We are members of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of NY, who this month launched its second annual Locavore Challenge state-wide, and we are proud sponsors! Please read all about it here and take on the challenge of eating as much local food as possible for as little as a day, a week or for the whole month - the point is to learn more about our local food system on a level you are currently comfortable with, give a boost to our local economy and support our farming neighbors. Read on for all the information and please visit the NOFA-NY website for a calendar of events & more info!
Our September 18 Food Swap with From Scratch Club is a featured event and we are a participating restaurant!
(Tickets for the swap will be released any day on FSC.)
"The New York State
The Challenge starts with the theory “vote with your dollar,” and takes it a few steps further, by appealing concerned citizens to participate in a wide variety of events and challenges that support their local economies, encourage organic and sustainable growing practices and propel the movement forward.
The goal for this campaign is to educate consumers about how to make healthy and ethical food choices, cook with in-season, local organic foods, while supporting local sustainable farms and food businesses. Our 2011 goal is to involve 5,000 people in this year’s challenge, and bring the concepts of local, organic and sustainable more into the forefront of the general public’s minds.
This year’s program is versatile, fun and FREE!
Challenge Levels
Bite-Sized (3 mini-challenges)
Meal-Sized (6 mini-challenges)
Feast-Sized (9 mini-challenges)
Challenge Categories
Grow, Cook, Eat
Join the Movement
Take Action
Grow, Cook, Eat
Bite-Sized Challenge: Choose 1
Meal-Sized Challenge: Choose 2
Feast-Sized Challenge: Choose 3
Take a 250 Mile Day Challenge
Take a 250 Mile Week Challenge (Counts as 2)
Take a 250 Mile Month Challenge (Counts as 3)
Shop at a Farmers Market, Farm Stand or U-Pick
Dine at a Locavore Restaurant
Join a Winter CSA
Join a Food Co-op
Eat (at least) 5 Servings of Local, Organic Fruit & Veggies per Day
Cook with Local Oils, Grains, Meats & Cheeses
Sip on Local Milk, Juice, Beer, Wine & Spirits
Swap Sugar for Local Honey & Maple Syrup
Try Food Preservation (Canning, Freezing, Drying)
Go Foraging!
Make Your Own Butter, Yogurt, or Ice-Cream
Grow an Herb Garden
Plant an Indoor Winter Garden
Plant at Cover Crop in Your Garden
Compost Your Kitchen Scraps
Join the Movement
Bite-Sized Challenge: Choose 1
Meal-Sized Challenge: Choose 2
Feast-Sized Challenge: Choose 3
Like NOFA-NY on Facebook and/or Follow NOFANY on Twitter
Blog About Your Challenge Experience (and send us the link!)
Become a Member of NOFA-NY
Attend a Locavore Event
Host a Locavore Potluck on Sept. 25th (Counts as 2)
Attend a Locavore Potluck on Sept. 25th
Read a Locavore Book
Host a Locavore Book Discussion (Counts as 2)
Participate in a Crop Mob
Take Action
Bite-Sized Challenge: Choose 1
Meal-Sized Challenge: Choose 2
Feast-Sized Challenge: Choose 3
Join the Millions Against Monsanto Campaign
Lobby Your Food Store to Include More Local Product
Ask Your Representative to Support Organic Farming
Speak With Your School About Local Sourcing
Start a Garden in Your Community or School
Volunteer at a Farm or Community Garden
Donate to the NOFA-NY Farmer Education Fund
The 250 Mile Diet Challenge
This 250 Mile Diet mini-challenge urges participants to eat only local and organic and/or sustainably produced foods. Participants who choose the Day or Week long challenges may select a specific day or week during the month of September that they would like to complete the challenge. The Month challenge can start anytime in September and be completed 30 days later. All foods consumed during the 250 Mile Diet Challenge must be produced locally within 250 miles and be produced using organic or sustainable methods. It is a difficult challenge, but there are a few helpful short-cuts allowed to make the transition a little bit easier.
1.) Marco Polo Rule: Salt, pepper and spices do not need to be local. Also yeast, baking powder and baking soda are nearly impossible to source locally so they are accepted exceptions as well.
This rule originates from the premise that if you could carry it in your pockets while at sea, you could bring it with you to the “New World .”
2.) Wild Card Items: Choose up to (5) Wild Card Ingredients that cannot be sourced locally but that you cannot live without.
We hope you'll join us in support of our local food system.
Your bakers,
Britin & Nick
