Sunday, December 12, 2010

Eating Local in December


Snow flurries nearly as light as air fell a few days ago and the sight started me to think whether or not it is possible to eat locally even in the winter months. The answer is: It depends.

According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (a mouthful if there ever was one), there are farmer's markets throughout the state functioning nearly all the way up through Christmas.

In Winchester, the Freight Station Farmer's Market continues to offer milk and other dairy products, chicken and pork through December 21.

But what about fresh fruits and vegetables? The choices for these items during the colder months are definitely few and far between, but if the local fresh food buyer is willing to make a few small accommodations, there are ways.

First, think apples. Apples are one of the heartier fruits grown in Virginia, and can be processed in a variety of tasty ways. Remember, buying local doesn't mean buying right off the tree or harvested that morning. Turkey Knob, a company based in Timberville, VA, has an apple of the month club that does include the cold months Dec-March.

But if crunchy apples are not your thing, maybe apple butter is what you want. The White House brand, found in most of the large retail supermarkets and local stores, is a local company. Based in Winchester, White House makes cider, apple butter and apple sauce.

For the carnivores who want local, Virginia has that too, in the form of cattle and pigs raised on farms around the state. One farm, Hollin Farm, based in Delaplane, raises Angus beef that tastes better than the Angus burgers that McDonald's is selling, that's for sure. Pasture fed and no antibiotics, according to the company's marketing materials, buying locally raised beef is just a phone call or Internet click away.

Vegetables also are available on the Internet from the Virginia Organic Cooperative. With vehicles powered in part through bio-diesel, the certified organic Co-op -- and its partner the Virginia Green Grocer -- is a great way to get veggies in the winter months.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Recycling is Up in VA

A few days ago, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) released its 2009 annual report on recycling activity in the state and the news is good -- people and businesses in the Old Dominion continue to recycle more and more each year, but the increase is slow. According to the report, the recycling rate in the state was 38.6 percent, up from 38.5 percent in 2008, and up from 29.8 percent in 2004.

So while the numbers are trending upward, peeling back the report reveals that the more toxic products that might find their way into our soil and water are being recycled in greater numbers, but the easy products -- paper, metal and glass -- are being recycled less.

Specifically, the 2009 DEQ report showed that used oil, oil filters and anti-freeze and electronics (the stuff that's really bad if leached into soil and water) is being recycled. Details on how to recycle motor oil there are helpful tips on the American Petroleum Institute's website. (Never thought that I'd promote the API, but at least here it's doing good work.) It's the law in Virginia for shops that change motor oil to recycle it. A quick scan of your bill shows the cost, usually a few bucks.

This holiday season, as millions of us pop into and out of stores like Best Buy and Staples, we should remember that these retailers have drop-off recycling. Using them is about as easy as walking through a door and handing old electronics to an employee or dropping a phone into a bin inside the door.

Another great thing to consider at Christmas and other gift giving time, is cleaning out your old stuff in a responsible and recycling way to make room for all of the new goodies that you're hoping to get or just buying for yourself. A few months back I noted that Goodwill Industries might be called the first large-scale recycling organization. Drop off your stuff that is in reasonably good condition and it and other thrift stores will make it available to a person who could really use it.