For 30 days (mostly) I have photographed local food items. We had lots of laughs creating the photos and loved the emails and comments, but what I really received out of it is so much more.

When Our Big Earth started the 30 days of Eating Local Challenge I was excited, I thought it was such a fantastic way to highlight some of our hard working, very notable food producers. I didn't realize though, that as a family, it would be so meaningful to us.

John and I decided that we would do our best for the month to eat local, something we do pretty often anyhow. As a local business myself, it is a given that we welcomed the support from Our Big Earth in increasing the amount of money we spend locally as compared to on imported products.

What struck us however, quickly after we jumped on the challege, was how it feels to eat local.

We eat well in our house, I am the cook (mostly, unless it is eggs, see previous posts for the goods on eggs and our family) and feeding my family well is in my genes. The feeling of serving them freshly prepared food gives me great satisfaction and like many, is one of the ways I show my love (and it gets me out of doing the dreaded dishes.)

Having food to work with, such as chicken, bison, sausages, local veggies and more, all that was prepared locally with love, just adds to it. More love people.

We do talk to the children about appreciating their food and what we have found is if they connect to their food source, they FEEL the appreciation.

A chicken from TeeDeeKay versus a can of soup. They feel different.

Meanwhile John and I are both reading the Omnivors Dilemma, which is a facinating look at large food production and as a result of some interesting dinner table converations the kids are becoming more aware of the health benefits of eating local.

Thank you Our Big Earth, what a meaninful project you have taken on .

No photo today as I am sitting in a lovely hotel room in Ucluelet. Guess what? We had to turn the heat on - crazy isn't it!  Comox folks, can you believe I am wearing a sweater and I am only 3 hours away.

My pals Robin and Ken over at Our Big Earth, along with some fabulous partners have spearhead the first annual 30 day Eat Local Challenge.

We are blessed here in the Comox Valley to have a plethora of food producers - award winning cheese, peppers, sausages, bison,  wine, bear, bread, won-tons, veggies, (even wasabi,) and so much more. Between the Farmer's Market, Brambles, buying direct, and the supportive grocery stores likes Thrifty's all off this is very accesable.

The 30 day Eat Local Challenge is about doing your best to eat locally produced food - just doing your best.

My family is on board for embracing it.

We are going to make an effort while in the grocery store to spend more time noticing where our food is coming from, to drive out to our local  producers, we are going to notice the food we eat and talk about where it comes from. This has already spurred interesting conversations, about what it means to get our food from China instead of from the farmer down the street. The kids are digging it!

We won't be 100% but we will definitely be trying, learning and most likely appreciating the food on our table more.

As part of the 30 Day Eat Local Challenge there are various events around the community, a film fest, restaurant spotlights and food producer tours. The kids are pumped to see where their food comes from. We frequent the farmer's market and they can't wait to see where some of these people work.

Robin and I get together and come up with ideas, we feed of each other and it can be dangerous.

Thus, the 30 days of local food photography challenge.

I am going to post 30 days of local food photography. One a day. Will I make it - not sure?

But it doesn't hurt to try.

So I am rolling it out on Day 1 with Prontissima Paprika and Oregano Pasta - one of my fave local offerings.

It looks like there is a new Prontissima Pasta blog - with recipes - check it out!

Take a minute and vote for Our Big Earth founder Robin Rivers for

SavvyMom Mom Entrepreneur of the Year

If you don't know her or Our Big Earth you should - just like you should eat breakfast- it makes you feel better and gives you more energy for the day. 

If you don't have time to go check out her site and aren't already familiar with it will you take a moment and vote for anyhow just because I asked you to?

Today I am pumped to photograph Jane + Peter = Married and I can't wait to share it either.