I have been checking the Eat Local Challenge site every day for updates but they haven’t posted anything since the “save the date” post. But I am starting tomorrow as planned and here are my rules/exceptions:
local = 150 mile radius
exceptions:
- garlic
- coffee (fair trade only)
- tea
- Texmati rice (checking to see how far away this is grown but definitely in Texas)
- soy milk (because my coffee has to be beige)
- spices
- olive oil (however I have some Texas oil that was made in Carrizo Springs – 196 mi.)
Here is the part about tofu. Matt went to the Austin Farmers Market on Saturday and found some tofu but didn’t ask the guy anything about it. So I will be going there this Saturday in hopes of finding him and getting some info. I was going to list Banyan Foods tofu as an exception but I had a weird experience today. I called them to ask where they get their soybeans from and the guy on the phone told me he wasn’t allowed to tell me. I told him I wanted to know because I wanted my tofu to come from as close to Austin as possible and since Banyan is in Houston I was hoping that they used Texas soybeans at least. Side note, I am having a hard time finding Texas soybean information and this is something I found (however from 2007):
(photo no longer available for some reason – but it showed a drastic decrease in soybean harvesting in Texas)
So a definite decline but really not a lot of info. Anyway, the Banyan guy says all he can tell me is that their soybeans are non-GMO and grown in the mid-west. Grown in the US but not grown in Texas. I asked him why he can’t tell me where they get them and he doesn’t even know, just that he was instructed to not disclose that information. Monsanto, anyone?
#1 by David Lee on September 30, 2009 - 7:26 pm
What concerns you the most before the challenge? What do you think is the hardest obstacle you have to overcome? I know tofu would be a big deal for you…
#2 by Courtney on September 30, 2009 - 11:14 pm
Two hard obstacles:
1. Time – working 2 jobs and 7 days a week means I don’t have the time to go visit local farms. I think an important part of eating local is visiting local farms, talking to the farmers and being able to participate in Pick Your Owns (U-Pick or PYO) where you go to the farm and pick your own produce and see how the farm is run. So instead I make quick trips to the farmers markets instead.
2. Being vegan – Not that it’s impossible but I am not sure how easy it would be to get a good protein source. We get protein from greens and grains but eating locally means losing my normal sources like hemp, soy and legumes. What I am hoping for during this month is finding local vegan protein sources – it could be possible! So for now, it’s greens and rice.
I am also going to San Francisco for a conference in October and while it’s probably pretty easy to find local food there going out to dinner with clients may have to be on the exception list. I’ll try my best though!
#3 by L*3 on October 1, 2009 - 3:22 pm
I’m super impressed with your challenge! I’m anxious to see how things go and hopefully get some inspiration on where you eat. So many times I am alternately encouraged and discouraged with my eating local attempt. Best of luck to you!!
Regards-
#4 by courtney on October 2, 2009 - 4:11 pm
OK, I have to add vinegar to my exceptions list. I can’t go through this month without eating salads but will use only local ingredients in the dressings (well, aside from the vinegar).
#5 by gary chiu on December 1, 2009 - 11:55 am
hi kate/courteney!
great eating challenge! in my opinion, local/raw > organic.
i’m glad i stumbled on this thread via a routine google search of our company. it was my brother who answered the phone, and yes, we don’t routinely give out our vendor details to anyone who calls for basic business security reasons.
i can assure you the beans aren’t from monsanto! (BOO!) our beans are from nebraska and the surrounding states.
in general, this is how you can view the tofu/ soymilk industry. the bigger the company… (white wave, etc.)… the more soybeans they need and at a cheaper price… (b/c most of the big companies are also publically traded and have bottom lines/shareholders to please.)… and the US overall soybean acreage is in decline due to alot of reasons, i.e. biodiesel, etc. china is where the bigger companies get their soybeans. i’ve made alot of calls searching for our particular variety of soybeans we need.
so, for your tofu/soymilk needs, unfortunately your choices are the midwest US/canada or china for the soybean origin (we’ve also made contacts with growers in south america as well, but haven’t gone with that alternative yet.)
alot of people trust our ingredient lists when we blatantly state “american grown soybeans,” because like you, they don’t have the time to visit local farms and/or food facilities. if you’re ever in houston and would like to visit our facility to verify both our soybean source and the nonGMO status of them, please email me and i’ll give you a tour.
gary
banyan foods co.
(on facebook and twitter too, y’all)
#6 by gary chiu on March 17, 2010 - 9:49 am
hey guys, 2nd time we’ve posted here (first post mysteriously deleted).
our competitors often blatantly call us, asking for where we get our beans, where we get our equipment… where we get our talent to make good tasting stuff. sorry for the “wall”, but healthy suspicion is what we have to maintain, otherwise, we’d have zero competitive edge.
i invite you to email me at gary@banyanfoods.com and confirm our beans aren’t from montsanto, via a personal inspection. if it means that much to you (and i believe it does), then i invite you to personally inspect our facility in houston.
i’m not a fan of anything montsanto, so at least allow us a chance to defend ourselves if you’re going to try and lump us together with them.
gary
banyan foods co.
#7 by Courtney on June 1, 2010 - 9:08 pm
Gary! I am going to reply to your comment before I write an actual post about our disappearance from the blog. First of all, thank you so much for your comments. You finding this blog and then commenting on it with some very relevant information is a great reason why we need to get back into it and start caring about blogging again! (Please look for my soon to be posted post about where the hell we’ve been!) I totally believe you when you say your soybeans are not from Monsanto because if they weren’t I am sure I have heard about it by now. I did think it was very strange that your brother couldn’t disclose where you got your soybeans as I all of the sudden felt like I was in a documentary! I eat a LOT more soy than Katie does since I am vegan so I like to pay attention to what’s going on, even though she is usually the one sending me horrible articles about Monsanto. I would love to tour the facility regardless so I will definitely send you an email the next time I plan a trip to Houston. Again, I really appreciate the comments and I apologize for the lack of response. I’d like to write a blog post all about Banyan after I take the tour!