Argentina or the local farm
"Buying organic asparagus flown in from Argentina is no more morally defensible than eating a locally and sustainably raised cow. " says Lloyd Alter in his review of "The Omnivore's Dilema."
I am completely infatuated with this book by Michael Pollan because I've often wondered why on earth I am eating or drinking something, when my instincts tell me that it is full of sugars and chemicals. I don't really want it and more than half the time I don't enjoy it; but I have it nonetheless. Mostly because I am just bored and the choices don't include anything I want to have.
This book is about organic, industrial and hunted/gathered foods. It makes me think of El Salvador and how locally we ate. Yet, even there I remember how the makeup of even the richest soils became altered at the bigger farms with pesticides and fertilizers.
I haven't read half of this book yet, but I am already turned off by everything I see at the Supermarket and Television adds. How can they recommend such bad stuff? and how come consumers go ahead and buy all stuff for their families?
Finally, how can we escape this system?
Finding a local organic farm seems like a short term solution, but in the long run am afraid we are bound to run out of options.
I am completely infatuated with this book by Michael Pollan because I've often wondered why on earth I am eating or drinking something, when my instincts tell me that it is full of sugars and chemicals. I don't really want it and more than half the time I don't enjoy it; but I have it nonetheless. Mostly because I am just bored and the choices don't include anything I want to have.
This book is about organic, industrial and hunted/gathered foods. It makes me think of El Salvador and how locally we ate. Yet, even there I remember how the makeup of even the richest soils became altered at the bigger farms with pesticides and fertilizers.
I haven't read half of this book yet, but I am already turned off by everything I see at the Supermarket and Television adds. How can they recommend such bad stuff? and how come consumers go ahead and buy all stuff for their families?
Finally, how can we escape this system?
Finding a local organic farm seems like a short term solution, but in the long run am afraid we are bound to run out of options.
posted by KitcheView at 12:58 PM
2 Comments:
I am almost finished with the book. It was a great read and really alters the way you think about the foods you eat. I'm eating less meat, trying to buy only locally raised, organic, drug-free stuff. I want to vacation at Polyface Farm! It is amazing how corporations have totally co-opted our food production and how few people have a problem with it. It's great to eat local and with so many green markets in the city, you probably have a wide selection. I love critics that say it is 'elitist' and an expensive luxury to eat local and organic. Ummmm....how elitist and expesive is it to put a tomato plant in a pot or plant some lettuce seeds in a windowbox?
Totally (about the book).
I want to start a vegetable swap with other neighbors. I can grow beets, rhubarb, basil, sage and thyme. The tomato plants don't get enough sun to produce enough for sharing, so they'll have to grow at somebody else's plot of land. The hardest part is trying to convince people to grow things. Everyone says they kill plants and therefore give up without really trying. I might have to offer my services at tending to the gardens. Organic food is expensive because people are not looking at the right places. It is also not always convenient as picking it up on yoru way from work. We are defenetely going to do more organic eating.
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