Local Hypocrite

Local Hypocrite

Hello, my name is Judith and I’m a hypocrite.

I was in the grocery store yesterday, and a woman walked by, picked up a peach and sniffed it, deciding if it was worth buying. I, in turn, sniffed to myself, “What does she expect a peach in January to smell like?”  I was a superior food person because I try to eat local, and regional, and oh boy, I said all this on my way to buy some olive oil.   Now, the last time I checked, there were absolutely no olive trees on my block, or in Manhattan, or for that matter, nowhere on the East Coast.
Which made me realize that there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell, that I can eat local. What produce do I have access to that is local? Not much. Greenmarket? I can’t afford to shop at the Greenmarket on a regular basis, I’m just a lowly blogger. And at this time of year, my options at the Greenmarket sort of revolve around choosing banana nut bread or zucchini bread, and where are they getting the zucchini’s at this time of year? 
What would be local at this time of year? Kale, chard, parsnips, celery root, turnips, onions, root vegetables.  Those are some of my favorite vegetables and unappreciated by the general public, but at least that leaves more for me.
There would have to be a seismic shift in what crops are planted, what we eat, and food distribution before I have any chance at eating local. It may be the new buzz word, but it’s just buzz and marketing.  I’m not giving up my olive oil, but I will wait until next summer to eat a peach. I do have some principles.