What is this Locavore thing and why is it so Challenging?

Locavore is a term used for a person or family that looks to eat food within a certain radius of their home, typically just a few hundred miles.

For a reference, the average American meal travels thousands of miles.  Not only is the food not picked at the peek of ripeness in this average scenario, it also looses significant nutritional value.  Additionally, in most cases your dollars spent on average American food is going to line some executive's wallet far away vs actually paying a farmer a living wage for their product. I wont even go into ethical treatment of personnel or animals or the insane amount of your dollar that goes in to the marketing and transportation of these goods.

Quality and Community.  That was my focus a few years ago when I started down this path.  I want good quality food for the money I spend.  I want it to be fresh, picked at it's peek.  Additionally I want to see my community THRIVE!  I want to support local businesses and see them grow, adding jobs to MY community.  That may sound selfish, but there you have it.

So 3 years later as Dann & I look over the registration form for the upcoming Locavore Challenge hosted by NOFA-NY I am pleasantly surprised that we can already check off several of the items listed as a challenge.  To select these particular items in our registration would be dishonest as they now are a way for life for us.

Over the next few weeks I will share with you how we have prepared for not only the locavore challenge, but the winter a head of us too.

Check the link below for a copy of the registration form for this year's Locavore Challenge.  How many can you cross off from the list already?  What is left to challenge you?  Join in and share your experience!

NOFA-NY Locavore Challenge Registration Form