100 Mile Diet

When I was a baby, my mom and dad packed up their things along with me and my sister and bought a tiny farm in southeast Ohio. They caught the very tail end of the Back to the Land Movement and moving down to that farm was their way to get off the grid and be self sufficient. They had their own cows and chickens. They grew their own vegetables. And for a while lived without any electricity. They have since moved back to a city (albiet a very small one) because giving up as much as they did was too hard. They still have a small garden and live frugally, but they've giving up a lot of the things they did on that farm.  Now, I have no interest whatsoever in living on a farm. I love the city too much. But the irony is not lost on either of my parents for my interest in organic, local foods, crafting and domestic activities, and doing things by hand instead of buying things.

One of the things that they focused on not because of choice, but because of necessity was eating local, seasonal food. My mom did a lot of her own canning and even after she moved to the city still would occasionally make big batches of tomato sauce. I had been researching local pick your own farms for next summer and decided picking foods and then canning them could be a lot of fun. My mom has since promised me her hot water canner and I have really gotten excited about learning to can foods. While researching canning, I came upon the 100 mile diet. I don't think I can totally do it, but it is really interesting.

The 100 mile diet is a movement that is slowly gaining members throughout the world. It runs along side (and sometimes in conjunction with) the Slow Food Movement. When following the 100 mile diet one eats only food grown within 100 miles. 100milediet.org chronicles Alisa Smith and James Mackinnon, from British Columbia, Canada, and one year of living on the 100 mile diet. The rules they followed were strict. No food was eaten that wasn't grown within 100 miles. And they talked often about how long it took to get into the groove of finding good local foods, and how in the beginning they ate a lot of potatoes. Other groups that follow the 100 mile diet aren't so strict, including the Locavores who have the following rules regarding their diet. I think these rules are a lot easier to follow than the very strict 100 mile diet and makes it easy for everyone to do.

If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic. This is one of the most readily available alternatives in the market and making this choice protects the environment and your body from harsh chemicals and hormones.

If not ORGANIC, then Family farm. When faced with Kraft or Cabot cheeses, Cabot, a dairy co-op in Vermont, is the better choice. Supporting family farms helps to keep food processing decisions out of the hands of corporate conglomeration.

If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business. Basics like coffee and bread make buying local difficult. Try a local coffee shop or bakery to keep your food dollar close to home.

If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Terroir, which means 'taste of the Earth'. Purchase foods famous for the region they are grown in and support the agriculture that produces your favorite non-local foods such as Brie cheese from Brie, France or parmesan cheese from Parma, Italy.

I think I'm going to try doing this by following the Locavores rules. I can't start right now because I am currently on vacation in Arizona. But starting with my next grocery shopping trip I am going to do my best to follow those rules. This is probably going to mean a lot more shopping at places like Whole Foods instead of the local Giant Eagle but it is worth a shot. I am not simply going to throw out the food I already have either. I'm going to make sure to eat everything that I still have available. Eating local isn't doing anyone any good if I'm wasting all the other food I have.

Wish me luck!