Support your local economy. Simple as that.

The holidays are fast approaching. What are you doing for the holidays? Are you eating out? going over to a family members house? or are you cooking? Regardless of what you are doing try to go to local farmers markets or farm to table restaurants and support your local economy! The benefits for supporting your local economy are endless, and if people really begin to support their local economy, perhaps we can start to help our community and bring prices down (that don't need to be wasted on gas). Buy only what is in season (that means don't buy summer fruits in the winter!!! Especially because they probably have some chemical on them), buy local beef, pork, chicken, turkey (and try to get one without hormones and by-products), we got an organic turkey from a local farm for Thanksgiving and boy can you taste the difference!!! When you begin to switch your way of thinking and your way of life, that not only sustains you, but sustains the earth too, you will begin to see the benefits. Our earth is suffering, the economy is in shambles, gas prices keep climbing, and the weather is just awful. I can't stress enough, how important it is to treat our Earth with respect, to treat it like our home and treat it like our body... This can be done through small steps like supporting your local economy :)

I also found out that One Caroline Street in Saratoga is a sustainable, farm to table restaurant! I will be eating their on New Years Eve!!! :)

If we could have as many farm to table restaurants as we do chain restaurants, can you imagine what a world that would be? A lot healthier and probably we'd have a better local economy!

As goes with farm to table restaurants, it is also important to support local markets!!! In Troy, NY there is the Pioneer Co-op and the business is not doing that great, but they offer really great products...it would be ashame if it went out of business due to the lack of sales...When the Holidays are over my friends and I plan on becoming members! I urge you, especially if you live in Troy, to go and shop their and support them(even if it's just 30 dollars). If you don't live in Troy or NYS for that matter, go and support your local economy and buy at co-ops and farmers markets (that bring fresh and local ingridients and businesses together). Think of the millions of dollars that these huge super stores are making and think about where the products are coming from...Wouldn't you love the satisfaction of buying locally and contributing to the local economy I know  I do... so we'll leave it at that.

So for the holidays, take this thought and put it into action, help yourself and help your community...SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY!!!

Happy Holidays!

A ripple in the water

  So I am starting to research different farm to table restaurants around the country, but seeing as I am from New York State, I am going to start with a list from there. I just want to clarify that I am in no way, shape, or form  endorsing or advertising these restaurants...I am just giving you healthy and sustainable options. Did you know that the farm to table restaurants cuts down on our carbon foot print, and mostly everything is organic and sustainable...on top of that we are supporting our local economy and local farmers (not the mega farms)

So Anyways here is a beginning list of local restaurants following this movement, or at the very least-using local and sustainable supplies... Many of these websites can be found via google.

-Jake Moon, located in Clarksville, NY

-Cella Bistro, located in Schenectady, NY

-New World Bar and Bistro, located in Albany, NY

-Terrapin Restaurant, located in Rhinebeck, NY

-Restaurant North, located in Armank, NY

-Blue Hill at Stone Barns, located in Pocantico Hills, NY

-Applewood, located in Brooklyn, NY

-The Wright at the Guggenheim, located in Manhattan, NY

* I will continue to add to this list for NY and eventually add some for a variety of states and cities in the continental US... Feel free to let me know of other sustainable, organic, and/or farm-to-table restaurants...

In the meantime, check out this website I found... it has a lot of neat and interesting information...

Sustainable Table

We can make the world a better place, by going back to the simpler things in life and supporting our local economy. By using sustainable materials and locally grown food, we will not use as much gas or chemicals, or other toxic products that not only harm the environment, but also harm our bodies.

We need to take time out of our lives and think about the consequences of our actions and strive to make a change every day. If we make a small change, others will be inspired to make a small change, and one small change from everyone can make a big change for us all!



I'm backkkk.

I am back...as obvious as that is. I feel like I am writing to no-one, but maybe, eventually, people will start to catch on to this. Anyways- has anyone been doing anything to save energy or have you gone completely green? Remember unplugging electronics and only using air conditioners on extremely hot days( 90-100 degrees) are good ways to keep down your use of energy. Did you do any gardening this summer? Gardening can relieve stress and anxiety and it also helps the environment! Another great thing about gardening is you can plant your own vegetables and use them throughout the summer months or freeze them for the cold months ahead. We planted tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, mint, basil, sage, thyme, peppers, and greenbeans...We used all of our vegetables for a variety of meals and those meals were so fresh and delicious. I believe you can taste the difference between non-organic store-bought food (especially fruits and vegetables) and stuff that comes from your house or an organic farm...A great way to garden organically is to purchase organic soil, and of course do not use any pesticides or chemicals to help your plants grow...because who really wants the residuals in their bodies? Planting flowers is also a great thing, I find flowers to be relaxing and they really pull houses together in the summer. Flowers also give me hope, they are a happy blossom of hope to me. As we begin to enter into these colder months it is important to harvest any last vegetables and fruits you have and make plenty of homemade dishes. Or you can support locally owned businesses and go to farmers markets and pick up their fresh produce. Another wonderful fall activity to do with your friends or family is apple picking, you are out with people, enjoying fresh air, and getting some physical activity in. Besides all of that great stuff you can make a fresh apple pie (instead of the frozen, processed, grocery store kind) or homemade applesauce, which by the way, is about a thousand times more delicious than store bought apple sauce. I really like buying stuff that you know is local or are able to pick yourself...it is comfort to me. 

If you can't make it to your local farmers markets try to go to a local whole foods store or fresh market, the options are endless and mostly organic. They also have very fresh options and are pretty affordable (almost the same price as a regular grocery store)... I highly recommend it!

Another great way to get fresh and organic food is by going to restaurants that support the farm to table movement! I love this idea and think all restauranteurs should begin using this.

If you ever find yourself in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, you must try SaltAir...they are one of these restaurants and the food is fresh and excellent...

Next blog I will try and make a list of restaurants that follow these concepts, just as an FYI...I hope also to add some homemade recipies in that blog as well.

Happy October and keep going Green! :)

Calm before the storm

I am back!!!! Though it is sad to see no one has been commenting or even viewing this blog. Well to update a little, I became overwhelmed with school and various life happenings and never found the time to write. However it is a new year, and with a new year comes a clean slate and any type of change we set our mind to. Speaking of change, if there are any readers, did you find a way to make a change in your community?


Working towards keeping ourselves and our planet healthy is a constant change I am working towards!
Eating healthier now the holidays are over is a great way to start that change. Supporting local farmers and accessing local farmers markets are the perfect way to eat healthy and help give back to our community. The healthier we eat the healthier our life becomes as we find ourselves making better decisions and very different lifestyle  changes. I vow to make many changes in my lifestyle and I will update you alll every once in a while. The more I learn the more I will write about. Change starts from within, how we use it is how everything will turn out.


So, as I know this is short I promise i will offer helpful tips for a new year, to help us get through these crazy times.

We didn't start the fire, but we sure as hell didn't put it out either.

So, I have had a lot of thinking to do over the past few days. I have been wondering what to write about, but it has finally dawned on me and what my current annoyances are. So this particular posting has nothing to do with food and everything to do with the world that we live.

In light of recent events, such as the nonsense of the MTV VMA's several of my peers posted how much they hated Kanye West and how much they loved Taylor Swift. Personally it makes me angry that people are getting worked up over celebrities, who don't know or care about these people and are making millions of dollars, and with this controversy...more money will circulate between the two stars. It really gets to me, especially when there are so many bigger things at hand.

the first being the problems of our world and country. Starting with the following:

1)everynight there is someone that goes to bed hungry, who sleeps on the street, who doesn't have anywhere to turn.

2) Each day people are dying by disease because they can't afford medical coverage, the rich give to useless charities, and the poor keep getting poorer.

3) Each day we waste something, whether it is energy or food. Food that could be feeding other people, energy that could save our earth.

4) More and more healthy food is on the rise, but there is a small price to pay to afford a healthy lifestyle. No one should have to pay as much as they do for food, and no farmer should have to lose their job because of mega corporations producing mega processed foods.

5) People wanted change and change is what we got, but people are so quick to criticize the president on not moving fast enough or not working hard enough...many people tend to forget that Rome wasn't built in a day.

I could write on and on forever, but we need to look at a way to fix the problems of our society. As I just visited Boston, I was thinking how wonderful it was that they are recycling buildings and moving various hotels, apartments, and businesses into them instead of knocking things down an rebuilding, which only ruins our precious earth. Why is it that people can't grasp the concept of RECYCLING? We have become such a Germaphobic nation hardly anything can be reused. It is my wish that life would go back to the necessities and not the wants and needs. Especially my generation, because we are so quick to blame the other generations, but we never try to work to find a solution to the problem. WE are the selfish generation, the ones who put our needs first and others needs later.

With one step at a time we can become less selfish, we can become truly great contributors to our society. So, if anyone is reading this...I give you your first assignment, and once you complete this assignment, please comment back.... SO HERE IS WHAT I AM ASKING:

*Do something for another person, something deep and meaningful to you, but you must also do something to protect our earth, there are several ways you can protect  our planet, and as hard as it may sound, with a little encouragement, perhaps everyone can learn to RESPECT what we live on and who we live with, regardless of the circumstances*

So, I promise I will put some natural and tasty ideas up in my next post, so while your waiting, please consider what Obama said during Ted Kennedy's Eulogy and try to follow in Ted Kennedy's footsteps, regardless of politic affiliation  :

"What we can do is to live out our lives as best we can with purpose, and with love, and with joy. We can use each day to show those who are closest to us how much we care about them, and treat others with the kindness and respect that we wish for ourselves. We can learn from our mistakes and grow from our failures. And we can strive at all costs to make a better world, so that someday, if we are blessed with the chance to look back on our time here, we know that we spent it well; that we made a difference; that our fleeting presence had a lasting impact on the lives of others."- President Barack Obama

Let's start out.

I begin this blog by stating:

I, Daniela Puorto, have never seriously blogged before. However, I would like to start blogging about our natural resources and most importantly incorporating food into this plot. Recently, I discovered the Julie/Julia Project, in which Julie Powell blogged about and cooked her way through Julia Child's cookbook.

I have grown up with a love of food, as my love handles can attest. My mom has always been an excellent cook and our house rarely watchs anything, except for hours upon hours of food network. We have cook books that could heat a small community and we always make food for 60 even if we are only having 6 for dinner.

So, with my babbling, I would like to propose this experiment in food and environment. An experiment that regrows mother earth, teachs others about the importance of natural resources, keeps me sane, and works towards a healthy, natural, fresh way of living and eating.