98% Local, Day 2 (Tuesday)

Preparing for eating local on Tuesday required more effort because I had to report for Jury Duty. Like other folks who work away from home, this meant I needed to take all my food and drink with me for the work day. I didn't know whether a microwave would be available so cold food was a smarter choice, although I might have been able to keep soup warm in a thermos until lunchtime.

I decided my best bet for a cold local lunch was going to be peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. With local wheat and honey, bread would be a cinch to make mostly local except for the yeast and salt. The pomegranate jelly used fruit from my friend's tree and lemon juice from mine. The pectin and sugar were not local. The recipe used so much sugar, though, that the pomegranate jelly was less than 50% local. I have not learned how to can - and make sure it's safe - with honey. Finally, I had enough of Heather's local peanuts left to grind into peanut butter.

After my last failed bread attempt, I wondered whether I should have a back-up plan in case the bread didn't turn out. I got a bit worried when the first yeast I tried Monday afternoon did not do anything. I tossed it and tried again with a new jar. After proofing it, I was able to continue on with the bread-making. The final rise did not yield as light a loaf as I had hoped, but it wasn't brick-hard so sandwiches were still on the menu.

The day was slipping rapidly into night and I hadn't even begun shelling peanuts yet. I decided to shell all of the remaining peanuts so I'd have the job done. Of course, I'd forgotten how long it takes to shell peanuts. After several hours of steady work, I had a small bowl of roasted peanuts. By this time, my sweetie had gone to bed so I couldn't grind them until morning.


In the morning, they went into the food processor with a pinch of salt and a dash of sugar. I used the sugar to bring out the natural sweetness these peanuts have. It took forever, it seemed, for them to go from finely ground nuts to peanut butter but I finally had a spreadable concoction. I put together a couple of sandwiches and also packed a local apple to take to court. The peanut butter was 99% local.

For breakfast, I had several slices of the orange bread again plus coffee with sugar and soymilk. The bread was 88% local. The coffee was maybe 5% local as I got a blend with New Mexico pinon nuts in it.


When we finally broke for lunch, I had my sandwiches. Whoops! I had sliced the dense bread too thick and not used enough jelly. They were dry, dry, dry. Also very filling so I did not eat my apple. I did, however, chow down on the last two non-local cookies I'd brought from home.

I was feeling a bit stressed by this time. I had been randomly put into the group of 26 potential jurors, from which the lawyers would later select the final 14 (includes alternates) to hear the case. Throughout the questioning so far, I had raised my hand a few times to clarify that I had experience with one thing or another but that it would not affect my ability to be impartial if selected for the jury.

Based on the questions, I was starting to get nervous that I would be selected. Hearing right off the bat that this was a 1st degree murder trial was nerve-wracking because I don't deal well with violence. It became clear that alcohol and drugs were involved, and possibly domestic violence as well. Disturbing images and testimony about wounds and the autopsy would be presented during the case. Could I deal with this?

In addition, if selected, I would be at the courthouse every day, all day, for two weeks. That was not going to make finishing up this local challenge very easy. On the other hand, I was somewhat interested in seeing what a real murder trial was like; I'm sure it's vastly different than what TV writers present. Having never been in the jury deliberation room at the end of a trial, too, I was curious what that might be like. (As an alternate juror on a case years ago, I was dismissed when the lawyers were done but before the jury deliberated and decided a verdict.)

So, I was okay with either way the decision went. But, the stress still had me staring, hard, at the vending machines during lunch. I managed to not give in to the temptation to use junk food to try to calm my emotions, so I have no non-local candy bars or chips to report.

After the questioning was complete, the lawyers took a half-hour break to make their selections. We returned to the courtroom and I sat, knowing I would hear my name called. Ten names were called. The next one was called and no-one answered. Somehow, the name of someone who had been dismissed had apparently remained on the list...and been selected. It took some time for them to deal with this and I just knew my name would be called instead. Nope. Three more names to go. Two.... One.... I was free to go home.

I was excited yet disappointed. Later, I was relieved when I read some of the information reported about the murder when it happened. I have little patience with people who are substance abusers and it looked like this was a factor. Domestic violence is also, in my opinion, inexcusable so it's a good thing I didn't have to try to remain impartial and consider only the evidence. I will be watching, though, to see what verdict the selected jury renders.

My point in sharing this is to show how work and emotions can affect one's ability to follow a local diet. Eating locally generally means having to cook from scratch. This can take more time and planning as well as limit choices.

But, back to the actual food. Not being selected for two weeks of jury service meant that local eating could continue as planned although my rampaging emotions were begging me for chocolate, sugar, anything. I ignored them and we had leftover oat groat pilaf, roasted beets, and greens for a mostly local dinner.

Then I went to bed early because I was totally wiped out by too little sleep and too many emotions.