I woke up this morning in a wonderful mood. That mood got even better when I logged onto my Facebook account. Apparently Oprah had Michael Pollan on her show yesterday. I didn't watch it, but have read great things on her site. There were so many people talking about it on Facebook. They were linking to Oprah, saying they needed to make a change and talking about Food Inc. I had to join in and link to local Farmer's Markets that are running in the winter.
It makes me feel hopeful for some significant changes. It would be even better if these same people would look into planting a few edibles in their yard this year. I swear that gardening is like crack, you get hooked and you can't stop at just the tomato plant, you have to have more! Well, maybe that's just me. If this groundswell from Oprah's show gets a real toehold, there could be major change this year.
There have already been huge numbers of new gardeners. Anybody who tried to order seeds last Spring, quickly found out that things were rapidly running out and many were unable to get the varieties that they wanted. I just got my Fedco order and along with it was a letter in Fedco style. It talked about the politics of farming, how they are continuing to see record sales and struggling to keep up with them. The types of veggies are changing too. It seems that more and more of us are looking to grow veggies that are good keepers over the winter. This is important. If more of us have fruits and veggies in the basement, there will be less demand for those summer fruits and veggies from our Southern neighbors. We need to get people hooked on the taste of fresh from the garden foods. How can you even look at a grocery store tomato, when a little patience brings you a garden tomato.
There are so many delicious things that people have forgotten about. Take our dinner tonight for an example. We'll be having roasted veggies. They all come from either our own garden or the farmer's market. With sweet potatoes, carrots, beets and onions, the taste is amazing. Why have a tasteless imported tomato, when I can have those gorgeous root veggies. The flavors can't even compete.
Then there is the taste of real meat. The chicken that we've been eating lately are from the local slaughterhouse. They aren't those quick grow chickens. These are dual purpose birds that were running around in someone's backyard. The legs tend to be a bit tougher, since they actually use their legs, but the taste is incredible. It actually tastes like chicken. This is the same with all the meats that we've gotten from there or other local places. You don't need to eat as much of this kind of meat, there is so much flavor, you don't need to.
I'm amazed at how far our local eating journey has taken us. We still have a long way to go, but its been amazing. If more people become interested, it can only get better.
14 comments:
Oprah is really good at getting people to change, or at least think about change. We can only hope.
Daphne, exactly. If anyone can get people to change, its apparently her. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
It is crack.. seriously. I was grumbling again last night about having to use store bought tomatoes b/c our droughty, dry, hot global warming weather didn't happen for the second year in a row. 2yrs ago I got 6 jars (L's) before the mould got them... this year none. Too cold, too wet.
Hopefully this summer. We have 250 plants of roma's and same of beefsteak for the clan in the field.
Our current beef is our own. I got 5 chicken's from the neighbor and they are all btwn 8 an 10 lbs... we're down to 2 of them. I still have a turkey from them and it's 17lbs in the freezer. Our local village grocery store has the BEST meat but it comes locally and that processor buys from the local farmers. I also go to another local butcher for sausage/bacon... they have the best homemade bacon... and I'm out :(
Farmwife, hopefully this year will be a better tomato year. I wish I had the space to have all the animals and veggies that you have. I have the will, but no way to do it here in suburbia.
I don't know if this ex-city girl could ever move back to suburbia... We've been here 12yrs shortly.
Call me a garden head my garden is going to double this year. And just by putting in the first garden here in the park, 5 other families are growing their own food.
Farmwife, if I had my way, we'd be long gone from suburbia.
Laura, it is amazing how many people decide to plant a garden after they see one. Mine grows every year and so do the number of neighbors gardening.
Nothing compares to home-grown vegetables. I'm delighted with the response to my big container and lasagna gardens around here and will help anyone get started. It's well worth the effort -- and, so delicious. Also try to buy all my meats from local producers, too. I can try 'exotic' (not local) foods when I go to restaurants or traveling.
Sharlene, great job! It is amazing the discussions that come up about home grown veggies.
I am also encouraged by the surge of interest people are having in gardening. I have been producing food from my garden all of my adult life... and I still ache to expand the garden, try new varieties, and pace about the house in winter ...wishing for the spring. It's a serious infection and I don't want to shake it. In fact, I hope I may be an instrument of change myself. I believe it was Mahatma Gandi that said "Be the change you want to see in the world." Wise man in so many ways.
More gardens, yes.
And I ran across two pieces of good news lately on the planet front, about time - the hole in the ozone over the Antarctic is closing, now that CFCs and halons have been restricted, and (talk about the other end of the spectrum) I've notice in my mania to recycle that even OTC pill bottles now mostly seem stamped with 1 or 2, which means our local recycling program will take them.
Kitsap, we can only model the behavior we want to see. It is powerful.
Karen Anne, that is great news! I'm always upset when things I have to get aren't recyclable. It's nice when they change.
Gidday Gardening Guru! You got me hooked! Speaking from experience, change won't come if there aren't people like you who care, and are prepared to help the newbies! Thanks for helping and believing in me! You're da bomb girl! Love you - the Vegetable Garden Virgin!
Kiwi, you are too sweet. You are no garden virgin! You have far more gardening experience than I, once you get the feel for veggies, you'll do better than me.
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