About 6 months ago I went to buy some dogfood for my new family pet, Maggie. I know, what does dog food have to do with local food? In an effort to find something healthy for my dog, other than the run of the mill dog food I went to Whole Foods. I picked out a reasonably priced bag of their 365 brand dog food on my lunch break at work. I quickly went back to my desk at work and decided that I would read-up on the brand I chose. I was horrified! Not only did I read that the brand was total junk, but I also read that eve the top of the line dog foods are all made from junk. Go ahead, take a look at the ingredients in your pet’s food, does it contain grains and animal by-products? Turns out dogs shouldn’t be eating grains, dogs cannot process them and they can lead to cancers. Also, animal by-products, what is that? Well, animal by-products are not actual animals, but parts of animals, which may not even be food, including chickens beaks, toenails, eyes….eww gross!!!
Well now that I knew that all of these where horrible things to feed your dog, what do you feed them? This is where the fresh and local comes into play! I quickly returned the dog food to Whole Foods and began researching what to feed my dog in its place. I discovered dogs can eat a raw meaty bones which includes chicken backs, chicken/turkey necks, fish, rabbit, beef ribs and anything that contains bones for the dog to eat along with the meat. The bones are a main component in the diet of the diet of your dog, it is where they get their vitamins (and yes they can eat bones raw, its is the cooked ones that will splinter and can be dangerous)! Now, where to find the meat to feed my dog, was the question. I called around to some local farms in the area, and found one that has organic raw meat including chicken necks and backs for $1.00/pound. This began my quest for local fresh food.
The farm where I buy my dog’s food also has fresh eggs, milk and other meats for my family! Now I regularly make a trip to the farm where I can pick-up what I need. Now, why stop with the farm for my dog? This summer I signed up for a local CSA to pick-up veggies once a week from an organic farm that brings their veggies to farmers markets near-by. I have to say now that I’ve gone local I love it and I won’t ever go back to stocking my fridge and cabinets with the majority grocery store products.
I have recently taken the local food buying one step further and signed up for the delivery of milk and eggs once a week. I found a local delivery truck that already came to my area. The company takes it one step further, not only do they deliver their farm fresh eggs and milk, but they contract with other local farmers and bakers to deliver local food to many Maryland residents. I can order fresh locally baked bread, granola, yogurt, coffee/tea, and more. It is wonderful to know that the place you are buying from is also helping to support other local foods.
Now, I must go to the grocery store once and a while, but when I do I am know conscious about where the food comes from that I buy. This is not hard to do, but it is easier if you shop somewhere like Whole Foods that highlights their local food selection. This has not only been a lifestyle change for me and my family, but it has also helped my waistline. I am not on a diet, but I am pickier about what I eat, which means less snack foods in the house and other prepackaged items. This forces me to cook and come up with healthy meals for me, my husband and our 10 month old son. I hope to maintain this lifestyle so that my children grow up with knowledge about their food and where it comes from.
For more on the eat local challenge, visit http://www.5minutesforgoinggreen.com/689/eat-local-challenge/.
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to add to feeding your dog local food, local carrots and local apples make the best dog treats!
Oh how this post hits home, Rachel!
We eat locally, but our dogs do not. Both are big dogs and we go through SO MUCH FOOD for them. I both work and go to school full-time. Excuses, excuses… I know, but the thought of having to preparing that on top of food for my family? It’s daunting. It has been a baby step in our path to local, (mostly self) sustainability that has thus far been neglected.
My goal this fall is to put away an extra deer (both my husband and I are hunters) or two for the dogs and I have plans for an extra “dog” garden to add to next year’s growing plans. Hopefully by next fall our dogs will be eating off our land just as much if not more than we are.
Check out the link here to see my dog’s diet: http://www.rawmeatybones.com/diet/exp-diet-guide.pdf