But we had a real treat for lunch!! My preceptor and I met up with KELSEY for a lunch meeting of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council. This is a group of 100 or so community members – from farmers to land conservancy to the health dept to healthcare leaders – coming together to talk about food and its effects on the community. There were a selection of local farmers on a panel who spoke about some of the obstacles and struggles they face to get locally grown food to the public. It was very eye-opening and I wish I had time to elaborate on what they said, but I have to get back to work! Bottom line: BUY LOCAL PRODUCE!
The lunch was catered by Grateful Growers farm, a nearby farm that raises pork, ducks and grows produce in the best way possible.
Here’s the menu, flushed out with some other farms’ produce to 🙂
The sandwich was delicious! Pork, spinach and goat cheese with a veggie relish. Plus butternut squash bisque.
I ate about 75% of my sandwich (left some of the fluffy bread) and all my soup!
Had about half of this awesome brownie, but practiced some portion control 😉
Real Food you can feel good about!
Excited that it’s sunny and warm outside and for yoga at 5:30 and because we have a house showing scheduled for tomorrow!!!
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
this sounds like a truly superior lunch…i would totally feel great about eating it too! way to go on the brownie portion control 😉
hope your friday is wonderful!
Mary says
I’m a member of a local food buying club & CSA, it’s a great way to buy fresh food from people who live within a 100 miles (usually much less). This not only helps the farmers but it also helps our local economy. My number one motivation though is the quality of the food!
Nicole, RD says
Hope the showing goes well! That sandwich looks wonderful! I was reaching deep this morning for something to take for lunch! I eneded up with papaya, Dr. Krackers and Laughing Cow, Oikos, and a mini Larabar with an orange for snack. Random! 🙂
Have a great weekend!
Sarah (OC2Seattle) says
I’m definitely a local foods convert – it just tastes so much better! Plus, it’s nice to support your local community. We belong to a CSA and shop the Farmers’ market almost every week. Good luck on your showing tomorrow 🙂
Freya @ foodfitnessandfreya.wordpress.com says
I totally agree with buying local – when I’m at home I always try and buy at the local farm shop. I swear it tastes better 🙂 Plus yep, th e farmer’s appreciate it!
Love the sound of your lunc h- dreameh!!
Allison K says
Hooray for house showings! Good luck, everyone is saying the market is turning around and buyers are out and about again! (and by everyone I mean, my realtor, so one person.)
Beautiful sammie!
Sam (Healthy Lunch Ideas) says
Oh that lunch looks delicious! I’m glad to hear about meetings like this – we should have Food Councils popping up all over the country – we are in desperate need of reconnecting with our food systems! “Eat Local” is a pretty sane way to eat, even more than eating organically. I find that many local farmers, even if not certified organic (it’s a costly endeavor) practice safe and admirable farming practices. The next step to eat local is “Get To Know your Farmers!!!”. I learned so much over the years as part of a local CSA (Stearn’s Farm) when I was living in New England…
GurlOnA"Diet" says
wow that looks really good! i got my family into trying to buy organic, locally farmed foods- it tastes so much better! esp. the antibiotic-free raised chickens’ eggs and the fresh veggies!
Marisa (Loser for Life) says
I have to look into buying more local produce in my area!
That sandwich looks great! Kudos on the brownie control! You are a better woman than me -LOL!
Joanne says
We are so limited in where we can buy local produce around here. Of course being that we are in the middle of winter doesn’t help either. It is beneficial in so many ways to buy locally, not only for our own well being (freshness of the foods) but it helps promote local farmers.
Good eat – that looked like one HUGE piece of “fluffy” bread. Yum.
Susan says
Wow, that lunch “meeting” sounds so cool – food policy and how it affects the community is really interesting. It sounds like you had a tasty time!
shannon (the daily balance) says
go you on the portion controled brownie! I’m not sure I would have had the same willpower 😉
Mecklenburg Food Policy Council sounds so interesting. I’m sure they had a lot to say, with so many knowledgeable brains in one room! I cannot wait to start taking advantage of local farmers markets – It’s one of the main reasons I’m looking forward to warmer weather 😉
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
Yummmm…that sandwich and brownie both look delicious!!! I love buying local produce in the summer…but it’s harder now in the winter when there isn’t any produce being grown!!! 🙂
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Wow, fresh and delicious meal. Fresh local food always looks so much better than heavy processed factory food! Enjoy the weather…good luck on the house showing!
Hannah says
I’m definitely going to start shopping from the farmer’s markets once I get back home – the food jsut tastes better, too! I mean, so long as I don’t end up back in a job where I work on the weekends, which is the only time farmers’ markets come to Canberra…
Katie @ Health for the Whole Self says
It is definitely worthwhile to go local – the food tastes better because it’s fresher, there’s less use of pesticides, growth hormones, and the like, you’re supporting local workers, and best of all: if you have a question about what’s in your food, you can ASK THE PERSON WHO GREW/MADE IT!!!!
Lauren @ Eater not a runner says
Good for you, I’m not sure any of that brownie would have survived in my hands!
Good luck on the house showing tomorrow 🙂
MyRevolutionBootcamp says
Delicious eats!
Daniel says
I recently attended a dietetics alumni conference here on campus and one of the speakers – who is a professor here now as well – discussed the importance of sustainability and eating local. It was really neat because just like you’re lunch, ours was created, prepared and brought in by all local growers and farms!
I’m so glad that this is becoming more of a trend and practice that people are considering 🙂
sarah @ syrupandhoney says
I would definitely encourage anyone who does not have a CSA subscription to look into it and ask around to determine if it’s a good fit for you! A good place to get started is at http://www.localharvest.org/ … I find the one I chose locally is priced right, tastes delicious, and I feel good about supporting local farmers!
Angela (The Lady Loves to Eat) says
In the winter it’s harder for me to shop locally but I try to do the best I can. I think it’s really important to support local farmers, and the food is just so much better!
Leena says
yum! i love butternut squash soup! that brownie looks delicious too! good job on the portion control 😉
Jessica says
I just sent in my order form for our local CSA this week. We will get our first box in June. I am excited! Local food is so much better.
Jil says
Agreed! I cannot wait until our farmers’ market comes back in the spring!! And that sandwich looks amaaazing!
Jessica @ The Process of Healing says
Gosh that sounds so good!!! You can’t get fresher than that!
Nutritious Foodie says
The lunch sounds good and soup definitely looks good
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
That sandwich looks fabulous! Enjoy your yoga tonight!
[email protected] lady says
Yum that lunch looks so good! Good on you for the portion control, I’m practicing some portion control right now. I’m baking cookies and instead of tasting the batter I’m reading your blog!
Ellen says
Hi Kath–I have a camera question for you.
When you bought your Rebel, did you get the lens kit that came with it and then additionally the 50mm/1.8 lens? Or did you just buy the Rebel body and then the 50/1.8 separately?
Thanks!
Kath says
I ordered the lens that came with the Rebel. It’s good for a few things – like when you need a wide angle shot. But the 50mm/1.8 is the golden one 🙂
Ellen says
Oh, ok, good to know. Thanks!!
Tara says
Good luck with the house showing. That food looks amazing! Andddd it is amazing!
Nicole @ Making Good Choices says
My husband has been wanting to join a CSA for a while and to be honest I don’t know why we haven’t joined in the warmer months. It’s just so hard to buy local in the winter, but I try to as much as possible. That lucky looked so tasty!
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
I love the idea of local food and knew more ways to get it. OUr farmer’s market only functions for the summer.
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
great lunch! the brownie looks incredible.
Jenn (www. j3nn.net ) says
I love the notion of buying local produce, but living in upstate NY, our grow season is so limited. 🙁 I’ve been so spoiled by the abundance at grocery stores that it’s hard to not buy produce that’s out of season and from a million miles away. Sigh 🙁
Jenn
andi says
your food made my tummy growl today 🙂 my experience with local is not only does it taste better, it stays fresher longer. i just wish there was more opportunity to buy local year round!
Kelly says
Wow that menu sounds delicious. I love the idea of buying local but where I live it’s so cold in the winter that there doesn’t seem to be much we could buy local. The summer is great when we can buy tons of local fresh fruit and veggies that taste so delicious!
Gelsey says
There is a restaurant on “The Corner” in Charlottesville called Revolutionary Soup, and I just had the most AMAZING butternut squash bisque from there last night! You should definitely eat there when you come visit! (I go to UVA and live super close if you need a lunch date 🙂
Kath says
We’ve heard of Rev. Soup and I think Matt + Karen ate there on their last visit! I’ll be organizing a lunch or brunch for the 6th, so please send me your email 🙂