What does a locavore do when she or he leaves the area that they have defined as local? I left for Albuquerque, New Mexico Monday to spend Thanksgiving week with family and I've been contemplating this concept.
The easy answer would be to "just eat what's local in Albuquerque." But for anybody who's tried to eat local, it really does take a lot of research and exploration to learn how to do this.
And of course, living in the San Francisco Bay Area, where our foodshed supports a wide variety of crops, and where annually 20 million tons to food is produced around a population that only consumes about 6 million tons allows us the luxury of being able to find almost any local food we should desire with the possible exception of an abundance of grains (corn, wheat and rice), and of course such tropical crops such as coffee and fruits. We also benefit from a growing season that does not end as a result of winter snow which allows us to shop for an lots of seasonally produced food, even in November and December.
Compare and contrast this with Albuquerque or the entire state of New Mexico for that matter. Dairy and cattle ranching are the primary agricultural activities in this state, accounting for 75% of revenue. I should have known this fact. Dad grew up in Belen New Mexico and I can recall visits to grandma's house where she had cows and goats, but I don't recall any vegetables growing.
But water is scarce in this land of enchantment with its high deserts and mountains, so the main crops are hay (used to feed cattle), pecans and nursery products. And of course when I think of New Mexico, I think of chiles, of which the state is a leading producer. That's not to say that no vegetable crops are produced in the state. Small farms in Northern Central and Eastern New Mexico are currently growing beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, red chile, fennel, greens, leeks, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, winter squash, sweet potatoes as well as apples, grapes and pears.
But how do I find these foods? Most farmers' markets in the state are closed for the winter.
Fortunately, there are New Mexicans who seek to eat locally. I've been able to find magazines and groups and bloggers who share information about supporting the local agricultural community. There's even a Slow Food group based in New Mexico.
I have a few things I want to explore in my visit this week. My overly ambitious list includes:
- Conduct a taste test with mom and the family with Bay Area produced Rancho Gordo beans (thanks for the tip Katrina). New Mexicans are serious about their beans;
-
Find New Mexico pecans to cook a pecan pie for Thanksgiving;
-
Visit a red chile farm;
-
Visit the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage museum in Las Cruces;
-
Taste some locally produced beers.
My family thinks I'm slightly daft, but once engaged, they all do enjoy talking and learning about food. What better time to engage them than during Thanksgiving, where families come together to celebrate each other around food?
Now if I can only find a pinto bean plant to show mom how one of her lifelong staples is actually grown, I'll begin to feel like I've helped her feel more connected to her food before it arrives in her kitchen.
Comments