Saturday, January 30, 2010

Here we go again!

Well, once again it's snowing here in the Old Dominion.  Here in our little corner of the world, we are looking at another 8-12".  We have about 4" so far and it is coming down with great intensity!

I have been thinking a lot about food.  We have been on this house journey that will hopefully end with us snuggled up on 10 acres in Goochland County, but this thought process has been forming for quite some time, and has only recently come to a head.

As a Christian I am constantly challenged by my believing friends to be a better follower of Christ, to live for Him, to lead my children ever closer to Him.  I am often discouraged by many Christ-followers who turn a blind eye to matters of environmental impact, our personal responsibility of earth stewardship, the fact that a creator wants to see his creation cared for with utmost respect (how much more The Creator).  I recently read a wonderful book entitled Gardening Eden by Michael Abbate.  What an amazing believer's perspective on, what he calls, creation care.  Recently some of my close friends are coming around to this perspective.  We seem to meet with resistance to what many see as a politically liberal issue.  Maybe it is traditionally a liberal issue, but let's not throw out the baby with the bath water!

Anyway, back to my point.  I am a member of an online community of parents (Natural and Attachment Parents of Richmond) who challenge me in so many ways.  While most of them do not share my faith, they do, overwhelmingly, seek to better themselves in ways that often convict me!

It was through this community that I was introduced to several great books.  I started off reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.  This is an account of a family (from here in VA) who ate all local foods for a year.  This got me thinking a lot about the fact that here in the US supermarkets, there are no seasons!  I can have strawberries today if I want.  How far did they travel to get to my supermarket?  Well, pretty far, frankly.

The next book recommend that I picked up was Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.  It gets into the business and politics of agriculture, the processes of food production, and really brings to light our government's direct role the problem of obesity!

The final straw for me, though, was the film Food, Inc.  If you haven't seen it, see it!!  It will force you to think about your buying practices.  As for me, I am done with Tyson, Perdue, Monsanto, and all the corporate animal and farmer abusers.  We will be raising our food budget to reflect the choices we will be making.  I am looking to join a natural foods co-op, when we move, we plan to grow a lot of our own food, we will commit to purchasing only free-range chicken, grass fed beef, and to treating our bodies as gently as we treat our earth.

I think I will probably be expanding on this as we get on a bit into this journey. Looking forward to growing!

8 comments:

  1. Comment test! Go local and organic!

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  2. Glad it worked... It looks like nobody reads my blog!

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  3. I'm reading too and really enjoyed this post! It sounds like your family is dealing with a lot of the same food issues/choices we are. One intersting thing we were trying for a while was after blessing our meal,to discuss the true origins of all of the food we are eating while at the dinner table. It really makes you think twice about buying the purdue/tyson/monsanto products when you go to shop for food after a few of those discussions!

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  4. Thank you for sharing all of this. I admire you!! I do hope that someday soon our financial situation will allow us to support our local growers more, in the meantime I do the best I can with what we have. I can't wait for you to get on your 10 acres :) I know you will love it!! ('cause I sure would ;) )

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  5. I commend you Amy for the choices you are making. (I do read your blogs and check often to see what you have posted). I am sure your family will be healthier for it and your environment too. It does cost more to buy the organic. Here in Lincoln, we are fortunate to have some local sources. During the summer months there are a number of Farmer's Markets as well as a health food grocery that sells organic foods.
    Mary

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  6. I think you are embarking on a wonderful journey. I am inspired by your commitment and pray you can sell your house soon so you can get moving on this next phase of your life. ~Jessica P.

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  7. Thanks for all the love everyone! I can't wait to share more about this as I research local sources of real food. Miriam, I checked out the sale flyers for Whole Foods and Elwood Thompson's and I may have to become the natural foods bargain-shopping guru. You already do a lot by growing and preserving so much in the summers! Can't wait to do that!!

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  8. You always amaze me with your foresight and inspiration into such worthwhile matters that face everyone. However, you don't just read and go on with your life....you do something about it. I enjoy your blog and you are always teaching me something new. Thanks for sharing your faith and insight to what is important to you.

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