Is back!

It's just carrots.

Hey there sexy veggies- Where you from? The 613- local eh!? Funny that’s just how I like my-wait- is that a carrot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

After a very fun and successful month of local eating in August 2012 I decided to up the anti this year.

The Challenge: I will be a Locavore from after the August long weekend August 6^th to the end of Thanksgiving weekend October 14^th. 

The Rules:  Are pretty much the same as last year, I have managed to find everything I need within a 200km radius of my house. Again I use the term ‘everything loosely’ because there are of course a few exceptions. In researching locavore sites and blogs I have found I am what is known as a Wildcard Locavore- basically one that makes exceptions for things they cant imagine living without wine, coffee… ya, that’s pretty much it. I am not sure if Wildcard is the right word- maybe plan to avoid going wildcard. 

Everything not including:

Mug by Arabesque Pottery

Coffee- my excuse- I’m Canadian. According to the coffee association of Canada 68% ofCanadian adults drink coffee every day, making it the most popular beverage other than water. I will only drink coffee roasted locally-none of that Tim Hortons shit.

Salt- I have some sea salt a friend brought me from France. My justification here is that it was local when she bought it and she was traveling the distance anyways. The same applies to an herb seasoning mix grown in southern Ontario by the relatives of a close friend and some sugar I brought back from my trip to Costa Rica.

Alcohol- I’m not in rehab. I will keep it to Ontario wines and the occasional Ontario craft beer. 

**The Social Clause- New this year I am including a social clause which ‘allows me to break the local food rules when my dietary restrictions unavoidably interfere with my ability to participate in and enjoy important social events.’ For example, a wedding. 

Let the fun begin!!!!

Weighing in: Tipping the scales and balancing the budget.

Finally the answer to the question on everyone's mind- Did I get gain or lose weight???

At the start of this challenge I tipped the scales at 114lbs. 

Now? Drum roll please......

As of September 3^rd my weight was 113.6lbs.  It's pretty much the difference between wearing tiny vs granny panties. Negligible- depending on the audience;) 

Balancing the Budget

I have been getting lots of questions about the $$$ of eating local so I decided to compare my local purchases to their grocery aisle counterparts. 

Locally Sourced Food		Average Grocery Store
Stirling Creamery Butter	$5.99	Butter	$5.99
Cochranes Dairy Milk 4L	$6.99	Milk 4L	$6.26
Sunflower Oil 500 ml	$10.00	Sunflower oil 500ml	$3.29
Goat, Sheep and buffalo cheeses	Average $6.00- $10.00	Goat cheese	$4.99
Fresh Bacon	$12.00	Bacon	$3.79-$5.99
Honey (replace sugar)	Approx. $4.00 a week	Sugar	Approx. $0.50 a week
La Soyarie tofu	$3.50	Tofu	$3.00-$4.50
Bread and Sons Spelt Bread	$4.50	Bread	$2.50-4.50
Local Organic Eggs	$5.25	Eggs	$2.00
Happy Goat Coffee	$9.00	Generic Coffee	$5.00- $10.00
Castor River Oats	$0.50	Rolled oats	$0.40

 

The local fruit and vegetables are more expensive but I think it's unfair to even compare local fresh produce to the grocery store stuff. It's apples to oranges or local fresh apple crisp to stale crackers made in china. 

Balancing the local food budget is all about what I didn't buy. Think about it- how often do you buy a coffee, snack on the go, lunch at work or dinner out. Those things are expensive and they add up quickly! Cutting out all those on the go buys totally balanced out my trips to market. 

In all honesty, balancing the cheque book and the scales was a bonus. I didn't do this to save money or lose weight. I did it to fall back in love with 2 things 1) real food and 2) Ottawa. I have always related to the Michael Pollen quote 'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.' I was in an uninspired food funk eating too much processed food and living the complete opposite of Pollens philosophy. Now I crave cherry tomatoes instead of 1cheesies and I'm thrilled by the idea of spending a Friday night canning my own salsa and sauces. And, the second thing, I wanted to fall back in love with where I live. Over the last couple years, especially since May 2nd, 2011, the political climate in Canada has left me feeling detached from my Canadian identity. The deeper we sink into Harperland the less I feel welcome in my own city and country. This local food diet has grounded me in everything good about Ottawa. I look at the city through a new lens. I see strong individuals building a sustainable community rooted in traditional, healthy and balanced lifestyles. 

Every time I sink my teeth into something delicious I feel grateful to be in the 613. 

Veggies from my 613 garden:)