This year seems as good as any to be the year of local food; conditions are ripe for this expectation: local is the new organic in the media, people are realizing the importance of supporting their community growers, and we’re becoming increasingly conscience of the need to modify our eating habits.  Local can be a big part of the health of our ecosystem — it has been interesting watching British chef and advocate of local, organic, and healthy Jamie Oliver’s struggles on his TV program Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution; click here if you’d like to sign his food revolution petition.  The community he picked was the least healthy in America, and it was startling to see how fat people were; I am not sure if this was staged in some fashion for TV, or the reality of the community.  That being said these people in general were good people trying to better themselves, and in this economy that is admirable.

The difficulty we face in the local movement — is compassion; let me say that again, we, the people espouse, champion, and shout for local often lack compassion for people.  It is easy to laugh at someone who is less fortunate, and wonder why they can’t figure out that chicken nuggets are often bad for you.  Knowledge is power, and often we forget that people are less fortunate — no one wants to live shorter, be fat, or ridiculed for their choices.  I don’t think that Jamie did that, but we have to remember — every small action towards the goal helps.  Ignorance is the enemy not people or companies.

Its easy to take potshots at Whole Foods, Wal-Mart, etc. for not doing enough.   In reality they are part of our economic and social ecosystem we should applaud any and all efforts they make towards sustainability, eating local, and providing healthy and nutritious food at affordable prices.  Local Dirt is a partner to anyone and everyone who wants to make local, nutritious, and wholesome food available to anyone who wants it.  We’re here to listen to our partners, learn, and hopefully be a better partner.  A lot of exciting new features are coming out in the coming months.  In the meantime the Local Dirt message has been picked up in the press.

Reynolds Journalism Institute photo by Karen Stockman

Local Dirt’s founder Heather Hilleren was featured as the lunch speaker at the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri, and was selected as the most innovative idea at the conference.  Local Dirt will also be featured in the April issue of Inc. Magazine.  Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter, and that we can all remember to help those less fortunate, and support those who are trying to make a difference.

Another fact, I’m a locavore. If you are wondering how these two facts could both possibly be true you aren’t alone. A recent NYT article (found in the business section, why?) claimed that it simply isn’t possible to eat local in the wintertime.  What?  Did he attend US history classes?

I would love to throw stones but, hey, I was in his shoes once myself.  It was three years ago when I decided to join the only 100 Mile Eat Local Challenge, which just happened to be going on in California during the first week of March.  Can you guess what is growing in Wisconsin during March?  My lawn.  And even that isn’t growing much.

That week taught some valuable lessons about how to eat local.  They were learned the hard way, through a lot of desperation and a little hunger. Hopefully the five tips below will help you avoid the same weight loss and caffeine withdrawal headaches.

Eating Local 101

1. When in Rome…

Find out what is local to your area. Look at state food & beverage reports, go to a farmers’ market, and look at cookbooks from 60+ years ago.

The NYT article pointed out that wine is a common break in philosophy for locavores, who will ship wine from overseas to eat with their local salad.  Through research I realized that 100 years ago every small town in Wisconsin had its own creamery (for cheese) and its own brewery.  Prohibition shut down all the breweries but the past 20 years have seen a comeback in microbrews.  Just like wine, there are so many varieties of beer it is hard not to find one that appeals.

2. See past the produce section

Go beyond fresh produce.  Beef, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, wheat, beans, nuts, and many other items can be found year round.  That said, many farmers around here have storage facilities able to keep products such as potatoes and squash fresh all the way into February.

3. Preserve the summer

A hard lesson for myself and the first pioneers to learn was “think ahead”.  Freezing, canning, drying, and processing are all ways to preserve local food.  Some of these can be found at farmers’ markets and grocery stores.

Planning is a rule not just for the year but for the week.  If meals are planned and thawed, ready to cook, there is less temptation to order out or pop in a sodium-licious microwave meal.

4. It’s not all or nothing

Start small.  So, maybe your morning coffee isn’t local.  That doesn’t mean you can’t still have a big impact on the environment and local economy by substituting a few items in your meals, or asking your favorite restaurant to make a few changes.

Just being aware of where your food comes from is a big step in the right direction.  Someday all food will have to identify its farm of origin, eliminating dangerous national food recalls.  Ah, yes, there I go dreaming again…

5. Adjust expectations

Find recipes for the local foods you have instead of the other way around.

Recently we tried to source local food for a Wisconsin school cafeteria.  When asked for a short list of products to search for, the cook listed kiwi, oranges and bananas. No joke.

By focusing on the span of the growing season and on local consumption, you can make sure that you’re eating smart and supporting your local farmer. Want to know what’s in season right now? That’s easy – just visit the homepage of the National Resources Defense Council. With a quick search, I found a long list of produce available now in Wisconsin or in bordering states including: beets, bunching greens, cabbage, carrots, garlic, horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce mix, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, potatoes, rutabagas, shallots, spinach, sweet potatoes, turnips, and winter squash.

Sure, I can go to my nearby grocery store and purchase tomatoes for a reasonable price. But those tomatoes were likely shipped from across the country – shouldn’t those food miles be (perhaps substantially) reflected in the cost? And if they were, wouldn’t I be more inclined to make squash soup rather than bruschetta for tonight’s appetizer?

The NRDC notes that, “In the space of a generation, we’ve become accustomed to eating food that’s never grown roots in local soil. In fact, most produce grown in the United States travels an average of 1,500 miles before it gets sold.” Those food miles quickly add up, and they contribute to global warming and air pollution. But what if we noticed those food miles more readily, like in an increase in our grocery bill?

The issue of food prices also ties into an earlier blog post on California’s irrigation problems. If eating local depends on the sustainability of local farms, and if the sustainability of local farms depends on irrigation, perhaps we need to take a hard look at our priorities and our practices.

According to the World Water Forum, farming accounts for 70 percent of the world’s water consumption – and most of its wasteful use. By designing and implementing more efficient irrigation systems, we can address problems related to water shortages and we can continue to support local food consumption. Of course, new irrigation systems cost money. What if the government implemented a tax on non-local food? Such an idea has already been proposed for soda, which could result in hundreds of millions of increased state revenue. Would American taxpayers support it?

The state is now in the middle of its December-through-March wet season. National Public Radio recently reported that California’s first snow survey of the winter showed the Sierra snowpack below normal. Sue Sims, the water department’s chief deputy director, said this may mean that California could face a fourth consecutive year of drought. Last month, California officials announced they expected to release a record-low amount of water to 25 million California residents if this happens — just 5 percent of what has been requested by contractors and farmers.

A year ago, Jim Beck, Kern County Water Agency general manager, told the Western Farm Press that the state was at a turning point. He said, “I think we are currently enduring the worst crisis that water users have ever faced and how we face this crisis over the next two to three years will not only shape agriculture but the whole state’s economy.”

For California farmers, this crisis has pushed them to make some hard decisions. NPR shares the story of Ty and Janet Lompa of California’s Central Valley. Last year, they were forced to cut down 110 acres of walnut orchards, which amounts to approximately 10,000 trees and a third of their entire acreage. “It takes 30 years to get ‘em here,” Janet Lompa noted, “and about a minute and a half to knock ‘em down.”

The Wall Street Journal highlights the story of Harris Farms near Coalinga, California. Last year, they were forced to sideline 9,000 of 11,000 acres that they used to plant with tomatoes, onions, broccoli and other vegetables. “You feel like a general in a battle,” states John Harris, chairman and chief executive of the business. “You’re in constant retreat.” After already reducing production for two years, what will happen to Harris Farms in 2010? Facing another year of drought, how can small farms and big farms alike support the state’s $20 billion-a-year agriculture industry?

It’s a complex question that doesn’t beget a simple answer. While some may push to build more dams, that doesn’t add to the water supply, it just redistributes it. Although California’s Governor has previously declared a state of emergency and enforced water rationing, farmers are still not getting enough water to support their crops. But maybe we’re not asking the right questions.

Robert Glennon notes in the Huffington Post, “In America we traditionally solve water shortages though engineering fixes: dams, canals, diversions, and wells. Seldom do we turn inward and ask whether conservation, reuse, or reallocation would provide easier, cheaper, more environmentally friendly solutions to current shortages.” He suggests that the current crisis should prompt Californians – and all Americans – to examine how, when, and why they use water. But will solutions come soon enough for California farmers?