Advice

Hi my name is Mark and I’ve been doing this sustainable food diet that you are all doing in September 2008 for the last 5 months now.

In that time I’ve had to learn on my feet, go a bit hungry the odd day and have had to research loads.

But I don’t want you to have to jump through the same hoops - eating organically grown or foraged local food should not be difficult, it should be the easiest thing in the world!

Here is a list of the things I have learned so far, with hints and tips on how to get all the food you need to have a energetic healthy life without it costing the earth that nourishes us so kindly.

Breakfast:

Oats (Morning Foods) - Available from your local independent health food shop, often loose or in a paper bag. If not ask why not. Mix it up with possible barley flakes.

Jam - My advice is to forage whatever is out right now, and preserve it for now or the winter months by making jam out of it by using a local organic apple juice, which is quite abundant in the UK.

Honey - there will be loads of local beekeepers in your area. The key here is to get it from someone who doesn’t take all the bees honey and give them sugar. thats not local as the sugar miles (about 5,000 usually) are the real food miles involved.

Plums and berries - depending what part of the country you are in these will be plentiful right now. Go forth and forage, don’t pay £3 a punnet for ones that come from China!

Brunch:

Apples - the season is upon us, and if you are down south it probably already is! A great source of vitamins, two of these and you’ll be sorted for the morning! Again, apple trees everywhere, go find one nearest to you and only take what you need so others can have some

Tomatoes - around this time of year, tasty and remember that they are a fruit and full of goodness.

Any other fruit - soon the UK will have no shortage of fruit, so get it into while you can. Summer is the busiest time for most people and nature provides exactly what you need for each time of year - loads of energy!

Lunch:

Bread - There is no end of British flour, just make sure you check with the miller about its origins. Given there is loads, go that less mile and get it as local as possible. Yeast is difficult, but you can make your own sourdough starter just from flour and water - get a recipe of the net but prepare for this now as it takes time to get it right. Flatbrear is also an option for those who don’t want to do the sourdough.

Salad - changes depending on the week but there is tonnes around - leafy stuff, grated cabbage, carrots, beetroot, mushrooms, peppers, spring onions, onions, broad beans, cucumber just to name a small few. Top all that with some of Aspalls Cider Vinegar! The problem is getting leafy salad thats not wrapped in plastic - talk to your local organic greengrocer and I’m sure they’ll help you out!

Afternoon snack:

Tea - pick whatever wild teas you can find - all teas sold are over-packaged and I challenge you all to find one without plastic in some form. But there is a different tea for every season for free growing around you, so research what is out now and go find some!

Fruits - same again, this is a great re-energiser for the afternoon. What is available again depends on area and month, but do a littl ebit of research and you’ll find there is lots in September

Dinner

Base - three main options. Potatoes are great, but I would say that being Irish. The two main British grains are rye and barley, the former needing a lot of soaking unless you like eating rubber bullets. Barley is what I call UK rice, really enjoyable and a fair amount of protein.

On top of that take your pick with veg. Most root veggies are out this time of year, but there is no end of UK vegetables in August / September. I usually have about 10 diffferent types on my dinner, steam on the top of my potatoes and grain not only to use less energy but also to retain as much of the natural flavours as this food cannot be blasted with spices!

Herbs - spices are out but these bad boys certainly aren’t. you may grow your own, if not your local independent greengrocer should have some. If not, slap her / him over the wrist!

Oils - This is a recent discovery by Beth, as I searched for two months for an organic local non-plasticated oil in vain. Luddesdown Farm are your people (luddesdownorganic@btconnect.com). This can be used for cooking or for puting cold over the top of your food.

Snacks - go out foraging for hazelnuts and walnuts, I can almost guarantee you there’ll be some somewhere. Eat them fresh, store them for the winter or try roasting them if you are feeling adventurous.

I’m still learning to, so if you have any hints or tips please leave them as a comment on the home page so everyone can learn from your discovery.

I also realise that it will seem basic for some people. But I challenge you to look at it differently. To alter a quote from Gandhi, is there taste in the finest foods that cause pain and suffering to our planet and future generations. One of Gandhi’s eleven vows was also called ‘Asvada’. which translates as control of the palate. Discipline in this area of life can be really empowering and enable you to do so much more in other spheres. But thats all personal stuff and you will alll have your own views.

As I think of more things I will keep updating, so please check back here and the comments section as regularly as you wish