In 2010, I resolved to become a vegetarian. I just stopped eating meat on a regular basis. It was that simple!
This year, one of my resolutions was to eat local. As we near the end of January, I’ve realized that I haven’t made any progress on that goal.
Granted, I’ve always made a point to eat at locally owned restaurants, but I could do better in the grocery department. I buy bread from Oklahoma City’s Big Sky Bread company, and I buy specialty groceries at a nearby health food store. The rest comes from Target.
But how do I buy locally grown produce in the winter? Is there any to be found? How do you eat locally in Oklahoma, or in general? I love the idea of community-supported agriculture (CSA), but I’m just one person! I love farmers’ markets, and Oklahoma has nice farmers’ markets, but they’ve got nothing on Pike’s Market in Seattle, Boulder’s Farmers’ Market, or City Market in Kansas City. Our markets are only open once or twice a week and the nearest farmers’ market shuts down in October.
I think the root of my problem is that I haven’t found more convenient (and affordable) ways to buy local produce.
Please, I’d love to hear your input on eating locally. Help!
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Kacy
It really is pretty difficult in Oklahoma, even the ‘local’ places like Native Roots and Forward Foods don’t carry all local. There is a co-op in Edmond I use occasionally, but I don’t know if it’s still running this month or not. Good luck with your goal!
kate
Thanks for the good wishes! I picked up some groceries at Native Roots yesterday, actually. I may have to wait until spring for local produce. We’ll see!
elizabeth
when I was living in Indiana, I found this incredibly difficult as well. One thing in the future, something I am totally hype about but haven’t gotten the nerve to do yet, is to try canning all the beautiful produce you can get at the farmer’s markets at other times of the year… just an idea.
tracy
Canning is awesome and so easy!!!!
kate
That is a great idea! I heard an interesting story about canning swap parties on NPR the other day. Canning is a foreign concept to me, but I think my grandmother could help me along. That would be fun. :)
Lesley
Have you read Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegatable, Miracle? It’s all about her and her family becoming locavores http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/
kate
No, I haven’t, but it sounds fascinating. I just added it to my amazon wishlist. Thanks, Lesley!
Lesley
Send me your address and I’ll post ot to you – it’s the sort of thing you only read once.
Heather
Oh man, I thought you were going to share your success story! I wish I could help but I hope you figure it out soon. Gorgeous photos, as always!
tracy
The Oklahoma Food Co-op is great. They deliver to Norman (the Unitarian church) on the third Thursday of the month. It is interesting how conventional grocery stores have distorted the reality that is nature for us. Not much grows in winter, yet we still think we should be able to buy tomatoes year round. Herm.
Winter veggie tip that requires summer foresight – Squash, corn, and beans can all be stored through winter, and together the three make a complete protein. The Native Americans call this trio, The Three Sisters. I loves me some local squash…
kate
Mmm, I love squash, too! I’m going to check into the Oklahoma Food Co-op. It sounds like what I’ve been looking for!
You’re so right about the grocery stores. I’m really trying to learn what’s in season, and when. I grew up eating grocery store fruit, so it’s a new way of thinking. :)
tracy
Now if you had a little greenhouse…
Rachel Shingleton
Agreed. It feels easier, somehow, to eat locally in the summer when the farmers’ markets are in abundance here in OKC.
I love Big Sky. They’re so yummy.
Random, but semi-related: have you eaten at Ludivine yet?
kate
No, I haven’t heard of Ludivine! What’s it like? Where is it?
Serina
I don’t know about Oklahoma, but where I live there are little informal clubs that join together to buy things in bulk and then split the goodies, and the cost. So find a group of 4 other people (or however many makes sense) find a good CSA and split it!!! You can do this with all sorts of things that are more economical to buy in bulk. Good luck!
heather
I, too, think it’s difficult to find much locally grown produce in much of the US during winter. It’s just not possible to grow, unless you’re near a farmer with greenhouse capabilities, which often isn’t the case. Even in south Texas, where it’s arguably warmer than 95% of the country, there’s little to be had. One way to get around this is to plan ahead and preserve local ingredients when they’re in season. So as the warmer months come around, you can can tomatoes, jams, beans, pickles, giardineira, etc. I even came across a squash chutney recipe this morning that’d be great with autumn/winter squashes! Hope that helps.
*Heather*
kitchen-dreams
I spotted this blog (http://fullmoonpickles.blogspot.com), mentioned on another blog (http://lainbloom.blogspot.com), mentioned on another blog (http://snacktive.blogspot.com)…you know how the story goes. ANYHOW…you should check out Full Moon Pickles for some inspiration and courage on canning. It would be a wonderful thing for you to be able to learn about canning from your grandmother!
Katie @ cooklaughmov
I live in Northern Michigan and struggle with eating locally too! If I only at local, there are a lot of things I’d never eat! I dabbled in canning last year, but this year intend to do more!
Crystle
I know that the seasons are changing again, but this article considers the winter lull in local foods and offers up an AWESOME solution! Really it’s relevant to the entire year. Locavorism, what a brilliant idea!
http://www.npr.org/2010/11/30/131695451/practical-locavorism-bananas-in-winter
Cindie Reinhold
Hi There! I work with the locally sourced food movement in Virginia. One of the things our farmers really got into last year was the online store. Select your items and schedule your contact-free pickup. And don’t forget your community stores that support the farmers.
In my area, CSA programs are responding to the need for smaller boxes. We even have farms that offers boxes for singles and couples, along with half and full shares.
As for eating local all year long, I agree with other readers about canning. And don’t forget pickling, too.
Hope this helps – here’s to eating local!