Eat Local Challenge 2009

What is the Eat Local Challenge?

Challenging the Chippewa Valley to eat locally, within 100 miles, for the entire month of September.

For the hard-core: A contest to eat completely within the 100 mile radius of the Challenge.

For most people:

• Consciously buying and eating more local food, making the effort to seek out local food.
  
• Substituting local products for national brands (such as milk and eggs).
  
• Trying some different locally grown vegetables or meats.
  
• Eating one primarily-local-ingredient meal a day.
  
• Making the decision to buy local whenever possible.

Just Local Food's involvement:

We encourage you to come to our store, and try some of the amazing local food available. Many of our products come to us direct from the farm, such as organic milk (in glass bottles) Crystal Ball Farms (89 miles), fresh eggs from Matt Buvala (52 miles), organic chicken from Coon Creek Family Farm (10 miles), salad greens from DragSmith Farms (59 miles). We work directly with many local farmers and suppliers to get food that is fresh and sustainably grown, that has been raised for flavor and nutritional goodness rather than its ability to be transported across the country (or hemisphere), which keeps money in the local economy, and reduces the amount of energy required for shipment.

To make it easy to spot local foods within our store, look for the Eat Local Challenge logo or a red "LOCAL!" label on the shelves. There are many other great foods outside the 100 mile radius that we get direct from the farm, such as the tortilla chips from Whole Grain Milling (Welcome, MN), that you may also want to try.

Check out one of our in-store tours called Just Local Food 101. Aaron will take you around the store and tell you the stories behind the local food we carry. The more you know about your food and the people who grow it, the more you'll get why we're so passionate about local food.

We have some great ideas for easy local meals. Once you form a new habit, it’s easy. You just need to start. We look forward to helping you discover all the benefits of eating locally.

Current Just Local Food 101 Schedule:

Thurs, Sept 3, 7pm – 8pm
Thurs, Sept 10, 7pm – 8pm
Mon, Sept 14, 10am – 11am
Thurs, Sept 17, 7pm – 8pm
Tues, Sept 22, 10am – 11am

For more information:

Pick up a copy of A Second Opinion for details and ideas.

Why eat local? Here’s 10 reasons.

http://www.eatlocalchallenge.com/

http://eatlocalchallengecv.blogspot.com/

mid-year report now available

Howdy folks!

Our 2009 mid-year report is now available for download at the link below. Inside this report you'll find narrative describing the activities of your local food cooperative over the past year or so. Please take a moment out of your day to enjoy the progress report we've worked to create. Please let us know if you have questions or concerns about our cooperative enterprise. It is you, our customers and suppliers, that we owe a great many thanks for supporting us over the past five years. We depend on your feedback to improve and advance our collective mission.

2009 Mid Year Report (PDF download)

As mentioned in the report, we can also make financial information available upon your request. Send inquiries to Lissa.

Tropical heat relief

pura vida mi pueblo,

This week we bring you a Latin American theme to accompany the this heat wave. we just brought in an order of fantastic tropical treats that will surely quench your summertime thirst!

Fresh today we have young coconut, black and green figs, papaya, pineapple. cilantro, tomatillos, y mucho mas for an amazing fruit salad, salsa, combination of the two or whatever your inner latina/o may crave.

New cafe earns downtown award

Congrats to our friends at harmony corner cafe! We eagerly anticipate fresh baked breads, sweets, rolls and other delicacies both at the new harmony corner and at our locale!

http://www.leadertelegram.com/story-news.asp?id=BKQLATLI07M
http://harmonycornercafe.com/

"Harmony Corner Cafe, recently took first place in Downtown Eau Claire Inc.'s fifth annual Jump-Start Downtown Business Plan Competition. The bakery/coffee shop/cafe earned $5,000 in startup capital and $500 in airtime or advertising production from Charter Media...

...Work is under way at Harmony Corner Cafe, 210 S. Barstow St., which plans to open in early fall. The business has about 3,500 square feet of space spanning entrances on both Barstow and Graham Ave. ...

...Harmony already has an account to supply Just Local Food; the relationship between growers, farmers and customers was one reason for the use of "harmony" in the business name."

BREW NEWS AUGUST 2009

1. Oktoberfests Are In!
2. Walter's Beer Update
3. New/Seasonal Options
4. Samplings

1. Oktoberfests Are In!
We are excited to offer 2 Oktoberfest beers already this year. First came Capital's offering and second came Summit. Both beers honor the Oktoberfest celebration in Munich, Germany that dates back to 1810.

2. Walter's Beer Update
Y'all have probably heard, but Walter's Beer is being brewed in Eau Claire, WI again. We have a steady supply of 6 packs on hand, ready to help you beat the summer heat. In the near future look for new 6 pack holders sporting the Walter's insignia (instead of the generic Northwoods ones). Also in the works are 6 pack cans ala Floppin' Crappie. If you haven't yet, stop on down and pick-up a piece of Eau Claire history.

3. New/Seasonal Options
Capital Oktoberfest
Summit Oktoberfest
Viking Dim Whit
Summit Extra Pale Ale 12pk
New Glarus Yokel

4. Samplings
Make sure to mark your calendars for our monthly beer samplings. We do one every 3rd Thursday of the month. We have sure had fun this summer drinking some good beer with the folks from Angry Minnow, Northwoods, and Viking. We will be having a sampling August 20th with a brewery t.b.d. or a comparison sampling with the JLF staff. Check back often for updates on the upcoming event.

Cheers,
Jordan

"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."
-Dave Barry