If you think that you can’t eat local because you don’t live on a homestead, can’t afford it, or don’t have time to cook, this book is for you! The Locavore’s Handbook: The Busy Person’s Guide to Eating Local on a Budget is an easy, encouraging read that’s great for anyone who is just starting down their eating local journey.
From the publisher’s website:
These days, nearly everyone wants to eat green and local, but tight schedules and even tighter budgets can make it seem like an unattainable goal. The Locavore’s Handbook: A Busy Person’s Guide to Eating Local on a Budget is here to help! With practical, down-to-earth advice, Leda Meredith guides readers through the process of incorporating locally grown foods into their meals. In a concise book designed for mainstream readers, she discusses budgeting; sourcing, growing, and preserving food; shopping efficiently; and supporting local merchants and planet Earth. Everyone, including time-pressed, cash-strapped urbanites with mini-refrigerators and zero storage space, will find inspiration and a host of helpful, surprising ideas. Brooklyn-based Meredith’s tips and tricks are particularly helpful for readers in cooler climes.
For once, a book that actually delivers what it promises! If you ever read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingslover and thought “that’s nice, but that would never work for me,” this book is for you. What I especially love is that while she covers a lot of ground, she never makes you feel bad for not “doing enough.” If you’ve read enough blogs and local eating websites you know what I’m talking about. In fact she ends each chapter with “If you do just one thing . . . ” a section that gives one tip you can implement no matter where you are.
Not just for newbies, as I learned a few things and I feel like I’ve been at this for awhile. For example she gives a great overview of things you can forage (fiddleheads, for example) and some great recipes (dandelion coffee, nasty bits). And gives handy charts such as what to plant when and how to organize your refrigerator.
I love it so much that I can’t bear the thought of giving it away (which I plan to do with a lot of my reviews, since publishers are so generous and send them to me for free when I ask and I only need so many cookbooks). So I emailed the publisher and guess what? They are happy to give one away to one of my lucky readers!
The winner of the book was Jessica! Congratulations!
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. Also, if you order The Locavore’s Handbook: The Busy Person’s Guide to Eating Local on a Budget by following the link on my website, I will get a few cents from Amazon.com. This in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
This book sounds very good. I am one of those who read A, V, and M and sneered and said, “Oh hell yeah I could do this! As soon as I get my multimillion dollar book contract and can ‘work at home’ like the author.” In other words–f’in NEVER. This is exactly the kind of pragmatic, common sense, “just folks” writing that the food movement so desperately needs.
Well, I personally loved Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Even if the big experiment it describes isn’t something normal people can replicate in whole, it’s inspiring and eye-opening.
Anyway, recently discovered your blog, love it, and would love a copy of this book so that we can get more practical ideas for eating local!
And I subscribe via RSS!
My husband and I have recently started eating local. We are one of the first in our group of friends and family to start in the ‘locavore’ eating style. It is catching on, as our friends and family have seen that we can stay within our budget and eat better foods.
This book looks wonderful! I would love to learn new things and in turn be able to pass it on!
Great blog!
I recently joined a Produce Co-op and pick up my first bin tomorrow! I’d love to read this book and learn even more about local eating.
Oh, this book sounds so good! We just signed up for a local buying club and our local markets are opening up this month, so I am looking for plenty of new ideas to use! Thanks for the giveaway!
I subscribe via Google Friend Connect (and love reading your blog 😉
I have just started on my new food journey 3 days ago and so far, it’s been expensive! I think this book would help me very much to make sure I stick with it!
I would love this book! I love eating local, frequent my local farmers market, grow a few of my own veggies and blueberries AND haul my own lobster traps in the summer!
🙂
Shannon
I need any tips I can about budgeting for local food.
I could also use any organization tips I can get and info on how to start a garden.
I twittered this too!
http://twitter.com/thegoodwifeblog
My household is kinda new to this local sustainable movement, but we cook everyday so we are eager to learn! Recently joined a CSA – Johnsons Backyard Garden – and now find that I never buy anything but fruit at the store, and that happened in just a year!!! Feels like progress to me! (Also read Animal Veg Miracle on long trip. Inspiring! Enjoyed it!)
I’m always looking for new ways to save money and benefit the Earth!
I could definitley use a practical guide for eating local.
.-= Powered By Produce´s last blog ..Lies =-.
And, I am a subscriber!
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i’m a CSA but it’s the only thing local. I would love to learn how to incorperate local grains, meat, and dairy into my diet.
i already subscribe via rss.
I’d love to eat more locally, but A,V,M did make it sound a bit unattainable. I get a bit overwhelmed thinking about it, so I hope this book could help me get going.
I’d like to win because I’m moving into a new apartment next month and I’d like this place, as well as my diet, to be as healthy as possible!
Also, I’m a subscriber!
I’m starting a local Junior Master Gardener program and will be teaching kids the skills needed to grow their own food. I would love to have more resources for teaching children why eating local and seasonal is so important.
I’m a subscriber too!
Tweeted your contest.
I would love to read this book – especially the advice about how to eat locally on a budget. Thanks!
And I subscribe with RSS!
I need to win this giveway because this book is 1 of 6 I am currently saving up to purchase! We are switching over to foods in their natural form and trying to eat locally; all without going broke.
I subscribe!!!!!
This sounds like something we need to start doing in my household. We have been buying local when our Farmer’s markets are open, but other than that it is really difficult.
I’d love to learn how to have a locavore diet. We grow some of our own food and buy quite a bit from the local farmer’s markets, but I’d love to takke the next step.
I’ve done CSA, farmers markets, etc., but have a hard time finding other local options at times. Most of these books, I feel like I’ve heard it all. But this one sounds good! I want to grow my own, but seem to have a black thumb. 🙁
Anything that has “…busy person…” in the title is one I would like to read. We have a kitchen garden and are CSA members. As a farmers daughter, locavor diet interests me.
Thanks for your great giveaway.
maynekitty [at] live [dot] com
misspelling-Sorry–locavore
tweeted
http://twitter.com/maynekitty/status/13659799889
email subscriber–maynekitty [at] live [dot] com
I’d love to win this book since it looks right up my alley and yet I’ve sworn to use the library this year instead of buying books… and it looks like this book is too new for that!
I’m also already a subscriber!
I would love to win this book! My husband and I were talking just the other day about buying locally and this book would get us headed in the right direction.
We just joined a CSA this season and are so excited to be eating locally. Living in NE, we still have over a month to go before CSA season starts. I could use some reading to pass the time I am anxiously waiting for our first pick up!
jessica.hunt at live dot com