Eating Local in the City

More and more people are bringing the trend to eat local right into their backyards.  There is obvious satisfaction in being able to pick your veggies for your salad just before the meal.  You can't get more local or fresher than that but it's also a lot of work!   

I partook of some of those joys when I spent a week in San Jose and my hosts had strawberries and tomato planters on their back patio and orange trees on the side.  I picked strawberries every morning to go with my breakfast cereal and picked cherry tomatoes and oranges when I felt like having a snack.   I visited friends in Toronto on the weekend who turned their back garden into a vegetable garden, practically. You can see pictures below.  My hardworking friends were watering and working in the patch even as we visited.  You can't let up as your crops are at stake.  And what happens if you decide to take a summer vacation?  

I also can't help but wonder if my generous friends get more than their share of visitors.  We came back with fresh-picked beans and cherry tomatoes - and best of all, a precious jar of yummy pesto!!  I couldn't wait to dig into the pesto and you can see my "local" dinner below.  

Patio vegetable planters in San Jose

Vegetable garden in Scarborough (Toronto)

Looking good!

Tasting good!

Bountiful beans!

 Lonesome fuzzy squash on the garden arbor - there is something growing in ever corner of the yard!

Sweet harvest

My "local" food dinner:  the beans; basil and garlic from the garden was the base for the delicious pesto on the pasta.  No, I don't know where the trout came from but fresh frozen tasted good too!