I was very surprised by this website.
Why? First thoughts… it is awesome. The video is excellent and drives a few important points home. It goes through the reason why we need to eat local and support local food production.
Please go visit the site and see what I am talking about. Watch the video.
My second thought was.. what the hell?? Hellman’s mayonnaise?? What? How local are they?
But as I thought more about the website today, I think this is what it is going to take. A large corporation realizing the bigger picture and putting their money behind it. I am sure the people at Hellman’s hope that people will associate their mayonnaise with local food.
And I am okay with that.
This website makes me feel like if Monsanto decided that GMO canola was a bad idea. And that would feel pretty good.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Tim,
I know the ad you mean. I have seen it it was a big thing when it came out and I agree with you.
How can we help the change to eat local? to eat more of your food for us?
The challenge is to overcome the block points.
There are some delivery ways already there but they don’t source farmers food but rely on the same Food Terminal point.
If we could convince the city, the government, the good food box people, the food bank, that we need to distribute the products and had a place given by the city to sort and ship we could reach all the thousands of Calgarians that are already ready for this. That want to eat local food.
Thank you for your postings
Ester=)
Ester,
Part of the problem is that people do not know there is an issue.
Most people just do not care. They get cheap food at the grocery store and they are quite happy about the situation.
I think the way to convince people to do it a better way is to make the better way easier, more meaningful, and to connect people to the land and people that grows their food.
I want to help people experience the better way.
Do you guys have CSA’s up there? We belong to one here called Love Grows Farms. You can google or bing them They are awesome! Completely organic, susainable farming practices, amazing food! CSA is one way to connect with the people, and get the food into their hands/tables/bellies at reasonable prices. They commit to you, you commit to them. It’s a relationship. The seeking out of all the local food sources may not be everyone’s thing, but if someone has a relationship with their CSA, they are more likely to talk about it, and pass the info on.
As for the hellmans ad, I really liked the video. I think it’s crucial to start where we can, doing what we can to reasonably support the local farmer. I was really disturbed by the numbers! Honestly, for me, eating locally is important for health & nutrition, and of course, because I want to support my local farmers. But wow, the video talking about imports/exports really brought yet another layer of passion to this philosophy for me! And honestly, I think this is the type of thing that will happen if we can continue to get the proverbial foot in the door of consumers.
For me it started with a small nugget of information, and over the past 5 years we have transformed how we eat and how we shop. I believe many families can be transformed in the same way! After all, while selling organic meat to restaurants is fantastic for your bottom line, getting households across Alberta to shift the way they eat & shop is what is going to make a real change!
No major CSA’s up here. I have heard of a few that are trying to get started.
I have an idea (a podcast called ‘The Local Lunch”) that I will be producing over the next few months to raise awareness of local organic food. I am really excited about it.
Yes, when it comes out I will be promoting the heck out of it.
I am no biologist or chemist, I am a meat cutter… with almost 20 years of experience in the industry, worked with large supermarket chains, small and large processing plants. I have never seen a product with a high level of consistency and quality as the meat I cut from our farm in Eckville, AB. Yes our meat is individual, every animal has its own subtle differences, but coming from a realm that pushes “AAA” and heavy marbling for flavour, I was taken aback with my first Rib Eye steak I ever bought from Hoven Farms.
My first impression of the steak I purchased was that it was single A and may be tough, thus requiring marinating… well I decided to bbq the steak without any treatment or preparedness… I always suggest cooking any steak to medium or medium-rare for optimum experience… I lightly seasoned it two minutes before completion and ended up overcooking it to medium-well…
As I ate the steak it was melting in my mouth and the texture was very appealling… had I overcooked a larger retail’s steak ( AA ) it would have been tough, chewy, and in dire need of HP sauce… not with Hoven Farms Organic Beef, it was perfect, and with little to no prep done to it… I was amazed… It took very little effort to cut it and consume it… I have discovered that a good quality, lean steak cooked to medium allows the human digestive system to absorb, and breakdown the muscle with less effort than a dense, tight muscle.
AAA is a cop out!
Heavy fat content to blanket a dense, quickened muscle production… is mass production at its worst… Allowing the animal to grow naturally coupled with good cooking protocol, leads to a far superior carnivorous experience…
I am no biologist or chemist, but I know a good steak when I taste one, and Hoven Farms is keeping it simple, without all the beakers and bunsen burners…
Enjoy!