ecoLIVING London

Like many others out there I'm sitting here this morning on New Years Day and reflecting on my life and the events of the past year. It's really hard to believe that yet another year has come and gone. Doesn't time seem to pass at a quicker rate as you get older? I think so!

Anyways, as I was having my breakfast this morning and checking my emails/Facebook/Twitter accounts I took a look at some of my older blog posts. Wow.... when I created the blog in 2009 I was just starting to visit the markets and didn't really know where I was headed. I didn't know that there was such a thing as Ontario cranberries, cherry orchards near London, or even to what extent I could still support the farmers and producers over the winter months. At that point I was still focused on the produce and hadn't yet even thought of local flour, popcorn, peanuts, meats, or even dairy. I laugh at some of the old posts that I wrote; I was just learning back then.

As I gain new readers, I often wonder what their thoughts are. Do they think that I just jumped into this lifestyle cold turkey? Do they get overwhelmed and think that they would never be able to do it too? If someone had told me in 2009 that I would be making all my food from scratch and eating seasonally/locally as much as I do I don't think I would have believed them. It was a work in progress, and it still is 2 1/2 years later. There was a time when I used to shop 100% at the grocery store and bought a lot of my food packaged in a box. Then, I made a few visits to the farmers' market and everything started to change.

It's not about perfection, but about being willing to make small changes everyday; it's about wanting to be healthier, supporting the local economy, supporting the farmers, educating yourself and your family, etc..

I still have a lot to learn myself and a lot of farms and markets that I have yet to visit. This year I'm hoping to spend more time in the St. Thomas area, Chatham, Grand Bend, Woodstock, Kitchener-Waterloo, etc.. I'm also hoping to step things up a notch in my avoidance of processed foods. Stay tuned for more from-scratch recipes like homemade butter, yogurt, and pasta. There will be more homemade breads too - naan, flatbreads, crackers, etc.. It won't just be about the food though - expect more homemade versions of mouthwash, dishwasher detergent, and moisturizers. I'll be more involved in the community and various events throughout Southwestern Ontario too.

Looks like 2012 will be a great year I'm sure; another year of growing, learning and taking things one step at a time.

Remember: Eat Fresh, Eat Local, Eat REAL Food!!

Dallas Rocheleau lives in London, Ontario and has been blogging about local eating since 2009. She sources out local foods from the Southwestern Ontario region and loves to spend time in the kitchen making seasonal recipes. She also avoids buying processed foods and tries to replicate common grocery store foods at home from scratch. Her blog can be found here.

PHOTO CRED: Dallas with Chuck from Food Television's 'Chuck's Day Off'