Willy Street Co-op's Eat Local Challenge - How Local Will You Go?

Thanks to all who took the Challenge this year! We look forward to our 3rd Annual Eat Local Challenge next year.

Helpful Challenge Material
Looking for some helpful suggestions about how to succeed with your challenge level pledge? Here are some printed materials that we've found helpful with all three challenge levels.

A packet of recipes all including local ingredients and a week long sample menu list.

Our second annual Eat Local Challenge will run September 5–October 2, 2011. Sign-ups will start Aug. 26th. This year you can sign up for either the last two weeks or for the entire Challenge.

What is the Eat Local Challenge?
We’re challenging YOU to eat more local foods, whether they’re from farmers’ markets, CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), your garden or our store. Last year over 650 people took the Challenge, and we're hoping to double that number this year.

Why eat local?
Local foods tend to be fresher than those shipped from across the country or farther away, and fresh food has more nutrients. Transporting food long distances requires more fossil fuels and packaging than those grown and prepared closer to home. You’re also supporting your local farmers and keeping the agricultural viability of their communities alive. 

(Willy Street Co-op defines “local” as within 150 miles of the State Capitol building or anywhere in Wisconsin.)

How Local Will You Go?

Resources

Join our Eat Local Challenge Facebook group!

10 Ways to Engage Kids with Local Foods (from Eat Local America)

"Food to Fork" Facts

Last year's Sample Week long Menu and PDFs of Recipes

Inspirational Blogs

• Stephanie Ricketts' 2011 Eat Local Challenge blog
• The Good Food Muse - by our very own Willy West Produce Manager, Megan Blodgett!
• My Year of Food - by our very own Executive Assistant and Newsletter Writer, Stephanie Ricketts!

Co-op Newsletter Articles

• Preparing for Willy Street Co-op's First Ever Eat Local Challenge - Katie Powderly outlines how to preserve strawberries, rhubarb, asparagus, sugar snap peas and snow peas
• Taking the "Challenge" Out of the Eat Local Challenge: Root Vegetables - Katie Powderly's 2008 article about taking an Eat Local Challenge
• Are You Up for the Eat Local Challenge? - Megan Blodgett's article introducing our Eat Local Challenge
• Extending the Local Season: Food Preservation Intro: Pesto! - Katie Powderly's introduction to food preservation, including a tasty recipe for pesto
• Extending the Local Season: Home Fermentation: The Basics of Kraut - Katie Powderly walks you through how to make your own sauerkraut (it's easier than you may think...)
• Extending the Local Season: Canning Tomatoes - well, that's pretty self-explanatory, isn't it?

Our Partners

REAP Food Group - Research, Education, Action and Policy on Food Group (REAP) is building a regional food system that is healthful, just, and both environmentally and economically sustainable. REAP connects producers, consumers, policy makers, educators, businesses and organizations to nourish the links between land and table. REAP is committed to projects that shorten the distance from farm to table, support small family farmers, encourage sustainable agricultural practices, preserve the diversity and safety of our food supply and address the food security of everyone in our community.

Check out the online version of their 2011 Farm Fresh Atlas, a great resource.

Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (MACSAC) - Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (MACSAC) supports and connects Community Supported Agriculture farmers and eaters. MACSAC envisions a future where Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is the backbone of a strong local food system; where all families have access to locally produced, organic food and have strong connections to their farms, food and community. They coordinate community and farmer education programs, including the Partner Shares Program which raises funds to subsidize CSA memberships for households on a limited income.

If you don't own a copy of From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce,it's an invaluable cookbook, especially if you are interested in eating local!