After signing up for a winter CSA (Brinkley’s) as a ploy to get veggies into my house regularly - and thereby making it impossible not to eat them without creating major food-waste guilt. And then recently finishing Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, I am motivated to try to feed my family locally.

That said, it’s hasn’t been an easy proposition. I work 3 days (+) a week, have 2 small children (2 and 4) and a husband who values family nutrition (but mostly just in theory, not so much in practice). I can buy locally (with some extra time spent searching for “stuff”), but can I cook it and then can I get my family to eat it?

I am working the cooking angle - having enrolled myself some basic cooking classes from Savor Culinary in Cary. Being a latch-key kid, I didn’t pick up too many skills at home. I do get some local stuff from my farmer each week (Brinkley’s!). But, each night, I get what I like to call cooking stage fright. What can I make?!?!?!

I pour through my cookbooks for key ingredients I have on hand, but I always seem to be missing something. And running out to the store right before dinner time with the hungry kiddoes is usually not my best maneuver.

I am not ready to admit defeat so quickly. I just need to figure out how to get into the groove. To steal a phrase from my daughter “I am working on my (local food) moves!” But, boy do I need some real practice (and a good teacher or teachers).

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