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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Being Patriotic and the Food Transport Story

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  • From: "Del Williams" <delannw AT dlogue.net>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Being Patriotic and the Food Transport Story
  • Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 11:46:06 -0600

I'll say this... I'm glad to be able to buy cranberries from the northeast.
That's the beauty of our food system. Better that than those canned
disgusting jelly things.

I can grow my own sweet potatoes, potatoes, green beans, buy a fresh turkey
(locally raised) and the cornbread stuffing... well I live in the cornbelt.

Even so, I buy organic cornmeal. It isn't from Illinois.

My stuffing contains sweet Italian sausage. Locally produced. The eggs for
today's feast came from a local farm. The pumpkin pie from a locally
produced pumpkin and the cherry pie from my neighbor's tree. The wheat for
the rolls came from an organic producer... I have no idea what their
location is but it ain't Illinois.

My point is... food distribution in today's economy is a good thing. I look
for local when that is available. But some things... they aren't to be
found around here.

We're lucky here in this hemisphere. There are so many foods available.
With the big chain grocery stores, one never knows.

Tell me this. If you wanted to run a local grocery store without the
connection to a chain... where would you find reliable producers to stock
your shelves, dairy and meatcases? And how about wines? My turkey is
basted with Chardonnay. You know what it is like to find organic Chardonnay
in the US? It's available if you can find it... but most people won't
bother.

That's the crux of the matter. Customers want continuity and predictability.
It's difficult to tell customers... the season didn't work out this year.
They don't get it. Disease, drought, an overabundance of rain, pest
infestations. People don't care because they don't know how food is
actually produced.

No organic Chardonnay here this year. But I did find a nice organic Pinot
Grigio.

I go back to the cranberries. Can't grow them here. I would be mighty
disappointed not to have them with my turkey. As a grower, I know the
problems of cranberry producers. But I'm in the minority.

The rest of consumers don't care. They just want cranberries because they
belong on the table.

At least we think so.

Maybe our locally grown campaign ought to include recipes... for only
locally grown. Good for me in the Midwest. How would the folks in Phoenix
do?

BTW, my dressing contains a couple dried Chipotle chiles.

Del Williams
Clifton, IL










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