It’s becoming more obvious that I am using this time before the actual challenge starts to learn more and actually do some research rather than dive into this local eating thing. Katie and I took a trip to the Wednesday Farmers Market at the Triangle and due the rain only got to visit about 8 vendors. We started off at Kick-Butt Coffee where I finally bought an Go Local Austin card (I have been meaning to do this for some time). For $10, there quite a bit of local discounts involved so I would recommend it to anyone. Even some of the Austin Farmers Market vendors are listed. I bought butternut squash and shallots from Ottmar’s Family Farm and okra and eggplant from Hands of the Earth. I also bought some black eyed peas but I forgot to see where they were from because I was so upset that Happy Vegan Baker was not there!

I was starving and hadn’t eaten all day so we went to Whole Foods and I ate some tofu and rice from the hot bar. Definitely not local. I then came home and made Butternut Squash soup made with the local squash I bought and non-local onion, garlic, ginger and olive oil. It’s quite delicious for not having any margarine or soy milk in it. So I am really using this time to cook more at home and shop more at the farmers markets and really getting ready to kick off the challenge on October 1. I am still trying to figure out what my exemptions will be but I am pretty sure they won’t change from coffee, soy milk, garlic and spices.

Katie asked the question today: Organic apple or non-organic, pesticide grown local apple? More on that soon.