Just three days to go in the Winter Eat Local Challenge! But I bet you are discovering that it isn’t as hard as you thought it would be to eat more locally. Mark your calendars for Saturday’s CSA Day from 11-2, right here at Just Food Co-op, where you can find yet another great way to eat locally and support local small farmers.
Meet your farmers! Tonight from 4-6 meet Jean Andreason, General Manager of Pastureland Co-op. Their butter is to die for, and they make a fabulous medium cheddar! Stop by to talk with Jean about Pastureland and the farmers they work with, and sample their delicious butter and cheeses!
Eat Local
ELC Day 5: Meet Pastureland Co-op
ELC Day 4: Meet Callister Farm
Congratulations Challenge-takers! You’ve made it to day 4. Don’t forget to pick up your recipe book and menu pamphlet in the entry way of Just Food. They’ll help you eat well all week long.
Meet your farmers! Today from 4-6 p.m. we hope you’ll stop by Just Food to meet Lori Callister of Callister Farm. She provides the Co-op with eggs, chicken, and fresh turkeys at Thanksgiving! This is a great chance for you to learn more about her farm. We’ll also have Tea-dle-Dee sampling out some delicious scones made from their local scone mix from 4-6, and John Thomas will have a sample for you to taste of the Simply Homemade local jams and jellies from 5-7:30 p.m. Yum!
ELC Day 3: Meet Labore Farms and Clem’s Popcorn
It’s day 3 of the Winter Eat Local Challenge- How are you doing? If you’re looking for a delicious, easy, at least 50% local lunch, look no further than Just Food’s grab and go deli. Look for the local sticker on sandwiches, salads, soups and our hot food bar. You have lots of great choices for lunch this week at Just Food!
Meet your farmers! Stop in at Just Food today from 4-6 p.m. and meet Michelle from Labore Farms, located in Faribault. Thanks to Michelle’s delicious hydroponic lettuces, those looking to eat more locally have a source of greens nearly all winter long. During this same time you’ll have a chance to meet the folks at Clem’s Popcorn from Castle Rock Township and sample their wonderful product. You can chat with both and learn more about them tonight at 4 p.m. in the aisles at Just Food.
ELC Day 2: Meet Farm on Wheels
Congratulations to those who’ve taken the Winter Eat Local Challenge- you made it through the first day! If you’re looking for local snacks, try Whole Grain Milling Company tortilla chips and Salsa Lisa Salsa, Angie’s Kettle Corn, or Positively Third Street cookies and bars.
Meet your farmers! From 4-6 p.m. today stop by Just Food Co-op and meet Mike and Linda Noble, owners of Farm on Wheels in Kenyon, MN. The Nobles sell frozen meats at Just Food, and they would love to talk to you about their farming practices and how your food choices can help small farmers.
ELC Day 1: Meet Hidden Stream Farm
Today is the first day of the week-long Winter Eat Local Challenge. We encourage you to take the challenge to eat 50% of your diet from the 5-state area for 1 week. ANd you can sign up at Just Food- We’ve got a few free SnoPac tote bags left to give away to folks who sign their names on our sign up sheet in the store. Get them while they last!
Meet your farmers! From 4-6 p.m. today we welcome you to stop in and visit with the friendly farmers at Hidden Stream Farm. They will be tabling in the aisles of Just Food to talk with you about their family, their business and how they farm.
Winter Eat Local Challenge Shopping List
Get ready… the Winter Eat Local Challenge starts Monday!
Here is the week’s shopping list for Kirsten’s Menu. Note that the menu and this list are for 2 people- adjust accordingly to suit your family’s needs. And click here to find the recipes for these menu items.
Produce
5 Slicing Tomatoes
2 Heads Hydroponic Lettuce (LaBore Farm)
2 lb bag Carrots
1 Head Garlic
1 Package Fresh Thyme
4-5 lbs Red Potatoes (Wisconsin Growers)
5 large Parsnips
1 Package Fresh Rosemary
1 Pkg. Cremini Mushrooms (WI Grown)
1 Bunch Parsley
1 Lemon
1 Cucumber
1 Package Sprouts (WI/MN Grown)
Aisles 1
1 Jar Mayonnaise
1 Bottle Balsamic Vinegar
1 Bottle Olive Oil
1 Bottle Worcestershire Sauce
1 Bottle Peanut Oil
Bulk
.25 lbs Whole Wheat Flour (Whole Grain Milling Co.)
.25 lbs Walnuts
.25 lb Wild Rice (Native Harvest)
.25 lb Rolled Oats (Whole Grain Milling Co.)
.25 lb Oat Bran
.10 lb Flax Seeds (Whole Grain Milling Co.)
.25 lb Black Beans (Whole Grain Milling Co.)
Aisle 2
1 Package Spaghetti (Dakota Growers)
1 Package Pasta Shells (Dakota Growers)
Refrigerated
1 1/2 dozen Eggs (Nicks Eggs, Schultz’s Eggs, Organic Valley, or Harmony Organics)
1/2 gallon Milk (Cedar Summit or Org. Valley)
1 lb Butter (Hope Creamery or Pastureland)
2- 8 oz Yogurts (Cultural Revolution)
1 Package Tortillas (Flat Flush)
1 Container Sour Cream (Organic Valley)
1 Container Salsa (Firehouse or Salsa Lisa)
1 Container Heavy Cream (Cedar Summit or Organic Valley)
1 Container Hummus (Holy Land)
1 Package Pita
1 Quart 3 Bean Chili (Soluppa)
Aisle 4
Jam (Lorence’s Berry Farm)
1 Sea Salt (also available in bulk)
Maple syrup (many local brands available)
7 dried Bay Leaves
.10 lb Allspice
.10 lb Paprika
.10 lb Cayenne Powder
1 Package Graham Crackers
1 Container Condensed Milk
1 Bottle Vanilla Extract
Aisle 5
1 Bag Corn Chips (Whole Grain Milling Co.)
1 Box Cereal (Sturdiwheat Cereal, Mom’s Best Cereal, or find Whole Grain Milling hot cereal in bulk)
Aisle 6
Bacon (Beelers)
Round Tip Steak (Thousand Hills)
Ham (Beelers)
Whole Chicken (Callisters or Kadejan)
Bone in Chicken (Callisters or Kadejan)
Boneless Chicken Breasts (Callisters or Kadejan)
1 Bag Preshredded Cheese (Organic Valley)
1 Wedge Gorgonzola Salem (Fairbault Dairy)
1 Package Chevre Cheese (Stickney Hill)
2- 8oz Packages Cream Cheese (Organic Valley)
1 Container Parmesan Cheese (WI Grown)
1 Container Ice Cream (Pumphouse, Cedar Summit or Sonny’s)
1 Package Pie Crust
Fruit Crisp (Door County)
Frozen Pizza (One Sun Pizza)
Frozen Vegetable Mix (SnoPac)
Frozen Broccoli (SnoPac)
Bread
1 Loaf Bread (Brick Oven, Positively 3rd Street or French Meadow)
1 Loaf Cinnamon Swirl Bread (Brick Oven Bakery)
Take the Winter Eat Local Challenge!
Even during the winter, there is a plethora of delicious ingredients produced locally. You can eat local in the winter too, and there’s no better time to try than the Winter Eat Local Challenge! From March 3rd to March 9th Just Food Co-op challenges you to eat 50% of your diet from the 5-state area. As with the fall Eat Local Challenge, this is your challenge, so the 50% goal is just a starting point and you can adjust it to best suit you.
To help you be successful, Just Food’s Deli Manager Kirsten Lindquist has created a local breakfast, lunch and dinner menu for every day of the challenge (see below). Detailed recipes for these meals can be found in the sidebar on the left. Under “Recipes:”, click the drop down menu and select “Eat Local Challenge Recipes”, then hit “view”. Note that there is more than one page of recipes you may have to click on “previous entries” or “next entries” at the top of the page. Also, visit the store each day of the challenge from 4-6 p.m. and Sunday from 11-2 and meet one of our local farmers tabling in the aisles! Additionally, Just Food’s 3rd annual CSA Day will be Saturday, March 8 from 11-2. CSA Day attendees will have the opportunity to purchase a farm share from one of the many local Community Supported farms.
Just Food Co-op has hosted the Eat Local Challenge during the fall for the past two years. This is the first winter challenge that the Co-op has undertaken.
Unless indicated, recipes are for 2 servings and local ingredients are either 50% by weight or by ingredients.
Day 1
Breakfast: Hot Cereal with Milk and Maple Syrup
Lunch: BLT Sandwich and Green Salad
Dinner: Beef Stew Provencal, Boiled Red Potatoes, Roasted Parsnips, Ice Cream
Day 2
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Toast
Lunch: Ham and Cheese Quiche, Green Salad
Dinner: Baked Chicken with Roasted Vegetables, Door County Apple Crisp
Day 3 (Vegetarian)
Breakfast: Yogurt with Cereal
Lunch: Cheese Quesadillas with Sour Cream and Salsa
Dinner: Pasta with Crimini Mushrooms and Gorgonzola, Green Salad, Blueberry Crisp
Day 4
Breakfast: Toast with Strawberry Jam
Lunch: Veggie Sandwich and Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Dinner: Beef Stew with Mashed Potatoes and Baked Apples
Day 5
Breakfast: Chevre Cheese Omelet
Lunch: Pizza and Green Salad
Dinner: Fried Chicken with Mixed Vegetables and Cheesecake
Day 6 (Vegetarian)
Breakfast: French Toast
Lunch: Black Bean Quesadillas and Green Salad
Dinner: Pasta Primavera and Ice Cream
Day 7 (Vegetarian/Vegan)
Breakfast: Homestead Mills Hot Cereal
Lunch: Hummus and Green Salad
Dinner: 3 Bean Chili and Corn Chips, Cherry Fruit Crisp
Enjoy!
Winter Eat Local Challenge
Coming soon… the Winter Eat Local Challenge! Stay tuned for details.
Local Farmer Flood Relief Fund at Just Food
Many Cooperators are currently taking The Eat Local Challenge, but the past few weeks’ weather has brought farmers a challenge of their own. Recent flooding in Minnesota and Wisconsin has left many local farmers with their livelihood under water during the most crucial production time of the year. At least five farms that sell produce at Just Food Co-op (Harmony Valley of Viroqua WI, Featherstone Organic Farm of Rushford MN, Avalanche Organics of Viola WI, and Driftless Organics of Soldiers Grove WI) have been affected by the floods. Avalanche Organics is reporting 75% loss of the crops in their fields, and others are still assessing the damage.
Local farmers need your support now more than ever. Sow the Seeds Fund is gathering donations for flood relief in conjunction with regional co-ops. You can donate at the register at Just Food Co-op or online at www.sowtheseedsfund.org. The Fund is a project created by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and the Wedge Co-op to promote local food systems in the Midwest. The recent flooding, however, focused the Sow the Seed’s mission to providing flood relief to sustainable and organic farmers hardest hit by the floods.
Eat Local Makes Headlines
The Eat Local Challenge has begun and the local media have picked up the scent of something great:
- WCCO Radio interviewed Joey Robison, our Marketing Manager here, this morning (Joey Robison on WCCO 08152007 (WMA)).
- KARE 11 featured the challenge in a segment (online video).
- The StarTribune “Green Girls” are taking the challenge and mention in a blog post.
- Minnesota Premier Publications (prints multiple free publications like Skyway news, now the Downtown Journal) has an article about the challenge.
- River Market’s challenge featured in the Stillwater Gazette (article).
- Just Food’s challenge featured in the Northfield News (article).