Hello... Just thinking about some of the books I've read lately, and where this has been leading my mind... "Animal,Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver leaps to the fore. In it, a family decides to feed themselves for a year, without being too precious about it all. After all, they live in a very beautiful rural area and can get so many things locally. They still buy the things they can't get from the region such as coffee and olive oil( Salt for that matter!), but manage, with their huge garden and poultry, to make more food than they can consume on their own.
Do you think that people enjoy their disassociation with the food they eat, and become uncomfortable when they ask themselves where it actually comes from? Are they afraid of what they might find out? This struck me in the supermarket today (yes I need milk and cream, and dairy is so regulated that that is where I have to go), as I passed asparagus from South America, apples from China, and umpteen other products that come from the other side of the world. What is it about our society that says it's OK to do this? Sure it's convenient, but at what cost? Why does it cost more for us to buy our own produce than it does imported produce? Why are there "sales" on meat products that we know nothing about in terms of its food and life prior to the point it appears in our supermarket refrigerators? Why do "tomatoes on a vine" cost more than other tomatoes? They ALL grow on vines!!
These things strike me as being at the forefront of our current global warming crisis... The amount of money that it costs to send this produce around the world, the amount of fossil fuels used to power the vessels/vehicles, the greenhouse gasses produced are mind boggling in scope. I can't grow citrus or coconuts here in Muskoka(yet!), but I sure can grow my herbs, and vegetables, and one day I hope , my own meats. It makes sense to buy things that one cannot produce at home, or have locally available from one of our fantastic local producers, but it does NOT make sense to buy the things we already have here at home from the other side of the world.
The benefits of locally produced foods are huge! First of all, we inject our hard won money into the local economy from the ground up, benefiting our farmers, cheesemakers, etc. We know what goes into our poultry and meats, and how they are raised, through interaction with the very people who raise them. This knowledge is important, enabling us to steer clear of any drugs/ hormones/ pesticides that may be in commercially raised foods. Best of all, THE TASTE! The ability to eat something picked the very morning that you eat it is awesome in this world of airmile produce. It's healthier, more ecologically sound, and with more time, sustainable. We CAN feed our selves!
Admittedly, here in the north, we do not have the luxury of the growing season enjoyed by the Kingsolvers, nor the extended variety of foods enabled by a more temperate climate, but we DO have a fabulous amount of food grown here in the Muskokas, and it is produced by committed caring farmers and producers! If there is something you can't live without that comes from afar, than get it, but look no farther than your local farmers market to get most of what you need. Here at the end of July, we're going into the salad days of summer as the early crops are already out, with more and more ripening by the week!
I hope this points your thoughts in the direction of your stomach, and what you put in it. Look to your local Farmer's Market, and try some really good food! If you can't make the market, get someone to bring it to your door, the service is out there!
Next time, I'll profile some of the producers that make Muskoka so tasty!
Cheers!
- Chris Wagland - The Muskokavore
Think Globally - EAT Locally!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
wet friday
A heady day in Muskoka, with wildly variable weather, flat calm lakes one minute, whitecaps the next. It was the Firefly Festival or Midnight Madness on Friday, depending on which side of the cash register you were on, and other than the weather, it seems to have been a hit. I'm sure that there will be more than a few people with a bit of a cold following the evening. Laganza was a big hit as usual, though they got rained out of their last set (on a ricketty barge in the river!).
Foodwise, things are late getting out of the garden this year, and it is no different in the woods. Our bear neighbours have been making their presence known on a rather more intimate basis these last few weeks, due to a lack of forage in said woods. The berries are late and small, and the chipmunks are extra fast! This may all seem simply a news tidbit to those in the city, but when a 2 year old, teenage bear decides to use you as a forage point it gets a bit exciting!
This young fellow got lucky when I accidentally left the garbage can out of the garage, and ran off with a bag of loot. Subsequently, he has decided that we are a stop on his food path, and when you wander into the bedroom after lunch to find him scrapping with the resident, overfed Bluejays at the birdfeeder, (on the 2nd floor deck!), it gets a little too intimate... My wife played him a pots and pans symphony to hasten his departure, however I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him yet.
It makes one think on food and its sustainability. We are both blessed and plagued with a worldwide food economy. One can get anything, anytime. In less fortunate nations, there is still scarcity, and often famine. I can only shudder at the feeling of helplessness that would bring me, and makes me that much more proud of the folks that labour so hard year round to bring us the wonderful foods they produce, raised with great toil out of this wilderness region. Other than bears, one must take into account the deer and other wildlife that try on a regular basis to "sample the wares, " and the efforts that go into slowing the regular pillage! It encourages me to show my kids that things can be raised from seed to feed our family, and continues to drive this company to continue to provide the service that will get this wonderful food to you on a regular basis, bears or no bears!
Someday, I would love to have the kind of small, self-sustaining farm that could keep my clan going in times of scarcity, and I have started to amass the kind of literature that will feed the minds of my children to that end. It occurs to me, especially after my last visit to Toronto, and some of the comments I heard in conversation, that we, as a people, are losing touch with the very land that sustains us. Our forefathers made this country the vibrant place it has become, through their hard work, and foresight. It should be something we, as parents, and the reapers of what our forefathers sowed, ensure is taught to our children, and in fact, taught in schools as well, to relish what we have, appreciate it, and to try to keep it in the public eye.
On a lighter note, I've some more recipes to post on the Muskokavore site for your delication, including a fabulous Garlic scape Carbonara... Yum! I'm working on a lamb dish too, but must needs get it right before posting. Am off to finish pestoing my scapes, and make a chicken stock before the bears get everything!
THINK GLOBALLY - EAT LOCALLY!
Foodwise, things are late getting out of the garden this year, and it is no different in the woods. Our bear neighbours have been making their presence known on a rather more intimate basis these last few weeks, due to a lack of forage in said woods. The berries are late and small, and the chipmunks are extra fast! This may all seem simply a news tidbit to those in the city, but when a 2 year old, teenage bear decides to use you as a forage point it gets a bit exciting!
This young fellow got lucky when I accidentally left the garbage can out of the garage, and ran off with a bag of loot. Subsequently, he has decided that we are a stop on his food path, and when you wander into the bedroom after lunch to find him scrapping with the resident, overfed Bluejays at the birdfeeder, (on the 2nd floor deck!), it gets a little too intimate... My wife played him a pots and pans symphony to hasten his departure, however I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him yet.
It makes one think on food and its sustainability. We are both blessed and plagued with a worldwide food economy. One can get anything, anytime. In less fortunate nations, there is still scarcity, and often famine. I can only shudder at the feeling of helplessness that would bring me, and makes me that much more proud of the folks that labour so hard year round to bring us the wonderful foods they produce, raised with great toil out of this wilderness region. Other than bears, one must take into account the deer and other wildlife that try on a regular basis to "sample the wares, " and the efforts that go into slowing the regular pillage! It encourages me to show my kids that things can be raised from seed to feed our family, and continues to drive this company to continue to provide the service that will get this wonderful food to you on a regular basis, bears or no bears!
Someday, I would love to have the kind of small, self-sustaining farm that could keep my clan going in times of scarcity, and I have started to amass the kind of literature that will feed the minds of my children to that end. It occurs to me, especially after my last visit to Toronto, and some of the comments I heard in conversation, that we, as a people, are losing touch with the very land that sustains us. Our forefathers made this country the vibrant place it has become, through their hard work, and foresight. It should be something we, as parents, and the reapers of what our forefathers sowed, ensure is taught to our children, and in fact, taught in schools as well, to relish what we have, appreciate it, and to try to keep it in the public eye.
On a lighter note, I've some more recipes to post on the Muskokavore site for your delication, including a fabulous Garlic scape Carbonara... Yum! I'm working on a lamb dish too, but must needs get it right before posting. Am off to finish pestoing my scapes, and make a chicken stock before the bears get everything!
THINK GLOBALLY - EAT LOCALLY!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Good Evening All, a busy time is at hand! I have just sent out the Press release detailing what is happening at the Muskokavore,and am handing out a great whack more flyers detailing what we do and geared for those folks who, for various reasons, cannot leave home for the markets here in Muskoka, and offering our personal shopping services as well. If, for instance, someone has suffered an illness, or other debilitating circumstance, we will happily look after their basic shopping needs, both through our local producers, but also for more general groceries as well. I think this is an area that has been neglected in Huntsville and surroundings, and we look forward to filling that void. The Farmer's Markets have been steady, and I think it will just take a little more time for our service to take off. We're still waiting for our first true customer to come to us, but we've received interest from as far away as Orillia!
I received a call from the kind folks at Savour Muskoka today, and am looking forward to having a coffee with James to see if we can help each other out in any way. This promotion of the local food resources is not an easy thing, but one I truly feel is needed, and perhaps our services will overlap in several ways to better promote the cause! Also thanks to "Yummies in a Jar" for your interest! We will get you on board soonest!
I have been wolfing garlic scapes over the last few days, courtesy of our friends at Belanger Farms, and will post a couple of new recipes tomorrow. My kids can handle the garlic, but have a hard time with too much heat, so the "Pico De Garlic" has had to wait! A fabulous salad dressing, and steak rub coming up... tomorrow! Also working on a grilled lamb recipe. Thanks to those of you following this convoluted path... As a "newbie", this is a great way to let ideas out, but let me know what you think, or any new places you may think I should be going with this! I'm trying to follow the K.I.S.S. principal and don't want to veer to far from my chosen delivery path, however any other ways to get this service into the public eye would be welcome! Tell your friends, and stay happy. Remember, THINK GLOBALLY - EAT LOCALLY! Cheers, Chris
P.S. The wake was everything Jay would have hoped it to be and I am sure he is watching developments with great interest...
I received a call from the kind folks at Savour Muskoka today, and am looking forward to having a coffee with James to see if we can help each other out in any way. This promotion of the local food resources is not an easy thing, but one I truly feel is needed, and perhaps our services will overlap in several ways to better promote the cause! Also thanks to "Yummies in a Jar" for your interest! We will get you on board soonest!
I have been wolfing garlic scapes over the last few days, courtesy of our friends at Belanger Farms, and will post a couple of new recipes tomorrow. My kids can handle the garlic, but have a hard time with too much heat, so the "Pico De Garlic" has had to wait! A fabulous salad dressing, and steak rub coming up... tomorrow! Also working on a grilled lamb recipe. Thanks to those of you following this convoluted path... As a "newbie", this is a great way to let ideas out, but let me know what you think, or any new places you may think I should be going with this! I'm trying to follow the K.I.S.S. principal and don't want to veer to far from my chosen delivery path, however any other ways to get this service into the public eye would be welcome! Tell your friends, and stay happy. Remember, THINK GLOBALLY - EAT LOCALLY! Cheers, Chris
P.S. The wake was everything Jay would have hoped it to be and I am sure he is watching developments with great interest...
Sunday, July 5, 2009
today Muskokavorites
Hey Gang... I'm feeling a little blue... I lost a friend recently, and am going down to his memorial on Tuesday... He gave me my nickname and that alone is worth the trip. Jay, I love you..... OK, back to Muskokavore, things are heating up! Just the other day, I was blessed with an Organic Farm, not quite the closest, but within the 100 km range, and beautiful product... the lamb is to die for... There have been some friends of the site that have started a trend... Thanks to them, I'm going to take my trip around the Lake of Bays today, and dedicate it to them. It was a beautiful day, and if you wanted to sit on your dack/porch and not go shopping, today was the day! Let MY fingers do the walking, and you will eat Very Well. I stopped in with Papa John at the Fiery Grill , in Dorset, and met his friend Robbie (y) who gave me great advice....The music is wonderful, and I recommend it 100%. You know, I wish there were tons of places that you could get local food, well served, but there aren't... Let me know what you need and I'll get it to you, thats what we do! Somtimes the simplest things work the best.
I've got to say, my wife thinks I'm nuts just talking to all of you, but frankly, this dialogue is simply my conversation with you... Pick up your keyboard and fire back.... This could be bland, this could be fiery..... Warriors, come out to Play! Quite simply , I'm trying to bring local foodstuffs to local ffolkes, and I need all of your input, to help to make it happen, Come on down....
xox Chris :)>
I've got to say, my wife thinks I'm nuts just talking to all of you, but frankly, this dialogue is simply my conversation with you... Pick up your keyboard and fire back.... This could be bland, this could be fiery..... Warriors, come out to Play! Quite simply , I'm trying to bring local foodstuffs to local ffolkes, and I need all of your input, to help to make it happen, Come on down....
xox Chris :)>
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Introducing the Muskokavore
Your Connection to local food in Muskoka!You order it online and we deliver right your door!
Think Globally... Eat locally
Enjoy an authentic Muskoka cottage experience this summer by tasting its fresh local foods and delectable delights.
Check a wide variety of available local products at http://www.themuskokavore.com
We offer more services so you can relax and enjoy your visit:
- Cottage Stocking/Grocery Shopping - Don't waste time standing in line at the grocery store! We can arrange to take care of the little things that make a visit north perfect. You can't buy local olive oil, milk and juice.... and spices and herbs are a necessity, and even diapers, baby wipes and bug spray can be forgotten. We'll bring it, along with all of our local foods right to your door. We've been there too. Simply call or email us your detailed list (including brands, sizes, and overall grocery budget) and it would be our pleasure to round it all up for you!
- Wine & Spirits - With 35 years of experience in the restaurant industry - we can assist in pairing fine wines to your planned cuisine. SmartServe Accredited, and well-versed in wine pairing, cocktails and beers. Given a predeliction, and price point, we can deliver your needs, new world and old.
- Catering - Many of you enjoy entertaining your family, friends, and even clients during your stay in Muskoka. Catering can be arranged, all in a local fashion, with a few global twists!
- Music - As a hobby, and part-time profession, I am also a musician, and am able to make arrangements to bring live music to your event. Just let me know your preferred genre - and given enough prior notice can bring live jazz, classical, or rock musical performances to your event!
Become a Muskokavore! Eating local has never been so easy
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