Take The Local 30 Challenge
“Food is the center of our lives and connects us to our community, our landscape, and our homes.” - Andrea Bemis, Dishing Up The Dirt.
As a local Walla Walla Farm, Chesed Farms knows it is important to provide food to the community. That is why we feel Farmers Markets are Important and attend three different farmers markets each week during farmers market season.
Eating local is always on our minds and producing high quality food for the community is at the top of our mission. We know good food is enjoyed at tables filled with laughter from family and friends.
We love what our friends at Eat Local First are doing and all of the resources and information they offer about eating local and finding local Washington resources.
Eat Local First says “At its heart, eating local means choosing and celebrating the best flavors of our many regions in Washington State. When we change what we eat, we change things for the better. Local food offers the best nutrition, produces less waste and supports sustainable agriculture and local economies. Eating local nourishes our families, and the communities we love.”
Our focus on supporting local has inspired us to take the Local 30 Challenge this September and Chesed Farms is inviting you to eat local this September!
At Eat Local First, September is the “Eat Local Month”, as proclaimed by the State of Washington.
This month focus on eating locally produced food by setting a food miles radius that you want to stay within. It is most common for the Local 30 Challenge to select a 200 mile radius.
The challenge helps create awareness around what your current grocery list contains and what can be swapped for a locally produced option.
To have fun and feel successful, it is important to have a “cheat sheet” of up to 10 items of foods you cannot be without that are not produced locally. Decide your non-negotiable items and then look to see if there is a way to purchase from a local resource, even if the product isn’t grown or produced locally. An example is coffee, if your morning coffee is a non negotiable, put that on your “cheat sheet” and then look in your area for a local Roastery. The coffee beans won’t be grown locally but by purchasing from a local Roastery you are supporting a local business.
To successfully take the Local 30 Challenge there is some planning that will help to make your experience successful. Meal planning and prepping, batch cooking, and food preserving can be beneficial. Researching local alternatives and getting to know the farms in your area, at the Farmers Market and Co-op options.
In addition to eating locally, this September you have the opportunity to visit several local farms at a fun, local event here in Walla Walla called Tour D’ Farm. Tour D’ Farm is a self guided, two day tour, that is designed to grow the connection between the community and the land around us, where our food is grown and to get to know our local farmers. Chesed Farms is excited to participate in this event again this year!
Are you ready to Eat Local this Month and take the Local 30 Challenge?
Chesed Farms has some suggestions for you on where to access local products, including our mushrooms. Click here to find Farmer’s Markets, Grocery Stores, Online Markets and Restaurants we work with and who work with other local farmers and producers. Eat Local First has a great search option to find local food options based upon your zip code, click here to check out their search page.
Don’t Do It Alone: Join us in the Local 30 Challenge and Eat Local Month!