Since we have been blessed to live in an area surrounded by local farms — which we don’t take advantage of often enough — our family has decided to take the challenge and participate in Jen’s (at Life Begins at Thirty) challenge to eat local food, in association with Locavores.
- What’s your definition of local for this challenge?
Stuff that I’ve grown this year — which includes tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, basil, beans and herbs.
Food that can be purchased within 100 miles of my home, which is a suburb outside of Scranton, PA.
- What exemptions will you claim?
I need to use things up from my pantry, fridge and freezer. I will try to stick to recipes that can be made with things that I already have or can buy locally, but may have have to get some Asian ingredients elsewhere as none of the local farms grow them.
- What is your personal goal for the month?
To have 75% of the food we consume daily be supplied locally.
- What is going to be the biggest challenge for you in eating locally for the month of August?
Not finding enough Asian produce and ingredients locally — we are Filipinos so 50% of our diet is Asian/Filipino.
- Is there a food that you would love help in finding locally grown or locally produced?
yard long beans, Asian/Japanese/Thai eggplants, winged beans, lemongrass, Thai peppers (which I’m growing, but ever so slowly), other Asian vegetables like bitter gourd (momordica charantia — I planted some but they didn’t make it).
- Is there a locally grown or produced product that you would particularly like to recommend?
Today, it will be Eckel’s Farm in Schultzville, PA, phone 570-587-1725. We got some corn and had them with lunch. They were on the small side, but the flavor was fabulous and the texture ultra-fresh; crunchy and juicy which my kids loved.
Strawberries from Pallman Farms — the season is over but they will be selling turkeys come Thanksgiving! And they currently have a produce market open daily, but I’m not sure it’s locally-grown stuff — I’ll ask!
Blueberries from Berry Fields Farm — They’re having a blueberry festival this weekend and we hope to go unless hubby’s working.Many more that I will highlight here!
You live in Scraton? I’m from St. Marys! Head West on I-80 about 180 miles, then drive North another 35. Ever hear of Straub’s beer?
oh my gosh, small world indeed!!! yes, i’ve cooked with straub’s beer (i don’t drink it though LOL:D). our old neighbor has a stein or two from straub’s in his huge collection.
To be honest, I don’t drink it, either. Yuck.
Wow…even all those miles away, and I still can’t escape Straub’s and the eternal tap!
That’s just…funny.
Of course, I remember stopping at a Giant Eagle after a Pirates game one night…it was pretty late…and somehow the fact we were out-of-towners came up. When asked, we told the cashier we were from St. Marys. “Isn’t that where they make Straub’s?”, he asked…good grief!