Words express the importance of, and give dimension to, the important aspects of our traditions and cultures. The mesquite pod was a staple part of the diet of the Seri Indians. They had seven words to describe the stages of ripeness of the pod while we have only one. The word "organic" is important. For much of the 20th century it has meant a way of farming without pesticides and antibiotics; producing food that is wholesome and healthy without additives and preservatives.
It started as a way for small farmers to produce healthy food and counter the effects of agribusiness. In the last fifteen years agribusiness has seen the profits in organics and now we have huge so-called organic farms. We do not have the security of knowing any longer whether our organic food is GMO free, whether there is sewage sludge in it or traces of pesticides. We learn that most of our food travels an average of 1,500 miles to reach us, often picked green and lacking in nutrition. Freshness, quality of soil, the variety grown and where it came from can probably tell us more about what we are eating than the label “organic”
We can now become "locavores" eating food grown locally and purchased from a farmer's market, or a CSA box of fresh vegetable goodies from a neighborhood farm that we pick up on a regular basis. Of course, there is nothing better than digging in the dirt and harvesting the veggies that we have lovingly grown ourselves. We even have other options; Wildman Steve Brill who has been foraging in New York’s Central Park for decades will tell you that you do not have to grow it yourself. It is there for anybody that cares to look. He can find wood sorrel, tasting like lemonade at West 107th St and sassafras tasting like root beer in Central Park.
Although we do have other options you have to decide whether eating local is worth the extra effort needed to gather all your food from local but varied sources? It is so much easier to go to the local supermarket.. Yet, there is nothing like putting a face on one’s food, for every item on your plate will have a story to tell. Your meal has become an adventure and a source for dinner time conversation. As many of us try to save some money in a difficult economy we should look to the simple pleasures of a home cooked meal and a return to the enjoyments to be had from "hearth and home".
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