Why am I doing this?

Why am I doing this? It's hard to wrap words around my motivation to try this. I have a lot of vague notions, leanings, and beliefs that tie in. Eating local can mean eating less processed food, supporting local business and small farmers, saving energy, and showing my kids where food comes from (our garden and local U-pick farms for summer fruit). I also like the simple living and self-sufficiency aspect (not that I grow near enough food in my garden to survive). The 100-mile diet is one of those things that pulls together a lot of strands to make a satisfying web.

I told my kids it was about energy conservation. Typically food travels 1500 miles before it reaches the average American's plate (that's the stat bandied about by 100-mile diet proponents). For us in New York, maybe it's more. Our produce seems to come entirely from California and, while it's harder to source, I'm guessing that our meat and grains come mostly from the Great Plains.

So, I said at the dinner table on the eve of my experiment, if I eat food that's from New York or neighboring Vermont, not so much gas has been used to get it to me. My 8-yo daughter wondered how that saved gas, because the food will still come "whether you eat it or not." Well, yes.

My husband jumped in to say that if a lot of people did this, that might make a difference. But for me it highlighted the fact that I'm doing this as an experiment, for my own self-edification. How accustomed have I become to the vast variety of food that is available to me? Me, who eats fresh, whole foods, who tends toward the perimeter of the supermarket (produce, meat, dairy, and baked goods), who thought I was part-way to eating locally already.

My daughter's challenge is most welcome. I expect many more assumptions on my part will be challenged in the coming weeks.

The 100-Mile Diet

For breakfast this morning, I sliced a Macintosh Apple and some NY State sharp cheddar cheese. I also drank coffee (one of my exceptions) with a splash of milk.

Today is the first day of my experiment with the 100-mile diet, in which you try to eat foods grown or produced within 100 miles of where you live. I live in Albany, NY, so the 100-mile radius includes the Hudson Valley, southern Vermont, and western Mass. But because I'm lazy, I've modified the restriction to the states of New York and Vermont. This will make it much easier to source my food without examining a map to see if the location of a particular small town falls within my circle. It will also allow me to drink wine made in New York (the major wine producing regions -- the Finger Lakes and Long Island -- lie farther than 100 miles from Albany).

Most people allow certain exceptions like coffee, chocolate, olive oil, and spices. That sounds wise to me. I think I'll be baking bread, so I'll add leavening agents like yeast, baking powder, and baking soda.

I loaded up on local produce at the farmer's market yesterday. I still need to shop for local dairy products, meat, and flour.

Breakfast was good, but I hope I don't have to eat the same thing for lunch.