A beginning

Local sustainable farming is invaluable to the health of our bodies, communities, and world. This blog will follow my experience as I transition to a diet consisting of only local foods and explore my local farming community. For my purposes, over the next 8-9 months I will only consume food products from the Eastern Washington region. Through conscious consumption and engagement with the local farming community I hope to form a deeper connection to my food, to its producers, and to the environment.

While I am thrilled about the prospect of eating local, I will likely allow a few "cheats". For instance, as a soy milk drinker I am not yet certain how to secure milk through the local market. I am considering switching to dairy for the year, although I would very much prefer not doing so. Staples like milk, however, present an interesting challenge to my plan and I will need to determine what non-local products I will still purchase and what I will give up. Since, I do travel to visit loved ones in Seattle throughout my academic year I will likely relax the criteria on my diet during those visits. While in Seattle I will try to eat predominantly local foods, but will allow foods from throughout Washington State into my diet, as well. Regardless of where I am, however, for the next year I will not eat any food from outside either my immediate region (Eastern or Wester Wa) or larger state.

In any case, my transition to a predominantly localvorian diet will begin gradually. I intend to begin first by incorporating one meal a day that is entirely composed of local products. Over the course of four to six weeks I will incorporate more and more local foods, until my diet is composed entirely of Eastern Washington products.

I'm really excited to begin this experience, both eating and connecting with local farmers. I think ultimately what I really want to get out of this experience are connections- deep connection to my environment, to my communities, to my food, and to others who are also interested in food ways and alternatives to mass farmed and produced food that fills grocery stores throughout the country. There is real potential in the local food movement to make powerful social and environmental change, and to connect with one another- to rediscover a sense of interconnectedness and community. And that to me is the most rewarding part of this whole plan. So, I look forward to the next months, and hope you will follow me as I adventure through the gardens, plots, and market stalls of my region.