Where to begin...

As long as I can remember I have seen the importance of food grown locally.  My father had a plot in his friend's garden.  As a kid I would wander up and down the rows enjoying his (and other people's) fresh grown goodness.  Raspberries stained my fingers and mouth as I would pop them in my mouth.

Every Saturday he would wake me and we would hit the market.  Lots of veggies and meats - some sweets too!  He was like the King of Kensington and knew everyone and everyone knew him too!  I got lots of little tastes along the way and although I didn't always appreciate the early morning wakeup ... the end result on the dinner table was well worth it.  So many fresh and yummy choices.

I've always loved my vegetables and I credit my father for that.

As an adult I started taking my kids to the local market and sharing my childhood memories with them.  It wasn't every weekend but it was often.  I would always buy sunflowers when in season and put them on my desk at work and at home - just to make me happy!  I would incorporate my 1974 VW Campmobile in the adventure and we would have such fun.  People stopping us for a tour of the camper or to tell us their experiences with their vintage vw's.

It was more than just the food to me ... it was spending time - getting to see the locals, hearing music, seeing art, spending time just enjoying the day.  Grabbing a coffee and conversation with someone.  Amazing vegetables, meat, fruit, etc. was just the icing the cake for me.  Dropping by the local businesses to get a cupcake or chat with friends made the adventure always THAT much better.  In turn I have made some friends along the way!

But back to buying local.  Every year I would get the Foodlink Buy Local Food map and look through it and promise myself to check some places out.  But I never went beyond that step.  I did start buying a local bag of veggies through our local health food store but I found that by winter I really did tire of potatoes and beets ...

The diagnosis of Type II Diabetes hit home with me and the realization that vegetables were key in my diet ... made me think a little more seriously.

But I want to go beyond the market - I want to go to the source.  Meet the farmers and learn more.  Now at this point it's going to be my eggs, meat, vegetables and fruit ... and the special stuff like honey, and other organic goodies too.  If we don't buy what's around us it will disappear.  That just makes me sad!!

So this blog is about my adventures of learning about what's around me ... what I can buy and my successes in buying local.

I will include links and pics... and recipes if I find them...