Have we over sold the idea of buying local? Should regionalism become the new localism? Not to take away from small local farms, but our entire Pacific Northwest Region is a vital production food shed. It provides potatoes from the Klamath, fruit from Hood River and Eastern Washington, winter squash and summer melons from Hermiston, pears from the Rogue Valley, on and on.
We’ve had many, many customers/owners ask us about what to do in case radiation from the nuclear disaster in Japan comes our way. First off, it is very unlikely and even if it does, it will be in very small amounts. Our state, the EPA and radiation experts are monitoring the atmosphere and so far nothing over the background has been found.
Dear Readers,
The food that makes it to our holiday table is usually a celebration of the abundance that we have in our lives. In contrast, New Year’s Eve foods are a request for the abundance to continue into the New Year. All over the world, people celebrate the coming of the New Year with food that symbolizes money and luck. Greens are eaten because they look like dollars, peas and lentils because they resemble coins. Some cultures eat one grape for every month of the year and the sweetness or sourness of each grape predicts the months to come.
I could easily do without coffee or even chocolate to be a “Locavore Supreme” during this year’s Eat Local Week. It’s salt that is my can’t do without food. Fortunately I live close enough to a body of salt water that I can make my own salt during Eat Local Week. What do local eaters in the midwest do? Anyway, it’s as simple as putting a gallon of sea water in a soup pot and boiling it down until all that’s left is about a half cup of salt. This magical transformation takes a few hours and a lot of gas or current depending on your stove type.
It all came together today about 11:45am for the Medford Food Co-op. The co-op board, Batzer Construction who owns the future store building, and a handful of hopeful owners swung sledge hammers to tear down the walls inside the Co-op’s future home at 945 Riverside. The building is filled with small rooms and dark hallways from former incarnations. It’s second story is more of the same.
Our little resort town buzzed with talk about plastic bags and plastic things in general after April’s Ashland Independent Film Festival hosted the movie Bag It. If you didn’t get to see it here, make sure you get to, one way or another. It is eye opening! The movie follows Telluride, CO resident (and TV host) Jeb Berrier through the process of seeing just how much plastic his family uses and what effect it has on his health. He is spurred on by the fact that his partner is pregnant. You will learn more about plastic than you ever imagined.
Southern Oregon is known for incredible recreation and locally grown foods. These will come together in a great multi-sport relay race, The Siskiyou Challenge, held September 25 in Ashland, OR. It benefits Rogue Valley Farm to School, a terrific nonprofit that connects kids, schools and local farms to build more sustainable, healthy schools and
communities.
The fourth of July is a great time to picnic and BBQ with friends and family. Following a few simple tips will ensure you have a fun food safe holiday.
