Lou Ann McLeod had always been conscious about social issues and the plight of local small farmers, but until she heard about Localvore, she didn't know how to help. Through the Upper Valley's Localvore project -- a group designed to promote food awareness and local food -- she's taking part in a challenge to eat only food grown or raised within 100 miles of her house.
"There are all these things that go on in the world that you feel like you can't do anything about," McLeod said. "We've had farmers in the industry say that this is one thing that has really made a difference."
The Upper Valley Localvore group is part of a larger national grass-roots movement to encourage people to only eat food raised in their area, in part through events like potluck dinners and food challenges. There are 12 Localvore Groups in Vermont and New Hampshire, with the Upper Valley organization being the oldest.
"What we have found by doing this challenge a couple of times a year is that it sparks other people's interest and it pulls other people in," McLeod said. "If you do this for a month, it does really make you have a lifestyle change."
The group held a potluck dinner at King Arthur Flour yesterday that included a winter salad-making demonstration and speeches about the importance of local food. About 40 people attended.
Pat McGovern is a member of the Upper Valley Localvore steering committee.
"It's a great experience getting to know what is available," McGovern said. "All of us like keeping farmland in the Upper Valley instead of having it developed."
Upper Valley Localvore has sponsored three previous challenges, including one last summer that drew 80 participants. The current challenge has so far attracted around 40 participants. But they're not purists; certain exceptions, or "wild cards," are allowed for vegetables in the winter and coffee, tea or chocolate year-round.
"There are some things, like Vitamin C, that you can't get enough of in the winter," McLeod said. "You want to make sure that your diet is a healthy diet, but if it's available locally, we buy what's available locally."
Some participants are using "community-supported agriculture agreements" with local producers to keep themselves supplied with produce throughout the winter. In the agreements, customers pay in advance for produce.
The group began in the fall of 2005. According to McGovern, the first participants were inspired by an article about four women from the San Francisco area encouraging people to eat local food as a way of fighting agri-business, genetically modified food and supporting local farmers.
The most successful season for the group was last summer, when over 700 participants in New Hampshire and Vermont took part in challenges designed to raise food awareness. More food challenges are to come, along with a Localvore cookbook.
