Traveling can be difficult when attempting to find quality food sources. Therefore when we go on vacation we always bring that one essential item, our
Vitamixer. Upon arriving at our destination we search out the local farmers markets to find fresh organic produce and then juice them in the mixer. It's an excellent way to get large sources of phytonutrients into the body as well as supporting local smaller farmers.
I was recently reading a book entitled “The 100-Mile Diet" also known as "Plenty" here in the U.S.” It was an experiment that started as a web blog about a couple’s attempt at eating only the freshest local food. The blog became so popular that they became a media phenomenon. The blog turned into a book deal documenting the story of Alisa Smith and James MacKinnon, the British Columbia couple who were determined to buy and eat food that is only grown within 100 miles of where they live. It was a little experiment they started for several reasons.
One of their reasons was to lesson their impact on the environment. Did you know that the average produce in North America travels 1500 miles from farm to your fork? They call that “the SUV diet.” Although, I’m sure many of you have seen produce from as far away as New Zealand. A study out of Iowa found that eating a locally produced diet translated into a 17 times reduction in the amount of oil and gas needed to otherwise transport the same food found in most typical supermarkets. A British study followed the money spent at local food business and farmer’s markets. They found that the money stayed or was reinvested in the community twice as much as compared to money spent at supermarket chains.
Alisa and James also chose to live this way in order to connect with their local farmers while enjoying fresh, picked daily produce. This gave them a chance to meet the farmers and understand what’s in their food as well as what’s seasonal. It also allowed them to try a variety of foods they had not previously eaten. Many of the produce selections people tend to make at supermarkets are from different climates and would be considered out of season in our area, hence, the higher prices for such items as cherries in winter.
The couple tended to receive similar questions on their blog. One in particular that often popped up was, did you feel malnourished during this experiment? The couple responded by stating that they ate only the freshest food that had traveled a very short distance and was eaten at its seasonal peak and full of flavor. They also stated that most of the food was organic, and none of it came out of a box. How could this nutritious diet be worse than a diet of fast or junk food?
Most of their shopping was carried out at local farmer’s markets, with many of the farms participating as Community Supported Agriculture or CSA’s. These are small scale local farms that originally developed in Japan and typically have a co-op associated with them. There are several co-ops in Arizona including Crooked Sky Farms out of the Phoenix area and Desert Roots Farms in Queen Creek. Co-op’s typically involve memberships for a seasons growth of produce, and involves certain pick-up points to receive your weeks supply. There are also several farmer’s markets including the Downtown Phoenix Public Market open year round on Saturday mornings as well as markets in Chandler and Ahwatukee.As for Alissa and James, they’re still shopping and eating local. One bonus of their new habit has been some weight loss due in part to the fresh foods, but also the lack of foods out of boxes of junk foods. A number of 100-Mile Diet clubs have sprouted up since the book was published, check out www.100milediet.org. For more information on locally grown foods, farmer’s markets, and health food stores visit www.rawforlife.com.
