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Eating Local- Kanu Hawaii Challenge
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Fresh herbs at the Blaisdell farmers market
Kanu Hawaii is a nonprofit organization that was started in 2005 by a group of 40 young people who were concerned with the state of the world, and wanted to preserve the culture and way of life of Hawaii. They have challenged everyone to eat locally from Aug 8th-Aug 15th. This has influenced me and really had me taking a hard look into my fridge and pantry to see just how much of my consumables are local. What does that mean exactly?
Pineapples and Apple Bananas at the Blaisdell Market
When you think about eating locally here in Hawaii what kind of person do you picture? There’s a huge stereotype that the only people jumping on the bandwagon are crunchy hippies eating organic tasteless food, munching on bananas, poi and macadamia nuts. This is a true misconception. As fuel prices continue to rise so do the prices of all of our food coming in from the mainland. Although our farmland here is limited, the beautiful volcanic soil of the islands grows some of the most amazing produce. Many people are buying all their fruits and veggies at the farmer’s markets, not to mention their eggs, beef honey and much more.
Ok, so why do it? Many people think it costs more, and sometimes it does. You have to look at it this way. Maybe the “sticker shock” will get you, but all these amazing products were just picked. You will not have to throw away half of it because it went bad. It wasn’t sprayed with chemicals or wax, “washed” at a factory, and shipped halfway across the world to you. Do you know how long that takes, weeks maybe months. To me, that’s worth the extra money. A bag of mixed greens has lasted me almost two weeks. The bagged greens at the super market, will last a few days.
Eating locally is better for our economy. Buying a head of lettuce from a farmer directly puts almost all the money into their pocket. Buying one from the super market, is putting your money into shipping (and ultimately pollution), packaging, and marketing among many other things. That farmer, wherever he is, is only going to get maybe 20% of what you spent. Ultimately, the local farmer’s money is staying here, being circulated in our economy and in these financially stressful times, isn’t that better?
Farming is almost becoming a lost art because of industrial demands on our land. Most farmland (on the mainland) is government owned producing large amounts of crops that have been sprayed with pesticides and get processed and altered down to nothing. By supporting our local farmers, we know what we are eating. The farmers are right there to answer questions, you can even go visit the farms and see for yourself how your food is being treated. Here in Oahu we can even protect our Aina from being over developed by buying locally.
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In my opinion, being a chef, one of the most important reasons to buy local is because it just tastes better. I recently bought a tomato from Big Wave Tomatoes (image above) at the Blaisdell market, and it blew me away. I realized that it had maybe been years since I had actually tasted a real tomato. Did you know that most super market tomatoes are actually picked when they are still green, then ripened artificially? I’m not sure what exactly takes place during tomato ripening, but I can tell you the out come is a tasteless, pink colored fleshy, mealy, fruit reminiscent of a tomato.
One of the reasons food just tastes better is because it doesn’t have to be transported very far. This allows the produce to naturally ripen, which in turn creates juicer and more flavorful products. Ever taste a mango just picked off the tree? Then taste one that was shipped here from Mexico. There is really no comparison.
This ultimately will create tastier and healthier dishes. Less has to be added, or done to the products to make them taste good. (See my Sweet Corn Soup Recipe and Cilantro Green Beans Recipe). You can also get creative. Ever tried Portuguese Kale? Give it a try, you probably won’t ever see it in your super market. There are always new and exciting things to discover and learn about at you farmer’s markets. Because farmers have a direct connection with their fruits and veggies they are able to produce lots of different varieties. This will give the consumer more of a selection.
So, what can you do? Well, I don’t expect everyone reading this to become a locavore. But, I do want to open up your eyes. Really take a look at what you’re putting into your shopping carts and your bodies. Take the “Eat Local Challenge” for a day. Calculate the money you already spend on produce and go to the farmer’s market and spend it there. Observe the difference between those products. Get inspired to create new dishes and use these products in new and exciting ways. If everyone shifted just a little bit, we could create huge waves of change globally.
It’s time we get more connected with the food we eat. It’s time to start teaching our children where our food comes from, that we need to respect the earth and its gifts. Its time we start supporting or neighbors in their efforts to grow and farm the way their ancestors did. Its time to make a change. It is our kuleana, our right, our privilege. “In an age when we are often preoccupied with me and what is mine, kuleana is one of the most important words in the world.” Kanu website
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