The challenge was on. My Eat Local challenge, and this was the night to be doing. A chaotic evening after a rough day. Not the best choices to start off an challenge but I was wearing it. However it was what we were eating that was more important.
The Menu
For the adults- A raw kale salad with hard boiled eggs. (rice, kale, shallots, brown onion, flat leafed parsley, corn, carrot, lime juice, olive oil, chilli and eggs.)
For the kiddo’s- A similar tamed down version, swapping the kale for lettuce. (rice, corn, lettuce, carrot, olive oil and eggs.)
Where it was from
Rice- from Randall Organic rice
Olive Oil- from Lisborne Grove, Hunter Valley
Vegetables- from Kurrawong Organics and Champion’s Mountain Organics, Mangrove Mountain
Eggs- Ed’s Eggs, Jirandali Farm- Mangrove Mountain (85km from Sydney)
Chilli- my courtyard
Over all dinner was a success. The kids were happy to eat it all and Mr Chocolate said it was all delicious. He did throw a little Caramelised Balsamic Vinegar on top of his jazz it up a bit- a company that produces 250km’s away. I didn’t, but was kicking myself three hours later for not putting a little more protein in there or fat of some sort…I was hungry!! I guess this is the tricky bit, locally produced vegetarian protein. Besides eggs, what other alternatives do I have? To find out next time.
Tidbits
– Foodconnect- Sydney is no longer, and OOOOBY has taken over. Similar concept, and just as committed. This is from their $39 delivered veg box.
– The Locavore Edition– for Australian east coast readers, there is a comprehensive guide to both NSW and Victoria so far, (with Tasmania in the nominating stage.)
How about you? Interested in taking the challenge?
For more details see this post here and for the nitty gritty of ‘how local is local’- well this depends entirely on you. Only you know how you and your family eat. Raise the bar just a little from what you already do. If making sure the majority of your meal includes solely food produced in your country, than make that your challenge. If you want to make it a little trickier, go for produced in the same state…trickier still within 160km.
My aim is to really know where my food is coming from for at least one meal a month, (I will be post here in the last week of the month). It sounds easy enough at this stage, but as the year progresses will it continue to?
Edit– Have a peek over here at Christine’s Eat Local deliciousness
Sounds like a great challenge although not necessarily that easy. Great start! I signed up for a fruit and vegetable box thinking it would be all in season from this country but there are often oranges, bananas, mangoes, etc – I think they are (mostly!) in season this side of the world but still come from a long way away. I have stopped it for now as I found I was struggling to use a lot of the things I don’t really like very much. I try to buy seasonal produce and as locally as possible but I’m not sure it would be very easy here in the winter. I do need to look into it a bit more carefully, thanks for the reminder!
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The protein is certainly tricky, but it looks like you’re doing a great job Brydie!
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Great post! I love challenging my own ideas and I’ve just been perusing The Locavore Edition, I’m keen to find out more about local grains and beef.
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Local grains is definitely something I want to look further into as well Clare. How do you like The Locavore Edition?
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your meal sounds so delicious brydie and really nutritious..congratulations on making your challenge happen..
it’s easier for me than for you brydie because i have my own vegetable garden but just by chance i had a semi ‘local’ meal last night of just picked cucumber, tomato and spring onion from my garden..eggs from ararat..olive oil from a friend of a friend’s grove in central victoria..lemon juice from lemons from a local op shop that were locally grown..sourdough bread made with powlett hill (in northern victoria) stoneground wholemeal flour and..not so local white flour from south australia..and not so local murray river salt..
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Jane that meal rocks my world. You knew were every part of it came from, how wonderful is that!
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Good to hear OOOOBY report. I was so sad to see Food Connect change when I’d just discovered them. Isnt it funny, I liked the ‘tone’ of Food Connect better, I’ve found OOOOBY a bit overwhelming with all the emails. Must have to give it a go again soon when I know I’ll be around for a full week to make the most of it.
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I was a bit sad too. I’d love to know what happened and why the changes. Ooooby is 3 weeks in for me now and all good.
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what a great idea! I’m coming on board a little late but definitely keen to join in!
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Nice one! I’d love to know what you come up with.
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Sounds like a challenging and rewarding project! most of my diet consists of locally grown/made produce, all my fruit/vegies, bread, dairy, sometimes pasta etc. But there are still a few things that I source from further afield.
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I think realistically that’s the best that most people can do. Which is a hell of a good thing Ms Lily 🙂
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Wonderful that you’re doing this Brydie! Once a month seems pretty achievable, especially if you have access to a good local farmer’s market. You’ve inspired me to give this a go for our family too! Cheers, Margot
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Awesome Margot. I’d love to see what you come up with too.
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Yes yes yes! I will definitely join you on this Brydie! I already eat local as much as possible but I love the idea of actually posting with the producers linked in… a fantastic way to spread enthusiasm amongst the community. Love everything about this idea… the dish you produced is absolutely beautiful too. Oh, and re the protein? Hm. Are there any seed or bean growers within a few hundred km? Tricky indeed. Eggs are wonderful but their appeal does wear thin after a while. Beautiful post! xx
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I can get some dairy, and eggs easy…but the legumes, will be tricky. To market, to market to…well, see what I can find.
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Totally agree with Laura on this one. Cracking effort my friend. I’m hella keen…
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Ties in with your ‘on the wagon’ period 🙂
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Hell yeah. And there is a shit load of great local produce in the Northern Rivers… and even my backyard. Stupid if I didn’t use it!
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More eggs? Cheese? Plant a nut tree? Fry up some sourdough croutons in lots of local olive oil? It looks pretty delicious from here!
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I think cheese is the answer although, damn, I’d love a nut tree.
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Very cool that you can get rice and olive oil grown in Australia. Our most local olive oil would have to come from California, 3000 miles away in California. (which is better than Italy)
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Katie we really are lucky and I live in a state that produces a hell of a lot of eating options. So a happy yes to the rice and olive oil. We actually seem to do a fair amount of olive oil.
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Interesting on the Tasmanian inclusion, cheers for the heads up and that meal looks delish 🙂 You are right with the problem with locally sourced vegetarian protein. If you are willing to eat potatoes that kind of solves a bit of a problem and adding starchy things like pumpkin and sweet potatoes in makes a difference but they aren’t ready yet so what’s a girl to do? How about dried beans/chickpeas? I know that they are available on the mainland locally and you could always add in some nuts like macadamias and I know that you guys have them somewhere close because I lust after them when I read other NSW blogs 😉
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Good on you for rising to the challenge after a difficult day. I’m glad everyone in the family enjoyed this meal. I think I might have been a bit hungry though too! Maybe you could have had it with some of your home baked bread to help fill the gap? xx
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Wonderful, B!
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Well done Brydie! You’re off to a brilliant start and no doubt you’ll do so well at this challenge 😀 What’s even better is that as you are a neighbour then I know that it is very possible to do it!
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Your meal would make me very happy. I would think that you might be able to find some local cheeses, we have several in our rural area.
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That’s an excellent dish you came up with for a late dinner rush. How about some lentils or tofu to boost up the protein but no, that’s not local is it?! Harder than I thought. We have local meat so that would make it easy to rely on as backup. Well done on first “eat local” challenge, Brydie!
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Hello Brydie,
This is the first time I have responded to a post having stumbled across your site earlier this year. I love your literary style, your appreciation of the simple but wonderful things in life, the photos, everything really! Thank you!
I too subscribe to the eat local, grow your own, trying to be as self-sufficient as I can, keeping the preservation of the environment foremost.
I thoroughly recommend the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: a Year of Seasonal Eating, by Barbara Kingsolver [Faber & Faber 2007 (UK)/Harper Collins 2007 (US)] which is inspirational, amusing and a great read…and I also enjoy reading her novels.
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Hi Julie. Lovely to have you “pop in” 🙂
I did read that book a few years back now and indeed loved it. The sort of book that I would happily reread a few times.
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what a great challenge! I am lucky where I live to be able to do something like this *fairly* easily. P.s I see you too are a Blog with Pip alumni like me! I have to ask: what do you use for your photos and how are you watermarking them? Its the main thing from the course I am yet to grasp, although I am still working through all the homework! x Emmas Garden Grows
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Ok..I did it! It was actually a lot harder than I thought and really made me stop and think hard about small things in my kitchen..
Thanks for hosting this challenge, Brydie!
Christine 🙂
http://slowlivingessentials.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/eat-local-challenge-1.html
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I am trying this as well. Found local veggie delivery, meat and eggs. A berry farm 4 km from my house but I think that’s the best I will be able to do.
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