April 27, 2009 at 5:00 am by Vanessa Barrington
Eating Local in the Desert
On a trip to the high desert community of Joshua Tree, Calif., I was happy to see a Saturday morning farmers’ market in the middle of town, where there hadn’t been one on my last visit a few years before.
As I perused the well-stocked stalls of apricots, strawberries, cherries, greens, potatoes, eggs, and all the other goodies that are in season here in Northern California as well, I wondered how far the farmers had driven. I talked to a few and found that most farm less than an hour away. …
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I already know there’s a reader out there who will find this post extravagant, excessive and possibly even outrageous.
The usual Thanksgiving suspects can be so heavy – especially when all are combined – mashed potatoes, stuffing, and rolls, oh my! 
Are you thinking of a local, organic Thanksgiving this year? Well, thanks to the 
Buyer Beware. At the end of September, the USDA quietly halted a program called the 
Unless you’re into quaffing growth hormones with your milk, you’ve probably been buying your dairy products organic. Eggs, milk, cheese ““ with all these animal products it’s important to go organic in order to get your nutrition free of chemicals, from antibiotic-free animals that eat organic feed and are raised humanely. But what if you want to take it a step greener and support local organic dairies? How do you find them?
Most of us grew up thinking that Old McDonald had a farm with happy cows and happy chickens, not necessarily making the connection between those critters and our Happy Meals. As sustainable family farms give way to industrialized factory versions, the romantic farming dream is quickly being tossed into the slop pile.
