The Bull's Eye Diet
The Bull's Eye Diet is a method of choosing foods that are produced as close to your home as possible. Eating foods chosen this way is healthy for you, because you are more likely to know exactly how they are grown, and better for the environment. Local foods don't have to be shipped long distances, so they save on fossil fuels and transportation costs. Eat as close to the center of the bull's eye as you can and you'll save money as well as lower your carbon footprint.
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The Center Dot
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The center dot of the bull's eye ring is your home. Produce as much food as you can on your own property. This will be the least expensive food as well as the food over which you have the most control. If you have a large yard, devote most of it to intensive gardening. If you only have a patio or balcony, discover the ways to grow food in containers. Grow sprouts in jars in a closet or raise bantam chickens in a cage for eggs.
The First Ring
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The first ring outside the center dot is your neighborhood. If there are vacant lots in your neighborhood, get together with like-minded people and create neighborhood gardens. Speak with fellow gardeners who live close by to discuss trading foodstuffs at harvest time. Investigate foraging in your neighborhood for wild foods. Many empty lots hold apple trees or berry bushes from older, abandoned homes. Mark these places and harvest this free food.
The Second Ring
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The second ring around the center dot is your town. If you live in a very small town, you may include one or two small neighboring towns. Find out if there are any urban gardeners in your town. Someone raising chickens might be happy to sell fresh eggs on a regular basis. Local small farmers often produce honey for sale as well as food that takes larger plots of land to grow, like corn and squash.
The Third Ring
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The third ring around the center dot is your local bioregion, which is an area approximately 25 miles in every direction. Seek out local farms and suburban producers of meat, dairy, eggs, fruit and vegetables for as much of your daily food as you can find.
Increasing Success
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The best way to achieve a successful and balanced diet eating in this manner is to encourage as many people as possible to eat using the same method. One person growing a small garden can produce a nice amount of food for a summer, but many people pitching in on numerous neighborhood plots can grow beans for protein, keep beehives for honey or raise chickens for eggs and meat. The more people who contribute, the easier the process becomes.
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References
- Photo Credit green globe on green background image by Brent Walker from Fotolia.com
