Eating Local

CHICAGO, IL

I was delighted to arrive in Northern Wisconsin just in time for strawberry season, a full month later than any place I've ever lived. Strawberries are one of those early crops with relatively short harvests that I seem to often miss, along with asparagus, and most unfortunately, rhubarb. I found these berries at a local market, though they came from an organic farm just up the road. 


I find nothing more pleasing than eating fresh food, grown with care, near the place where it was grown. In an ideal world, my food would come from my garden, and a local farmer's markets, with a few exceptions- spices, oils, coffee, and chocolate. And maybe avocados. I'd have a REALLY hard time giving up avocados. But I'd also have a REALLY hard time living in a tropical climate. 


There are a few problems that I've run into in recent years when it comes to eating: It's hard to eat local when you don't have a locale. And it's even harder to eat homegrown when you don't have a home. 


A few years ago, I spent 4 1/2 months on a road trip throughout the U.S. I diligently looked up farmer's markets and co-ops, trying to find places along our route to stock up on local, responsibly grown food. Inevitably we'd end up in the wrong town on the wrong day, or the town with the farmer's market would be hundreds of miles off our planned route. We once detoured a few dozen miles to stop in Vermillion, SD, for some free camping and the weekly farmer's market. While the camping was indeed free (love South Dakota city parks!), the farmer's market consisted of radishes, lemon balm, and potted plants. When it came to grocery shopping, I would love to have always shopped at a locally owned store, whether a co-op, or even a locally owned franchise. But it was impossible to know where we might stumble upon such places, as they are sadly rare. I shopped at Wal-Mart more that summer than ever before in my life and certainly ever since. We'd be out of food, and end up in a town largely shuttered with Wal-Mart as the only grocery option. So I'd set aside all my ethics for the sake of dinner, but then two towns down, now well stocked with cheap food from afar, there would be the sort of store I had been hoping for. Or a market or fruit stand that I hadn't known about. It was frustrating and challenging, and I continue to face the same problem wherever I go, whether abroad or here in the states. When I'm only passing through, and it seems I'm only ever passing through, it is hard to know where to find good food, and harder still to know who grew it and in what setting. 

When I do stumble upon local, organic food, like these ruby berries, it feels like such a treasure. I just wish it were easier to make this a regular occurrence.