Paleo Challenge: Day 10. Click Here for the blog!!!
Front Squat:
5-5-5
6 Minute AMRAP:
1 GTO (135/95)
5 Burpees
2 GTO
5 Burpees
3 GTO
…
Level 1 Skill: Snatch
Where do you get your food?
I get this question a lot. I suppose word has gotten around that I have a few weird food procurement methods (you buy how much meat at a time?!), so I thought I’d share a few helpful bits and pieces that I’ve picked up on my paleo journey.
Far and away the best place to buy protein is right from the source – local farms. Every farm is different, of course, but usually farms allow you to buy portions of the animals they raise (a quarter cow or a whole pig, for instance), which can be 100 pounds of meat or more. Most farms will butcher and process the meat for you, so everything comes in nicely vacuum sealed portions. In the couple years that I’ve been doing paleo, I’ve bounced around from a few different farms, but the best resource that I’ve found to find the right one for you is eatwild.com. This site is, among other useful things, an online directory of local farms. You may be surprised at how many of them are out there, so you can usually find one that has what you’re looking for.
Now buying in bulk does necessitate a lot of freezer space, but other than that there’s really no downside. It’s healthy, it’s delicious, it’s convenient, you get to support local business and sustainable agriculture, and often times it’s downright cheap.
For veggies and other produce, the place to be is your local farmers market. I’ll admit I’m relatively new to the farmer’s market scene, but they’ve quickly become some of my favorite places in the world. Again here, the quality is generally fantastic. Unlike supermarket veggies, which are often bred to survive long cross-country journeys, farmers select and grow crops that are meant to taste good (what a crazy concept!). Additionally, there’s nothing quite like getting your food right from the people that produce it. Chances are if the friendly farmer grows and sells bok choy, he can probably give you a few good ideas of what you could do with it. Try getting that type of info from the guy at Safeway.
If getting the farmer’s market doesn’t work for you, there are a lot of great resources out there that bring the goodies right to your door (or at least close buy). Community Supported Agriculture, or CSAs, allow you to purchase a portion of a farm’s harvest, which they then bring to a designated drop off space, or occasionally right to your home. Other services, such as Arganica and Washington Green Grocer, give you a little more leeway for selection as you can order items a-la-carte.
Now to round things out, I admit that I do the occasional Costco or Restaurant Depot run, but I really only need these every 4 to 6 months. It’s not as glamorous, but they’re good places to get things like nuts, olive oil and coconut milk.
In a nutshell, when it comes to getting your food, the fewer links in the chain – the better. When you add extra steps between production and your dinner table, you’re usually sacrificing quality, adding cost, and adding ambiguity about what you’re actually getting.
Happy eating!
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Pre-made Paleo Goodness!
What is the level 1 tomorrow?
OK – I’m putting on my “MOM HAT.” First, it’s been great getting back to the box. The WODs have been packed, giving me a chance to touch base again with many of you. I’ve missed you all! Now, here’s the mom part…
You know the Box Rule that says you need to break down your equipment, put away your bar, plates, etc. at the end of the WOD? Well, that includes throwing away your discarded athletic tape and recycling your water bottle. This weekend I made quite a few post-WOD sweeps around the box, picking up icky sweaty wads of tape and collecting half empty water bottles. Not my job, folks! Picking up after yourself is not only a courtesy, it’s a discipline and a show of respect. Please master it. I know you’ve heard this lecture (in some form or another) from your own mom – and now you’ve heard it from Mama K, your box mom! I hope you give me credit for refraining from use of such “mom-isms” as:
Where were you raised – in a barn?!
I am not your maid!
If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you?
I never had this problem with your brother/sister.
Thanks for your help on this. Here endeth the lesson!
Big plug for Washington’s Green Grocer. I’ve been with them for nearly two years now and they’ve been consistently reliable. Just the other day, I emailed Zeke and told him about the paleo challenge, asking if he could be more flexible about the vege substitutions. As I expected, he was more than happy to accommodate off-the-list subs; I got yams instead of russet potatoes, a huge head of cauliflower instead of some fruit, and other goodies. Check them out if you haven’t already!
One question for those of you buying grass-fed and who don’t have a car: where are you buying your meats? Looking for something <$7/lb but it doesn't seem to exist outside of self pick-up bulk options.
Welcome back, Andrew! This morning was fun. (yes, I say this all the time)
Front squat @ 100#
WOD: 6 rounds + 2 GTO @ 75#
Thanks for the shout out District Crossfit! And Michelle, we love your review : ) Yep…we’re more then happy to accommodate paleo challengers needs and have even added some of your favorites; all colors of lentils, incredible almond and peanut butter, tahini, and more. We have always carried grass-pastured , humanely-raised beef, chicken, lamb, pork and eggs and of course it’s delivered right to your door. Thanks again, and good luck to all of you taking the challenge!
Would anyone be interested in going in with me on getting a whole cow or pig? I’m not sure which farm we should get it from, but relatively-inexpensive is key. I’d love to buy meat in bulk, but that is a challenge in my car-less, apartment lifestyle. So if a few people split up the meat, it would be much more manageable.
Great to be back everyone!!! Awesome work morning crews.
I hope you guys are psyched for some serious knowledge drops that Jenn and I are about to lay down.
@ Mama K – you’re such a kind mom…my moms mom-isms were usually just a swift smack to the head with a simulatenous, “Don’t be an Ass!”.
Awesome post today, couldn’t agree more. I’ve been with Arganica now for nearly 2 years and it has been awesome.
Can’t wait for the knowledge drop, Andrew!
I NEED MORE PEOPLE FOR THE DODGEBALL TOURNAMENT, SEND ME AN EMAIL IF YOURE INTERESTED!!!!!
If you want to buy grass-feed meat in bulk but can’t store a quarter of a steer, take a look at whitehousemeats.com. Basically what these guys do is buy an entire cow, and then split it amongst 8-12 individuals depending on turn out. You will pay more per pound through these guys (still cheaper than the grocery store) but you are only purchasing 20-25lbs of beef.
Yeah, I’ve gotten stuff from White House Meats before, but it’s still a little more per pound than I want to spend. I’m thinking of a DIY version of what they do–and hopefully I can find something in the $6-7/lb range. Sadly, I am but a nonprofit worker bee.
pine nuts. paleo??
thanks
@Kate F – count me in. You can email me at mferng@gmail.com to coordinate.
On the note of veggies and fruits:
I always thought it was funny that fruits in normal grocery stores are labelled as “From California!!” Well now that I’ve been to CA for real and actually had some regular grocery store fruits I can say that fruits from California are actually fantastic… if you’re in california while eating them. Unfortunately fruits from california that you’re eating in DC… kinda suck. Farmer’s markets absolutely can’t be beat and local can’t be beat. Use http://www.localharvest.org/ to find one and you won’t be dissappointed.
CFE WOD: Run
3 x 1200 Meters w/ 3:00 rest. Try to hold within 3-5 seconds on each piece
4:27
4:38
3:47
Apparantly, I’m really bad at pacing when it oomes to running…do any of the DCF coaches know any running drills to help learn how to pace? Thanks,
@Sam … I’ll be interested to hear other responses regarding running pace. I took a class a couple of years ago and the coach had us use a metronome to help improve pacing. They also recommending some different breathing techniques, unfortunately, I don’t still have the running book but I do still have the metronome. Let me know and I will drop it at the box for you to use.
@Kate F-I’m interested as well. evan.lewin@gmail.com
Front squat: 105# (PR)
WOD: 6 rounds plus 7 GTO @ 55#
FSx5: 155#
WOD: 6rds + 8 (#75)
the paleo blog is still stuck on “day 6″ for me. has anyone found a workaround?
I’ll pile on about local veggies; we have been in a Community Supported Argiculture club called Lancaster Fresh Farm Cooperative for the last 2 years and the veggies you get from them are outstanding. They don’t run the CSA again until the spring but if you’re sticking to paleo it’s a great option.
FS: 218# (PR)
WOD: 6 rounds Rx
@Michelle — I dont know a workaround, but I discovered that Potomac Crossfit is also doing a challenge this month and their paleo tumblr is public, perfect if you need a blog fix until ours is fixed. Tho I totally feel like I’m cheating on DCF every time I click over there lol
Here here, Mamma K. Perhaps one can even use the occasional Lysol wipe conveniently located by the weights? I believe that there is a plethora of archeological evidence that indicates that early homo sapiens kept their caves very tidy.
@ Lesly – I had not thought of the metronome. I actually have one from playing piano…now it has a new purpose.
On the note of veggies and fruits:
Thanks Andrew for posting the comment on local harvest. Thanks Noah for advocating for farmer’s markets. I used to work for the USDA, and to me, is really “corporate farming” or “big agribusiness” wherein a few global mega-corporations, like Monsanto and Cargill dominate the entire vertical chain of food production (patented genetically modified seeds, agrichemicals, ag-gag lobbying).
This is relevant to the conversation because a skeptic may look at this week’s produce box at WGG above and ask if the cauliflower from CA, bananas from South America, pears from Washington State are any better than their grocery store counterparts. Surprisingly, the answer is probably “Yes” if that produce is produced by owner-operated family farms. I will get off my soap-box now. There are a kagillion blogs discussing it if you are interested.
FS: 145#
WOD: 5 rounds @ 115#
FS: 195# (PR)
WOD: 6 + 3 Rx’d
Front squat #204 WOD 7+ 6
Front Squat: 185#
Wod: 6 + 11, Rx