Tip o’ the Day: Figure Out Where Your Food Comes From
This is a tough one. Most people are more comfortable eating without thinking about where their food comes from. However, it is important knowledge to have. We're not asking that you go and personally visit farms (though it wouldn't be a bad idea!). What we're suggesting is that you read: The Omnivore's Dilemma - A Natural History of Four Meals.
The four meals that the author discusses include 1) conventional industrial food production, 2) big organic, 3) small farm organic, and 4) hunting & gathering. He didn't just make some phone calls to do his research. Author Michael Pollan followed each food process completely, farm to plate.
It will leave your jaw dropping. It just might also leave your stomach wrenching. You must decide when you are mentally ready to start the journey, but it is an important one to take.
Rebecca says: My favorite part was the small organic farm, which has an incredible, sustainable process. If possible, request this book from your local public library! I did!
Tags: farming, food, michael+pollan, omnivores+dilemma, organic
January 19th, 2007 at 2:49 am
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed Omnivore's… In fact, I lent a copy of it to Green Options' CEO this morning! It's this decade's Fast Food Nation, though probably even more important in its scope.
Being vegetarians, however, we were disappointed in the treatment of plant-based diets Pollan gives in a short section on the topic. When I gave a copy of the book to my parents over the holidays, I asked them to keep two question in mind while reading that section:
1. Why does Pollan focus solely on "animal rights" as a rationale for vegetarianism when, for many of us, it's not at the top of the list? (See here and here.)
2. Why does Pollan make the assumption that to have animals (on a farm) means necessarialy that we have to kill and eat them? Just read it, and you'll see what I mean.
Otherwise, I completely agree that Pollan's journey through the modern food industry (and its detractors) is enlightening and even enthralling. Not bad for a book about food!
February 7th, 2007 at 1:47 am
I agree, you would think there would be more focus on vegetarianism. Though, reading it, it was very much a person account of his journey. And since the author was a meat eater…I think he just gave us his point of view.