1. In Chapter 1, Kingslover decides to give up the family's double life of living in both Arizona and Virginia. The family all seems to concur and they set off to start a life on a farm in Virginia. Reading this transition made me frustrated and sad for I wish I could have such an option. Not to move from an arid, dry land to a lush, fertile one, but the move to a life more simple and closer to how I wish I could be living. As I read on though, I want to give up this empathetic and helplessness. Instead, I am going to take her and her story as an example and see how I can integrate pieces into my own for now. So, how are you trying to make a switch in your current life to simplicity, self sustainability, and mindfulness?2. Chapter 2 discusses the family's first plunge into eating seasonably. They could have waited until it was easy, but they did not - they began in a fresh produce drought in the midst of April. And they managed. Would you be able to give up fruits and veggies that are not in season? Where do you shop and locate fresh local produce? Do you think living seasonably is do-able in your current living area/situation?
3. Kingsolver sums up in Chapter 3 with one line our country's current state of food crisis - "boys in high school cafeterias treat salad exactly as if it is a feminine hygiene product." High school boys may just be the honest ones because who really wants to eat the crappy, tasteless vegetables available to us now? Getting people to enjoy vegetables again is a huge hurdle. If only everyone could taste the sweet, ripe goodness of freshly plucked tomatoes or the crisp, snappy deliciousness of picked green beans. How do you think the local food movement could overcome the massive stereotypes already in place about organics and fresh vegetables? What are some stereotypes you yourself have had and since changed or found wrong? Also, do you think if more people knew about their taxes paid for more oil usage to transport goods, do you think they would care and change? Do you?
General Question - Who's going to try some of the recipes when veggies come in season? If you already have, tell us how the came out!
Again, welcome to Club! I hope you enjoyed the first installments of Animal Vegetable Miracle and will continue reading with me.
Resources and ideas -
- read Biomimicry
- order the Seed Saver's Yearbook for heirloom variety seeds
I guess these are more as a response to yours.
ReplyDelete1. I am not sure just yet, but she has me thinking for sure. I want to try and make myself more aware of seasonal fruits and vegetables. It will definitely be difficult to give up certain things during the year though. Luckily, with my move to CA, I will be able to get more produce throughout the year then when I lived in Boston. I think I am also going to try harder to go to farmer’s markets and the local, ethnic markets around my neighborhood. Plus, I may spend the extra cash when I can on organics and produce that’s marked as locally grown.
2. April seems like a compromise, it’s not as bad as starting in the winter at least! Plus I liked that she made the point of purchasing at least one item from every vendor at the farmer’s market. I thought that was a good way to start off the adventure. I think I would be able to give up the fruits and vegetables easier if I was doing it with the people I was living with, or with a partner, or family – as in this case. It is hard because produce does not last long. Then, when only being able to work with what is in season, you are forced to cook more to utilize what is available, so I think I would find it hard to do it alone.
With that said, considering I now live in ‘sunny’ California, I might have an easier time doing this now, then I would have living in New England. One of the things I have already come to love is the produce out here. Even if I buy it from a grocery store, I feel it still tastes better out here.
3. As a lot of other people I have met, I grew up eating iceberg lettuce. I HATED vegetables, except for cucumbers, tomatoes, raw carrots and corn. For good reason too, most of all our vegetables were of the frozen variety. My parents only bought iceberg, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions (and corn on the cob when it was in season). It wasn’t until I went to college and started expanding my experiences all around that I went out and ate other vegetables. Now I love vegetables!
I wonder if local food groups could band up and tackle counties within states – hosting fairs, or trying to be a prominent presence at more local, neighborhood events, exposing people to the wonders of fresh produce. It might help if they use some of the statistics on gas consumption as well to make people wake up and realize the little changes that they could make to reduce oil consumption. It definitely does make me care more and want to be more aware and support local farms.
One of the worse things I think local farmers are facing is the American mindset of instant gratification. It is huge and it plays into the success of revolutionizing how we eat into a more environmentally conscious way. What are the statistics of the number of times people eat out in a week? Granted, you could make choices to eat somewhere that you know uses local goods, but that’s not always easy with all of the fast food chains EVERYWHERE. So what I am saying is that it might require people to cook more. I feel that this could be possible since people are realizing the obesity epidemic going on, but, I don’t feel like it’s happening that fast or going to happen that fast.
As for the general question, I would like to, but once again, I’d rather do it with someone else! Maybe I can persuade my roommate when she reads the book to cook with me!
Hi Erikka!
ReplyDeleteI'll try to swing by the library this week to see if they have this book and play catch up, if I can.
Hi, Erikka! I'm sorry I couldn't join in on the discussion! The plan is to be caught up by this weekend and ready to go on Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteDon't you wish you could TIVO your life once in awhile?
Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to check my library for Animal, Vegatable, Miracle.
in response to Christine's response -
ReplyDelete1. you've started the seasonal thing for sure - you sent me that website you use. and you are so much luckier to be in CA. The "season" there is like one long extended summer...ah, sweet. Hitting up farmer's markets is the best and easiest way to stay local.
2. It is harder doing it alone, but that's where storage, dehydration, freezing, and canning could come in to help a solo effort. Luckily, we have a dehydrator so I'll be experimenting with that this summer. And some canning can be done by boiling the jars in big pots, no canning machine sealer necessary. this way too, not only do you have fresh food in season, you extend your own personal season into winter with local, fresh food still.
3. Instant gratification - huge obstacle! when i worked down in Alabama education kids and some adults on organic gardening, it was so hard to get pass that american ideal. in alabama, most families are also facing poverty, so it is a little different, their need for instant gratification I mean. First, they have to worry about not losing their home, heat, or electric. Then, when they're not working and commuting at least two hours, they can squeeze in a meal. Which was usually churches chicken or some other fast food because it was easy, fast, and damn, people are tired after all that struggle...I focus here, on families in poverty, because they are the people I feel need fresh produce the most...and need to understand how it could...free them a little if they grew their own food.