Grocery money is an odd sticking point for U.S. citizens, who on average spend a lower proportion of our income on food than people in any other country, or any heretofore in history. In our daily fare, even in school lunches, we broadly justify consumption of tallow-fried animal pulp on the grounds that it’s cheaper than whole grains, fresh vegetables, hormone-free dairy, and such. Whether on school boards or in families, budget keepers may be aware of the health tradeoff but still feel compelled to economize on food – in a manner that would be utterly unacceptable if the health risk involved an unsafe family vehicle or a plume of benzene running through a school basement.
~ Barbara Kingsolver
(Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life)
Our food journey continues… On this leg of it I am reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, an account of her family’s first year of eating deliberately, consuming only food grown, raised and produced locally or on their own farm. We are fast becoming (grain-free) locavores!
Locavore – a person whose diet consists only or principally of locally grown or produced food. Farm-to-table.
One thing I learned from this book is that local farmers may well be growing things organically, but some of them cannot afford the fee to be certified organic. And some things labeled “organic” in the grocery store may be only marginally so, cutting corners and following the letter of the law but not the spirit of it.
And so I’m discovering things about food sources closer to home. One day I happened to notice a restaurant in town called the Oyster Club. I suppose I never gave it a second look because I don’t care for oysters. But when I did, the tagline on the sign, “farm & sea to table,” caught my eye. When I got home I found their website, which states, “the menu, which is written daily, showcases food that travels the shortest distance from ‘farm & sea to table,’ with seasonality and location determining the day’s delicacies. Benefiting from the region’s many local farmers and fisherman, Oyster Club features bounty from the sea, pasture raised beef, local produce and artisanal cheeses.” Cool!
Today I was at our food co-op and started talking with a woman from Firefly Farms and was astonished to learn that they are raising heritage breeds of chickens, pigs and cows. I had just been reading about the importance of preserving heritage breeds… As their website explains, “The fact that these breeds are too difficult for factory farming is, in our view, the first signal that they are good for people.” We bought a frozen Red Ranger chicken from her and I plan to roast it on Monday. (Easter plans at the nursing home with Auntie tomorrow…) We hope to visit the farm this coming week and learn more about their forest raised pigs! Maybe we will soon need to buy a freezer.
Things have been coming along around here as we continue to heal and to pick up the pieces of our lives. There are more good days than bad days now, and we just had a wonderful two-day visit from Tim’s cousin Allegra. We are also looking forward to a trip to visit our kids and celebrate our anniversary in May.
You know, I love Kingsolver, and I have this book. However, I’ve not had a chance to read it yet. This reminds me that I need to do that. Thanks so much!
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
Like you, Kathy, I’ve had this book for quite some time but never got around to reading it until now. My guess is that you likely do a lot of farm-to-table eating in Ecuador – would love reading about it on your blog some day!
Thank you so much… You have raised again this very important issue of natural food.
It is indeed so attention-grabbing today.
Understanding where our food comes from has certainly been grabbing my attention these days. It’s a bit overwhelming at times, trying to figure out what is best for us and our planet.
Thank you Barbara. Our journey to awareness continues! Glad your doing the research locally and your home life is experiencing some peace…
For everything there is a season and we are starting to enjoy a season of peace, remembering how to live in the moment and learning how to eat more mindfully…
I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle a few years ago. It’s a wonderful book, and I’ve tried to eat locally whenever possible since reading it. We joined a CSA recently. I’m excited and looking forward to fresh, organic, locally grown produce starting next month.
I’m so glad to hear there are more good days than bad days now. Happy Easter, Barbara. 🙂
Thank you, Robin – I hope you had a happy Easter, too! Your comment sent me scrambling to find out what a CSA was and I’ve managed to find a couple in our area. Community Supported Agriculture sounds like a great way to share the risks of farming with the farmer. It must be fun not having to think about what to shop for each week as the veggies and/or meat received suggest the menu. I can see us joining one soon. Weighing that idea against a weekly farmers market – perhaps both ways of staying local can be used in tandem.
I live near what they call ‘The Original’ Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles, also near Whole Foods – and while WF can be a silly place, both locations do another thing which I find invaluable – they keep me abreast of what is in season! Many markets will sell whatever produce they can procure no matter what the season; I’d rather have a new selection appear as the seasons change. (Although I miss the really crisp Autumn apples)
An early Happy Anniversary to you!
Thank you, Aubrey!
I enjoyed browsing your farmers market website. It’s been there in Los Angeles since 1934 and is open every day! Around here the farmers markets are open only one day a week for a few hours, and so far I’ve only found one that stays open all winter. I will think of you in the fall when we go apple-picking – I would miss the crispness of fresh apples, too. I’m looking forward to getting better acquainted with what the local seasons offer around here.
http://www.farmersmarketla.com/
Hi Barbara!! Long time.. I’ve been thinking about you & not getting any time to hop over here.. lots of posts I have missed. I hope you had a nice easter. See you soon…
Hi Sonali! It is a challenge at times, juggling blog visits with everything else in our lives. We did have a pleasant Easter visiting Auntie in her room at the nursing home. She can still put a jig-saw puzzle together in record time. 🙂
Good morning, Barbara. I enjoyed reading these thoughts from the two Barbaras and contemplating the value of local foods. Our co-op has made a pledge to have more local food recently and that has been nice. I especially love our local honey. To think that bees buzzed in Aura and created honey here–that’s amazing that we can get it. They say that local honey has the best benefit of all. Glad to hear that you are healing deep within over the move of seasons.
Hello there, Kathy! Our local honey does seem to help with my seasonal allergies, and every morning I have some in my cup of tea, which is not local at all. I wonder if it is possible to be completely local! I was so happy when I started roasting my local chicken, and then deflated to see that the asparagus I bought at the food co-op was from Mexico… That’s cool that your food co-op is working to have more local foods in stock. It was so nice to hear from you again! 🙂
OK “tallow-fried animal pulp” ! That is my quote for the day! I think it’s sad how comfortable some folk are with their choices … and of course the food industry is largely to blame. Thanks for getting the conversation going …
Sounds appetizing, doesn’t it. Sybil? Makes me think of the pink slime (in beef) controversy. It’s true that the food industry has got us duped, pretty much hook, line and sinker. We cannot even trust the words used on food packaging. Grrrrr………
Interesting thoughts on organic food, Barbara. And so glad you and yours are feeling better these days. Blessings. XO ♥
Thank you, Diane. *hugs*