September 1st marks the 3rd Annual NY Locavore Challenge, hosted by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY). For thirty days, you’re challenged to eat only food grown and raised within 250 miles of your home. Are you up for the challenge?

Now don’t worry, you’re not completely on your own. There will be thousands of locavores to support you through social media. Plus, NOFA-NY’s website has plenty of supporting resources like recipes, local food cost comparisons and reasons to be a locavore. Plus, they give you some breaks. Spices and salt are fair game and you’re allowed to choose 5 items that cannot be sourced locally, and you just can’t live without. These items should be organic and fairly traded whenever possible. I’m going to have to think long and hard about my 5 freebies. So far olive oil and sugar are certainly on the list. Three more to choose. I’m debating if the coffee I drink is considered local. Of course, there aren’t any coffee farms here in Brooklyn, but most coffee I drink is roasted locally. What do you think?

This year’s Locavore Challenge’s theme is “30 Challenges in 30 Days“. Each day there’s a new challenge, like make a locavore shopping list, create a locavore blog or journal (check!), or visit a U-Pick farm. There’s also featured foods of the day like bacon, apples and acorn squash. I always like breaking things down into smaller steps and tasks. Eating entirely local for a month does seem daunting. But if you do one small thing each any every day, it becomes that much easier!

And if you can’t commit to the entire 30 days, consider a smaller commitment. A week, or even a day. I will try to be a pure locavore for all 30 days, but I already know I won’t succeed. Life gets in the way. Parties and vacations. I already know I’ll be in Vermont for one weekend (excited to explore the local scene there!) and will probably attend an end of summer BBQ or other party. My party solution is to bring a dish or bottle of wine that is local for other guests to explore. The entire meal might not be local, but at least I’ll get to share part of my local culture with others.

Well, I’m all signed up and ready for the challenge. How about you? Register here!

Related articles

• How to be a Locavore… (brooklynlocavore.wordpress.com)
• A Peak Inside Brooklyn Locavore’s Kitchen (brooklynlocavore.wordpress.com)
• Bruschetta Pork Cutlets (brooklynlocavore.wordpress.com)