Eating Local Food for One Year
One couple's concerns regarding food prompt year-long, eat local project.
July/August 2009
Jean Picard
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Jo Young on a field trip for the Eat Local One Year project in Ojai, California.
Jean Picard
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Inspired by Barbara Kingsolver’s book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, one Ojai, California, couple decided to commit for one year to only eating food grown or produced within a 100-mile radius of their small southern California town.
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Kristofer and Joanne Young had three main reasons for starting the project they call Eat Local One Year: global warming, security of the food supply and supporting the local economy.
“It was very sobering to read that if every person in the country ate just one meal a week of local foods, it would save over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week,” Jo says.
Concerned about recurring outbreaks of food-borne illnesses caused by E. coli and Salmonella, Kris says, “Food is critical. It’s obvious that we shouldn’t put all our eggs in one basket, but that’s what industrialized farming does.”
Never satisfied to give less than their best effort, the Youngs began preparations eight months in advance. Always inspired to draw others to a worthwhile cause, it was only natural that they enlist others for the project.
Their aim was to have 100 core participants. They reached a peak of 43 in September 2008, but that number dropped as people realized that, for various reasons, they weren’t up to the challenge. Ultimately, 21 residents of Ojai and nearby towns took up the challenge, and, on January 1, they embarked on a life-changing, gastronomic adventure.
The 100-mile “rule” is doable in most parts of the country, though people in the desert might need to extend it to 250 miles. The Youngs knew a 100-mile radius of Ojai would afford them many dining options throughout the year.
Nevertheless, only careful planning will ensure success. During the eight months leading up to January 1, participants met for strategy sessions and workshops on topics such as canning and vinegar-making. At the kickoff potluck meeting, two participants decided to learn how to make cheese from locally produced milk.
Recognizing that most people have a few imported things they would have a hard time giving up for a year, three exceptions a month (plus salt) were allowed. Those choices varied from one person to the next, even within the same family.