eating locally/seasonally

At a party a couple of years ago, I was talking about organic food with a couple of friends who are experts in environmentalism. I asked them whether they thought it was more important to eat organic food or local food, given that that is a choice that sometimes has to be made. Without hesitation and in unison, they said 'eat locally!' The very next day I began living by that principle.

Unfortunately this was in December. At that time I was living in zone 8, so a talented gardener (which I was not) with the appropriate materials (say a cold frame and/or some grow lights) could probably grow fresh produce year-round. But we do not have any commercial farms that sell produce during the winter, so I made the decision to basically go without. I figured if I could make it through that winter, it would be easier to enjoy and appreciate good local food when it was in abundance. Many have told me that this was a stupid decision, and I definitely noticed feeling more lethargic that winter. But for better or worse, I am a woman of principles. So I would do the same thing again, and in fact I have done the same again.

One lucky thing was that there was a small local company that sold a few vegetables in the freezer: broccoli, corn, sweet potatoes. The first time I discovered them, I ate two whole packages of broccoli as soon as I got them home and cooked. Nothing had ever tasted so good as that broccoli did! The following winter I made an effort (and room in the budget) to buy those more frequently. Centuries ago, my ancestors may have gone without greens during the winter, but they didn't have a dissertation to write. One thing I learned during this experiment is that I feel best when I eat vegetables frequently; the second year I thought perhaps if I loaded up on produce during the summer, I could abstain during the winter. I will definitely say that the second winter was better in terms of feeling energetic when consuming fewer (or none at all) vegetables, but I still devoured them at every chance.

This winter once again, I will probably go without fresh produce (except on holidays and special occasions, when I try to eat what everyone else is eating). There is still a local company that sells vegetables in the freezer, but this company is large enough that I would be surprised if the vegetables were actually grown in Illinois soil. So my plan is to contact some local farms and see if they have storage onions, carrots, and potatoes to sell me. I need to do this soon, as it is getting late in the year. I am also considering buying a grow light and raising spinach inside the house.