Preserving the Harvest

Autumn has a way of reminding us of that winter is just around the corner: crisp mornings that make you want to crawl back under the warm blankets, shortening days, breezes that aren't quite as summery as we remember them.

But it's also harvest time for the gardeners...or at least, those of us who frequent farmer's markets hunting for good deals on fresh produce! Autumn is the last hurrah for warm-season plants like tomato, onion, peppers, eggplant, apples, and squash. Such color, such flavor, such variety! But now that you're sufficiently swimming away in produce, what to do with it?

Can it!

People have been preserving food for thousands of years. Before the 18^th century, foods were usually smoked, dried, or salted after being harvested. In cold climates, food could even be frozen in the winter, or stored in a root cellar to keep cool. 

The idea of canning fresh produce came about in the late 1700s, when Napoleon Bonaparte of France offered a large cash prize to the man who could develop a reliable method of food preservation. Napoleon needed a way to feed his armies in the far-flung battlefields of Europe, and shipping fresh food across the continent wasn't a very reliable option...especially during winter when fresh food was scarce, and travel was treacherous.

Fifteen years after Napoleon presented his challenge, a wine-maker named Nicholas Appert had perfected the technique of preserving food by heating it and sealing it in a glass bottle, like wine. The idea worked because it was simple and workable, but it had some major flaws. The food was heated so much that the flavor was destroyed, and there was no concrete time duration for food to be considered “fully cooked.” Glass bottles also presented problems for transportation, as they could break.

C. botulinum bacteria, cause of Botulism in foodstuffs

In the early 1800s, an Englishman named Peter Durand perfected Appert's method by using a tin can to store food instead of a glass bottle. This method also worked well, but didn't gain widespread popularity until 100 years later...when someone came up with the bright idea to invent a can opener. Other problems plagued the canning industry, such as using lead solder to seal tin cans...and food processing times in excess of 6 hours. The growth of the deadly C. botulinum bacteria in canned food was also a problem, especially in low-acid foods like vegetables.

Fast-forward 150 years: wide-mouth glass jars gain popularity in home preserving. They start with just a smooth mouth opening, like a wine bottle; then in 1858 a man named John L Mason invented a jar that had grooves around the mouth like a screw. Of course, he named it after himself...and the concept is still used and printed on the sides of canning jars today. But there was a little problem with that jar; the lids were metal, which could rust and break the seal, or contaminate the food. In 1882, this problem was fixed. A clamped glass-lid jar called the “lightning jar” was developed, which had no metal contact with the food, was fast to open and close, and created a seal by using a rubber ring. This jar type was very popular, and remained in usage until the 1960s. By 1915, a fruit jar manufacturer named Alexander Kerr was credited with the development of the flat, disposable lid that we are now familiar with in home canning. This flat lid had a rubber seal permanently fixed to the bottom, which could be thrown away after the jar had been used. People could now reuse their old jars, and only have to purchase new lids every year! BIG cost savings, and even better for food safety!

Today, we understand how we can preserve foods safely via canning. Low-acid foods must have lemon juice or vinegar added in order to prevent the growth of the botulism bacteria, or these foods can be processed in a pressure cooker. And of course, the importance of kitchen cleanliness is paramount.

A few days ago, I taught you to make your very own apple butter in my post “Enjoying the Harvest”. Now, I'll teach you to preserve it!

HOW TO CAN APPLE BUTTER (WATER-BATH METHOD):

Canning Kit

There's a couple things you'll need to get started: a soup ladle, a box of regular-mouth pint jars, a canning kit (complete with jar tongs, head-space ruler/stir stick, wide-mouth funnel, and lid wand), and a large soup pot or home water-bath canner. If you don't have these at home already, you can buy them at your local grocery store for less than $20 each.

Sterilizing Jars

First, you'll want to sterilize your jars. You can do this in the dishwasher, or by hand. I recommend using the dishwasher, if you've got one. Simply place the jars and bands on the top rack, put in some detergent, and turn it on! By the time the machine is done with the dry cycle, your jars will be clean and properly sterilized. Just don't wait too long after the dry cycle is complete; your jars should still be warm to the touch when you start putting food in them!

If you don't have a dishwasher, don't stress. Simply pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees F, wash your jars with warm, soapy water (don't forget to rinse them), and place them upside-down in a couple of glass baking dishes. Bake the jars for at least 10 minutes before putting food in them. They should be warm to the touch by the time you're ready to use them.

Sterilizing Lids

Sterilize your lids next. This can be done in two ways: put your lids in a small saucepan and simmer them over low heat until you're ready to use them, or put them into a mixing bowl and pour in a pot of boiling water. I've done it both ways, and they both work well.

Meanwhile, fill your water-bath canner with water and bring it to a rapid boil. Fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil too; you never know when you might need some more boiling water! It never hurts to be prepared...

Filling Jars

Now that your water is boiling, begin filling the jars. You'll want to do this one at a time; canning does NOT work well in assembly-line fashion!! Grab one warm jar from the dishwasher or oven, and fill it with the hot apple butter. Everything MUST be warm, or the glass jars will shatter when they go into the boiling water for processing. You'll want to use a soup ladle and wide-mouth funnel for this, or else you'll make a mess all over the counter. To keep things clean, it's also nice to have a dishcloth under your workspace. 

Measure Head Space

Use the head space ruler to measure a ¼ inch head space between the top of the jar and the apple butter. If you have too much apple butter, scoop it out with a spoon; if you don't have enough, add some more. “Head space” is the term we use for that gap between the food and the jar mouth, and the height differs for what product you're canning. Some foods have ¼ inch head space; others can have up to 1 inch. Be sure to double-check the head space in your recipe, or in the Ball Blue Book, the home canner's bible. It is very important to do this accurately, because your jar could seal badly...or not at all! 

Cleaning Mouth

Wipe the jar mouth clean with a wet dishcloth. Make sure there's no food on there that could interfere with the rubber on the lid from making full contact with the mouth of the jar. Once that's done, use the lid magnet to get a lid from the simmering water and place it on the jar mouth. Use a finger to keep it in place, and use a band to tighten it down. Finger-tight is more than enough; the idea is just to keep the lid from flying off during processing...not to make it tamper-proof!

Use the jar tongs to grab the jar and place it in in the hot water bath. Repeat this process until all your jars are filled, or your canner is full with jars having enough space for water to flow freely on all sides.

Once the canner is full, cover the jars with 2-3 inches of water, and boil the jars for 10 minutes. The water pressure of the boiling water forces the air inside the jars out through the lid, so that's why that band is so important! This is also where the head-space comes into play; if there is too much head space in the jar, not all the air will be forced out during processing, leaving some bacteria behind to spoil the food.

Use your jar tongs to remove the jars from the boiling water. Place the jars in a out-of-the-way spot on your kitchen counter, preferably covered with a dishcloth to absorb any water drips and prevent the hot glass from shattering on a cold surface. There will be a little water pooled on the lid, but do not tip the jars sideways to pour it off!! This could break the rubber seal, and you'll have to re-process the jars.

Let the jars cool on the dishcloth for 12-24 hours, until they have reached room temperature. The glass and rubber heat up and forms a molecular seal as they cool, which makes a perfect vacuum seal. You'll know you've gotten a good seal when you hear a metallic “pop” coming from the tops of the jars. The jar lids will also look as if they're being sucked into the jars, which is a good thing! If you're unsure whether or not you got a good vacuum seal, test it by pressing down on the jar lid. If it moves or pops, re-process it...or plan to eat that one within the next month.

Remove bands and store jars in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. Once opened, use the bands to keep the lids in place, and store the jars in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. For convenience you could store the jars with the bands on, but be sure to loosen them a bit so water won't dry in the threads and make them rust.

Enjoy your apple butter!!

Enjoying the Harvest: Apple Butter

Ah, October! It's the perfect time of year: beautiful blue-bowl skies, crisp mornings, warm afternoons, brightly colored trees, crunchy leaves, and best of all...APPLES! With more than 2,500 varieties grown in the US alone, and more than 7,000 worldwide, it's hard to get tired of them. You can have almost any color, flavor, or texture you like: red, yellow, green, crispy, tart, sweet, soft...the list could go on forever. And of course, who could say "no" to fresh apple cider?

One of my favorite fall condiments is apple butter. Enjoy it on toast, bagels, muffins, or even pancakes...it's a perfect snack, bursting with fall flavor. Most people think that only the Amish living in the northeast part of the state know how to make the world's best apple butter, but the truth is, anyone can make it...even you! All you need is a couple hours on a dreary afternoon, an apple corer, soup pot, and a blender.

The Ball Brothers

I've been making apple butter for 3 years now. I didn't used to be an apple connoisseur, but then I worked at the Minnetrista Cultural Center, home of the Ball family who founded a glass factory in Muncie in the 1880s. They eventually became famous for popularizing the Mason jar used in home preserving...and giving their name to my collegiate alma mater: Ball State University. 

Apples at the Minnetrista Orchard Shop

Minnetrista was the name of the eldest Ball brother's home, and at the turn of the century, it contained an orchard with more than 300 apple trees. That orchard is long gone today, but a new one is being grown in its place to teach students about apples. And Minnetrista's Orchard Shop is one of the best places around to buy local apples and fresh-pressed apple cider! Minnetrista has an industrial cider press on-site, and the staff presses fresh cider every week during the fall.

As I learned about different apple varieties, I discovered that a variety of apples is the key to making GREAT apple butter.  It's like wine; the more varieties you use, the better the overall flavor.  I've used as many as 6 apple varieties before, but you can use as few as 4. Mix them up between tart and sweet to get a nice blend of flavors! This year, my tart apples came from Minnetrista. I'm a fan of the Cortland, McIntosh, and Jonathan varieties, but Fugi, Ida Red, Braeburn, Granny Smith, and Winesap are all good tart varieties too. Actually, I've never tasted a tart apple I haven't liked...

My sweet apples came from my boss's grandfather's orchard in Alexandria, IN. Red and Golden Delicious are amazingly good sweet apple varieties, along with Jonagold, Gala, and Honeycrisp. I'm not as much of a fan of these varieties, but they make for great cooking!

MAKING APPLE BUTTER:

Here's a list of what you'll need. This recipe makes enough apple butter to fill 4 pint jars, but I don't recommend “cutting down” the recipe to make less...apple butter is one of those things best made in big batches. If 4 pints is more than you can eat in a month, can it! Don't worry if you don't know how; I'll teach you to do that in my next post, “Preserving the Harvest”.

• 15 medium to large apples
• 4 cups apple cider
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ¾ tsp allspice
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt

First you'll want to wash, core, and cut your apples into bite-sized chunks. Cut out any bad/mushy parts, but spots/speckles or scars on the skin is fine. DO NOT PEEL the apples! The skin contains pectin, which makes the apple butter become jelly-like as you cook it down. 

Pour the apples and cider into a large soup pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmering (low or medium-low, depending on your stove). Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Your apples should be nice and soft now, and some may become separated from their skins.

If you've skipped ahead and already added the sugar and spices at this point, don't stress! I've done that for two years now, and my apple butter still tastes great! It really doesn't matter when the spices go in, as long as they get there eventually.

Blend the apple mixture in a blender/food processor until smooth. You'll want to do this in batches, so keep a large mixing bowl nearby. DO NOT fill your blender over halfway! It will overflow when you turn it on...and sticky, scalded hands are no fun! Keep in mind too, to cock the blender lid a bit so it doesn't pop off from the built-up steam. Cover the opening with a clean dishcloth to keep the apple mixture inside the blender, where it belongs.

Rinse the soup pot free of any large apple chunks. Return the blended apples to the soup pot, and add the sugars and spices. Mix well, and heat the mixture to boiling. Reduce the heat to low or medium-low, and cook for 1.5 to 4 hours. Stir every 30 minutes or so to prevent sticking and burning.

Feel free to leave the kitchen and do other things while the apple butter is cooking; it doesn't need your constant supervision. Just kick back, relax, and enjoy the smell of warm apple-cinnamon wafting through your house!

The duration of cooking depends on the consistency you want. The longer the apple butter cooks, the darker, thicker, and sweeter it becomes. Cooking the apples for a short time resembles applesauce, while a true apple butter is thick, and a rich mahogany color. You can cook your apple butter for as long as you like; I accidentally cooked mine for nearly 6 hours this year, and it still turned out great!

Enjoy!!

Mysterious Milk...What's in YOUR Glass?

Ah, milk. The wonderful drink that is has it all in one glass: vitamins, sugars, minerals, and protein. You've probably seen the aggressive marketing campaign to encourage us to drink more of it. You know, the one with all those fabulously fit celebrities, sports stars, musicians, models, moms, and even superheroes touting creamy white mustaches on their upper lips?

But what are we REALLY drinking? Have you ever thought about it?

In 2008, the US dairy industry's produced 9.3 million cows produced about 190 billion pounds of milk.  Let's put that amount in perspective: if every person in the United States (and there are over 300 million of us) produced 6 gallons of milk per month, we still wouldn't make 190 billion pounds!  And for the past 7 years, our milk production per cow has been increasing by 0.1 gallon every year.  Today, the average cow will produce 2,752.5 gallons (~17,000 lbs) of milk in a year...roughly 7.5 gallons per day, over ¾ of a gallon more than 10 years ago! 

(Data Source: USDA)

The average American drinks about 23 gallons of milk per year. But there are dozens of choices we have to make when it comes to the grocery store's dairy section: do I want...

Whole milk?
Vitamin D?
2%, 1%, or Low-fat?
Skim?
Flavored? 
Lactose-free?
Organic? 
 Hormone-free?
 Pasture-raised/grass-fed?

It gets a little overwhelming...so most of us just grab the gallon that's cheapest and has the latest expiration date, throw it in the cart, and get on with our grocery lists. It doesn't really matter that much anyway, right? Milk's really good for us, isn't it?   

I mean, just look at all those idyllic-looking farms and happy cows on the label...

PROBLEM:

All milk is not what it seems. In fact, there's some downright scary stuff that might be hiding in it...

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  Feed: Cows are supposed to eat grass. A lot of it. And unfortunately, it's expensive to feed cows the 167 pounds of grass they need to consume every day. So many large-scale dairy farms have switched to a cheaper, high-energy food source: soy and corn pellets, supplemented with grass crops like alfalfa. Feeding bovines a food source their stomachs were not designed to digest causes bleeding ulcers, which require high-power antibiotics to rectify.
  
  

  

  Cows eating feed

  In order to remain profitable when the public is clamoring for milk that costs less than $2 per gallon, many dairy farmers turn to an even cheaper food source for their herds.  The most common solution is supplementing pellet feed with fillers called “by-product foodstuffs”.  This is created from the waste products generated during human food processing.  A 2008 University of Wisconsin study of cattle diets in the Upper Midwest found these disturbing items as “common ingredients”: 
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    Sterilized city garbage
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    Candy and bubble gum
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    Floor sweepings from bakeries and pasta factories (including plastic wrappers)
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    Potato waste (cooked fries and chips, or rotten potatoes not suitable for processing)
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    Blood, feather, poultry, or fish meal (waste blood/feathers/carcasses collected at slaughterhouses; cooked, dried and ground into powder)

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  Growth Hormones: There are two major hormones used in dairy cows to boost milk production: BGH (bovine growth hormone) and rBST (recombinant bovine somatropin). These hormones cause an insulin-like growth factor in the milk called IGF-1 that survives pasteurization, and is then absorbed into our bodies through our bloodstream. There is much debate about the effect these hormones have on our bodies, if any, but some research indicates that IGF-1 promotes the mutation of normal female breast and colon cells into their cancerous form.

Yes, the USDA and FDA approved this hormone...and claim it has no harmful effects on humans. Canada, Japan, and the EU, on the other hand, banned the use of BGH and rBST in dairy cows in 1999. 

These countries banned BGH and rBST because they make cows more susceptible to disease, thus requiring more antibiotics to stay healthy. BGH and rBST make dairy cows especially prone to a disease called mastitus, a very painful udder infection that causes open, infected sores that can emit pus into the milk. Any infection is allegedly destroyed during pasteurization, but still...sounds appetizing, doesn't it?

Additionally, treating cows with hormones and high-energy feed to improve milk production decreases the quality of their milk. Think about it: cow milk is designed to nourish the calves, same as breast milk nourishes our children...and so it is a very dense source of necessary vitamins, minerals, and fats. But as a cow's milk production increases, so does the dilution of the those vitamins and minerals. And since today's cows are producing 20 times more milk than they need to sustain a healthy calf, and farmers are being encouraged to increase milk production every year...what kind of product quality are we REALLY getting?

• 
  
  Antibiotics: We want healthy cows, because healthy cows produce more milk than unhealthy ones.  So it makes sense to medicate them when they are sick. But it is illegal to give a lactating cow antibiotics of any kind. In fact, farmers are required by law to dump an entire tanker truck's contents if the milk inside tests positive for antibiotics or other drugs. But studies like this one from the Journal of Dairy Science suggest that anywhere between 20% and 30% of milk tests positive for common bovine antibiotics like penicillin. 

Like hormones, antibiotics are not destroyed by pasteurization; they accumulate in our bodies. And persistence of antibiotics is getting a lot of attention these days; we are becoming immune to them, and bacteria are becoming immune, also.

But then the ethical issue of animal welfare comes to mind: if cows fed on corn and soy pellets have problems with bleeding stomach ulcers, and growth hormones increase the probability of lactating cows contracting the mastitus disease, shouldn't a farmer want to treat cows with antibiotics to keep them healthy...no matter what the law says? Something doesn't make sense here: growth hormones and synthetic feeds are legal...but administering medication while the cows produce milk is not. Either there are a lot of sick cows being removed from production, or there are a lot of sick cows producing the milk we drink. Or, even scarier, there are a lot of high-power antibiotics floating around in our milk...

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

Don't cut back on your milk consumption; Americans aren't getting enough as it is.  Do research instead.  Know where your milk comes from, and what went into its production. Or, try organic or grass-fed milk!  Trust me, there is a difference!

Advantages of USDA Certified Organic Milk:

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  Organic feed. This means the products in cow's feed have not been exposed to fertilizers or pesticides. The feed may still may contain more corn/soy pellets than grass, and has the slim possibility that “by-product foodstuffs” may also be in the feed...but this can be averted by looking for a “vegetarian fed” label on the milk. When in doubt, check the farm's website for information about their product handling policies.
  
  
• 
  
  No genetic mutation. This means BGH and rBST cannot given to the cows to increase milk production. No hormones for cows means better health for them, a more nutrient-dense milk, and better health for us.
  
  
• 
  
  No antibiotics. If a cow is ill and must be treated, she cannot be returned to the milking herd for 1 year to ensure the antibiotics are out of her system. (This rule exists for non-organic milk also...but it's not followed as strictly)
  
  
  
  



Dairy cows grazing at the grass-fed Trader's Point Creamery, Indianapolis, IN

• Access to pasture. Organic cows must have time to graze freely in the pasture, but there's a loophole: what is “acceptable access to pasture”? 10 minutes? 10 hours? 10 days? Again, this is the perfect opportunity to check the farm's website for information about their product handling. A good/reputable farm or distribution company should provide this information openly. If they don't, look for another company that places a higher value on transparency.

Disadvantages of USDA Certified Organic Milk:

• 
  
  Requires consumer research. All organic dairy farms/distribution companies are not created equal. Some producers take their organic certification very seriously and even go above and beyond the USDA requirements, but then there are others that give the term “organic” a bad name. Fortunately, research agencies like the Cornucopia Institute have produced this  “report card” for the most popular national  organic milk brands. Try finding your favorite!
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  Cost. Organic milk is more expensive than non-organic. There's no way around it. There are thousands of reasons for this; most of them have to do with Farm Bill subsidies, tax incentives, feed prices and availability, economies of scale, market demand, etc. But the price of organic milk has become more competitive over the past few years – more people are demanding it. Grass-fed milk is more expensive than organic because it's a relatively new industry, and so has more local, small-scale producers. 
  
  
   But I firmly believe that, when it comes to food, you get what you pay for.
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  Nutrients. There appears to be no nutritional difference between organic and non-organic milk.  But if you're looking for a nutritionally superior milk product, go for the grass-fed milk. Cows fed a grass diet spend nearly 100% of their lifetimes in pasture, and produce milk richer in antioxidants, beneficial fats (like Omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid-CLA), Vitamins E and C, Vitamin B, and beta-carotene. Grass-fed milk is also richer in trace minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. For more information, check out this site about the human and animal health benefits of a grass-fed diet.
  
  
  
  

My husband and I started this whole journey because of milk. We didn't think there would be difference between organic and non-organic...but our bodies knew better. After just a few weeks, we felt lighter and had more energy. And it was then that we knew there was no going back to the old “conventional” way of thinking about food.

So if you don't change anything else about your diet...spring for the organic or grass-fed milk. Your body will thank you!

More than Corn in Indiana...Who Knew?

Sunday, August 29 marked the inaugural Dig-In: A Taste of Indiana event, a “slow food” fair and food/beverage tasting extravaganza in Indianapolis's White River State Park. The park was filled with examples of Central Indiana's best chefs, expert-led discussions and presentations, practical demonstrations, music, artisans, and fun. Thousands of people turned out to sample food made from chefs showcasing the products provided by local growers.

Yes, Indiana actually produces more than soybeans and inedible corn!

Did you know that Indiana...

• ...is the #1 duck producer?
• ...is the #2 producer of tomatoes, ice cream, and popcorn?
• ...is the #3 chicken egg producer?
• ...is the #4 mint producer?
• ...is the #5 producer of spearmint and cantaloupe?
• ...is the #6 hog producer?
• ...is the #7 producer of turkey, watermelon, snap beans, and cucumbers?
• ...is the #8 blueberry producer?

Data Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA

Indiana also has quite the grape population, enough to support 23 commercial vineyards and wineries throughout the state. The wineries offering their fabulous selections for free tasting included: Chateau Thomas Winery, Carousel Winery, Oliver Winery, Indian Creek, Mallow Run, Madison Vineyards, Turtle Run, and Simmons Winery.

The micro-brewery market is also gaining popularity in Indiana, with the state being home to 2 vodkas and dozens of local breweries. Six producers brought their beers for sampling: New Albanian, Three Floyds, Upland, Sun King, Barley Island, and the Brugge.

So what is “Slow Food”, exactly? It's a movement. It's a lifestyle. It's a diet. And it's also a global, grassroots movement around the world that links food with commitment to communities and the environment. It's a call-to-arms to encourage people to ask themselves the hard questions: where does my food come from?  Who produces it?  What's in it?  And how much am I spending on it?

The Slow Food movement encourages us to choose food that is grown locally, and in a manner that was kindly to the plants, the workers, and the environment in general. Sure, it might sound a bit lofty...but it doesn't have to be. People can start small, like choosing to buy their food from producers in their home state. Let's face it, nothing beats devouring food freshly picked from the garden...so why not choose to eat food that was grown nearby, by people you know, and that is good for you and the local economy?

Sounds impossible at first, doesn't it? But it's not. In fact, it's super easy. Especially in the summer and early fall. Start by looking for Farmer's Markets in your area. In Indiana, many farmer's markets can be found at the Indiana State Department of Agriculture website (document available for download here).  

Nationwide, many Farmer's Markets can be found on the Local Harvest website.  This site is also a good resource for finding Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) operations in your area. CSAs are large-scale gardens operated by individual people, families, or non-profit organizations, and you can pledge to buy a specific amount of produce from them every week of the growing season...and sometimes, they'll even deliver right to your door! In Indiana, the growing season usually lasts from late April through early October. CSAs are a good local-produce purchasing option for those of us who inadvertently destroy anything we grow, or don't have the time/space to grow a garden. It's also cheaper than buying fruits and vegetables from the store every week, because you're buying in bulk and spreading that cost over 6 months of agricultural productivity.

But lists of official Farmer's Markets don't even begin to include the multitude of roadside farm stands at plant nurseries and on family farms. Sometimes even backyard gardeners will put up a plywood or cardboard sign advertising their seasonal produce. Simply take what you want, leave your change in the jar, and voila!—fresh food!  Many can be found on state highways, country roads, residential streets...basically anywhere away from an interstate highway. If you live in an agricultural area, try taking a different way home one day...you might be amazed at what you find!

So why support local growers, anyway? What is the advantage, when it's so convenient to go to the local box store and get everything you need all in one place?

Local economic stimulus. And lots of it.

Nearly every state in the US is in a budget crunch right now, begging for stimulus dollars and projects from the federal government. That's an entirely different can of worms that I don't want to get into here, but here are the facts: when people shop at big box stores, international agriculture corporations and large shipping companies are getting those profits...not the local producers. Don't believe me? Just check the product labels on your produce: Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Central America, California, Idaho.

How many of those labels are from your home state?

The average family of four spends about $100 per week on groceries. If every family in Indiana used just $6.50 of that grocery money to buy local produce, that would be $250 million being spent DIRECTLY on the Indiana economy. When you calculate that the dollars spent on local produce goes back into the communities that provided it, thus generating another 3-5% of economic growth in the area...you get over $1 billion stimulus dollars!

Sounds almost good enough to eat...

Remember, you vote with your fork.  The power is in YOUR hands.  If big grocery chains aren't meeting your dietary, social, or economic needs, you don't have to shop there.  Believe it or not, there ARE other options in your area!

And if researching your local food providers sounds like too much work for you right now, that's fine too. Start small by choosing to eat foods that are in-season. This will save you money at the store, because in-season produce is MUCH cheaper than when it is out-of-season. Check out this harvest calendar to see what's being harvested in the Midwest right now. See a fruit or vegetable that sounds interesting? Try it! You might like it.

Happy Eating!