The Lexicon

A sign at Dave's Market advertising native peppers and eggplants started me thinking. What's the difference between "native" and "local"? In the absence of those words, does "organic" have the same impact on shoppers? Does one term trump another in the produce aisle or at the farm stand?

Native species (think plants and shellfish) are those which occur naturally or have existed many years in an area. By definition, bringing in exotic species and cultivating them for a short time does not make them native. It may however make them "local".

As it applies to food and other goods, the term local covers a flexible area. The most popular measurement is the area within a day's driving distance. A more restrictive area may include only a city or state. Local food systems emphasize sustainable practices and the concept of buying locally produced goods supports the local economy.

Without splitting hairs, I think that the terms local and native are used interchangeably. Maybe the market is becoming saturated with the word local and so the term native pops out more.

And then there is "organic" which does not reflect where an apple came from, but rather the practices used (or not used) to grow the apple. Organic may have been a precursor to "local" in terms of people thinking more about the food they are eating. At farmers' market I have seen local organic produce but it sometimes is more expensive. Even though some farms practice organic farming, being certified as organic can be a costly annual process. In Rhode Island, the application/update fee is $200 annually.

Up in Maine, a lobsterman talks about how "local" trumps "organic" in Portland because people want to support businesses in their own community. In the end, learn about how your food gets to the table.

The World is Your Oyster

The common meaning of the phrase above is: all opportunities are open to someone. The world is yours. Quite fitting during this time of summer unemployment! But alas, my foodie exploration continues. There is a family tale of a young me walking around with a raw oyster stuck in my cheek like a wad of chew, refusing to swallow the slimy offering. A few weeks ago, I came across a new opportunity to redeem myself. A local Whole Foods market was holding an oyster tasting. Excited to exercise my more refined palate, I dove right in. OK, it wasn't much more than a guy shucking oysters next to the seafood case but it was interesting to learn about the local oysters on display. There were about 4 varieties from the cool waters of New England. My favorite (straight up out of the shell) were Wianno Oysters from Cape Cod. Served ice cold, they had a rich briny taste that reminded me of the cool, deep ocean. I think the distinct flavor and coolness of the meat distracted me from the slimy texture I remembered as a youth. The following week I found that they were also good on the grill but surprisingly, not as good as freshly shucked.
Cheers!

Possie

For whatever reason, my backyard attracts local cats and wildlife. Tonight, I drove up the driveway and saw my latest guest. An opossum, caught in the headlights, skittered across the lawn into the doghouse. He was kind of cute, sitting in the back of the doghouse looking out.

Another wildlife encounters this year included a hawk picking off a chickadee near the bird feeder. Poor birdy didn't even see it coming. No skunk sprays yet!

Last Day of the CSA

Yesterday was my last pick-up for my share of the Wishing Stone Farm CSA. Tiffany and I had a lot of purchasing to do, we walked away with bags bursting with our riches. And yes, I did get taters n squash! To be more specific, purple potatoes and an acorn squash. They also had tomatoes out but tomatoes at the end of October don't seem to be as good as the ones in August. Now is the time to get creative with preparing everything so they don't go bad before I have a chance to enjoy them. :)

Food Inc.

Check out the new movie Food, Inc. which is playing in small independent theaters. The movie lifts the veil on the industrial food industry (mainly the meat packers).

Redneck Musings

This has nothing to do with local agriculture but I thought I'd share some musings after a trip to "As far from the city as you can get without leaving RI".

You know you're a redneck when your mailbox is attached to the tree with duct tape.

You know you're a redneck when the baitshop, tax prep office and biker bar are all in the same lot. One stop shopping!

Fall in Vermont

A recent trip to Montpelier, VT inspired me to update my blog.

For a state capitol, it was surprisingly cozy and had the feel of a New England town. While we were in town, there was a fabulous farmers' market (see carrot pic). Not only were there many produce vendors, but there were also hot food vendors selling Pakistani, Asian, and African food. Instant lunch! I had a fire grilled pizza made with eggplant, tomatoes, goat cheese, and onion. Yum! I imagine it was all collected right there at the market. The vendors had this pizza oven on a trailer and they just wheeled it from one location to another.

Last time I visited Vermont in the winter, I ran into a lot of out of towners. This time, there were many more locals milling about. If I move to Vermont, I'll have to get a Subaru Outback, stop shaving, grown long, nappy hair, get a Labrador Retriever, and wear hemp clothing in assorted neutral colors. All kidding aside, there was a little bookstore on Main Street that had a great environmental section right up front, not stuck in the back.

I covered Stowe in the last trip but it is about 20 minutes north of Montpelier if you want to sneak in to Ben and Jerry's or checkout their quaint downtown area.