More than ever before in history, we as a society are disconnected with our environment. We go to the store and get whatever we need. We rarely have to work for it. And if what we need is not at one store we simply go to the next. This is so in the times we live in because it is the most practical, most efficient, and most profitable way of supplying our necessesities. But does that make it best for us?
We have, since early in our history become a consumer nation. Following in the western way of life laid out by Rome. And while the nation itself may produce a large quantity of the food consumed by it's citizens, that is only because it is a large country. And still we dont produce everything ourselves.
Reality is, we live now in a world economy. There is no escaping it. We cannot realistically all grow our own food, raise our own animals, churn our own butter, or make our own cheese. And most would have no desire to even if they could.
However, we've lost something in that. A connection with our sustinence, an understanding of where it comes from, What is involved in it's preperation; and as such, We've lost an appreciation for the ingredients of our livelyhood. For the food itself.
Food is life...life should be good. It only can be with the best possible ingredients. For most of us the only thing we can control in our food chain is what and where we buy. Regional, fresh produce, in season that hasn't lost its quality equals better choices, better ingredients, better health, and better food.
Enjoy!
Its funny that you write about this, because I was reading a book around this time in which a young girl had to learn to make it on her own, and one of the ways she had to do that was gardening and purchasing farm animals. It was the only way she was able to eat in that time, and the satisfaction that she gained was so encouraging in the book. It makes us realize what as a culture we have lost and forgotten in being able to work hard literally for what we prepare and put into our bodies. A true blessing that most times we forget about.
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