Folks, it's a simple equation that we have strayed from since industrialization and farm subsidies. The sum of the equation is that you must reacquaint yourselves with your local farmers. Go to the source of great food. Let that farmer reintroduce you to the shortest chain between the Sun and your stomach. If you eat foods fresh from the garden that are not exposed to pesticides and herbicides, you have created the healthiest nutritional situation for yourself (the shortest chain). Secondly, the next situation involves the growth of your meat. Eat Ruminant. Ruminants are 4 stomach animals that are genetically and physiologically designed to digest grasses (not corn). Cattle, goats, sheep, buffalo and deer are all examples of Ruminants. Sure, eating chicken and pork is great, if they are fed a diet that is consistent with their natural biological needs and of equal or greater importance – are their living and processing conditions. Almost all of these animals that are available through conventional sources are raised in CAFO’s (concentrated animal feed operations). Regardless of whether these animals are fed organically or not - the animals are unclean with a high probability of being unhealthy (by way of living conditions, slaughter and further processing). The condition of individual meat producing animals can be deplorable in ways that are not measured by regulatory agencies, which brings me to my next point.
The process, the entire process has to be holistic – from the soil that grows the grasses and vegetables to the dinner table. No matter how pure or pristine the raw materials are . . . you simply can not expose true quality to an inferior or tainted processing and distribution system. At very best this system jeopardizes the quality of the finished product, and at worst – has completely tainted that which is processed.
The viewpoints that I’ve shared are not from a purely philosophical perspective . . . I farm . . not monoculture . . . I raise animals, fruits and vegetables – for people who have come to expect more from their food. I grow products with qualities that they can not find from conventional food sources. We have a free flowing exchange of my commitment . . . and their involvement.
Which brings us back to my original point, the most important step that anyone can take is to - get involved, please involve yourself with food that does not have a bar code. Get to know your farmers and let them know in no uncertain terms that if they grow food with integrity - you will buy it from them. This insures the future of clean, identifiable food sources, that employ sustainable agricultural practices. All the best.
Paul
ptsoule461@sbcglobal.net
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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