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![_Bye, Bye Hollywood Sign... at Least Temporarily [Updated]](http://laist.com/assets_c/2009/12/view_behind_hwdsign-thumb-110x110-464762.jpg)
Bye, Bye Hollywood Sign... at Least Temporarily [Updated]
Photos: Laundry Day in L.A.
One Way to Take Care of Business
At today's 30 years of the farmers market celebration, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is expected to announce a task force on food policy and will lead a pledge for local restaurants to use locally grown food.
The 10 a.m. event, which is open to the public at the weekly Little Tokyo/Arts District Farmers Market held on the South Lawn of City Hall, will also be host to a salsa contest and the announcement of the winner for a design contest that will apparently be used in the making of a permanent farmers' market hub.
Chefs present this morning will include local food restauranteurs and chefs like Ben Ford of Ford's Filling Station, Nancy Silverton of Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza, Evan Kleiman of Angeli Caffe and host of the weekly radio show “Good Food” on KCRW, and Next Food Network Star runner up, Jeffery Saad, among others.
Related: High End Chefs Support School Gardening, LAUSD's Program at Risk
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"Local food" in the middle of a desert is about the worst idea I can think of. Wasn't there a recent story about how much energy it takes to get water into the LA Basin? It has to go up over a 2000-foot climb, which is the largest in the world. It takes something like six times more energy to get water to LA than San Francisco. I'd much rather truck the 1-lb head of lettuce into LA than the 50 lbs of water it would take to grow it here.
Seriously. What a shortsighted environmental mistake waiting to happen. "Local food" in the middle of a desert is wasteful food. Wasteful of water and wasteful of energy to get that water.
And, yes, restaurants here all use LOTS of food grown in California -- we have the best produce in the world. But it's all grown (correctly) on the other side of the mountains.
There are non-water-intensive crops that can be grown. Not to mention, for some, local means 100 miles or 250 miles. The farmers at the farmers markets around here certainly don't live in the LA Basin, but they are close enough to peddle their wares every Saturday or Sunday morning. Which is better than Mexican tomatoes, I have to say.
@slapshot, it depends on the definition of "local" that is being used. Whole Foods' definition is something like within half a day's drive by delivery truck, for example. Other definitions include within 100 miles.
Besides, which buildings will be demolished, and which road and freeway networks torn up, to create suffient farms in the L.A. Basin to supply that many restaurants? Answer: None.
stupid idea award goes to .....
LA Business Owners are forced to buy overprice produces, and they are passing the extra cost to consumers. Nice.
It's a pledge, not a regulation. And it's an excellent idea. If our definition of "local" includes California, it's a huge benefit to our state (why export local dollars elsewhere when we need the tax $ and local $ here?) and it's very environmentally sound. California produces a ridiculous percentage of the nation's produce, so local, seasonal produce is a VERY viable consumption option that is HIGHLY preferable to Washington state apples, or pears grown in Chile, or wherever else. Ventura, San Diego County, the Inland Empire (Apple Valley, anyone?) and particularly the Central Valley are all major local growing regions.
Yes, local food means limiting our fall palette to fewer strawberries and more squash, but restaurants (and we) would do well to focus on seasonal options instead of assuming we can cater to every instant-gratification food need, even if it's only in season somewhere across the world. The success of local farmers markets and CSAs prove that we have a plethora of viable local options for quality agriculture.
And, really, one of the benefits of living here is that the growing seasons are much longer. Fewer strawberries, but for a much shorter period than the East Coast.