Local Harvest

Most produce in the United States is picked 4 to 7 days before being placed on supermarket shelves, and is shipped for an average of 1500 miles before being sold. That distance is even longer for foods imported internationally.

Local Harvest is a great website for anyone looking to find farms, farmers markets, co-ops and CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture) in their area in an effort to support local growers, and vendors and reduce the amount of fossil fuel it takes to bring our food to our plates.

Dining Out for Life

On Thursday November 29, 2007, Food For Thought - Sonoma County AIDS Food Bank,
will have their 6th Annual Dining Out For Life night of dining.
You can dine out at a participating restaurant and either 25% or 50% of your food bill will be donated to Food For Thought. Some restaurants will be donating the same percentage of alcohol sales as well.
I noticed on their list of participating restaurants that there are several restaurants in Sonoma County who are participating in the "Dining out for Life" that use local / organic ingredients, i.e. Farm House, French Garden, etc.
It might be fun to support one of those restaurants and support the Sonoma County AIDS Food Bank at the same time. I know that the Food Bank also supports AIDS work in parts of Africa as well.

Slowfoodusa.org

I have been learning a lot about the personal, environmental, communal benefits of buying and eating local and seasonal foods through reading Barbara Kingsolver's book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle". She often refers to the Slow Food Movement which I had always heard about but never really had checked into. It looks like there is a Sonoma County Chapter......

Here is an excerpt from their website:
"Slow Food USA envisions a future food system that is based on the principles of high quality and taste, environmental sustainability, and social justice – in essence, a food system that is good, clean and fair. We seek to catalyze a broad cultural shift away from the destructive effects of an industrial food system and fast life; toward the regenerative cultural, social and economic benefits of a sustainable food system, regional food traditions, the pleasures of the table, and a slower and more harmonious rhythm of life"