Local, seasonal, organic (part 2)

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day. What a wonderful holiday to celebrate family, friends, health and food. Thanksgiving is a day of sharing the abundance of food from all our hard work that will feed us through the winter. At least I think that is how it used to be. It is the poster holiday of local, seasonal, organic food.

When I was a child our garden provided many vegetables for us. We always grew onions, tomatoes, peppers and squash. In the field we grew corn, pumpkin and cantaloupe. My parents were not into canning but we would freeze some of our harvest. Most of the time we ate from the garden what was in season. These days you can get pretty much anything, anytime no matter what the season. These products of course have traveled hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles. This food that is not in season will never taste as good as something grown in your garden or a local small farm. The best quality of these vegetables is the ability to ship well. No amount of chemicals, wax or dyes will make it taste better though. That tomato you buy in January will not compare with one picked from your garden in June. That tomato is not in season in January.

At Off Texas Avenue Garden my goal is to change varieties as the seasons change. This past Saturday we had our first light frost and my tomato plants suffered some damage. I decided to remove green tomatoes from the larger varieties and try to ripen them inside. I removed all the plants from this bed and will prepare the soil for the next season. I will plant some other crop in this bed as part of my rotation plan. Crop rotation will lessen the risk of disease by not growing the same crop again. It was not easy pulling up these huge plants or to pick green tomatoes but tomato season is over. I may even sow some lettuce seed in this bed before spring crops and extend my fall season a few more weeks.

I believe that growing seasonal vegetables keeps us connected to nature and the earth. Another good way to stay connected with our food is by cooking these seasonal foods. Learning how to use all this food connects us to our family, our past and ourselves. Eating good food not only nourishes our body but can help us stay healthy. If you don't garden you can visit a farmers market and support small farms. Supporting these small farms means that seasonal foods can be available to everyone. These farmers can then grow more food, more varieties and help preserve a greater plant diversity for future generations. I believe eating good food is good for our family, good for our health, good for our soul. I believe everyone can contribute something positive to the environment. Farmers can grow a wide variety of organic food. Chefs can use the freshest, locally grown food. Schools can teach alternative methods of growing good food. Schools can also provide healthier meals to our children. Parents can set an example and insist that their children explore and try new foods. I will continue to grow good food for my family and I hope others will do the same.

Local, seasonal, organic (part 1)

Trattoria Italia

Trattoria Italia

Donnelly"s

W. Defee Place

West Coast Donut

In my pursuit to provide the freshest food for my family I plan to expand my garden this winter. I could visit the farmers markets in the surrounding area but how fresher can it get than from my own garden. But what about the rest of you?

My idea of eating locally grown food is to grow my own but if you don't grow your own then you should be able to go to a restaurant that uses locally grown, seasonal food. First we would need a business committed to using the best produce possible. Then we would need farmers committed to growing the best possible produce organically and sustainably. Then we would need to support those businesses and visit them often. I have read many success stories of farmers, chefs and farmers markets across this country. I believe we can have that in our community. It will take all of us working together.

Lately I have been reading about urban farming in other cities. We have so much property available in our city. In the surrounding neighborhood of Texas Avenue there are many vacant lots that would look great with a garden on them. Off Texas Avenue Garden is just a small example of that. Some lots I believe may even be owned by the city. What better way to help beautify the area than to plant a garden. This may also help gain support from the community for the revitalization of Texas Avenue. I can envision a downtown area filled with shoppers visiting local businesses, eating in restaurants that use locally sourced produce. Adventurous chefs featuring menus with seasonal dishes with the freshest produce available. A thriving farmers market with local growers providing many good things to eat, grown organically and harvested within hours of us buying them. A neighborhood with vibrant color from flowers and gardens instead of spray paint. The sound of a community in harmony.

I have found a few businesses with their own gardens. These gardens are small but a garden may be as small as a container of herbs or as big as a backyard garden. I would like to thank these business owners for becoming leaders in a huge movement of which we are just a small part of. I challenge other business owners to survey your property and perhaps plant some flowers or start a small garden. And I encourage everyone to support local businesses and eat local.