the local experiment

Starting today, Ben and I have decided to eat a.l.a.p. (as locally as possible) for the next thirty days. It's an experiment. For the month of June, we'll be sourcing and consuming local food to the best of our abilities.

Last year, my mom signed us for a CSA subscription, which was our first introduction to local eating and the inspiration for this little experiment. We recently started our second CSA subscription this summer, and we look forward to that box of locally grown produce every Tuesday. It's a challenge in seasonal cooking. We like the idea of farmers just outside of town on the other side of our food. And it's as fresh as you could hope for. (The potatoes are still covered in dirt, having just been dug out of the ground that morning. The strawberries burst under your bite and taste like the color red.)

We also love good food. So, it doesn't hurt that we're living in America's Foodiest Small Town -- according to Bon Appetit magazine anyway.

All of these influences combined have led us to start contemplating local eating. Not in a purist sense, or with a lofty vision. More out of curiosity. So, we decided to give it a try in a more full-fledged sort of way.

And like any good experiment, this one has parameters:

• For the next thirty days, we'll eat local meats, dairy, bread, fruit and vegetables.


• We're allowed a few exceptions to get us through, like staples (flour, sugar and such), pasta, rice and spices. Oh, and English Breakfast tea (for Ben).


• We're going to make breakfast and dinner our a.l.a.p. meals. We have a free pass for lunch.


• Even if the food was not grown in the area, we'll look for other ways to contribute to the local community. For example, we'll search out coffee that's roasted locally.


• We're allowed to eat out, but we'll do our best to eat at restaurants that favor local ingredients. Many of our favorite spots (like Rue Cler and Lantern) already do.

We have a few questions that we hope to have answered, like: Can we tell a difference in the quality of the food we consume? How convenient or inconvenient is it to source local foods? What do we miss? What do we love? Is it really more expensive to eat locally? And, what's our philosophy on eating locally when this month is all said and done?

So, for the next thirty days, I'll keep you posted about the whole experiment. About my quest to source local foods. About my exploration into why people feel so strongly about eating locally. About what we love most. And miss most. About the whole experience.

And should you feel so inclined, join us.