Wind, Wind, Wind

I have always wondered how Chicago got the name the windy city. Growing up in Oklahoma I always thought Oklahoma deserved the name the Windy State. Sunday for my weekly run and ride day with my mom I found out just how windy Oklahoma can be.

When I’m running into the wind it is hard, during the 2009 Oklahoma City Marathon the wind coming off the lake was so brutal I thought I would never make it to the end of the race. Growing up in Oklahoma as a runner I have experienced some intense winds that made me think I was running in place.

Cycling into the wind was a whole new experience. My shoes are clip ins so I am essentially attached to my bike. If it falls I fall and if I fall the bike falls, being new to cycling this is a unique experience. Sunday my mom and I headed out to Lake Hefner with the hopes of making a few laps around the lake. Upon our arrival white caps covered the lake and we saw a couple off their bikes walking them around the lake. Immediately the thoughts of this is going to be horrible ensue. We start riding the lake on the dam side and make it about two miles before I stop and wait for my mom to tell her of my decision to turn around.

The decision was not an easy one to make but on the two miles I did complete I was shaky and kept thinking the wind was going to sweep me and my bike down the plain. The two miles back were just as wobbly. There was about half a mile into the wind which was fine, I don’t mind fighting the wind in my face but having it at my side was a new experience.

We then went to Mitch Park in Edmond where it was much less windy to finish the ride. The ride at Mitch Park was much more hilly and much less windy with all the tree lines.

As Spring and the wind come in Oklahoma I am looking forward to gaining the strength to fight the Oklahoma wind form any direction.

 

Where did it come from?

You can ask this question about any product in your life. Your food, transportation, housing, clothing and every gadget we use to get us through the everyday came from somewhere. But, do you know where.

Well, I can tell you, most things I own I honestly have no clue where they came from, I can tell you what store I purchased them from but not where they originated prior to that or in some cases what they are made of. In past summer months I liked going to farmers markets and picking up local produce here and there but I have never tired to eat a majority of local food. With that being said, I am trying to eat local food a majority of the time, and know where my food came from. This will be a hard task, and I will not be successful immediately but I am trying and I’m telling my self, that’s what counts. I recently signed up for the Oklahoma Food Cooperative. I talked about it in my last post.

I figured I would take this opportunity to tell you more about the Oklahoma Co-op. First off their website is www.oklahomafood.coop. The co-op is a place where Oklahoma producers can sell food and non-food products to other consumers. Most co-ops operate with members paying a one time fee and then they pick (each month in this case) what they want from different farms that are members of the co-op.  The Oklahoma Co-op cost $51.75 and that money buys you one “share” in the co-op.

Each month you have from the first day of the month until the second Thursday to place your order. Then producers gather orders and on the third Thursday you pick up your food at your scheduled pick up site. There are tons of pickup site near the city and a good deal in out lying areas. I have a pick up location just right down the street from my house. To get the food to my location the producers fill their orders and drive them to Oklahoma City where they then are sorted and given to the delivery person to deliver. All the sorting is done by volunteers to keep the cost down.  My delivery person is a co-op producer also.

I read in this article http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/05/can-small-local-businesses-compete-in-a-globalized-market-balle/ that the co-op has lowered the cost of distribution to 18 cents on the dollars which is well below the national average of 73 cents. The article was published on Monday, May 24, 2010.

The Oklahoma co-op web site states that they have over 2600+ products available each month. I will admit that since I am trying to order my food just once a month from the co-op that I am running out of freezer space fast and I am considering getting a deep freeze. As I stated previously this will be a tough adjustment for me but I am trying.

Last night I had my first meal cooked with Co-op food, I mean I have had their food before but this entire meal, minus the potatoes was prepared with all food that I had ordered from the Co-op. I had a NY Strip from G-J All Natural Beef, with asparagus and a salad from Country to Town Market with a tomato that I picked up from the farmer’s market. It was delicious.