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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] What Alice Waters is Missing

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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  • From: Joan Vibert <joan@windwalkerfarm.com>
  • To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] What Alice Waters is Missing
  • Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:04:39 -0500

Title: Re: [Livingontheland] What Alice Waters is Missing
“that healthy can be cheaper “ This is exactly what I am trying to get across to people in the cooking classes I am teaching both at Whole Foods and in our Life Skills Workshops here at our farm and, yes, it might require some lifestyle change – like actually cooking – not opening boxes and sticking them in the microwave or oven.  I know people who think this is cooking.  We do grow as much of our own food as possible but this winter we couldn’t afford the plastic for our 96’ high tunnel and thus lost all the greens that were planted in it.  We have been able to maintain our high standard of eating as organically as possible on our social security checks (mainly from Whole Foods).  When people say organic is too expensive or elitist they obviously haven’t a clue about cooking, nutrition, or shopping – and probably don’t intend to learn – let them eat junk!   

Joan (www.windwalkerfarm.com)


> From: Tradingpost <tradingpost@lobo.net>
> Reply-To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing
> <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:34:39 -0700
> To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] What Alice Waters is Missing
>
>
> You have a point. But I still stress that the good stuff you can buy from
> farmers markets can save much of  the old food budget, maybe most - if you
> know how to cook. We've priced a lot of packaged items compared to scratch,
> and it's true. And yes professional lifestyles can get in the way of doing
> a lot for yourself. But if you look at the thousands who've been laid off
> in Wall Street lately, there will likely be a lot fewer professionals in
> our future. Burpee and others claim seed sales have skyrocketed. Times are
> changing, but it takes some skill in the garden or the kitchen to make
> healthy food affordable. This is a theme I haven't seen explained anywhere
> on the Internet -.
>
> paul tradingpost@lobo.net
>
> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
>
> On 3/26/2009 at 7:30 PM Liz wrote:
>
>>>
>>> (nonsense. if people learned how to cook they'd find eating organic is
>>> cheaper than processed storebought. and of course most of us can't get
>>> enough variety at farmers markets, no surprise, so we need to grow more
>> of
>>> our own or buy local from other sources. too hard for the clueless to
>>> figure out.)
>>>
>>
>> I agree, but I think what the author was saying was, "With my current
>> lifestyle [and by extension, that of the people she was writing for], I
>> can't eat the way Alice Waters says we should eat." She didn't sound like
>> a
>> person who was eating much processed food, but there aren't many
>> professional lifestyles that can be maintained while you're growing enough
>
>> garden to feed yourself at the same time (first hand experience speaking
>> here).
>>
>> If Alice Waters realizes the extent of lifestyle change that's going to be
>
>> required to eat healthy, local food, she isn't talking much about it. Nor
>> are most of the others who are advocating for healthy, locally grown food.
>
>> Perhaps that's because not all of them understand what it takes to provide
>
>> it, but it may also be that no one would listen at all if they just said
>> bluntly, "You're going to have to grow a substantial percentage of your
>> own
>> food, real soon now."
>>
>> Every time the stock market closes up five points, it sets progress back
>> another couple of months. People take a deep breath and say, "Well,
>> everything's looking up again, no need to (reduce consumption, save money,
>
>> plant a garden, etc.)." No real change is going to happen until we're at
>> or
>> beyond the point of no return.
>>
>> Aren't I just a Pollyanna today :-(
>>
>> Liz
>> http://life-as-a-spectator-sport.com
>>
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>
>
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