For my second read n seed assignment I read the introduction and first two chapters of The Organic Food Guide: How to Shop Smarter and Eat Healthier. The author of the book, Steve Myerowitz discusses how complicated it can be to buy food nowadays and attempts to sort through some of the confusion when it comes to buying organic.
In terms of buying organic foods, the author describes the life of organic farmers and ho complicated the process of organic farming can be. Organic farmers must go through rigorous testing, record keeping, inspecting, and commit to 3 years minimum of chemical and pesticide free farming before the farm can be considered certified. Chemical free means no antibiotics, fertilizer, growth hormones or other artificial products, which can prove difficult when pesticides and chemical sprays can fly easily in the wind from farm to farm. What I found most interesting was the philosophy aspect of organic farming. This philosophy includes considering the entire ecological perspective of the food we eat, the soil it grew in, the animals or other creatures that live there, and the health of the humans involved. The philosophy of many organic farmers is an attempt to find harmony with the entire web of life involved in cultivating and consuming food. I believe this is something we as a society often lose sight of, and that we could be healthier and enjoy our food more if we just considered the entire process involved in food production.
The Meyerowitz also talks about how the process of buying food and understanding food labels can be quite difficult in contemporary society. With such a variety of products each promoting their own health benefits, it can be tough to find exactly what you need or want. The author sums up this idea by stating, "They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but shopping for one can be confusing!" Even in buying something as simple as apples (organic or not), it's important to be an educated consumer in order to make smart food choices.
So, the next time we all go grocery shopping, it would be great if we could all try to consider that the food does not just come from a shelf at the grocery store, that it in fact comes from a delicate web of life and perhaps we will all have a better understanding and appreciation of the food we eat every day.
I agree that it can be confusing as to what is actually organic and what isn't sometimes. Coming from a small town with a lot of farms, I have seen first hand some of the hard work that goes into making produce and it makes me appreciate it that much more.
ReplyDeleteAll the different labels are very confusing on food. I'm never sure what to get. Does the author give any good tips?
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ReplyDeleteI was raised on a farm and know first had how much hard work goes into raising a successful farm. I think farmers deserve way more credit in providing us with food than we give them. I am definitely appreciative when it comes to that
ReplyDeleteI did not know how much time and effort went into becoming certified as organic. That is a huge amount of dedication that shows how much people really care. I have heard of a similar concept called "mindful eating" that really emphasizes thinking about every aspect of the food you eat, including where it came from.
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