Lufa in February, or how to eat local in the middle of winter

It’s the middle of winter (well, technically we only have one more month to go before spring, but we all know March 21st is no guarantee of warmer days).

Let’s be honest, eating locally in Quebec is a challenge. Luckily—and thanks to local farmers, artisans, foodies and restaurants—there are more and more options for locavores.

Winter Open-House 
First thing's first: I cordially invite you and your family, guests, and friends to come visit the farm next weekend. We’ll have English tours on Sunday from 10am to 3pm and we’ll show you how we grow food on rooftops in the middle of winter. Plus, if it’s sunny, you’ll get the impression it’s summer up there.

It’s free, but you must save your spots here. 

How we grow fresh produce in the winter?
Well, we grow it pretty much the same way year-round, with some small differences. Productivity does decrease slightly because of shorter days. Still, our team of three people harvests over 1000 portions of tomatoes per day in the Laval greenhouse even in the dead of winter. They sometimes have to wear headlamps because they start before the sun rises. We just planted a new round of bell peppers and Lebanese cucumbers (Lufavores, you’re probably jumping right now!) that should start producing in a couple weeks. Overall, last week, we harvested 4000 kg of fresh vegetables for the baskets! 

Thank you root veggies
They are at the center of our vegetable consumption in wintertime. The good news with the customizable basket is that you can control the portions you get, and the selection is pretty amazing. Here is a list of vegetables available throughout the cold season. 

  • Carrots
  • Onions
  • Parnships
  • Potatoes
  • Beets
  • Rutabagas
  • Turnips
  • Red and green cabbage
  • Celery-root
  • Daikon radishes
  • Black radishes
  • Jerusalem artichokes
  • Endives
  • Dried mushrooms
  • Apples
  • Fresh herbs
  • Lettuces

Come spring, the first thing to come out fo the ground will be fiddleheads. We'll have to be patient and wait for April, but in the meantime we're thrilled to announce that we've just added organic eggs this week in addition to the organic cheese and yogurt added last week. The eggs come directly from our friends and partner Ferme St-Ours, you can now get fresh organic eggs from Québec in your basket every week! How amazing is that?!

Making the most of your Lufa Farms basket
Being disciplined, curious, and creative will help you making the most of your basket. Trying new recipes, digging the Internet, and going back to these old recipe books and magazines that once inspired you is a great.

Here’s how I do it

  • On Sunday, I sit down with a cup of coffee and prepare my food plan for the week. 
  • I check what’s left in the fridge (this is the #1 tip to avoid wasting food AND money)
  • I visit the Marketplace to customize my basket. (I do it on Friday night, putting more or less what I’ll want and go back on Sunday to make sure I’m adding what I need. Sometimes new things have appeared in the meantime.)
  • I complete a list of things I need from the grocery.
  • I plan more or less 3 or 4 meals for the week, depending on what we have available and what we’re craving. That’s when I open recipe books, websites and magazines to get ideas.
  • Finally, I make adjustments to all of the above and go to the grocery.

Looks complicated, I know. (Yes I like making lists, but doesn’t mean there is no spontaneity.) Bu these are mostly guidelines to avoid wasting food, eating as local as possible and trying to save some money. Definitely worth a shot.

Your local money goes a long way
According to a statistics of Agri-Réseaux, if Quebecers bought $30 per year of local products, it could generate a profit of $1 billion in five years. Imagine how great is your contribution to Quebec farmers and artisans as a Lufavore.

The goal is not to eat 100% local, but to award a larger part of our total food consumption to locally grown, transformed, and baked products. At the same time we increase our understanding and appreciation of the food we eat when we learn about those who make it.

Four bookmarks for locavores

Tell me what are your tips to eat locally in winter and see you next weekend!