On Wednesday July 2nd, 2008, Progressive Wayne County sponsored a 100-Mile Radius Potluck in Richmond. You can view highlights from the event in this YouTube video:

If you're interested in being a part of future potlucks and similar events, stay tuned to this website and consider signing up for our e-mail newsletter.

Eating locally is as good for our ecosystems as it is for our bodies! If you'd like to practice eating locally and hang out with groovy folks, come to a 100 mile radius potluck on Wednesday, July 2 at 6pm in Clear Creek Park in Richmond (on W Main next to the municipal pool).

What is a 100 mile radius potluck? All the food you bring should have been grown/raised/created within 100 miles of your home. This doesn't mean that Twinkies from Fort Wayne are fair game, since the sugar probably came from Brazil, and the Polysorbate 20 isn't native to ANY ecosystem. So...any guesses on how many salads we'll get?  continue reading »

Ben Hastil, a student at Earlham College, has created a directory of local food options in Richmond, Indiana [860KB PDF]. The directory lists businesses, organizations, farms, and people in the region that provide different kinds of food resources. Example categories include baked goods, dairy products, meats, vegetables, places with general farm activities, and so on.

Locally grown food is certainly critical to creating a strong, self-reliant community, as we've discussed before, and this is just one more great resource available to those interested in eating more locally. You can find other resources related to food and agriculture here at PWC as well.

Why a local food directory? In the introduction to his directory, Ben writes:  continue reading »

This spring and summer, Earth Charter Indiana and Indy Sustainable Food Alliance are challenging 100 families to derive more than 50% of their diet from locally-grown foods, that is, foods produced within 100 miles of their home. Tips, resources, recipes, links, and more will be provided to help you achieve this challenge. More importantly, we hope that you will share your challenges and successes with each other through online discussions.

Read more about this challenge at Sustainable Indiana 2016, and then consider signing the pledge to eat local in June, July and August 2008.

Abundant Acres Farm in Williamsburg works to "provide your family quality natural products grown only on site free of chemicals, hormones or antibiotics." For 2008, Abundant Acres is offering a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, with a variety of packages that offer vegetables, eggs, meats, soap, and more.
They also offer:

* Seasonal produce, chemical free
* All natural brown eggs
* Free range chicken
* Goat Milk Soap  continue reading »

In today's Palladium-Item, correspondent Pam Tharp writes about how a backyard vegetable garden can save you money and help you eat more healthy food:

Locally grown food is becoming increasingly important to many people. Contamination in the food chain is one concern. The other is the cost of shipping food across the country and the amount of oil required to do so. Urban agriculture cuts shipping and fuel use.

You can read the full article.

I thoroughly recommend a visit to Fountain Acre Foods, an off-the-grid Amish-run grocery story. Located in plain sight just off of 27 south of Fountain City, this full service grocery is eight miles north of Richmond.  continue reading »

A Premier Educational Event in Indianapolis for Food Consumers, Small Farmers, Gardeners, and Energy Users Who Want A More Sustainable Lifestyle.

This gathering will be a source of information about simpler lifestyles. Locate sources of food that is less processed, grown closer to home, constitutes a healthful diet and supports a clean environment.

Discover options for renewable energy technologies for your home. Watch a demonstration of biofuel production that anyone can do. Mingle with farmers that can supply food from local farms. Network with other like-minded people. Visit our trade show of resources and educational exhibits.  continue reading »

Barbara Sha Cox, who we highlighted in December of 2006 for her work in examining the issues around factory farming, has an editorial in today's Palladium-Item with more thoughts on bills being considered by the state of Indiana related to CAFOs:

There are several legislators who are concerned and have introduced legislation to address the issues. However, their legislation is always blocked by those who are not listening to the citizens and have chosen to only listen to agricultural business. Legislators interested in the citizens' point of view include Senator Allen Paul (R-Richmond) with his bill for a moratorium for three years to study the issues and place in law regulations that would address the issues.

You can read the full editorial at the Pal-Item website.

In today's Palladium-Item, Bob Hansen of the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County has a column on how requesting locally grown food can benefit the local economy:

If only 1 percent more of Wayne County's food was purchased from local sources, it would be $1.54 million more staying in the local economy...We should be making more efforts to help connect local growers with local customers. In my work at the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, we are trying to connect local food producers with regional processors.

You can read the full article.