While reading Pleasures of Eating I found myself nodding my head often, agreeing to everything Berry was discussing. Unfortunately I would say I am an "urban shopper" and "industrial eater." I could tell you food is produced on a farm by animals, but ask me anything else and I will be clueless. I never thought of eating as an agricultural act, I didn't understand the connection between eating and the land, and as a result, I am - or have been up until this point - a victim. I'll be the first to admit, I knew little about food, the animals, and farming. Although I don't know if farming is the right word. When I think of a farm I picture pigs, cows, and chickens roaming around the land freely, living their life until it is time to turn them to poultry. Today, it should be called mass production. I've come to learn the food you buy is not what you think it is; "food wears just as much makeup as the actors." I've realized you need to go out of your way to understand where and how the food is being prepared.
I read The Omnivore's Dilemma next and while Pollan was discussing the never-ending corn fields in Iowa I pictured my Aunt and Uncle's backyard. When I picture a backyard I picture grass, maybe a large open field, or even a small marina that leads to a body of water. However, my Aunt and Uncle's is all corn! Look out of their back deck and all you can see for miles is rows and rows of corn, I was in culture shock when I saw this for the first time. This again goes to show how "in the dark" or sheltered I am. I also thought it is cheaper to live in the south or states like Iowa, but now I wonder why anyone would want to live there. All you see is corn and if you're a farmer you almost drown in your "cheap" corn, becoming more and more in debt every year.
Reading these articles make me cringe. I want to know where the food I am putting into my mouth comes from. I want to buy foods that are in season. I want to start my own garden. I want to eat healthy - I have a right to know and do all of these things. I don't want to be just another "industrial eater," I want to be a smart, healthy eater.
When my family and I stayed with family friends in California this past summer I was introduced to organic food. At first I was apprehensive about trying the new food. Would it taste weird? Could it really be better? To my surprise the food tasted exactly the same! Yes, it's a bit more expensive, but after reading these articles I think the first step is to shop organic.