Do You Know What You Are Eating? ...on Oprah!

On yesterday's episode of Oprah (January 27, 2010), best selling food expert Michael Pollan (author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food and Food Rules) was featured and spoke about why our food supply today is making us sick, how it is so diminished nutritionally, what to look for in the grocery store as well as what to put on our plates. Alicia Silverstone was also a guest on the show, speaking about her new book Kind Food and how her weight loss worries are over because of her new outlook on food.

I was very excited to see this topic and Michael Pollan featured on the show, as it is such an important message. Click here for a preview clip of yesterday's episode. Unfortunately, full episodes are not available online. In this episode, the movie Food, Inc. was also named as an eye-opening and informational source on America's food supply.

Another link about Michael Pollan and what he spoke about on the show: Michael Pollan on Oprah.

Winter Farmers' Markets & CSAs in Maine!

Now that we've reached the fall season, many of us are thinking ahead to the winter months. If you've been enjoying fresh produce all summer long from local farmers' markets or your share from a farm with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) offerings, fear not - you can continue to enjoy your local produce all year long!

Most open-air farmers' markets continue well into October, but after that, we can turn to indoor winter markets. In Maine, there are several indoor farmers' markets where local farmers and vendors offer many root veggies, plus meats, eggs, cheeses and more. Purchasing from these vendors is a great way to continue supporting your local community AND know exactly where your food is coming from. A list of winter markets can be found here.

As for CSAs - there are several available over the winter and many give you support in storaging produce, recipes and instructions on canning or freezing the food. Some even offer fresh summertime vegetables like radishes and arugula because they grow in greenhouses. Click here for a list of Maine Winter CSAs.