One of my personal goals for the new year is to watch my Netflix movies in a more timely manner. Netflix probably loves me as I am their favorite type of customer: the kind who sits on a movie for a month or more before watching it, still paying the same monthly fee. Finally, I sent back my last movie unwatched and have made an effort to bump things I really want to see to the top of my queue.
That’s how we ended up watching Food, Inc. the other night. While I have read a number of the information sources for the film, it was particularly interesting to me to see it with my husband, who has not done the reading that I have, but does have a degree in restaurant management. Between the information we did and didn’t know, it was a provocative base for dialogue and change. The end of the film suggests steps you can take in your own life to minimize industrial food in your home and vote with your dollars. One of those suggestions is to purchase local, organic food — for example, from a CSA program. (Ooh, segue!)
We picked up our most recent share of the bounty from our CSA yesterday. If you’re in the San Diego area, Suzie’s Farm is waiving the $20 joiner’s fee if you sign up during January. If you’re not, check out Local Harvest to find a CSA near you! If one of your resolutions for 2010 is to eat healthier, a giant box of vegetables every week or two will put you on the right track.
But enough from me, you want to see produce, I know. This week’s bounty has me really excited to cook.
Clockwise from top left: sweet peas, yellow wax beans, cauliflower, D’Avignon radishes, Cosmic Purple carrots, Lacinato (or dinosaur or cavolo nero) kale, cilantro, flat-leaf parsley, giant bag o’ spinach
This is probably our last bag of sweet peas for a while, but snow peas are next! I’m also a huge kale fan, so I’m pumped about that.
Clockwise from top left: cherry tomatoes (their first crop from the greenhouse!), tender little zucchini, red chard, green leaf lettuce, celery, green cabbage, and red peppers
It’s also been sunny enough that the tomatoes moping along on my patio are finally starting to turn red. I’m planning a garden update soon!
It was nice to see my husband be more actively on board with the food choices I have been trying to make. I’m still looking for a reasonable source for eggs. There is a farm stand about 6 miles away that’s open on Saturday mornings that I may check out this weekend. I’m also looking at placing an order with Azure Standard which stocks reasonably-priced organic foods.
While I generally make an effort to buy local, seasonal, organic food, sometimes I cheat. This year I want to really read labels (even on produce) and make a better effort to buy organic dairy products not produced by giant “organic CAFOs.”
Did you make any food resolutions for the new year?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Just wanted to let you know that you totally inspired me. After reading this last week, I started doing the research on CSAs near me and contacted one of them, after finding out they still had some shares left, I wrote a check today and it should be in the mail tomorrow! I won’t start getting stuff until June and I’m already excited
That’s awesome! You totally made my day. =)