Does anyone know of any info, links, articles or know of previous posts that address the sustainability of raw foods diets? “Off season” raw diets seem impossible to sustain. During summer I can get loads of raw food from my CSA and local farm markets, but how do you continue through the winter? For example, many California almonds are grown in monocultures with imported bees for pollination, fruits and veggies out of season have to be picked early and travel long distances using many natural resources. Is it possible to be raw and eat within a hundred miles of where you live?
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Balancing the place you get your food with the health of the planet is pretty important to me. Eating Raw in many places could be potentially worse for the environment than living a WalMart lifestyle of consumerism. Food that travels so far to get to you uses a ton of natural resources. Help me understand.
Speaking of sustainability, I found local organic figs at my co-op today! What a treasure. It completely made my day.
rosehebrew, I think we are all enjoying the summer’s abundance, and I know the Native Americans were able to eat over the winter (albiet some of whom made pemmican with meat) but in our more recent history people turned to canning which isn’t possible without boiling. My main point is we will not continue to have the luxury of shipping food long distances which will limit raw food choices in our winter seasons. bitt, I like the idea of freezing although texture is compromised, but I do plant crops year round, but with 1/10th of an acre, growing all I can still limits my ability to eat raw and organic. If only there were year round farmers markets where I live (I think one is starting this year) – god knows we get enough rain here in Portland.
There are things that can be grown indoors anytime anywhere, such as sprouts and small greens. Perhaps we can’t live on those but they can be a good base for both eating 100% raw and eating as much raw as you can in winter (or other circumstances that make difficult to find fresh-local food).
what about natural fermentation of foods? fermented foods have tons of probiotics in them and fermenting is an ancient practice of preserving. Why not ferment fresh veggies in the summer and crack open the bottles in the winter which are full of life sustaining bacteria!!!!!