GONE LOCAL Week Four: It's Not Just Personal, It's Sacred

The best thing about shopping locally is the people. Now that I’ve become a bit of a regular at the Central Market, I’ve gotten to know some of the vendors there. I truly enjoy talking with the sellers about the products and the market.

The people who own, manage, or work at the stands and small businesses I’ve visited are passionate about what they sell or the service they provide. They have to be because none of them are in it for the money, that much is obvious. I appreciate people who feel strongly about what they do. Confucius said, “Choose  a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” I find that to be just about the best advice I’ve ever encountered. It’s rarely been about the money for me in any job I’ve held, and I grow weary when I encounter the opposite.

I’ve learned a lot from the store/stand owners I’ve gotten to know. I‘ve learned how to cook purple rice – freaked the kids out. I learned that if you quickly pour off the water you run through your tea the first time, and then add new water to steep, you’ll remove much of the caffeine. I’ve learned to appreciate all the ways vinegar can enhance the food you cook, without adding calories. And this week I learned the difference between golden and brown raisins. The golden ones are sulfured the same way as apricots. That’s what makes them soft and plump – more marketable and more expensive. The sulfur is only for aesthetic reasons and many people have reactions to sulfur.

I had an interesting discussion about the differences between four different types of fingerling potatoes at another stand. And laughed at how gnarled and bent their carrots were – just like the ones I grow in my rocky soil. When I purchased my pork loin, the butcher asked how I planned to cook it and we discussed the benefits of using a crock pot. After I paid, he said to be sure to stop back and let him know how it turned out. I can’t imagine anyone at the Giant supermarket asking (or even caring) about how I planned to prepare my dinner that night, except maybe my friend Liz who works there, but only because I know her in other realms besides Giant.

I stopped to buy coffee beans and thought of the comment my husband had made the day before when we talked about his coffee needs. He said he was using his expensive fair-trade coffee beans from the market more sparingly because he knew what they cost. He also said that every time he made coffee he thought of the friendly guy in the Rastafarian hat who sold him the beans and wondered how much money he made at his little stand. Buying local makes every purchase personal.

It also makes it somewhat sacred. While my husband feels a kinship with his coffee guy and I adore my tea lady, the kids view every Cheezit bag as hallowed and they dole out the servings mindfully. No longer do they abandon entire bowls full on the counter to go stale and be fed to the chickens. They know every Cheezit box may be their last since I’ve only found one locally owned store that offers them and it’s not one I’m inclined to patronize that often.

Farmers Markets don’t just offer fruits and vegetables anymore. Many offer meats, cheeses, breads, and grains, plus dried fruits and nuts, honey, coffee, even wine. We often think of farmers markets as a treasure of the past, but in fact Farmers Markets are increasing in numbers every year. According to the USDA, there are 10% more markets in 2012 than the previous years. The number of markets has nearly doubled since 2004. And the more we patronize them, the more they will continue to multiply and offer more days and hours to shop.

Shopping at Local Markets where you can meet the seller, and many times the grower or baker or butcher, is rewarding not just for the body, but for the mind, and most especially for the soul.

A Drinking Problem

Cut out the soda. I know you’ve heard this and it is hard, but it should be your first priority for about a million reasons. There are so many things that are bad about soda – the sugar, the sodium, caffeine, the artificial colors, artificial flavorings. Kids don’t need soda. Now, I’m not saying I never let my kids have soda. If they are at someone’s house and they’re offered one or we are out to eat, I certainly let them have one if they want one. But I don’t keep them in my house as an option for them to drink at home. That’s the bottom line – if you don’t buy it, they can’t drink it. I know it will be hard (especially if you are a soda drinker), but it must be done.

Here’s two great reasons, other than health, for cutting out the soda – One, it will save you lots of money. You will be shocked at how much lower your grocery bill will be if you cut out the soda. Even on sale, we spend fortunes on it. And two, you’ll lose weight. Many people drink soda like water and the calories add up. Even if you drink diet soda – you’ll still lose weight. This was a pleasant surprise I discovered when I finally gave up my beloved fresca. I’m not sure if it was the sodium or the sugar cravings that ensued from drinking diet soda, but when I dropped the diet soda, I dropped about five pounds!

Water or watered down organic juice, local cider (in season) or milk are the options kids have at my house. Soda has never been an option. One of my kids chooses water over any other beverage, even at a restaurant. We do make lemonade in the summer (from real lemons) and when we visited the grandparents in Florida we made real orange juice from the oranges on their trees and brought back as much as we could carry. If you just can’t bear to part with it, there are expensive organic versions of soda. I’ve bought these on special occasions and they go over just fine, especially the root beer. A pitcher of ice cold water in your refrigerator has more appeal to kids than you would expect. It's much more special than ordinary tap water. Try it. If you want to get fancy (or you're on city water), add some lemon or lime slices - even better.

Giving up my soda habit was not easy. Diet soda was my water for years. These days I drink tea all the time. I keep a pitcher of cold home brew tea in the refrigerator at all times and I enjoy experimenting with new teas. I try to stick to green tea as much as possible because of its many health benefits. Instead of thinking of how hard it will be to give up soda, start thinking of all the alternatives you can choose instead.

A word about caffeine – it’s a drug. It really is. If you don’t believe me, try giving it up. But do give it up if you can. I promise you’ll sleep easier and discover you don’t need as much sleep. You’ll be healthier, happier, and the people around you won’t be victim to your caffeine fueled mood swings. You don’t need it and if you’re determined to be healthy – give it up. Don’t start your kids on the bad habit either. You have the power to get them off caffeine now – use it.