Go local

This August, our household will be participating in the Eat Local Challenge.

The initiator of the Challenge, Locavores, is defining "local" as within a 100-mile radius of San Francisco. Not a bad area to draw from, the lucky dogs! But participants elsewhere are invited to set their own rules, so I will.

1. Definition of "local."

We will attempt to consume only foods grown in the American South, i.e., from Texas eastward and from Maryland southward.

2. Exemptions

(a) Pistachios. Self-explanatory.

(b) Coffee - Obviously not grown here, but we can at least use a brand that is roasted, blended, and packed at a small plant in Louisiana.

(c) Alcoholic beverages. Aside from bourbon and a couple of microbrews that are not really to our tastes, these aren't the South's strong suit.

(d) We reserve the right to eat anything that is already in our kitchen so that we don't waste it.

3. Personal goal

To eat only local foods for every meal, whenever possible. This scheme is not timed at all well for southerners, since a lot of our garden vegetables are burned out already. It's August! That's a harsh time here. But we'll try. I reserve the right to blow this off anytime it becomes too difficult or cumbersome. Luckily, I have a high threshhold for that kind of thing.