Eat Local Challenge #1

Posted on by

eat local #1 || cityhippyfarmgirl

Eat LOCAL child version || cityhippyfarmgirl 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

eat local || cityhippyfarmgirl

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.

ooooby vegetables || cityhippyfarmgirl

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.)

eat local || cityhippyfarmgirl

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?

eat local challenge || cityhippyfarmgirl

Edit– Have a peek over here at Christine’s Eat Local deliciousness

Slow Living Essentials- Eat Local #1

Slow Living Essentials- Eat Local #1

44 thoughts on “Eat Local Challenge #1”

  1. 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!

    Like

    Reply ↓

  3. Pingback: Eat Local Challenge #1 | cityhippyfarmgirl | Know What You Eat

  4. 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.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  5. 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..

    Like

    Reply ↓

  6. 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.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  9. 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

    Like

    Reply ↓

  10. 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

    Like

    Reply ↓

  13. 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)

    Like

    Reply ↓

  14. 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 😉

    Like

    Reply ↓

  15. 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

    Like

    Reply ↓

  19. 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!

    Like

    Reply ↓

  20. 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.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  21. 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

    Like

    Reply ↓

  23. Pingback: Eat Local Challenge #2 | cityhippyfarmgirl

  25. Pingback: Eat Local Challenge #3 | cityhippyfarmgirl

  26. Pingback: Carrot Top Pesto -ELC #5 | cityhippyfarmgirl

  27. Pingback: Pumpkin and Jerusalem Artichoke Soup- ELC #6 | cityhippyfarmgirl

  28. Pingback: Tipple Time- Eat Local Challenge #7 | cityhippyfarmgirl

  29. Pingback: Leek and Potato Soup- ELC #8 | cityhippyfarmgirl

  30. Pingback: Crackers, pesto and for the love of good honey- ELC #9 | cityhippyfarmgirl

  31. Pingback: Rosemary, Thyme and Zucchini Bread- ELC#10 | cityhippyfarmgirl

  32. Pingback: Eat Local Challenge- The End | cityhippyfarmgirl

Leave a comment