Combatting Shelf Reliance

Yesterday was an exciting news day for me. I loved hearing that First Lady Michelle Obama is starting an organic vegetable garden at the White House! I cannot think of something that better signifies popular acceptance of the importance of growing your own food, and organically at that! It is a great sign of leadership and I also liked Michelle's focus on the way a garden can help people (especially children) to learn about better nutrition, and perhaps most importantly, where the food they eat comes from and what it takes to produce it.

I think this is such a vital subject to consider because it speaks to how divorced we have become from the basics. Since humans have to eat for survival, it seems logical that not knowing how to produce your own food would be a pretty cavalier--maybe even dumb?- attitude to have. It assumes 100% reliance on store bought "shelf" items. It assumes that one will always have money to buy said items. It assumes that there will always be available food produced by "someone else" . It assumes that one is comfortable with the quality of the food this "someone" produced and the means by which it came to be at your table.

I have started to question a lot of these assumptions. I don't know if I should be comfortable eating something grown 5000 miles away from me or eating meat fed grain that most of the earth's people would gladly eat or ever wondering whether the thing I am feeding my children is going to end up giving them cancer. I don't want unknowns going into mouth or the mouths of my babes! I am no expert about the state of our industrialized food system, but some of what I've heard and read discourages me and makes me want to seek out better options that are more in my control.

The most obvious and inexpensive way I can think of doing that is to grow more of my own food, pesticide free. I already know that my backyard cucumber isn't going to look anything like that perfect green waxy long boy in the produce section, but what I trade out in looks maybe I'll trade in for taste and the satisfaction of self-reliance? I've grown a few herbs and veggies in my time and it is hard not to smile and say "I grew that!" when you bite into it. It is deeply satisfying to eat something personally tended to and watched. Like so much we've lost in modern times, it is a tribute to the sweetness that comes from delayed gratification. In the garden, good things really do come to those who wait. So for me, I think if you have the time, the space, and especially if you have little kids around that can benefit from the firsthand experience of learning about nature and where their food comes from, having a backyard garden seems like such an easy way to reconnect with what you eat.

But I also recognize that gardening is not for everyone and definitely not a requirement of modern life. There are so many other ways to take better ownership of what you put in your mouth. Supporting local CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) is another great way. These programs have sprouted up all over the country and it is genius. Basically you sign up with a local farmer and pay them a fee for a season's worth of fruits and vegetables...this way they get money upfront before the harvest and you get fresh, locally grown stuff all summer! It is such a cool thing. We did it through Borski Farms here in Salt Lake for a couple years and enjoyed it so much. It definitely made us cook differently because you get a different selection each week and we certainly ate better quality food. Here is a list of local Utah CSA farms if you want to check it out. And if CSAs are too much of a commitment, don't forget to support local farmers at local Farmer's Markets!

I just heard about a cool program called Farm to School that basically does the CSA thing for the food served in school cafeterias. They connect local farmers with local schools so the kids are given healthier, fresh food and the farmers are supported by a big client. Since Cleo will start kindergarten next year (gulp) this is an idea that really appeals to me. I think it is brilliant! It doesn't look like there are programs here in Utah yet but I contacted them today and I'll find out the details. Keep you posted.