My great friend L. just came back from a weekend spent visiting a friend who lives on a farm in Vermont. From the sound of it, Vermont = Organic. She reported that it is difficult to grocery shop without bumping smack into a wide array of organic products. Of particular interest to her was the large selection of local milk brands available. L. doesn't even like milk but had to try what she described as milk "that just came from the cow yesterday."
She also mentioned eating in restaurants where all of the menu items featured local foods. The whole experience sounds like nirvana for those interested in eating locally and organically.
Why isn't it possible to eat this way so easily where we live? There are many local farms in New Jersey and New York State. I would think that both states combined have enough farms of all kinds to provide for the demand. Why aren't there more local dairy farm products available around here? Why are organic and local products specialty items?
Are Vermonters more demanding than those of us in the Metropolitan area? More interested in eating local, sustainable foods?
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I dunno, I lived in Vermont for four years and while during the summer it was easy to find fresh, affordable organic produce--come winter (which lasts 6 months of the year) organic goodies became very limited and very expensive. We used to drive 45 minutes to Western Mass just to go to Whole Foods because our local grocery store was a sea of canned, processed crap. I guess if you have a lot of money, which most native Vermonters do not, you can eat well year round.
Funny that you say that because as my friend was recounting all of her wonderful eating experiences, I was wondering about the winter months and figuring that if one lived in Vermont it would require a great amount of planning ahead, canning, freezing etc. But I would imagine that the dairy would at least be available year round.
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