Chicago Foodways: Be a Locavore - June 14th @ 10 AM

Be a Locavore, Put More Local on Your Table

Presented by
Robert Gardner
Saturday, June 14, 2008
10 AM
Kendall College
900 North Branch Street, Chicago
(West of Halsted Street, North of Chicago Avenue)
Free Parking
Cost: $2 per person, free to Kendall students and faculty with ID.

Just when you thought you reached the holy grail of upscale, healthy, hip eating; a whole new movement snuck up. The New Oxford American Dictionary declared locavore as the 2007 word of the year.

The “locavore” movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to grow or pick their own food, arguing that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. “The word ‘locavore’ shows how food-lovers can enjoy what they eat while still appreciating the impact they have on the environment,” said Ben Zimmer, editor for American dictionaries at Oxford University Press. “It’s significant in that it brings together eating and ecology in a new way.”

Robert Gardner, one of the founding members of LTHForum.com loves to eat. He’s discovered that the way to eating bliss is by eating local. For over three years he and his family have tried to get (nearly) all their food from the Upper Midwest, a food zone Gardner calls the Big Ten Conference. Beyond pleasing the palate, Gardner and his family have discovered the many other benefits from eating local.

With the farmer’s markets finally open, a lot of Chicago gourmets are heading outdoors to buy fresh asparagus, strawberries and other early season crops. Gardner wants you to keep on shopping through the end of the season and then continue to eat local. Gardner will discuss how you can add more local to your plate even in the darkest months.

Rob and his family’s eat local adventure has been written up in the Chicago Sun Times, Medill News Service and the Oak Park Wednesday Journal. Gardner recently published an essay on eating local in the Chicago Tribune’s Sunday Perspective section, and blogs almost daily at vitalinformation.blogspot.com. He is also a contributor to the Eatlocalchallenge blog.

This program is hosted by the Chicago Foodways Roundtable. To reserve, please call (847) 432-8255, then leave your name, telephone number and how many people in your party or e-mail: chicago.foodways.roundtable@gmail.com . If you decide at the last minute to attend, then please just show up!

Hi,

It is always special when "one of us" is doing the presentation. If you think you may be attending, then let me know.

Regards,

I plan to be there, but will need to confirm later in the week

I'm still planning to be there. Unfortunately, I have an AC repair guy scheduled to come at 8AM, so if he is markedly late I may not make it.

(edited to acknowledge the moderate hypocrisy in protecting the planet by trying to eat local while destroying it through excessive use of power for air conditioning. Oh well. My "Kosher" Grandmother used to refuse all pork products except bacon because "it's soooooooo good." Blame her for my duplicity.)

I plan on being there.

Best,
Michael

I plan on being there.

Jyoti

I'm sorry I missed Rob's presentation. I was at The Evanston Farmers' Market, buying locally-grown food.

Hi,

You are in luck! WBEZ's Chicago Amplified program sent a producer to record the program. In a few weeks, you will be able to download the audio.

Rob made being a locavore very approachable, which I frankly didn't expect. He admitted he didn't want to be as orthodox as one person who made a 'sandwich' by using two turnip slices as the 'bread.' While they have been practicing for three years, he said they are still learning the how-to locavore. Here and there, Rob's wife and kids interjected their ideas and experiences underscoring this is a family project. It was also very clear the VI family practices what they preach.

Thanks again Rob for your efforts. I really appreciated it.

Regards,

Hi,

Rob Gardner's interesting overview of his family's locavore lifestyle is now available to download and listen to courtesy of Chicago Public Radio's Chicago Amplified here: http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=26587

Regards,