Syracuse First!

I came across information on this at the Cookin' in the Cuse

Syracuse First--Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.

You can read more about it at Cookin' in the Cuse, or at the Syracuse first link, but here's a little snippet:

Our primary objective is to encourage Syracuse area residents to “Think Local” when they are considering where to make purchases, to “Buy Local” whenever possible and to “Be Local” by supporting businesses that make the Syracuse area unique.


I'm pretty excited about this and wanted to share. I don't know if I'll be able to make this meeting, but it's something I look forward to following in the future.

Over the last couple of years, local eating has become something really important to me, and something I really put a fair amount of effort into doing. My attempt, or at least attempt at recording, the sustainable food challenge was a flop. I haven't been very organized lately - but that doesn't mean I'm not constantly involved in and working on continuing this challenge in and for my own life. I have been actively working on eating a local, sustainable diet on a budget for quite some time now.

I have a very small food budget, but I still believe that my food dollars are powerful. Everyone's food dollars are powerful, whether you spend 200 a month or a thousand a month. What we buy, where we shop - it says a lot about us and who we are. What we support. What we believe in.

And I believe that I can make a difference. I believe that my small contribution each month to family farms does help. That every little bit becomes more powerful down the line.

And the best part is, I'm getting so much in return. I'm learning and getting to know who grows and raises my food. That alone is worth the investment. But I also get fresh, nutritious, from the earth foods to feed my family. I get to help our local economy. I get to cut out the middle man. I get to learn and explore and understand more about where I live, what I eat and how the two are so connected.

My turn towards local foods and real foods has been an evolution over the last several years. I suspect it will continue to evolve and I will become more and more intertwined in the whole of it - the cycle, the community, the earth.

I've been loving every step of the way so far.