Is it easy to be a locavore today?
Those of us who are know the answer is no.
First strike? It is winter in New England and thus, there isn't a lot growing right now.
Second strike - the state of the economy. Is it worthwhile for us to travel longer distances for food when there is a giant box grocer nearby?
Third? It takes effort. You need to do your research to find stores, restaurants and farmers markets that support locally grown food.
It is hard, but again, those of us in-the-know know the benefits.
We are supporting our local communities, and local agriculture.
We are more food-conscious. (there are amazing health benefits of being aware of what we put in our bodies.)
It's "green". (yeah, it's super-trendy to be green – but local food produces a much smaller carbon footprint.)
I remember interviewing Michael Miller very well. Mr. Miller, a former newspaper publisher turned cheese maker, is the (usually) sole producer of Berkshire Blue Cheese, made in Massachusetts. I was interviewing makers of blue cheeses to get their opinions on what made their cheeses distinct, and I’d been a fan of Berkshire Blue for some time for its creamy texture and not-excessive salt content. Was the lower salt level deliberate, I asked? It turns out that this subject is one of many related to his cheese about which Mr. Miller is passionate. Yes, the salt level, less than half the industry standard for blue, was purposely lower, because, “You have to be able to taste the damn milk!” Despite his insistence on your tasting the milk and the blue mold first, with everything else “a distant second”, the blue flavor doesn’t hit you over the head here, as is the case with some other blue cheeses. In fact, Berkshire Blue is one of my favorite American blues.