Corn-Free July 2017

I haven't written here in awhile, close to two years if the truth be told, and a lot of changed since then. I confess that the majority of what has happened in food news has passed me by as well. A new job, a new apartment in a new town, the simply act of getting out of the habit have left me feeling adrift in the world of sustainable agriculture. I could, I suppose, also tell you that I've taken a break from the blogging game to write my novel- which is totally almost done, I swear- but I wouldn't want to push the limits of your patience with me.

I guess the easiest touch point to get back in is to say something that I think, or at least hope, that most readers will be able to relate to: A new life routine has led to a new food routine, and in turn, a new relationship with eating in general. And that's what's maybe the most interesting thing to me about writing about food- the fact that are so many different ways to experience eating. Enough to make "food writing" a known term, with sub-genres even within it, a whole ecosystem as rich, when you really get under the hood, as any other fiction or non-fiction genre, and with as much blurring of lines regarding what qualifies.

I hope I will always come back to Corn-Free July as a way to remind myself to think about the way I choose to eat and why. I went to the farmers' market in Harvard Square, Cambridge, by the Charles Hotel yesterday. Have any of you been there yet this year? For a geographically small market it has a wealth of choices: bread, fish, meat, eggs, cheese, fruit, vegetables, flowers, plants. A high-end pasta and sauce artisan. A stand that makes lemonade while you wait. If you plan ahead and don't mind dropping some serious cash, you can do your grocery shopping for the whole week there.

The need to plan, and to budget judiciously, can be daunting. But in the end, when you really measure it, did that cost you more stress than walking through the endless maze of a supermarket? Holding your tongue against the road rage of other people carts? Constantly stopping yourself from grabbing impulse items? At least if you overspend at the farmers' market, you know you're always getting something healthy. And maybe you've put less white noise in your brain as well, leaving more room for meaningful thoughts.

As summer returns to the northern hemisphere bringing with it local food, often eaten outside, how do you shopping and eating habits change?

Corn-Free July 2012

It's that time of year again:  Farmers markets, farm stands, Community Supported Agriculture programs, and backyard gardens are getting into full swing in the Northeastern United States.  We're nearing the time when tomatoes will taste like tomatoes instead of cardboard, when we can pick our own fruit.  With this abundance of local treats, who needs junk? It's almost as if we could go an entire month completely avoiding any derivatives of a certain industrially produced vegetable...

That's right, everyone!  Corn-Free July is coming again! For a refresher course on what it is and how it started, here's my inaugural blog post from last year.  The only difference is that this time I'm not doing it alone.

Calling all sustainable food junkies: Why not try this?  Not necessarily for the whole month, but for one week, one day a week, whatever works for you.  Let me know who and where you are, and why you're participating in the comments section here, on Twitter using the hashtag #cornfreejuly, or on the message board for the new Corn Free July Facebook event.

And since there's nothing internet readers (present company included) seem to love more than a good list, here are the top 5 reasons that signing up for Corn-Free July 2012 is a decision you won't regret:

5) Health.  You are what you eat, and what the average American eats often amounts to processed foods whose main ingredients are sweeteners and other empty calories derived from corn.  People who eat large amounts of these processed foods are, as we know, at higher risk for things like heart disease and diabetes.  There's even been a study linking high fructose corn syrup to autism.
4) Local economy.  Foods that are less processed often mean foods that are locally sourced, since they aren't able to be shipped as far.  Now more than ever, it's important to keep our dollars close to home.
3) Sustainable farming.  Corn-Free doesn't just mean no high fructose corn syrup: it also means no meat or other products from corn-fed animals.  Every time you buy a grass-fed steak, you not only make a good choice for your heart, but you vote with your wallet for more humane and environmentally safe animal husbandry practices.
2) The fun of a challenge.  Have you ever accidentally had a great time reading a book that you might not have gotten around to if the power hadn't gone out so you couldn't watch TV?  Healthy eating forces you not to do things like eat in your car or at fast food places that, let's face it, you weren't going to enjoy anyway.  It introduces you to new recipes, ingredients, shopping locations, and restaurants.
1) Hipster points! Five years from now, you'll be able to tell everybody that you knew about Corn-Free July before it was cool, and how the girl who started it is a total sell-out for making her book available on Amazon.

OK maybe that last one is a stretch, but still.  Whaddaya say?