Riding the wave of the “Eat Local” movement, two books "The 100 Mile Diet and “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” hit the selves earlier this year (including those at good ol’ Scarborough Philips) where the authors underwent yearlong efforts to only eat food sourced locally or grown themselves.
This may seem like a bit drastic for the average person who has no idea where all their food comes from. However as more and more evidence comes around that a local diet is the most sustainable one, more and more people will want to incorporate more local foods into their daily diet. Luckily for those residing in Austin it is not too hard to increase your locally produced sustenance.
One of the easiest ways is to begin frequenting some of the local Farmers Markets. Farmers markets allow you to consult directly with those who grow the food, which is picked the night before market. Most food that is available in grocery stores has been sitting for at least a week meaning that when you buy fresh picked produce it will not only taste fresher, but last longer as well.
For those that are interested in organically grown food, most farmers at farmers markets use organic practices and are more than happy to answer any queries you might have about their growing practices.
Austin has two close-by farmers market-both of which are open practically year round. Held every Saturday 9AM- 1PM at the Toney Burger Center, The Sunset Valley Farmers Market was recently awarded the 2007 Best Farmers Market and for good reason too. The festive market features many local growers along with artists, kombucha brewers, massage therapists and many activities for children. Within the past few weeks’ uber-seasonal produce such as supple and sweet persimmons could be obtained from smiling farmers.
The Austin Farmers Market, located in the heart of downtown (4th and Guadalupe) is also held Saturday’s morning. Although not quite as expansive as Sunset Valley, the market is a nice alternative and can easily be used to pick up many items before hopping the block over to While Foods to complete your grocery shopping.
Another great option is to become a member of a local CSA or community supported agriculture such as Scott Arbor or Green Gate farms. A CSA shareholder pays a sum of money for a whole season (such as summer or winter) and then a portion of the food grown on the land is reserved for them at several drop off points throughout the city. If you have more free time than money than most farms offer a work-food exchange program for as little as four hours a week.
For those that simply don’t have the time or will to go out and gather their own local food, Greenling Organic Delivery system offers will do all the brunt work for you. On a bi-weekly or weekly basics the company offers a box filled with all organic and local food to be delivered directly to your doorstop-all for reasonable prices.
To some eating locally may seem rather restricting, but it will more than likely turn one’s diet more eclectic as they discover the tastes of the season instead of relying on the same old standards each week. Besides where else can you get a whole bag of organic pears for three dollars
