally-sourced and humanely-raised as well. Bar Divani featured local meats as well as local cheeses and some other products- very, very good food! Founders didn't seem to have local food, but they brew their beer right there in GR and you can eat at the Brewery.

Honorable mention: We had a several hour lay-over in Kalamazoo on our way there, and we hung out at Something's Brewing for a few hours, followed by a trip to the Kalamazoo Beer Exchange. Both were super cool: I wish we had more time in Kalamazoo! Maybe our next trip will be to stay there for a few days.



Meyer May house in Grand Rapids

 Attractions (Grand Rapids): Both of us share a similar vacation philosophy- travel lightly, walk to your destinations, and get to know the city you are visiting. Because of these values, we chose to go certain places. We saw the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Meyer May house, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. While on our commute to these places, we also stumbled upon the public library and an independantly-owned book store!  The Meyer May house was really cool- I love FLW's design principles of bringing nature indoors and complementing the house with landscaping and completing the landscape with the home. The Public Museum was pretty kid-focused, but still fun. the Gerald R Ford Museum was really interesting- I knew almost nothing about him, and now I know a lot more!



loves waitin' for the train home



 So if you're heading out to the West side of Michigan, consider visiting Grand Rapids! The downtown area was really, spotlessly clean and tidy, there were a lot of independently-owned businesses, and there was a lot to do. As I mentioned before, it was really walkable and there seemed to be a good bus system, although we didn't use it on our trip.