I’ve just been nominated for Eat Out DStv Food Network Produce Awards award in the category of “Best Local Food Blog”, in my capacity as an individual, Matt Allison.

Now I feel I owe you an explanation, or at least a disclaimer. This blog is NOT directly a food blog, you see while I’m a food lover, my passion is in the produce, not the final product, though I feel they are intricately linked.

I’m NOT a food stylist, I’m NOT even a qualified chef, what I am is a Father who cooks fresh, homegrown, home-cooked meals, almost daily, to feed his growing family.

And to that end I’m 100% behind my nomination, this blog, along with my social media streams of Twitter & Instagram show my daily movements in local food, from growing the actual produce through to the final plated dish.

I field daily questions via Twitter and e-mail from avid readers and followers, all inspired to grow their own, local, seasonal food.

I’ve been privileged to give workshops at places like the Earth Fair Market and Spier’s Secret Festival, all in aid of encouraging participants to think local, to grow their own, or at least support small scale farmers and artisans.

I’ve been blessed to featured in countless print and on-line articles on my movements in urban and peri-urban agriculture and even privileged enough to attend René Redzepi inaugural MAD FoodCamp in Denmark.

If you’ve not already seen it, please watch this short video below to catch a glimpse of my daily involvement with our local food movement.

Carrots Don’t Always Grow Straight! from Ian Henderson on Vimeo.

Outside of all this I’m also a facilitator, I’ve been honoured to be able to communicate with local chefs about local produce, providing advice and insight into seasonal produce and connecting them with local artisanal suppliers, celebrated in our Chef’s Harvest.

That in my mind is what the Eat Out DStv Food Network Produce Awards is about, promoting local small business, raising awareness and celebrating our local food economy.

Yes, I don’t post daily recipes, my pictures are ‘shoot from the hip’ collections of my day to day movements in food. There are BETTER “Foodie” type blogs out there, but there are also other awards that cater for them. I feel I’m kind of a square peg fitting a very round hole, and so to me the Eat Out DStv Food Network Produce Awards is really the only awards ceremony that I’m tooled for, excuse the pun.

So with my plea out of the way, I’m asking for your vote. If you’re a follower on either Twitter or Instagram, or casual/avid reader of this blog, I need your vote.

All you have to do is click on this link and take a minute out of your day to vote for me, I know your time is valuable, and know that it is appreciated.

Thank you for your constant and continued support and encouragement, award or not, I will continue to fight the good (food) fight by encouraging others to think local, support small business and above all grow your own.