I missed this last year but here is the link to the 2nd annual 100 mile diet challenge. The idea is that by trying to only eat food that is produced within a 100 mile radius of your home, you become more aware of what is available in your local area. As more and more people make even a small percentage of their food locally produced, the benefits to local economies and the environment grow. The challenge allows you to sign up to try the 100 mile diet for a single meal, a single day, a week or a month.
I signed up for a week and we will see how it goes. I am sure it will be easier to do at this time of year rather than in January, when I plan to try it again. I encourage everyone to try it for at least a meal or a day. Most of us will never make all our food choices local, but that does not seem to be the point of the challenge. I think by trying it out even for a short time, you will become much more aware of the issue and of just what is available locally. Having this awareness may change your buying habits a little and these small changes multiplied by everyone who accepts the challenge make a big difference.
This past month, July and August, I have seen organic fruit from Mexico and Southern California in one of our chain grocery stores. This same store was selling sweet corn from several states to our east. This is at a time of year when all of these food items are available within a few miles of our town. If everyone bought their summer produce from across town instead of from Mexico (1,000 miles), Southern California, (500 miles) or the mid-west, (900 miles) think of the trucking and fuel savings.
See if the 100 mile challenge increases your awareness of what is available locally. Once you learn what is available, and at what time of year, choosing becomes easier. I am not sure we really need a fresh tomato in February when they are trucked or flown in from South America or from a greenhouse hundreds of miles away. I have a variety of methods for preserving or freezing the tomatoes from my garden. These are the tomatoes I eat in the winter.
If you do take up the challenge, please post a comment letting me know how it went. Success or disappointment doesn’t matter. We can all learn from each others efforts!
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That’s a very interesting diet, one that I’m sure many people would love to follow but sometimes it’s just not feasible. For people who live in big cities it’s much harder to get homegrown food nowadays. I try to grow some vegetables in the summer and I love eating them once they’re ripe.
Well its an interesting topic to discuss with because we often move to choose the common meals we do have in our daily routines but choosing a meal in our local area ‘ll keep a distance from choosing same meal everyday outside the local area,rather it makes us aware about the seasons of the fruits and vegetables but if we think seriously about it then the people living in big cities can also avoid choosing the stale food which would automatically help them to remain away from diseases
My small town of 20,OOO banned local growers from setting up a farmers market, claiming it would hurt local retailers. So our grocers get their food from where ever. We don’t have much choice.
Unbelievable, swbooke! Would you be able to tell us the name of the town? I would like to look into it. Thanks!
Is your town that outlawed Farmer’s Markets in Great Britain, swbooke? I did a Google search and the closest thing I could find was a councilman in a town there that did not want a new farmer’s market opened because it “would harm local businesses”. But it looks like he was laughed out of town! You say your town actually banned Farmer’s Markets!
I am going to accept the challenge of the 100 mile diet. I think it is a good idea and most fresh vegetables from the supermarket are bland and tasteless anyway.
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