Online Resources

National eat local challenge
Find your 100 Miles
Sky Farmers Market's Producer's
Sky Farmer's Market Produce Availability
Kentucky Proud Members

And make sure to check out the Kentucky Market Maker where you can search for specific producers and products!!!

100 Miles

For the purpose of our Eat Local Challenge local will be defined as within 100 miles. We would appreciate it if you would post (as a comment below) your favorite producer's that are within 100 miles of the Warren County area.
There is also a lot of information at the 100 Mile Diet website.

The Howell Family: Getting Ready

We are getting close to the month of July and the Eat Local Challenge. Since we will be eating all locally grown food we are currently trying to clean out our fridge, freezer and pantry. We are transitioning to local slowly as more foods become available. There are a few foods we are going to miss but we are trying to focus on all of the new fresh foods that are going to be available to us soon! This Saturday we went to the SKY Farmers Market and stocked up. Here is our farmer's market list:
~Chocolate Milk (we still had store bought white milk)
~Cheddar Cheese
~Sour Dough Bread
~Dessert Item (Buttermilk Pie-Yum)
~Dozen Eggs
~Sausage
~Broccoli
~Tomatoes
~Onions
~Squash
~Flavored Tea
~Doggy Biscuit

Next Week's list:
~Chocolate Milk
~White Milk
~Cheddar Cheese
~Sour Dough Bread
~Wheat Bread
~Dessert Item (Probably Cookies)
~2 Dozen Eggs
~Whole Chicken
~Broccoli
~Tomatoes
~Onions
~Squash
~Green's
~Decaffeinated Coffee (Really excited about this!)
And I am sure that there will be more once I get there. That is the exciting thing about this time of year. And as our kitchen contents are dwindling I find myself relieved. We had way too much stuff before. My goal for the month of July is to avoid the major grocery stores all together. So I am having to evaluate what we are currently purchasing and from where. I'll share more later about stocking up on Toilet Paper and making our own Laundry Detergent.

Share your farmer's market list in the comment section of this post.

Share Your Story

Is your family planning on pledging to eat local during the month of July. You can be planning one special meal of all local foods or you may be planning to try becoming a localvore. We would love for you to share your story with our blog readers. Please send your stories to weddings@floribundadesigns.net and include a photo if you wish.

The Howell Family: Saying Yes to Local

I would like to welcome you to our story. A story of a family of four (soon to be five) pledging to become localvores for the month of July. The most important movitavor for our family is to eat safe, healthy food that is good for us and the environment. But as a mom I am also interested in foods that my 2 and 4 year old will eat. Join us on our adventure as we share our daily challenges and benefits to becoming localvores.

Nathan and Michelle Howell

Reasons to Eat Local

There is a new term being used for those who choose to eat most of their foods from locally produced farmers.
A “Localvore” is a person dedicated to eating food grown and produced locally. There are a lot of good reasons to consider this for your family.

· Less resources are expended packaging and transporting local food.
· It supports the local economy- more money remains in our local community.
· It is healthier– bad preservatives are less since food doesn't travel as far
· It is more honest– in the terms of the producer and growing process. It must be; we are all neighbors.
· If for no other reason– IT TASTES BETTER!

Are you ready to pledge?

To participate in the challenge you can submit a pledge form online or at the Sky Farmers Market.
Link to Pledge Form: http://www.skyfarmersmarket.com/files/documents/eat_local_challenge.pdf

Eat Local Challenge

When: Month of July

What: Pledge to eat at least one entire locally grown, raised or produced meal during the month of July. Additional pledge options can be found, including a Kids Division, at www.skyfarmersmarket.com.

How: Simply complete the following pledge form or go online at www. skyfarmersmarket.com to find the form. Each week in July the pledge entries can be returned to any vender at the SKY Regional Farmers Market or online. These pledges are automatically entered into a weekly drawing for:
“Eat Local Challenge”
· market bag
· kids cotton tee ( for the Kids Division)
· organic cotton tee
All weekly winners will be in a drawing for a grand prize coupon book good for a $300.00 shopping spree at the SKY Regional Farmers Market at The Medical Center-Riverside.

Why: When you buy direct your dollars stay within your community and strengthen the local economy and thus preserves farming as a livelihood….not to mention the healthy life choice you are making for your family.

Current Producer's

O'Daniel Farms, Joe and Debbie O'Daniel - decorative plants, produce, pastured eggs
Au Naturel Farm, Paul and Alison Wiediger - produce, cut flowers, pastured eggs http://www.aunaturelfarm.com/
Bobby and Thelma Groce - decorative plants, produce
James Manco - produce
Bryce and Eloise Geiser - produce and decorative plants
Jim Sears - Gourmet dog biscuits
Willis and Edna Schrock - Farm bottled cream line milk, baked goods
David Weaver - decorative plants, planters, produce
Lazy B Farm - Hand made soaps and lotions
Kenny Mattingly - Kenny's Country Cheese
http://www.kennyscountrycheese.com/
Joleen and Martin Stone - decorative plants and cut flowers
Steve and Betsy Borders - produce
Nathan Howell - produce

What can I find at Sky Farmers Market?

Wonderful variety of seasonal produce
Gorgeous bedding plants, hanging baskets and color bowls
Perennials hardy in our area
Herbs to plant and to eat
Kenny's Country Cheese
JD Country milk
Mennonite baked goods
Handmade Soap
Farm Fresh eggs
Honey
Farm canned salsas and other savory items
Colorful cut flowers in bouquets and single stems
Zutrav dog biscuits
AND!! Lots of friendly farmers and craftspeople

Why Sky Farmers Market?

Here is some information about SKY FARMERS MARKET directly from their website (follow the link for more info). We strive to provide the freshest local farm products, best horticultural items and most interesting crafts in the region. We are unique in Bowling Green in that we are the only "producer-only" market. That means you are buying produce from the farmer who grew it.
'Course that also means you can't buy watermelons in May, but when you do buy them in late June or July, you're buying local Kentucky melons. Buying local is the best way to support local farmers and get the freshest food.
Don't be fooled by others' claims of "home-grown". (After all, everything is grown at someone's home!) Come to the market where everything is grown by the farmers!

Where is Sky Farmer's Market?

This year we are still on The Medical Center's campus . We'll be in that front lot, in front of the Riverside building, just off the bypass across from Kroger. Turn left at the Medical Center main entrance and we're on the left. You can't miss us! Lots of space for farmers and customers to park. Come and join us for our FIFTH Season!! Opening Saturday, April 12th at 7:00 AM.