Comments on: Homegrown Happy Valley’s first annual Eat Local Challenge

By: Homegrown Happy Valley » Blog Archive » Will Work for Fresh Produce

Homegrown Happy Valley » Blog Archive » Will Work for Fresh Produce — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:36:36 +0000

[...] part of Homegrown Happy Valley’s Eat Local Challenge, I will be chronicling my experience working on a local farm in exchange for fresh produce. I [...]

By: Adrienne

Adrienne — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:52:30 +0000

Because we also are veterans of Village Acres CSA we’ve done fairly well at eating locally, but we haven’t “challenged” ourselves beyond what comes pretty easily.

After talking with my husband we decided a good challenge for us would be to purchase only local meat and eggs. Again we have a good start on this with Blue Rooster, Village Acres and farmer’s markets, but darn those poor little sets of chicken thighs in those jumbo packs at the grocery store. They are just so cheap, it is so hard to resist. (must visualize sad, over-medicated, packed together chickens when at store). So that’s our challenge. No sad chickens. (or sad pork tenderloins - not as cheap but oh so easy).

Now if only there were some way to stop my husband from “forgetting” when he goes shopping.

By: Beth Bailey

Beth Bailey — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:00:25 +0000

Meg - I just found this blurb online about subbing honey for sugar: http://www.gardenstew.com/about1284.html. Hope that helps! Let us know how your next batch of baked goods turns out!

Way to go Holly! Great idea to freeze desserts and goodies for vacation.

By: Holly Salazer

Holly Salazer — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:51:46 +0000

Well I made it through the first week of challenge and I think I may have pulled it off. I made kohlrabi with potatoes and peas (the recipe used the k-rab greens too). And I finished off my rhubarb stash by making rhubarb nut muffins and a rhubarb strawberry pie. I froze the muffins and pie for our vacation with family next week so I can share the splendor of happy valley with the extended family. Ready for my next load of Village Acres bounty!

By: Stephanie Serriere

Stephanie Serriere — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:42:56 +0000

My challenge is to not eat refined sugar but just things sweetened naturally or with local honey.
Thanks Beth and all for the inspiration!

By: Katie O'Hara-Krebs

Katie O'Hara-Krebs — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:34:03 +0000

We must be thinking the same thing! We had taco and burritos made from local beef this evening and Ava ate a mixture of spinach and chard in her baby burrito. I sauteed fresh spinach and chard with some garlic infused olive oil and salt. I then added her favorites; cheese, black beans, and sour cream to the mixture and wrapped it in a tortilla. She told me it was “very tasty,” and didn’t seem to realize that anything was different.

By: Michele Marchetti

Michele Marchetti — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:47:06 +0000

Thinking tacos with local beef for later in the week. There must be a way to sneak in the spinach for my 4-year-old, right? Suggestions?

By: Meg Vostal

Meg Vostal — Sun, 31 May 2009 11:37:47 +0000

Moving to State College has given us the opportunity to get most of what we eat—meat, dairy, produce—locally. So for this challenge, I tried to think about what I buy at Wegmans that I could shift to a local source. I love to bake, and those supplies fill my cart each week. I’m not up to milling my own flour, but it did occur to me that I could stop buying sugar and adjust my recipes so I can use local honey. It’s kind of a trifecta in my book: it’s local, it’s cheaper, and it’s better for us. Anyone have any advice as I make the switch? My first batch of cookies were…ummm…dense:-)

By: Celeste

Celeste — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:35:53 +0000

I plan to grow what I can this year, and until I get my own garden stash going, I am shopping at the local farmer’s markets as much as possible. And buying local meat and dairy–one of the perks of living in Central PA. I am also trying to find new ways to prepare what is in season–to prevent veggie burnout. Two things I learned already, sauteed radishes are great, as are turnip oven fries!

By: Katie O'Hara-Krebs

Katie O'Hara-Krebs — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:31:14 +0000

Thanks Cori! I love to read Mark Bittman, but I don’t own one of his cookbooks … yet. I’ll try to see if I can find it online if not I’ll let you know.