Dark Days Challenge '09

The excellent blog '(not so) Urban Hennery' is having the third annual challenge to eat local through the winter. Called the Dark Days Challenge - all she's actually asking is eating a meal from locally produced food once a week. '(not so) Urban Hennery' is, I think, officially a food/cooking website which has won some awards. It is a delightful mix of cooking, growing, gardening and living on the land with some great photography! This is the third year for the challenge, and the blog and reader comments have lots of great ideas and recipes. Check it out: Dark Days Challenge 2009.

We think it's sooo reasonable to ask for eating local once a week. The 100 Mile Diet is a little hard out here on the Prairies. But, once a week is completely doable. We ourselves will have our own eggs, pork, potatoes, winter squash, carrots, onions and beets. We've got some frozen currants and raspberries, as well as some canning. Canola oil for cooking, we've got some beautiful chickens from Maple Valley Farms, honey from Mann Apiaries. Wish we could find some local butter and cheese!! We'll start looking - and we'll share with you what else we can find local!! (Oh, yes - Bob Gasse's Manitoba Maple syrup, I think "Two Farm Kids" carries it!)