Food for Thought . . .

I went to see the movie "Food, Inc." last week. I encourage you to see it if you have the chance,. In my opinion it is well done and shines a light on many of the problems in our modern food "industry". Unfortunately, I wasn't shocked by the content of the film. I have read several books about our how our food is grown, raised, processed, etc. these days - so the movie just added pictures and personal testimony to what I already know. While I don't think I can go totally vegetarian (like the folks pictured above, who I saw at a "veggie pride" march this spring in NYC) I do try to make choices that are healthy for me and the planet when it comes to meat. Really, I try to do that with all my food, but having access to veggies from a farmer's market, CSA, or your own backyard is easier in most parts of the country than acquiring what I think of as "happy meat."

I was spoiled as a child. I grew up eating beef from my grandfather's ranch. He fed the cows grass and hay . . .because that is what cows are designed to eat and it makes good sense. I always thought other meat tasted funny to me just because I was used to my grandpa's. It wasn't until I was older that I realized most beef in America is fed with corn that we have in abundance to due government subsidies. Even though cattle aren't supposed to eat grains. I am grateful to live in a place where I can get my hands on locally raised beef, pork, poultry and wild fish. It sometimes costs a little bit more, but I know where my food is coming from and what is (or more importantly is not) fed to the animals. The work of local farmers and ranchers is such a gift. A gift for which I am deeply grateful. I don't eat meat that often, but when I do I know I have a choice. Not everyone does.