This weekend, after dining sumptuously at Shoney's, I noticed the Sunday edition of the Roanoke Times had a nice article about the locavore movement as it applies to southwest Virginia.

The article reinforces the sentiments from Pollan and Salatin, particularly iterating the ideas involving small-scale slaughter operations.

I'd heard about limitations on poultry slaughter (under 1,000 birds annually), but the article did educate me about the peculiarities of a Catch-22 with rabbits.

Rabbit slaughter does not have to be inspected, but restaurants
cannot serve non-inspected rabbits.  (Sorry, June, I realize you think of rabbits only as pets).

The article also does discuss briefly the concepts of Community Support Agriculture and co-ops.

Tangentially, this weekend we were up in Wytheville (smack dab in the middle of southwest Virginia), and I spoke with some of the locals.  One in particular could not be classified as an "environmentalist" yet still was yearning for self-sustainability and independence. 

I think "green" concepts will touch everyone as they ultimately will translate into dollars spent each month. 

Regardless of our nation's independence on foreign oil or foods shipped long distances, for example, I can work towards my own independence of both of these things.  It helps the earth, but it also helps my bank account.

(In the photo, Rebecca ironically displays our "Local Food" sticker while modelling a Greenthumbr shirt, in front of our gas-guzzling SUV).