Green Vegan Meal

Hey Everyone! I tried a new recipe today, it turned out to be a combination of a few recipes and one I made up. Let's call it, "Pesto Pasta with Kale and Stewed Tomatoes" It tasted awesome, Liz and Carly (my neighbors) tried it out and liked it a lot as well. For the recipes that I found online, I will credit the site and attach the link so you can try them out too! Here it is:

Fresh Basil Pesto: Simply Recipes

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

I didn't have a food processor nor pine nuts so I used my mini blender and excluded the pine nuts. I also happened to be growing fresh basil from a plant in my room and so I used that, which is organic and locally grown by Shenandoah Growers in Harrisonburg (video)! I also chopped my organic garlic cloves which were used in an earlier post, Local Dinner, and added them to my basil in the blender. Olive oil went in next (I was generous) and then grated parmesan and some salt and pepper to taste. I blended it until it was of pesto texture and refrigerated it. Here are some pics of that process:

Next I moved on to cooking the kale. Now, this was my first time cooking kale and it is a lot easier than it sounds. Kale is a very nutritious super food and increasing popular in vegetarian and vegan diets. Kale was cultivated in the United Kingdom during World War II because of the Dig for Victory campaign. The vegetable was easy to grow and provided important nutrients to supplement those missing from a normal diet because of rationing. Kale is very high in Vitamin K, Vitamin C and rich in Calcium! 

To cook it you simply bring a pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and submerge the kale for 3 minutes. Drain the kale and place it in a cold water bath until you are ready to use it. Here's some pics:

Lastly, I whipped up my own recipe of stewed tomatoes. I seeded and chopped a tomato (from the farmer's market) and put it in a pot on the stove over medium heat with some olive oil, oregano, a splash of tomato sauce and some chopped celery. I let it remain at this temperature for about 15 minutes and then removed it from heat. 

Now it's time to boil your favorite type of pasta noodles (vegan, if you want a completely vegan meal) and add all the sub recipes together! This is what you get:

A locally grown apple for dessert and you have a delicious, easy-to-make, homemade and local meal! Buon Appetito!

Thank you for reading and look out for my next post in a few days! Also a special thanks to Earth Talk for having me and some fellow vegetarians and vegans on their JMU Radio Show last night! 

~Ryan

"Did you ever stop to taste a carrot? Not just eat it, but taste it? You can't taste the beauty and energy of the earth in a Twinkie."

- Astrid Alauda

Kale, Concord Grapes and Sweet Potatoes

I'd like to start this post by thanking all my readers for supporting this idea and taking time to read each post! It's been an exciting few days as I began to read the statistics of the blog and discover that since its creation there have been 320+ page views including hits from Germany, Serbia, France and all across the U.S.! Thank you!

The bi-weekly downtown Harrisonburg Farmer's Market took place today from 7am - 1pm so Scott and I checked it out! It was the first Harrisonburg Farmer's Market that either of us had been to and it  was a great success! There were roughly 30 vendors present from farms, bakeries and local businesses, all within about 30 miles of JMU. It was nice to recognize some of the same vendors from last Wednesday's JMU Farmer's Market including Ryan's Fruit Market and Woods Edge Farm woodsedgefarm.blogspot.com. It was also neat to check out some new vendors including Charis Eco-Farm out of Staunton, VA (check out and like their Facebook Page). I believe it was its friendly owner, Sue Freesen, who I met today and she gave me information on her farm raised turkey and geese both are free-range, raised on pasture and fed a GMO-free grain mix. It would be a great vendor to check out for your Thanksgiving turkey, they are taking pre-orders now! I also met for the first time, Grant from Hickory Hill Farm out of Keezletown, VA (approximately 6 miles from campus). His table had an abundance of fresh cauliflower, heads of cabbage, bunches of superfood kale and the best grapes you'll ever eat! Check out their website where they post pictures of their grapes on the vine and the farmers' process of planting and harvesting their veggies!  Below is a picture courtesy of Hickory Hill Farm and their description of this seasonal grape from their website.

Our 2013 grape harvest has begun at Hickory Hill Farm and the grapes are beautiful this year! Currently we are harvesting and selling Fredonia; a large sweet dark blue Concord-type grape. They are excellent for fresh eating, juice and desserts. With the addition of pectin, they are also suitable for jam and jelly. They are available at our stand at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market by the pound and small baskets, and larger quantities upon request.

Sticking to my college budget I was able to purchase a pound of these delicious hand picked grapes ($2.50), a bag of fresh kale ($2.00), a dozen fresh and free-range eggs from Elk Run Farm (Staunton, VA) ($3.50) and a 2 pound bag of sweet potatoes ($3.00). I also couldn't help trying a locally baked whole wheat donut ($1.00). All together I purchased enough fresh eggs, fruit, and veggies for the week for only $11.00! The best thing is that I met the farmers who planted and harvested the items and the taste far exceeds anything purchased at the grocery store! A great experience and I look forward to making this a part of my weekly routine! Below are some pictures from the market:

~Ryan

"We may find in the long run that tinned food is a deadlier weapon than the machine gun." 

- George Orwell

Local Dinner

Today was a great day! I made 2 homemade pot pies, one with tofu (I'm a vegetarian) and the other with chicken. Each have local ingredients from the Harrisonburg area including potatoes from the Wednesday Farmer's Market, organic basil from the Shenandoah Growers basil plant I have growing in my room and organic garlic cloves. As a side we had corn on the cob, also from the JMU Farmer's Market and a salad with tomatoes from Woods Edge Farm. Below is a picture of how the two pot pies turned out:

On my way home from the grocery store today I walked past a pear tree about 100 yards from my apartment which I never knew was there. So I grabbed a pear from the tree and brought it back to the apartment to share with my roommates. The pear was so awesome I went back to the tree and picked about 10 pears which I brought to our neighbors upstairs and shared with my roommates as well. Casey and I agreed that it was the best pear each of us has had. The best thing is that the pear tree is within walking distance and has no pesticides, GMO's or waxed skin and the pears are free! 

I'll keep you posted on how this upcoming week goes as I continue to go local!

~Ryan

Local Lunch

Today I stopped by "Let's Go! Local", a JMU campus dining option where students can help themselves to a local foods buffet for a punch (meal) on their meal card. I got a protein packed lunch of tofu tacos topped with spinach, mushrooms and cheese. I also chose a locally grown sweet potato, hard-boiled egg and a side of steamed broccoli. All of these ingredients came from local farms in the Shenandoah Valley. So lunch was an easy way to fill up on local foods, however grocery shopping today was more of a challenge. I am quickly beginning to realize how far my foods travel to reach my plate even if I do live in an agricultural hotspot such as Virginia. Strawberries from California, flounder from China, peanut butter from North Carolina and Avocados from Peru. I tried my best to stick to my motto of:

If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic.
If not ORGANIC, then Family farm.
If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business.

If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade 

I purchased organic garlic cloves and organic tofu however Minute Maid Orange Juice does not qualify as any of those categories. I shopped at Food Lion today and I feel that I need to find a local and family owned grocery store that I can patronize to support the Harrisonburg economy rather than big business while also sticking to a college budget. I am currently in search of such a place, however food giants such as Walmart, Costco and Target all force family businesses out of towns like Harrisonburg. On a positive note, I am looking forward to Harrisonburg's downtown Farmer's Market tomorrow to find some local eggs, dairy, fruits and veggies! I'll keep you posted!

~Ryan

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well"

- Virginia Woolf

Day One: JMU Farmer's Market

Day One,

Today was the first day of my new "locavore"mindset and I feel that it was pretty successful! I began to realize all the foods I eat on a regular basis that travel hundreds of miles to reach my plate. For instance the Eggo waffles in my freezer or the banana on the counter or the orange juice in the fridge. Luckily JMU hosted its first on-campus farmer's market to conveniently bring local farms to the center of campus. The market featured apples and peaches from Ryan's Fruit Market in Timberville, VA (just 18 miles outside of campus), local honey from Broadway, VA (14 miles) and vegetables from Woods Edge Farm in Singers Glen, VA (22 miles) woodsedgefarm.blogspot.com. I spent only $8.80 and purchased 1/4 peck of apples (about 10 or so Red Delicious and Rome) as well as two ripe tomatoes, 3 Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 orange habanero and 2 ears of corn! Below are a few pictures from the market today!

~Ryan

Introduction

Hi Everyone!

My name is Ryan and I am a student at James Madison University which is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Harrisonburg is a quaint rural town nestled in the Shenandoah Valley where locals are seen tending to their gardens, shopping at local businesses and relaxing on their porch swings after a long day. The community of Harrisonburg is a mix of 20,000 college students, blue collar farming families, simple Mennonites and passerbys traveling north or south on Interstate 81. Fruits and vegetables are plentiful in this town and picked off the vines of local farms. We have a Farmer's Market downtown each Saturday and one on campus each Wednesday where local farmers showcase and sell their fruits, vegetables and dairy products to students and locals alike. 

My reason for creating this blog is to challenge myself to become a "locavore". A locavore is a person who is dedicated to eating food that is locally produced. My motivation stems from the environmental and economical impacts associated with drawing food from across the nation and the world. In order for my food to reach its final destination, my kitchen cabinet, fossil fuels are being emitted and harming our ecosystem. Also local farmers and the local Harrisonburg economy do not benefit from my purchases of food from around the globe. During my challenge I will purchase food from within 100 miles of its point of purchase. If this is not possible I will resort to the following principle:

If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic.
If not ORGANIC, then Family farm.
If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business.
If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.

In this blog I will share the challenges I face on this journey as I will be attempting this on a college student budget. I hope to gain a better understanding of where my food comes from and the work it takes to arrive on my plate. I will share my experiences of meeting local farmers as well as working with farmers on their land to gain an appreciation and understanding of their hard work. Please feel free  to share any ideas or critiques in the comments section underneath the posts! I will be posting as many photos as possible to document this lifestyle!

Thank you for following and let's eat local!

~Ryan