Quick! How many miles does the average American meal travel?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? 

It travels about 1,500 miles to get from farm to plate, according to the Center for Urban Education and Sustainable Agriculture!

Go to your local farmers market and save mileage!

-Jess 

 

Karen blogged the other day on how participating in CSAs requires cooks to be more creative in their meals by supplying them with ingredients they might not normally buy. Well, if you just aren't feeling that creative, breathe easy. Food & Wine magazine has published an article with recipes for the most common vegetables you will find at farmers markets in August.

Recipes include exciting flavors such as tomatoes with sesame-miso sauce and plum vinaigrette, and angel hair pasta with red pepper pesto and basil.

-Jess 

 

At Michigan's Grand Haven State Park, new eco-friendly rest areas are beginning a trial run. On May 5th, the water- and energy-efficient toilet-shower building "features natural daytime lighting, artificial nighttime lighting triggered by occupancy detectors, timer-controlled showers with on-demand water heaters and reduced-flow shower heads, and low-flow toilets and urinals", according to an Associated Press article.

Officials hope to eventually replace all the restrooms in the state's 97 state parks and rec areas with buildings similar to the one in Grand Haven.

Read the entire article for more info on eco-friendly facilities being put in across the country.

-Jess 

 

The Bradenton Herald in Bradenton, Florida recently featured an article humorously recounting one reporter's attempts with eating local. She tells of her trials along with contributing a great recipe for panzanella. Give it a try with all your CSA and farmers market veggies!

-Jess