A Campaign for Local Food (Part 2)

In the last couple weeks I had a family member admitted to the hospital, and while visiting her I caught a bug and Chris dropped my phone in the urinal. Yes, ick! So, you’ve had to wait patiently for the unveiling of the candidate who values local foods, which I blogged about previously.

First, I know the rules: 1. Never discuss religion and 2. Never discuss politics with people you want to keep as friends (and I want to keep all my blog readers as friends). So, I hope you understand what I’m doing is sharing my experience with this candidate, because I find it refreshing. Not because I’m trying to push my values on you – many of you will not be able to vote for her anyway. So here goes…

I have been impressed, not only with Ms. J’s interest and passion for buying locally, but with her integrity as a person. When Chris and I were helping to plan the menu for her campaign event, the topic of alcohol came up. Should we include it, should we not? Smiling I said, “you’ll probably get more donations if you include it, that’s what the casinos do.” Ms. J responded with a statistic about the amount of alcohol that is abused in the US, and shared how shocked she was reading about it. She’d rather not include alcohol, that isn’t the type of campaign she wanted to run.

Another lesson I learned from Ms. J is the importance of being positive about local eating, rather than tearing down manufacturers or companies that may not behave in a way I consider ethical. “Positive messages,” is what she told me, “we need to share positive messages.” We all know these:

District 105, you have an excellent House
of Represenatives candidate.

• Local eating builds community

• Local eating supports the local economy

• Local eating provides the freshest foods

• Local eating decreases the distance food travels

• Local eating tastes great!

• And on and on and on…

There are many negative things we could focus on as locavores, however, from Ms. J I have learned how important focusing on the positive is, and I for one, have not heard her talk negatively to bring down others. I completely respect that.

So who is this mystery candidate…her name is Jane Byrnes and she is running for House District 105 which is located in west Wichita. I don’t live in her area of Wichita, so I can’t even vote for her, although I considered moving to do so ;) Learn more about her and her values at http://www.campaignjane.com/.

A Campaign for Local Food

Local Aqua Fresca - Refreshing!

Recently Chris and I helped out with a campaign fundraising party for a candidate who supports local eating.  We assisted in developing a menu for the event and Chris prepared some of the food while I compared the distance our food traveled with the distance food would typically travel for a party.  Here's what we did and a comparison:

The campaign menu consisted of:
1.  Aqua Fresca (Two flavors of water infused with local peaches, cucumber and herbs from local gardens)
2.  Bean dip and Lavosch Crackers (Made with pinto beans and wheat from a Kansas farmer)
3.  Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil H'orderves (Tomato and basil from local gardens, mozzarella made with fresh milk from a dairy in Hesston)

Farthest distance traveled:  37 miles (for the milk)

A typical menu may consist of:
1.  Aqua Fresca (Peaches from Somewhere, USA and cucumbers from Mexico)
2.  Hummus and pita (Made with garbanzo beans from the Mediterranean and what from ???)
3.  Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil H'orderves (All items from Somewhere, USA)

Farthest distance traveled:  6013 miles* (if the beans came from Athens, but it's hard to know for sure)



Local Flavor

 I went to the grocery store to research the origins of many of the typical menu items, but produce stickers don't indicate a state, just the country (USA, Mexico, etc.)  In my research, I found that the method of transportation impacts the amount of fuel used.  Transportation by sea is extremely efficient while air travel is very inefficient, but how do you figure that out?  Does the produce guy know if his produce traveled first class on a plane, or had a port hole window on a ship?  In comparison, you can ask the farmer at the local market where the produce came from. 

I didn't get distances for all items involved, due to lack of information on the label.  It's difficult to figure out where a food comes from unless you know the producer of the food, and we all know how to do that, right?

Who is this candidate that supports local production of food? Find out in my next post...

*Distance is the theoretical air distance

An (Organic) Blast from the Past

Our day at the wedding...

When you grow up in a small town, you get to know or know about just about everyone (whether what you know about them is true or not is up to the townspeople  to gossip about).  I grew up in a small community of ~1500 residents, and graduated with a sum total of 30 students.  I attended my cousin's wedding a few weeks ago, and of course, ran into many individuals I haven't seen for a while.  One of the most fun encounters involved a couple, I'll call the X's whom I knew in high school.  While catching up, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they have been organic farmers for the last 14 years or so.  We found that we share beliefs about farming, and I felt encouraged to see full-time farmers doing things in environmentally friendly ways. 

While doing a mixture of conventional and organic farming, Mr. X got cancer.  After having part of his body artificially recreated the X's were done with chemicals and conventional farming practices.  They shifted to an all organic farm, and are energetic about what they do.  Always curious to learn, I asked about their yields.  They said no, they do not have as large of yields as a conventional farmer, but they also do not have the costly inputs that conventional farmers do. 

The conventional farmer would say he needs to feed the world, and needs to increase yields.  However, the United Nations World Food Program realizes current problems with world hunger are not due to lack of food, but problems with distribution of that food.  And, countries who need the food aren't able to afford the prices our western culture wants, therefore, why increase our production when the members of our society are over nourished and those who need it can't pay for it?  Which leads me to an interesting quote I read recently:

"I can understand someone from Iowa promoting corn and soy, but we are not feeding the world, we are feeding animals and soft drink companies." - Jim Goodman

Something to think about.  There are a lot of opinions when it comes to farming...and it's important to remember how important farmers really are to every one of us. 

A local restaurant I'm happy to support - But it's local in an unexpected way...

Our new neighborhood watch sign. 

I was thankful to see the last one replaced.

Recently the Wichita Eagle reported on City Life Cafe, located at 2111 E. Central.  The Cafe is aimed at helping former gang members obtain job skills and experience earning an honest wage.  Since I'm from an area where the neighborhood watch sign was covered in graffiti for over a month, I'm happy to support a program like this one, even if the foods they serve aren't locally sourced, (although they may be, I didn't ask), the people are locally sourced, and that's important.

My friend, Rich, and I dined at the City Life Cafe recently. After looking over the reasonably priced menu, we each ordered a plate of brisket, potato salad and baked beans with BBQ sauce. Pleasantly filled with my meal, I turned down dessert but am going back another day for peanut butter pie. The service from our two young waiters was excellent, and next time I'm taking my culinary professional along (that'd be Chris).

The Cafe, run by a non-profit organization has needs, one of which is a new sign for their restaurant.  Chris and I were immediately drawn to this need, not only because it helps former gang members (which Chris did as an Americorps volunteer in Colorado), but because we love food!  So, we're donating, hoping they raise enough for a sign and other needs to continue the impactful business.

You always get back when you give...How does it come back??  Maybe not in dollars, maybe your car tires last longer, or the electric bill is lower, or you find a great deal on surplus tomatoes at the farmers' market, or get a great rate on a mortgage, or your garden really produces.  I've found there are many ways giving comes back...so consider giving locally to Youth for Christ's City Life Work Program.  Include that you want the money to go for the sign...or one of the restaurants other needs (below), and mail it to P.O. Box 3700, Wichita, KS 67201.  Or even better, go have breakfast or lunch at the restaurant, and leave your encouragement with the guys and the leader, Dale McMullen.

City Life Work Program Needs (A complete list is available in the restaurant)
1.  Deep Fryer
2.  Plates (Dinner & Saucers)
3.  Glasses (Juice & 24 oz.)
4.  Pots and Pans
5.  Silverware
6.  Napkins
7.  Paper towels
8.  Frying Oil
9.  Charcoal
10.  Smoking Wood
11.  Printer Paper
12.  Printer Ink
13.  Pens
14.  Entry door rugs
15.  Sign for side of building
16.  Syrup dispensers
17.  Safety glasses
18.  Gloves
19.  Trash bags
20.  Yard tools (rakes, shovels, etc.
21.  Mops and buckets
22.  Wall pictures
23.  Mentors