Socalocavore came about as a result of my effort to feed myself and my husband home-cooked meals, and at the same time decrease my overall carbon footprint. I am an apartment renter with no yard and no balcony, so I am unable to grow anything myself. I am also a novice cook, so eating out has long been our primary source of sustenance. As I started to research local foods, I became aware of just how corrupt the American food system is. They say that knowledge is power, but sometimes it can also be pretty overwhelming. The more I learned, the less I wanted to eat “normal” food, but since my values and my culinary skills are not evenly matched, it has been hard to make the transition to better food sources.

Since I am not willing to give up my life as a musician and move off to a farm, nor would I expect Phil to do the same, I need a lifestyle change that can fit into a regular life. My hope is that socalocavore will reach eco-minded readers who, like me, get overwhelmed at the prospect of such a large lifestyle change and will allow me to share the triumphs and failures I experience as I explore the bounty of foods that Southern California has to offer.

~Renée Woodring