As if tainted beef and the infamous spinach scare of ‘06 wasn’t enough to contend with, now we’ve got a nationwide egg recall in the headlines. All of this raises a couple of big questions: Do you know where your food comes from? And how safe it is?

One objection we often hear about locally grown foods (like those you would find at a farmers market) is that they’re expensive. While it’s true that some of these foods can retail for more than those at discount chains, when you consider the costs that arise from incidents like the egg recall, saving an extra dollar or two on eggs purchased from a factory farm seems irrelevant if you’re exposing yourself to serious health risks. Small, family-run farming operations tend to have better control over the quality of food they produce. By purchasing their goods, you not only get a fresher, tastier product, but most likely, a safer one.

If you’ve never experienced the delight of visiting a local farm or farmers market, now’s the time to get on board. Going Local Week, running September 5-11, encourages everyone to eat one local food at each meal. Whether you’re biting into a juicy local peach or dousing your hamburger with Local Folks Foods ketchup (a favorite at Meghan’s house), incorporating one Indiana-produced food into each meal is a delicious way to celebrate our Hoosier heritage.

And remember, “Made In Indiana” isn’t always a seal of approval. Sustainable goes far beyond the distance food travels to get to your table. Use Going Local Week as an opportunity to get to know something new and interesting from a local food producer.

We can’t think of a better way to enjoy some of the year’s best produce while also helping bolster Indiana’s economy. How’s that for homeland security?

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

You sit down to lunch at a local restaurant, scan the menu, and notice a hamburger made with Indiana beef. Seems like the greenest choice, right? Maybe not. Before you say bring it on to that burger, keep in mind that “Made in Indiana” doesn’t necessarily mean sustainable. Sure, it may have traveled a short distance from farm to fork, but did the farming process take a greater toll on our local environment?

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

You may have balked at the idea of biking to work and said no-can-do to composting, but here’s something we can all get on board with: eco-friendly treats. We’re not talking about mud pies or bug juice here. These local purveyors get two thumbs up for using locally-sourced ingredients and/or green business practices - and for dishing up some of the tastiest stuff this side of Candyland.

Ice Cream

• Visitors to BRICS in Broad Ripple sample from reusable metal tasting spoons, eat from ceramic dishes (or compostable to-go cups), and recycle at a designated green container. In lieu of selling bottled water, the store offers a bottle-filling station.
• Stop in to Zionsville’s Traders Point Creamery for an organic milkshake or pint of ice cream to go. Either way, you’ll get a treat made with local organic milk that’s traveled mere feet from farm to cone. (Save $1 with Green Savings Indy)

Pie

• In addition to the savory varieties that put Daina’s Petite Pies on the map, Johnson County-based Daina Chamness uses local fruit in her individual-sized Caramel Apple Crisp and Bumbleberry dessert pies. (Save $2 with Green Savings Indy)
• You’ll go in to Locally Grown Gardens at 54th & the Monon Trail for Ron Harris’s gorgeous selection of local produce, but you’ll likely emerge with a homemade honeycrisp apple pie or blueberry crisp, too.

Small Bites

• Fancy up your next campfire by roasting 240 SWEET Artisan Marshmallows, made with ingredients like Indiana corn starch and Michigan beet sugar.
• True to its name, Suzanne Litteral’s Litterally Divine all-natural and organic toffee and truffles taste, well, heavenly. (Save $3 with Green Savings Indy)
• Where can you find delicious homemade popcorn, two of the nicest business owners on the planet, and a planet-saving business agenda to boot? Just Pop In and find out. (Save $5+ with Green Savings Indy)

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

As much as the green movement is about caring for our air, water, and soil, it’s also about taking care of each other. If you’ve shopped at the Broad Ripple, Bloomington, Traders Point Creamery, or Indy Winter farmers markets in recent years, you’ve likely encountered produce from John Ferree and Kelly Funk’s Seldom Seen Farm. The 50-acre Danville operation specializes in gorgeous salad greens, vegetables, and herbs.

While working at the farm on July 8, Kelly was struck by lightning. After spending several days in critical condition at Methodist Hospital, Kelly is starting to show small signs of improvement. Whether or not you know Kelly from the farmers markets, it’s difficult to not feel for this family. So we’re gonna ask you, our faithful readers, for a little favor. Would you consider one of the following actions?

Be a friend
Leave a note on Seldom Seen Farm’s Facebook page. You can also find updates on the Valentine Hill Farm Facebook page.

Say a little prayer
If you say ‘em, they could use ‘em.

Give a little bit
Kelly’s extended “farm family” has launched a number of efforts to ease the family’s financial burden during this difficult time. Many vendors are accepting donations at local markets. Valentine Hill Farm has set up a fund at Huntington Bank: the Kelly Funk Recovery Fund. You may make a direct donation at a Huntington Bank branch. You may also donate through Green Savings Indy’s secure PayPal account and we’ll make sure the family receives your well-wishes. Follow Valentine Hill Farm and Green Piece Indy on Facebook for info about future fundraising events.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

We used to call them cheapskates, tightwads, and penny pinchers, but now the savers are considered the smart ones. Yes, thanks to the good ol’ economy, frugality is back in fashion. If you’d rather not dust off your coupon-clipping scissors just yet, we invite you to try Green Savings Indy www.greensavingsindy.com, Green Piece Indy’s thrifty little sister.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

Rain barrels, composters and sun-powered gadgets
Bright-colored books from The Binding Bee…gotta have it!
Organic lawn care and marshmallows with zing,
These are a few of our favorite things.

Below, a list of great finds from last weekend’s Green Fest Indy www.greenfestindy.com.

• Chemical Free Grass combines the convenience of a home lawn service with peace of mind. They use organic compost “tea” (a.k.a. the nutrient-rich liquid portion of compost) to treat lawns. Translation: No chemicals, no funny smell, no weird residue on your shoes or feet from walking through the grass, and best of all, no worrying about kids or pets playing on the grass.
• It’s hot then it’s cool: theSolarAG System’s solar attic fan keeps your home’s uppermost region cool while drawing its energy from the sun. It was great to finally meet the guys from Portland, IN who make the solar attic fan, which is available locally at Greenway Supply.
• What’s all the buzz about The Binding Bee? Think beautiful handmade blank books created from vintage and upcycled materials. Renee loved ‘em so much, she ordered a 100% recycled guestbook for her upcoming wedding.
• Of course, being green can also be delicious. We followed our noses to 240 SWEET Artisan Marshmallows, the delectable handmade creations of chef Alexa Lemley. Chef Lemley uses local and regional ingredients like Indiana corn starch and Michigan beet sugar and the result (as witnesses by the salty caramel-flavored cubes we sampled) is perfection.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

While others are tracking the rise of the NASDAQ, the S&P 500, and the Dow, we’re taking stock of a different kind of market. Yes, friends, lately we’ve been charting the rise in the number of Community Supported Agriculture options (commonly known as “CSAs”) cropping up around Central Indiana. And we’ve gotta say, it looks like it’s going to be a banner year!

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

You can party like it’s 1999 as you count down the minutes this New Year’s Eve, just be sure your calendar reads 2010 on January 1. Although electronic or web-based calendars are arguably the greenest ways to go, if you’re like us, it may be tough to ween yourself from your trusty paper datebook.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

You survived Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but now it’s Tuesday. And you still haven’t completed the daunting task of holiday shopping. If you’re looking for a green, hassle-free alternative to crowded shopping malls and discount stores, we suggest making your list and checking it twice at the following Indiana-owned online retailers, many of which sell Indiana-made goods. Why is that green? Buying from one of the businesses listed below means it takes far less fuel to transport items from their warehouse to your home. Plus, many of the products they sell are produced in eco-friendly ways.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

As veteran members of the Clean Plate Club, we know a thing or two about keeping food waste to a minimum. And while we strongly advocate recycling Thanksgiving leftovers into creative new dishes, we also realize that by this weekend, you may be ready to lay off cooking altogether. So, in the spirit of the Pilgrims and Indians, who feasted on natural foods that were local to their region, we encourage you to check out the following Indianapolis restaurants, all of which feature menu items concocted from all-natural, organic, and/or local ingredients.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan