I have gotten behind on all my blog posts, but this is the challenge I am most upset to be missing out on. For the rest of the challenge I have promised myself that I will post the current week on time, along with 1-2 additional "back-logged" posts each week so that I've responded to each topic by the end of the challenge.
This week's topic is Money.
Questions for Reflection:
•Using our money to buy fresh, local food–which may or may not cost more than the supermarket equivalent–is an exciting way to put our values into practice. Even the smallest step in that direction makes a difference. Thinking about buying local food in this way, how might it be good stewardship to buy local, seasonal food even if it costs more than other options?
Especially when you are focusing on stewardship, in figuring the total cost of the food you are buying, you have to account for the TOTAL cost - not just the cash you pay up front for the product. Just as Michelle brings up in her post, a low-cost processed food today may bring you higher doctors bills down the line! The cost to the environment alone should bring the "real cost" of conventional foods higher than locally grown organic produce, so I feel it makes sense to buy SOLE food, bottom line.
Challenge to Action:
•Evaluate your food budget. Are there processed items or restaurant meals you can give up so more money is available for fresh, local products or fair trade items? Or would you consider increasing your food budget itself for this purpose?
I know that we can give up more processed foods to re-channel money into making better choices, specifically to buy more ethically and sustainably raised meat. My main roadblock is my husband, who prefers to buy whatever meat is on sale at the supermarket. He has yet to be convinced that better treatment of the animals, greater thought as to how the farming of those animals effects our environment, and even proper diet and lack of chemicals (promoting a healthier animal) is better for us, the eaters of said animals. Or more rightly, he doesn't feel it's "better enough" to pay the higher prices.
To his credit - I have not been able to fully explain why I am so passionate about the subject. That's partially why I chose to take part in this challenge; to try and flesh out why I feel we should be focusing our dining on real foods made by people we've met in places not so far away. I struggle as well when it comes to the cost of certain foods. It's also daunting trying to figure out where to find the "real thing". Can you trust the labels, or do you have to know the farmer himself (or herself)? If you know someone who knows the farmer, is that enough? Do they have the same definition of humane that you do?
Sometimes I feel that there are more questions than answers.... but what it really comes down to is doing what you can do. Taking those baby steps towards something better. Taking the time to stop and think about what you are about to buy... what you are about to eat.
Showing posts with label Food and Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food and Faith. Show all posts
Friday, June 4, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Food & Faith Challenge: Creation
This week's topic is Creation.
Reflection
•What are examples of sustainable agriculture you’ve encountered? Do you know farmers who are actively improving their farm’s soil, water quality, treatment of animals, biodiversity, or community involvement?
The CSA we buy into has a fantastic set-up on a large scale (one of the largest in the country) although small enough that they invite all the shareholders for a tour and a picnic dinner, and then a couple I am friends with back in Nebraska have been starting sustainable agriculture on a much smaller scale with their start-up farm and CSA.
Action
•Walk slowly and mindfully through a piece of land that’s important to you.
I took a stroll through our very small city back yard (stroll might be exaggerating!) and tried to imagine what our small garden will look like when it is the middle of June or July and the plants are bursting with fruits. The land is not even our own - but the fact that we have made a choice to amend and nurture the earth in hopes of providing ourselves with food (we are still young enough gardeners to get really excited about the fact that WE GREW THAT TOMATO!!!) increases the value of the land ten-fold!
•Watch Food, Inc. and post a review on your blog or email me your thoughts.
I am bummed about the timing of this action item and urge everyone who hasn't already watched the film to watch Food, Inc. for its television premier on PBS April 21st! That is my plan (although it's absurd we haven't already watched it through Netflix, I am very happy to support public television!).
Sorry to be short, but I wanted to get in under deadline for this week and it is also WAY past my bedtime!
Reflection
•What are examples of sustainable agriculture you’ve encountered? Do you know farmers who are actively improving their farm’s soil, water quality, treatment of animals, biodiversity, or community involvement?
The CSA we buy into has a fantastic set-up on a large scale (one of the largest in the country) although small enough that they invite all the shareholders for a tour and a picnic dinner, and then a couple I am friends with back in Nebraska have been starting sustainable agriculture on a much smaller scale with their start-up farm and CSA.
Action
•Walk slowly and mindfully through a piece of land that’s important to you.
I took a stroll through our very small city back yard (stroll might be exaggerating!) and tried to imagine what our small garden will look like when it is the middle of June or July and the plants are bursting with fruits. The land is not even our own - but the fact that we have made a choice to amend and nurture the earth in hopes of providing ourselves with food (we are still young enough gardeners to get really excited about the fact that WE GREW THAT TOMATO!!!) increases the value of the land ten-fold!
•Watch Food, Inc. and post a review on your blog or email me your thoughts.
I am bummed about the timing of this action item and urge everyone who hasn't already watched the film to watch Food, Inc. for its television premier on PBS April 21st! That is my plan (although it's absurd we haven't already watched it through Netflix, I am very happy to support public television!).
Sorry to be short, but I wanted to get in under deadline for this week and it is also WAY past my bedtime!
Food & Faith Challenge: where does your food come from?
I'm a little behind on the blog, but hopefully this weekend I can get caught up on the highlights of everything. First of all, the Food and Faith Challenge: check out the explanation here... this is put on by The Local Cook, who was also a participant in the Dark Days Challenge.
I had a slight pause in joining the Challenge since the texts that are focused upon are very much Christian based (an fyi... I'm Jewish), but as someone who has studied religion at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, it's not like I haven't seen the new testament before and conveniently much of it is sourced from the first 5 books (aka "old" testament) anywho. In addition, it sounded like Wendy (I'm pretty sure that's her name) is pretty welcoming and open to non-Christian participation, and the focus seems to be how each person relates their food experience with their own faith - which I can certainly do!
SO ONWARD!
The first week (last week), the topic was "where does your food come from?"
Reflection:
My biggest concern about the current food chain is the loss of flavor and nutrients in industrial ag's produce. In a very short period of time we have gone from a nation (and world, for that matter) where communities grew their own produce and ate it only when in season to an environment where nothing is off limits at any time of the year. Don't get me wrong... those champagne mangos (grown in chili, maybe?) are mightly tasty - so flavor is not always sacrificed. But the resources required to get those mangos to me in Baltimore in the dead of winter are certainly contributing to a much larger problem.
Action:
•At your usual grocery store, see if you can find information about where the produce is grown. Then check out meat, milk, and eggs. Is any of it local?
I am very proud to say that our "usual grocery store" is a small locally owned market where the owner carefully sources everything she sells. If she sells eggs- she visits the farm and makes sure the conditions are acceptable. Just about every item in the store lists the source of the food, and about 90% is within 100 miles of the store. We've gotten to the point where we go to the market to pick up our Winter Buyers Co-op (in the winter) or CSA (June-Nov), and then grab whatever dairy, meat or bread we might need - AND THEN, if there is an additional something in particular we need which cannot be found at the market, we'll hit the "regular" supermarket. Honestly - I say we (as in my hubby and I), but the local agenda is being pushed by me - and my very lovely husband is being very good in going with my SOLE leanings when I am in the lead. When he runs to get ingredients for a dinner he is fixing while I am working late - he still goes straight to the supermarket for the meat that's on sale or the frozen totino's pizza. Baby steps, I say.... I try and pick my battles for now.
In the summer we try and hit the farmers market at least every other week - but with the CSA and the fact that we've begun growing some of our own veg - we're normally swimming in local produce.
A quick note on the text selection:
3 He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
4 Every man will sit under his own vine
and under his own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the LORD Almighty has spoken.
The bolded is the emphasis from The Local Cook - the italics highlight a passage I am much more familiar with. It is good to see the two passages together.... that once we stop fighting there might come a time when we would all be able to provide sustanance for ourselves and our families.... although I'd like to think that we can work on both goals concurrently!
I had a slight pause in joining the Challenge since the texts that are focused upon are very much Christian based (an fyi... I'm Jewish), but as someone who has studied religion at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, it's not like I haven't seen the new testament before and conveniently much of it is sourced from the first 5 books (aka "old" testament) anywho. In addition, it sounded like Wendy (I'm pretty sure that's her name) is pretty welcoming and open to non-Christian participation, and the focus seems to be how each person relates their food experience with their own faith - which I can certainly do!
SO ONWARD!
The first week (last week), the topic was "where does your food come from?"
Reflection:
My biggest concern about the current food chain is the loss of flavor and nutrients in industrial ag's produce. In a very short period of time we have gone from a nation (and world, for that matter) where communities grew their own produce and ate it only when in season to an environment where nothing is off limits at any time of the year. Don't get me wrong... those champagne mangos (grown in chili, maybe?) are mightly tasty - so flavor is not always sacrificed. But the resources required to get those mangos to me in Baltimore in the dead of winter are certainly contributing to a much larger problem.
Action:
•At your usual grocery store, see if you can find information about where the produce is grown. Then check out meat, milk, and eggs. Is any of it local?
I am very proud to say that our "usual grocery store" is a small locally owned market where the owner carefully sources everything she sells. If she sells eggs- she visits the farm and makes sure the conditions are acceptable. Just about every item in the store lists the source of the food, and about 90% is within 100 miles of the store. We've gotten to the point where we go to the market to pick up our Winter Buyers Co-op (in the winter) or CSA (June-Nov), and then grab whatever dairy, meat or bread we might need - AND THEN, if there is an additional something in particular we need which cannot be found at the market, we'll hit the "regular" supermarket. Honestly - I say we (as in my hubby and I), but the local agenda is being pushed by me - and my very lovely husband is being very good in going with my SOLE leanings when I am in the lead. When he runs to get ingredients for a dinner he is fixing while I am working late - he still goes straight to the supermarket for the meat that's on sale or the frozen totino's pizza. Baby steps, I say.... I try and pick my battles for now.
In the summer we try and hit the farmers market at least every other week - but with the CSA and the fact that we've begun growing some of our own veg - we're normally swimming in local produce.
A quick note on the text selection:
3 He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
4 Every man will sit under his own vine
and under his own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the LORD Almighty has spoken.
The bolded is the emphasis from The Local Cook - the italics highlight a passage I am much more familiar with. It is good to see the two passages together.... that once we stop fighting there might come a time when we would all be able to provide sustanance for ourselves and our families.... although I'd like to think that we can work on both goals concurrently!
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