by: Ella Markan

The tail-end of summer and face of fall is the best time to eat fresh and local food. One of Sprout's priorities as a business is to act as liason between local farmer/producers and the community of Kimberley. One of my priorities as a hungry human being is to eat food closer to home. Needless to say, working at Sprout is a perfect compliment to my life. A favourite comment to make to customers is “These organic lettuce mixes were grown by Chris and Shannon (Purcell Organics) of Kimberley.”

After reading books like* The Omnivore's Dilemna* and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, I've entertained the thought of exclusively eating local food for a set period of time. Finally, I stopped imagining this challenge and decided to blab to friends that I would follow the “100-Mile Diet” for one month. I talked the talk, now I am (trying my best) to walk the walk. For those who don't know what the 100-Mile Diet entails – basically, I can only eat food that has been produced within a 100-mile (160 km) radius of my door-step. I like to follow a line the way the crow flies. meaning places like Creston, Nelson, Pincher Creek, and Skookumchuk under that umbrella.

Because I work and shop at Sprout, I have not starved to death. Actually, I have a pretty abundant selection of food: Fort Steele veggies grown by beautiful local farmer Brooke; huge wedges of raw-milk Nostrala or Alpindon from Kootenay Alpine Cheese in Creston; Pincher Creek farm-fresh hutterite eggs delivered by quirky farmer John himself; 100% grass-fed ground beef from BE Ranch in Skookumchuk, Pickle Patch eggs and vegetables pickled by Charlene in Creston, and every once in a while, garden veggies brought in by our very own Kimberley neighbours.

Depending on your parameters of the 100-mile Diet, many more items could be considered: homemade Mountain Range entrees and goodies by Rhonda from Skookumchuk would make the cut; specialty meats by Kimberley Sausage & Meats and Biltong Canada (Cranbrook); Silver King Tofus, Antoinette Dips, and Kootenay Bakery Cafe goods all pass the test.

The biggest thing I have learned so far? Eating local food is important, but hard to do 100%. Replacing a few main items on you grocery list, such as honey, veggies, or tea can make a world of a difference.