I am irritated by Barbara Kingsolver's poetic lyrical writing, I find myself constantly re-reading sentences yelling at her "what are you trying to say?!". I was so excited about a fiction writer discussing food issues but now I am feeling like this book about herself and perfect family could be 100 pages shorter.
Deep down I know I am finding something to be irritated with because she is actually amazing and makes me feel like I am really lacking in the commitment part of my principles and beliefs (p. 102). She has really dedicated herself to the difficult task of forging a path that goes outside of society's bounds and creating the life/community she imagines and believes in. Luckily there is a HUGE community of like-minded folks and what a gift to know so many other inspiring folks, what a gift that her partner adn her are in this together, and what an amazing environment for her kids to be surrounded by.
Similar to how I feel about Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer, I would not call this a seminal book on the topic, but I really never do get tired of hearing each and every person's unique journey that has lead them to their beliefs and principles on their relationship with food, and foods relationship to community. Below are some quotes and ideas or events that struck me in the book that we can reference when Nimai starts to steer the topic towards Star Trek or Dune.
1) p. 5 VMT of our food. "Each food item in a typical US meal has traveled 1500 miles". Consider the energy and and oil used for transport, processing, packaging, warehousing, refrigerating) One local and organic meal a week would reduce US oil consumption by 1.1 million barrels every week. I really think food is the central artery in sustainability and resource use!!
2)p. 9 "Education is key to moving away from manual labor". Generation of mechanization, industrial revolution, moving away from working with our hands, getting dirty, lose our relationship with the earth, connection to our resources. Would we say now its the highly educated recognizing this disconnect, and initiating a return to the land?
3) p. 11 Knowledge and science that farmers know without knowing they know, through their experience farming
4)p. 12 "we can't know what we haven't been taught"
5)p. 19 Food aid... 75% must be grown, packaged and shipped by US companies... "resources go farthest when people produce their own food, near where it is consumed"
6) p. 30 "respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best"... that's a tall order
7) p. 31 Seasonality and virginity
8) p. 77, p. 163 Farmers productivity is connected to soil fertility, industrial ag deteriorates it
9) p. 90 Saving endangered plant and animal species... by eating them?
10) Sweet little Camille's argument against a vegan diet... Hindu's eating bugs, the illusion of more options in a meat diet
11) People who choose to be frugal on food are sacrificing health p. 115
12) p. 121, 123 Discussion on organic certification. Who needs if your customers know your farm? Organic doesn't translate to sustainable in all other forms as well...
13) p. 122 "the larger the corporation, the more distant its motives apt to be from the original spirit of organic farming" Too heavy a generalization?
14)p. 129, globally speaking, people consume more soft drinks and packaged foods as they grow more affluent; home cooked meals are mroe rural, less affluent... but then there's the argument that only wealthy people can afford healthy food?? which is it?
15) p. 133 who attends cheese making classes? AWESOME PEOPLLE P. 136 "it does feel subversive to flout the professionals and make a thing yourself"
16) p. 134 One thing organic, have it be dairy
17) p. 150 "Thomas Jefferson presumed on the basis of colonial experience that farming and democracy are intimately connected. Cultivation of land meets the needs of the farmer, the neighbors, and the community, and keeps people independent from domineering centralized powers" WHAT WOULD ISHMAEL SAY
18) p. 161 soil/grass flavors the milk as it does grapes/wine
19)p. 179 Midwest mandating the purchase of locally grown organic food in schools, jail, and other facilities... how, does counter view of organic regulations, or regulations in general?
20) p. 208 US is more concerned about exploitation of asian workers than our local farmers
21) Wendell Berry wrote a novel?! "Jayber Crow"
22) Chapter 14: MEAT. p. 220 ""killing" is a loaded term", p. 221-222 Animal and critter death by vegetable farming!!!
23) p. 225 Vegetarian option is a luxury... folks get their nutrients through animals that can digest it where humans can't
Deep down I know I am finding something to be irritated with because she is actually amazing and makes me feel like I am really lacking in the commitment part of my principles and beliefs (p. 102). She has really dedicated herself to the difficult task of forging a path that goes outside of society's bounds and creating the life/community she imagines and believes in. Luckily there is a HUGE community of like-minded folks and what a gift to know so many other inspiring folks, what a gift that her partner adn her are in this together, and what an amazing environment for her kids to be surrounded by.
Similar to how I feel about Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer, I would not call this a seminal book on the topic, but I really never do get tired of hearing each and every person's unique journey that has lead them to their beliefs and principles on their relationship with food, and foods relationship to community. Below are some quotes and ideas or events that struck me in the book that we can reference when Nimai starts to steer the topic towards Star Trek or Dune.
1) p. 5 VMT of our food. "Each food item in a typical US meal has traveled 1500 miles". Consider the energy and and oil used for transport, processing, packaging, warehousing, refrigerating) One local and organic meal a week would reduce US oil consumption by 1.1 million barrels every week. I really think food is the central artery in sustainability and resource use!!
2)p. 9 "Education is key to moving away from manual labor". Generation of mechanization, industrial revolution, moving away from working with our hands, getting dirty, lose our relationship with the earth, connection to our resources. Would we say now its the highly educated recognizing this disconnect, and initiating a return to the land?
3) p. 11 Knowledge and science that farmers know without knowing they know, through their experience farming
4)p. 12 "we can't know what we haven't been taught"
5)p. 19 Food aid... 75% must be grown, packaged and shipped by US companies... "resources go farthest when people produce their own food, near where it is consumed"
6) p. 30 "respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best"... that's a tall order
7) p. 31 Seasonality and virginity
8) p. 77, p. 163 Farmers productivity is connected to soil fertility, industrial ag deteriorates it
9) p. 90 Saving endangered plant and animal species... by eating them?
10) Sweet little Camille's argument against a vegan diet... Hindu's eating bugs, the illusion of more options in a meat diet
11) People who choose to be frugal on food are sacrificing health p. 115
12) p. 121, 123 Discussion on organic certification. Who needs if your customers know your farm? Organic doesn't translate to sustainable in all other forms as well...
13) p. 122 "the larger the corporation, the more distant its motives apt to be from the original spirit of organic farming" Too heavy a generalization?
14)p. 129, globally speaking, people consume more soft drinks and packaged foods as they grow more affluent; home cooked meals are mroe rural, less affluent... but then there's the argument that only wealthy people can afford healthy food?? which is it?
15) p. 133 who attends cheese making classes? AWESOME PEOPLLE P. 136 "it does feel subversive to flout the professionals and make a thing yourself"
16) p. 134 One thing organic, have it be dairy
17) p. 150 "Thomas Jefferson presumed on the basis of colonial experience that farming and democracy are intimately connected. Cultivation of land meets the needs of the farmer, the neighbors, and the community, and keeps people independent from domineering centralized powers" WHAT WOULD ISHMAEL SAY
18) p. 161 soil/grass flavors the milk as it does grapes/wine
19)p. 179 Midwest mandating the purchase of locally grown organic food in schools, jail, and other facilities... how, does counter view of organic regulations, or regulations in general?
20) p. 208 US is more concerned about exploitation of asian workers than our local farmers
21) Wendell Berry wrote a novel?! "Jayber Crow"
22) Chapter 14: MEAT. p. 220 ""killing" is a loaded term", p. 221-222 Animal and critter death by vegetable farming!!!
23) p. 225 Vegetarian option is a luxury... folks get their nutrients through animals that can digest it where humans can't