Did you read that title?
Yes, it’s official, as of June 1st, we have hit the mid-way point in this challenge!!!
50 days down, only 50 more to go!
Now, please share with me how you’re doing! What are your greatest challenges when it comes to sourcing as much of your food locally as possible? What have you found to be your greatest rewards?
Tell me, is this the easiest challenge you’ve ever participated in? The hardest challenge?
Please comment below with your experiences!
But first, I have a few things to share with you all as well 🙂
50 days…it seems like a really long time on one hand, but on the other hand (and in the grand scheme of things), it seems like nothing at all!
So, here are a few things we’ve learned over the past 50 days!
We miss avocados horribly! We knew we would miss them, but I don’t think we could fully understand the scale at which we would miss them. It’s a problem. Especially in New Mexico where guacamole pretty much makes every meal just that much better!
Chocolate and tea have become our guilty pleasures. No kidding. I buy the most sustainably raised chocolate and tea I can get my hands on (and man, that stuff is expensive), but neither item is in any way local. They’re not even local-ish. But, the chocolate makes Kim happy and the tea makes me happy so they are now, officially, allowed as full on exceptions.
Blue corn is good, but I could really go for some good, old fashioned wheat! I know, I know! I’m not supposed to even eat wheat! However, that doesn’t mean I don’t want it! I love our blue corn polenta and atole, posole, and meal, but I could go for a big ol’ slice of home baked bread! I’m very tempted to purchase some Heirloom Sonoran Wheat, grind it up myself and see how my body reacts to it since the gluten levels are a small fraction of our conventional wheat levels. I’ll let you know what I decide.
Budgets require a bit of flexibility. Our original goal was to stick to $100 per week, which we’ve done pretty well on! However, some weeks we spend a little more (like when we run out of honey or lard) and then other weeks we spend a little less (like the week we had over $40 leftover)!
Our trash production is way down. This was an unanticipated and welcome revelation! Truly, we used to produce so much trash…bags and bags of it! And now, between the two of us, we might produce one or two per week and that’s a stretch! I know that may still seem like a lot to those of you who are rockstars when it comes to such things, but this is huge for us! We’re very excited!
Our knowledge and intention has increased exponentially! Maybe this goes without saying, but the way we are thinking about our food has absolutely changed. We knew it would, but I don’t think we thought it would happen so fast! The items we purchase, cook and consume have intention put into each aspect of their process, from the farm to our table! It really feels good knowing that we are shifting habits in a very positive way and will only continue to do so as the second half of the challenge marches on!
This weekend was the best weekend at the market so far and it can only get better from here! Not only are we beginning to harvest a tiny bit from our own plot (OK, eight ounces of rhubarb and two strawberries don’t amount to much, but they still count) but the variety at the market shifted in a huge way this weekend! We went from meat, milk, greens, radishes and super expensive hot house tomatoes to suddenly having onions, garlic, and carrots, too! So exciting! I can hardly wait to see what’s available next weekend 🙂
Homemade butter is the best. The end 😉
Alright, I think that’s it for now! But before you go, please don’t forget to share some of your reflections and experiences in the comments below!
Thank you again for being on the crazy Local Bite challenge journey with us! Cheers!
xoxo,
M
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I love the accidental creation of less trash! Really, it’s not something we think about in that context, is it?
I have – quite frankly – not been doing nearly as well as I’d hoped. One, the three men I live with think I’m crazy for even trying. Two, we are in the middle of some big life changes that make it very difficult to ALSO have time for tracking down and cooking locally. And three, my MIL was in town for a week. (<<–that's totally a good excuse. Wine is not local. 😉 )
However – my awareness (and guilt!) has increased tremendously, inspiring me to really get my sh*t together to get more food growing. So, success in a roundabout way?
Kris @ Attainable Sustainable recently posted…Critter Proofing Your Raised Beds
Hey now, I’m just glad your awareness is there (and that you’ve allowed yourself some wine)! Don’t let the guilt get to you too much…the whole intention of this thing was the awareness and intention, so no matter what you’re doing with the challenge, you’re succeeding 🙂
I can’t believe it’s already been 50 days! This challenge has made me so much more aware of the things we eat that aren’t local, as well as the things we eat that COULD be local if we planned ahead- as in stored up for the winter or fully utilized our greenhouse to get things going earlier in the season.
I’ve also been surprised to see how much less food we need to buy to still eat delicious, local meals. Cutting out all the “ingredients” in more complex recipe has led to simple meats and veggie meals, but they’re so good and much simpler.
And last but not least- I have been noticing the trash thing too. I have been (for a while now) obsessed with a book I read called Zero Waste Home, where they buy everything locally or from the bulk bins (as well as reuse, by used, repurpose, all that jazz) and the family generates virtually no trash. This challenge has really reignited my desire to “zero waste” our home!
Thanks for challenging us to do this- I never would have started it without the extra motivation this challenge provided.
Ashley Housley recently posted…Fridays on the Farm: The Cow is Free…
Ooh…I’ve heard of the Zero Waste Home but have not yet delved in! Thank you for the reminder! The consumption of and therefore the production of less trash has been such a gift! Add that to the purging tear I’m just starting and maybe I’ve found my next challenge???
Thank you so much for participating, Ashley! It’s been such a pleasure hearing about everyone’s experiences! Cheers to the next 50 days!