About « LOCAL CHOICES

About

Hi, my name is Anna and I live in the central valley of California in a lovely little town called Turlock, in the five years that I have lived here I have come to love this agricultural community.

After working in the beauty industry for 30 years and raising three wonderful children with my husband of 29 years, I have discovered I now have time for myself and wanted to take a better interest in my health.

I ventured into the world of organic foods, products and have discovered our local organic & natural small farms and ranches. There is so much wonderful information for our community on sustainable farming, our local regional eco-system and the most beautiful and healthy farm fresh foods to be offered.

So let us share with you this information we have discovered and be your resource directory connecting you to your local organic & natural small farmers and ranchers.

I am very excited about the new Local Choices blog and would love to hear from everyone that is interested in a healthy lifestyle!

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Hi my name is Kat and I am joining Anna on this organic adventure. I am a personal trainer and event coordinator. I own Balanced Body a fitness Studio in Hilmar, California and coordinated the agricultural education for the Los Banos Spring Fair and Merced County Fairs. I was raised on a small family farm in Stevinson, ventured into our beautiful world, graduated with a BS in Recreation Administration with a minor in Ag Business from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, did more in the world and returned to Stevinson with a desire to help others feel better and become healthy. As we search out local organic and natural produce and other health related adventures we will update Local Choices. If you have a particular area of interest please contact us.

I became interested in a healthier life style due to a life threatening ordeal. My appendix ruptured and I went 5 days before it was diagnosed correctly. I was very toxic, gangrene had set in and my temperature was 108. My prognoses was not good, but I had a wonderful surgeon and medical staff who worked hard to keep me alive and bring me back. They did an excellent job in treating the problem but over the long term surgery after surgery was beginning to wear on my body. After a year of being in and out of the hospital and a dozen surgeries there was not much that they could do. They gave me less then 6 months to live. What I needed was to find out what was causing the problems, so I turned to holistic healing. Now over 14 years later I am still here, and I want to help others by providing healthier food choices.

38 Comments »

38 Responses

on October 26, 2007 at 3:41 am | Reply katnanna

1 Debby White

Anna and Kat. What a wonderful blog! Keep up the good work. I will check back often. Please keep me posted on any changes.
Sincerely
Your Friend
Debby
on October 31, 2007 at 7:55 pm | Reply katnanna

Thanks Debby!
on January 24, 2008 at 11:28 pm | Reply Victoria

Hi Kat & Ana! I found your blog through modestofamous.com and am so happy to have some “locavores” in town. I have been wanting to support local agriculture but not really sure where to buy produce, and this blog really helps. Thanks for doing this and keep up the good work! I’ll check back here often
on January 24, 2008 at 11:50 pm | Reply katnanna

Thanks for the thumbs up Victoria, we are having a good time discovering our local farmers, and sharing. They all have so many viable and healthy foods to offer us, its wonderful.
Thank you for wanting to support these small growers and contribute to our local economy as well.
Spread the word!

Happy Farming,
KatnAnna
on February 7, 2008 at 5:10 pm | Reply Emily Lindsey

I would love to find out how we can get our info to you. We sell all natural lamb (i your current aricle about Cafe Sol!) and we would love to have more product locally. Thanks! Emily Lindsey from Sorensen Farms
on March 17, 2008 at 5:06 am | Reply kelly bauer

Great Place. Can you please contact me I’ve got some questions and hoping you can help me connect!! So very impressed with all you ahve her! Great Job!
kelly bauer with bauer family farms, inc.
on March 17, 2008 at 6:33 pm | Reply katnanna

Hi Kelly,

We received your e-mail, and it sounds like you are wanting to start a CSA – Community Suported Agriculture.

Visit our posts on the two farmers that offer CSA’s and give them a call to help direct you for information.

good Luck and keep us posted on your new venture!
on March 24, 2008 at 3:53 pm | Reply Chris Irwin

Good morning:

Just stumbled upon your site after doing a search on organic farming in the Central Valley. I just moved to Patterson and would love to hear information about farmers producing organic/pesticide-free products. Do you know of a directory for local Farmer’s Markets? Thanks and good luck with your venture!

Chris
on March 24, 2008 at 7:40 pm | Reply katnanna

Hi Chris,

If you are looking for the nearest farmers market to you, it would
be Modesto. Our directory has some listed, for more listings visit
http://www.cafarmersmarket.com.

To find organic/pesticide-free products give our Riverdance Farmers, Bill or Cindy a call at 209-761-0081, they can send you in the right direction!

Happy Farming,
KatnAnna
on May 13, 2008 at 8:53 pm | Reply Krina Shah

Love the blog and joined your organic group on Flickr! If you want, you can shoot me an e-mail and I can send you a research report from The Rodale Institute about what being organic does to fight global warming. Please check out http://www.hero-farmers.org/ as well!

Keep doing what you’re doing and spreading the word about going organic!
on May 14, 2008 at 5:08 pm | Reply katnanna

Thanks Krina,

What great sites you also have.
We will keep in touch, see you on flicker!

Happy Farming,

KatnAnna
on May 15, 2008 at 5:33 am | Reply Angi Harrover

Hey I wanted to know how to be listed to your group. Let me know I am listed on Local Harvest as well as HHH Farms (Harrovers Hens and Heirlooms)

We keep bees all natural and sell the benifits of the hive. Honey Pollen and propolis. As well as farm fresh eggs and chickens,, Turkey, Quail, Muscovy ducks. Eggs for all as well as hatching eggs for all the above. I sale processed poultry as well. LEt me know how to be posted to the group. As I farm as well we have grapes, blueberries, heirloom tomatoes and veggies, garlic onions and a whole lot more. We have started a CSA.

Angi
HHH Farms
on May 20, 2008 at 6:36 am | Reply David

Hi KatnAnna,

Web looks great lots of information, great job in Los Banos thanks for enducation our comunity about health and agriculture. Have you considered doing a write-up on the Holistic Exchange in Merced, not many people know what they are all about. I know they don’t farm but I think peple who visit your site might like to know about them.

The breakfast I will be preparing at the Pick and Gather will be all organic, you may wan to make mention of that on your page.

Thanks,
David Silveira
on May 21, 2008 at 12:30 am | Reply katnanna

Hi David,

We are so glad you enjoyed your visit here!

Really looking forward to your Sunday breakfast
at “Pick & Gather”…. it’s going to be yummy!

Happy Farming,

KatnAnna
on June 27, 2008 at 2:56 pm | Reply Darrell Angel

Hello,
Thank you for this fantastic site. My name is Darrell Angel, I own and operate Angel’s Heavenly Hog Farm and I would love to be listed among your all natural farms. Please contact me with instructions on how I can get listed.

Thank you,
Darrell
on June 27, 2008 at 8:06 pm | Reply katnanna

Hi Darrell,

Thanks for the compliments, we are excited you found us and would love to visit and list your Hog Farm!

We will give you a call
on July 15, 2008 at 6:50 pm | Reply Mary Setness

Hi Kat and Anna
I was so excited to have hit on your website. I too am interested in a healthier lifestyle (I think it just comes some of us as we get older) and also wanting to make a difference in my community, not only in their health but also in bringing business to them. So I have started in a business venture (which is as much a surprize to me as it is to my family and friends) in vending. It should be up and running in 2-3 months. All the products will be natural and organic. So what I am wanting to do is to put product from local organic farms into the machines. I want to provide healthier choices for people and to promote our local organic farms. I know there is more involved here but it would be great if you could direct me to farmers who are producing and packaging or maybe consider some type of production for snack size organic product. I appreciate any help or info you can give me.
Thank You
Mary
on July 15, 2008 at 8:41 pm | Reply katnanna

Mary,

That is an awesome Idea!

I was actually visiting a friend in the hospital and wanted something quick to eat out of their vending machine, it was as you know a huge unhealthy turn off, I just shook my head and walked away…. this is what we as consumers have been offered and have accepted, even in a “health care facility”!

This is exactly the kind of change that needs to be supported.

Contact any of our listed farmers to see if any are interested, tell them we sent you and please keep us posted on your progress, so that we can help you with the viral outreach you will need.

We wish you much success!!

KatnAnna
on July 17, 2008 at 3:59 am | Reply Mary Setness

Kat and Anna
Thank you so much not only for your quick response but for your support. I can’t tell you how much it means to me. I will keep you posted on the progress and I do intend to contact farmers on your list.
Thanks again,
Mary
on July 17, 2008 at 5:58 pm | Reply Darrell Angel

Hi Mary,

Wow, I love that Idea of natural and organic snacks in a vending machine. Here are a couple of Ideas that popped into my head when I read your post.

1) of course the valley is rich in nuts that can be packaged without an issue.

2) hard fruits…apples, oranges, peaches, ect….if left whole could be sealed in a food sealer.

3) natural Jerky, also sealed in a food sealer would fit nice in a vending machine

4) dried fruits would work well

and ofcourse dont forget bottled water

Good luck

Darrell
on July 18, 2008 at 5:26 pm | Reply Mary Setness

Darrell,
Great ideas and I thank you for them. I certainly will keep all suggestions in mind and if there are any more out there please let me know.
Thanks again
Mary
on August 24, 2008 at 6:27 pm | Reply Rebecca

Hello Kat and Anna:

Thanks for your great posts. Very informational! Like you (I think!), I believe what is going on locally, in many cases, can be ‘duplicated’ wherever we live. And, getting away from a global economy and working toward a local economy is very key to our ‘local choices’.

I just posted another story that has the potential to succeed in many communities that I’d like to share with you. There are many people who want to be farmers but can’t afford the land, and the example of Donna and Robyn of Your Backyard Farmer might work for someone else too. If you’d like to share it, that would be great.
http://cookingupastory.com/show/organic-foods-backyard-agriculture/

We all learn from each other.

Best,
Rebecca
http://cookingupastory.com/
on August 27, 2008 at 4:23 pm | Reply katnanna

Thank you Rebecca for your kind words about Local Choices and sharing this wonderful video…what a great idea these two women have put to use!

We will share!
on September 7, 2008 at 11:20 pm | Reply Kyle

I am so glad to see your wonderful website. I too am very interested in sustainable living and being green. Matter of fact, I am on a committee that is organizing our third Beyond Earth Day event April 11 2009. We are looking for local farmers, gardners, organic and sustainable to join us. If you or anyone you know is interested please have them contact me @ klingg@charter.net. I can go into more detail, requirements and etc. Thank you for this website and blog I will look at often
on September 8, 2008 at 4:37 pm | Reply katnanna

Thank you Kyle!

Yes, Yes please send more information on your Earth Day event,
check out our social group http://localchoicescv.ning.com, lots of interested people there too!
on September 19, 2008 at 4:43 am | Reply Kyle

Thank you so much! I’ll get the info to you as soon as it’s ready….we have a few adjustments to make. Kyle
on October 28, 2008 at 9:47 pm | Reply Larry Cook

Hi Anna,
Kyra Reed suggested I take a look at your blog to see how you do it, and I’d say that you do it very well indeed! What a great site and resource. Your blog is particularly appealing to me because I’m into natural living myself, and to that end, wrote a book about it (The Beginner’s Guide to Natural Living) and produced dozens of web videos about the topic. I’d be happy to mail you a copy of my book if you’d like to read it. And my videos are free to use on any web site. You can find a list of my videos here: http://www.thenaturalguide.com/video.htm and you can also see al my videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/LarryCook333
If you email me your address Anna I’ll ship you my book.
Warm Regards,
Larry Cook
http://www.thenaturalguide.com
on November 13, 2008 at 4:26 pm | Reply Marie

Hi!
I’m looking for some all natural turkeys for the holidays. Is there anyone local who has some for sale? I’m interested in at least two, and maybe three. You can email me at: mariemeredith@hotmail.com

Thanks,
Marie
on November 14, 2008 at 1:25 am | Reply katnanna

Hi Marie,

HHH Farms has turkeys, they are listed on our “Natural Farms” page with all the details.

Please let us know how your birds tasted!

Happy Holidays!
on February 5, 2009 at 10:10 pm | Reply Caroline

Love the look of your website/blog. Could you send me more information about wordpress?
- on February 6, 2009 at 6:49 pm | Reply katnanna
  
  Hi Caroline,
  
  Thanks so much for the compliment on our Local Choices blog!
  
  Believe it or not our site is easy to manage, fun & free, just check out wordpress.com,
  sign up and do your thing!
  
  Keep us posted if you get a blog and we can link up!
  
  Happy farming,
  
  Kat and Anna
on February 13, 2009 at 11:19 pm | Reply badmsm

What a great blog, I really like the idea of supporting our local farmers! Would be great to somehow put all these resources together in an onnline store format. I would support that whole heartedly.

Keep up the good work!
- on February 15, 2009 at 6:46 am | Reply katnanna
  
  The fun here is to actually connect personally with farmers, learn who they are, what they grow, visit their farms or meet them at your local farmers market!
  We are glad you enjoy our blog!
on March 28, 2009 at 1:43 pm | Reply Bob Endsley

Goodmorning Kat & Anna,

Thanks very much for us meeting together yesterday – you both are very informative about extremely important natural issues!!!

Looking forward to progress with you on some very related efforts.

Thanks Again,
Bob Endsley
- on March 28, 2009 at 5:19 pm | Reply katnanna
  
  Thank you Bob for your time, we are always excited about our connections with others who care about our community wellness!
  Ditto on related efforts!
  
  Kat and Anna
on March 28, 2009 at 6:33 pm | Reply Bob Endsley

Hi – FYI – I notice the time my comment says it was sent to you is 1:43 PM when it really was about 6;00 AM – Bob
on March 28, 2009 at 7:11 pm | Reply katnanna

Oops, not sure how to fix that one, but I will find out:)
on May 11, 2009 at 10:58 pm | Reply patricia

Kat,

I wanted to share an event in Fresno next week that I think will resonate with your readers.

Next Thursday, my dear friend William Emery, is reading at the San Joaquin River Parkway series in Fresno, from 6-8 p.m.. This event is PERFECT for everyone involved in 4-H- the book is a glorious, probing series of stories about people in the Central Valley who make things themselves- who milk their own goats, make their own cheese, who keep bees or harvest organic fruit and work the farmer’s market every weekend- these are the people you know and love in the Valley. This is a book about local food and what beauty is to be found in the valley; stories garnered from a year’s journey visiting farmers, goat herders, cheese and mead makers, livestock auctioneers, painters and orchard dwellers, fishermen and strawberry stand builders.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD, phone tree and forward this email to friends! Come to the reading on Thursday, May 21 at the San Joaquin River Parkway Trust from 6-8 pm and bring something to eat or drink to share- something local, preferably something you handmade. Peach pit. Bottled milk. Tortilla crust. Rind of a salami from Sam’s Deli. Grapeleaf pickled in brine.

see you there…

patricia
*********************

Respite by The River with William Emery
Thursday, May 21 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
William Emery, author of Edges of Bounty: Adventures in the Edible Valley, will read from and sign copies of his book at Respite by The River, readings and performances related to life in California’s Central Valley.

Join photographer Scott Squire and writer William Emery as they meander—bewildered, impressionable, and wry—through the roads, back roads, and backwaters of America’s greatest agricultural valley. Leaving behind the packaged comforts of supermarkets and restaurants, the pair roamed California’s Central Valley in search of “edibilists,” or those engaged in the production of their own food.

Free and open to the public; for more information call (559) 248-8480, ext. 154 or visit http://www.riverparkway.org.

patricia miye wakida/www.wasabipress.com/559 977 1897