Farm to Fork: A Lifestyle Change

I’ve always had a strong connection to agriculture and farming because of my family history, but my personal interest in the ‘farm to fork’ lifestyle really came about after I attended the International Food Bloggers Conference in 2014.summer squash{Summer squash make a great seasonal sabzi}

At the conference hosted in Seattle, I heard Audra Mulkern speak about her love for agriculture, eating local, farmers markets, and perhaps most importantly; her desire to give a face and voice to female farmers. It was actually the first time I heard someone speak with so much passion about farming that it actually pulled at my heart strings. It reminded me, that I too am a ‘farmer’s daughter’, even though my dad and grandfather left their farms back home in India. It’s in my genes, and my family history to grow our food, eat seasonally, and share the harvest with others. 

Over the last two years I’ve gotten to know the farmer’s markets in my area, and really started thinking about the quality of the fresh food I bring into my home. I can’t say that everything I buy is organic, but quite a bit of it is local. We’ve started visiting Two EE’s farm market for our produce in the summer because they post signs that show us exactly where in the world our food comes from. The best part is, thinking about our fresh fruits & vegetables has even got the kids thinking about what is in all the other food we eat. They read labels and avoid processed and packaged foods whenever possible.local saag{Local saag grown here in Surrey}

I think for many people (myself included) the farm to fork lifestyle can be intimidating. There is a strange fear about never being able to eat our favourite foods, or at our favourite restaurants again. The thought of trying to get our picky, fussy kids to eat only fresh and healthy foods can be overwhelming, and perhaps the scariest thing for a young family – the expense of a farm to fork diet. 

We felt all the same anxieties that I’ve listed above when we started moving this way a couple of years ago, and I’m here to tell you – a farm to fork lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to change your entire outlook on food. My kids still love the occasional fast food run, and my daughter is probably never going to give up Bear Paws, but we are taking baby steps everyday. We try to eat at local restaurants when we go out, we buy BC tomatoes at the grocery store, and visit local cheese and wine producers to buy ready made products. These little changes are progress for our family.

Now that we have started embracing a local and healthier diet, I cannot wait to go on the Farm-to-Fork adventure in Sacramento on Friday, where I’m attending the International Food Blogger’s Conference again! I’m told Sacramento is the Farm to Fork capital of the United States, and I can’t wait to tour the farming regions here. (Make sure you are connected with me on Instagram: @pinkchai if you want to follow along).

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