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I live in the country. It’s beautiful here. We have farms that have sprawling fields. This time of year the fields are filled with lush, growing vegetation or picturesque bails of hay dotting them. We have a winding river full of fish, turtles and beavers and an old country road that is just as winding as the river. As long as you can avoid the potholes it is an enjoyable scenic drive.
It takes about twenty five minutes to drive to the nearest town, which has a population of roughly four thousand people. To me the drive is completely worth it to live in a rural setting; I guess I’m a country girl at heart! It is however quite a little jaunt to the grocery store. Grocery stores are wonderful and are very convenient. I’m not saying you should not shop at grocery stores. However, if you live rurally and forget something that you needed chances are you are going to go without that thing until your next trip to town because running to the grocery store for just one thing is a waste of both time and gas! Here are six ways to avoid the grocery store this summer while still enjoying delicious food!
1.Grow a garden.
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Growing your own garden has so many benefits! One of them is being able to go out into your yard and gather ingredients for a meal. I get so excited when different vegetables and herbs are ready to use! It’s healthy, convenient and saves both the money I would spend on gas getting to the store and the produce I would buy once there. Also there is such a feeling of satisfaction harvesting from your own garden and creating meals or preserving to enjoy during the winter.
2.Find a local farmers market.
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Every place is different, however where I live I can drive to a farmers market much faster than I can a grocery store. I love that when I go to the farmers market the food is local, which I try to support, but also, the food is fresh and a lot of the time there is more variety than just what I grow in my garden.
3.Trade/Barter with stuff you grow.
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This can be really fun! If you know people that are growing fruit or vegetables that you are short on but would like to have, sometimes they are more than happy to do a trade off. A few years ago the zucchini that my husband and I were growing was so prolific that we had more than enough for what we needed. We have a friend who had made his own sauerkraut (which my husband loves) and he was thrilled at the idea of trading his sauerkraut for our zucchini. No money even traded hands!
4.Find a local supplier.
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If you have foods you love, then finding someone local to supply it can be very exciting! In our area honey is a great example of this. You can buy this local honey at the store, but cutting out the middleman is a simpler, less expensive approach. Our local honey supplier can actually sell us honey for less than we would pay at the grocery store and is located closer to us as well.
5.Foraging.
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Foraging is actually something that can be really great! In the summer months there are so many things that grow wild; with each region offering their unique bounty. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and mushrooms just to name a few! It is important that if you are foraging you know what is safe to eat and what is harmful. There are many resources online, many for free that you can learn from. There is even an app for your phone that can help you identify mushrooms.
6.Get creative with meals.
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Sometimes you just have to use your imagination! Don’t let the fact that you’re missing a few ingredients stop you! Try to see if you can replace what you’re missing with something you have. Being bold in the kitchen can be a fun process. You never know, you could end up creating a delicious recipe that you will enjoy for years to come.
These are just a few ways you can avoid the grocery store this summer, while not compromising taste. Give them a try today!
With Love, Elizabeth