Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Mission

Justin here.

So I finally got Richard to watch Food, Inc. He'd been trying to avoid it because he was sure that if it was anything like some of the articles on food handling that I'd been sending him, he'd probably never eat again. But I'm incredibly persuasive (read: annoying), and he finally broke down and watched it with me.

He didn't stop eating, and he didn't throw out all the food in the house, so I guess the viewing went better than I expected. We discussed how we both liked the idea of getting locally raised, organic foods. So we decided that over the next year, we're going to try to find some great local food producers and gradually start eating great, organic, local food. We figure it's a double win. We'll be able to support our community farmers, and we'll be more involved in what goes in our mouths!

And we're not just going to be better about buying great ingredients. We're going try to avoid buying things like pasta and bread too. We'll make 'em. We're really going to start taking our food much more seriously.

This blog will be where we include all of our adventures in trying to go organic and local with our food sources. We'll share where we shop, what farms we visit (we're serious about getting involved with our food!), and any other zany food-related misadventures. Richard suggested that I do most of the blogging since he's planning on spending a lot more time in the kitchen so you'll mostly be stuck reading my version of what's going on, but hopefully he'll step in and share things too!

So to anyone who's reading, wish us luck. I hope that you enjoy the blog, and if nothing else, maybe we'll find something interesting that will be of use to you.

3 comments:

  1. This is a GREAT idea. Have you considered visiting some of the old Mennonite and Amish markets on the Kansas side? I would totally go along if you do that. Also, I'm interested to know cost issues...I find that organic is so often more expensive, but if you're cooking, maybe that isn't true.

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  2. Wonderful! Jeff and I have thought about trying to take steps in this direction as well but haven't really known the best route to go. I look forward to getting some tips from the two of you! Good luck to you both!

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  3. This response begins with me trying to find a place to purchase chemical free, non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) wheat berries to grind for our own flour and searching for bread recipes that mimic the texture of commercially produced bread. (I know I'm really going back a few decades.) One of the message boards I came across, with a good recipe that I have yet to try, had replies from a few individuals who had made their own flour and that they purchased it from a local Amish farmer. So, I began searching for Amish communities in the (Missouri) area. I came across Jamesport, a primarily Amish and Mennonite community, 90 miles northeast of Kansas City. I have yet to contact them to see if they grow and produce their own flour or if the purchase it. I know that their shops are open throughout the week except Sunday and Thursday. When the weather becomes a little more stable, we may take a trip there.

    Until I find a place to purchase flour processed and grown locally, I will buy organic or chemical free, non-GMO flour, which surprisingly is not much more expensive than the Great Value Brand at Wal-Mart.

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