Go Loco for Local

The fall growing season is well past, but that doesn’t mean we have to trade in our vine-ripened BC tomatoes for frozen TV dinners. Though the weather may seem dreary to us, it’s par for the course for the increasing number of local producers who embrace the horticultural possibilities that winter offers.

Of course, doing your own shopping at farmgate stands is a lot less tempting than it was when the sun was shining. Fortunately, there are a variety of convenient means to get local food on your dinner table, and none of them involve pulling on your wellies or shivering in the cold.

First off, we’re loving the service provided by spud! Vancouver local delivery service, who take their commitment to local sourcing seriously. Each grocery item is tagged with the number of kilometres it travelled to get to the company’s Vancouver warehouse; customers whose average order travels less than a certain distance are entered in a draw for a jar of Abbotsford honey. This means you may be buying apples from Cawston, in BC’s interior, or artisan-made bread from Vancouver. It might mean lamb from Fort St. John, or Avalon milk from Vancouver’s own in-city dairy. And while some of the products inevitably come from much farther afield (we haven’t noticed many local olive groves, for example), the vast majority of their options are organic, as is 100% of the produce on offer.

Unlike the early days of organic home delivery, when you’d likely be presented with a ‘mystery box’ of produce each week, spud’s grocery orders are fully customizable, with a variety of products that range from natural home cleaners to pre-made meals. A recipe section on the website may inspire you to try some new dishes, or watch for cooking tips in their weekly newsletter (the wonderfully-named ‘Garlic Press’), which is delivered with each order.

If you had fun getting to meet the growers directly at the summertime Farmers Markets, fret not—Winter Farmers Markets are back, and bigger than ever. They have been running for weeks now and are open every alternate Saturday through the end of April. Located at the WISE Hall, they’re the place to find artisanal cheeses and breads, seafood, mushrooms, herbs, produce, preserves and more. For a reminder (and up-to-date vendor listings), register at the Eat Local website, and don’t forget to bring your own bags.

And if visiting a Farmers Market gets you dreaming about pulling up stakes and heading for the country, you’ll be inspired by Michael Coutts of Monkey in the Garden. From his organic farm in the Nicola River Valley, Michael and his partner Brandie supply food to markets and festivals, and are now making deliveries to homes in Vancouver. You’ll be amazed by the extent of their menu, and perhaps interested to know that they also supply appetizers (just right for the next meeting of your school’s environment committee).

So don’t let the rain and cold temps fool you; the earth is still giving forth. Enjoy the bounty (from the warmth of your home)!

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