But getting the crop from seed to harvest takes only one-fifth of the total oil used for our food. The lion’s share is consumed during the trip from the farm to your plate. Each food item in a typical U.S. meal has traveled an average of 1,500 miles….a quick way to improve food-related fuel economy would be to buy a quart of motor oil and drink it.”
Stephen L. Hopp
Our plan was to spend one whole year in genuine acquaintance with our food sources.”
Well, here we are! Part 1 of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. If you recall, the CHICKS from Chicken Librarian Reads Book Group demanded, yes, demanded, that we read this book. I joke. They didn’t demand. They kindly asked if we could read this book and I wholeheartedly agreed! I had listened to the book a few years ago and really enjoyed it. It is read by the author and her husband. And boy what a book this is! And how timely. If you’ve read my past few posts, starting with this one, you’ll know how timely this book is for me.
I don’t think we’re going to follow a particular book group discussion format. I think we’ll just share our thoughts in the comments and just discuss that way. We can pose questions to each other, to me, for future discussion or for discussing now. With that said, let’s get to it!
If you’ve ever thought about where you food comes from and wanted more information, this is a good book to pick up. Even though this book is about a year in the life of Barbara Kingsolver and her family eating locally, they provide so much information about all facets of food, where it comes from, how we became a society that doesn’t care about our food (my words, not theirs). I’ve been slowly reading and listening to this book and in fact, might not make it through chapter 5 before discussing. It’s that good. I listen to a few pages while I’m working on a project, then I stop it and have to think about it. I’m more mindful now of where my food comes from than I was just a few short years ago when I first listened to this book. And I think that makes a difference. When your eyes are truly open to where something comes from, how it’s grown, how far it traveled, a book like this can really be helpful. And if you don’t know all this, this book can be eye-opening. Either way, it can set you on the path to finding out more about your food.
As you know if you’ve read the blog or checked out that link above (or clicking here), my eyes were opened to our local food source and our wild game in the area. This lead me to thinking more and more about where we are getting our food from. As I’ve been listening to the book this past week or so, the Mister has been in the room. That’s led to some really good conversations, not just between me and him, but with other people as well. I also started digging around for other ways to learn more about how our food is produced, grown, how far it travels.
If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country’s oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week.”
Stephen L. Hopp
Have you ever heard of the Netflix show Rotten? It’s good. It’s oh, so good. And it seems to really go along with what Kingsolver is getting at in her book. Let’s also remember that Kingsolver wrote this book before there was the big locavore movement. I believe she wrote the book in 2007 or so. Anyway, Rotten covers different food products that have stigma attached to them-think large scale poultry, milk, avocados, honey. I watched the honey episode a few months back and it was all kinds of interesting. It involved scandal over importers mixing honey with things other than honey so they could make more money. Bee hives were stolen (to the tune of 120,000 or so hives on the bed of a trailer just vanished from an almond farm. That’s someone’s livelihood). Then fast forward a few months until this week. I sat down to watch the episode on avocados. Bear with me. This has a point, I promise. Anyway, avocados. Did you know that there are cartels that control big avocado business? People die from growing avocados! It’s easy to not think about this since they are grown so far away. But people are dying or being extorted in Mexico. Water supplies are running out in Chile. And California is getting their water from the Colorado River, hundreds of miles away from where the avocados are grown. So even though they are not immediately affected they are affecting someone else who relies on the river. Same in Chile. Water is privately owned so the big businesses came in and snatched up all the water. Rivers are dry. People have to now pay for their water. Chileans , even those who aren’t in the avocado business, don’t have access to water.
What does this have to do with the book and book discussion? It has everything to do with it. When you eat locally and seasonally, you are supporting small farmers. You’re growing your own food. You’re more aware of where your food comes from. You are not relying on big ag from hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away. When we watched the episode on avocados, the ending was pretty bleak. There’s nothing to be done. How do we know which avocados are grown by the cartels? Or the big growers in Chile who are taking all the water? Are we supporting the growers in California who are taking water from a river hundreds of miles away? If we stop eating avocados all together, won’t that impact the small growers first? There are so many questions and so few answers but one answer is clear. If we are eating locally, seasonally, these are not issues that we face. Yes, they’re still issues, but we are not contributing to the problem.
Don’t expect baby asparagus tips any time other than March, April, or May, unless you live in New Zealand or South America….for most of us, if we see asparagus in any month far removed from April, we’re looking at some hard traveling.”
Okay. So now back to the book! Kingsolver and her family decide to eat as locally as possible-growing their own food, shopping at farm markets for one year. They each get a free card for things such as coffee, hot chocolate, and dried fruit. They substituted sugar with honey. They still used olive oil and grains that weren’t local. They started their experiment in April when things, such as asparagus, are just started to poke out of the ground, but the weather is still so unpredictable that you can’t really set out a garden. I really like this since it’s January here in the Northeast. We’re definitely not growing much. But there are a couple of farm markets open year round. So even though I’m not growing the food, I can travel a short distance (less than 50 miles) and find fresh, locally grown food.
It also gives us time to formulate a plan. We can start our process of eating locally and seasonally now, but like Kingsolver, we can also take a couple of months to come up with a plan. Why do we need some planning time? I’m not naturally good at coming up with substitutions. So if a recipe calls for X I can’t readily look in the cabinet and say I don’t have X but I have Z and that will work. One of the things I’m wanting to explore, especially now that I am running low on sugar, is using honey or maple syrup as the alternative. I mean, wouldn’t maple syrup make the most sense since I make it myself from trees on the homestead? But I also know where my honey comes from so it’s not a bad alternative either. There’s lots of good information on the internet on the substitution ratios.
Our highest shopping goal was to get our food from so close to home, we’d know the person who grew it. Often that turned out to be ourselves as we learned to produce what we needed, starting with dirt, seeds, and enough knowledge to muddle through. Or starting with baby animals, and enough sense to refrain from naming them.”
Okay. What else. Maybe this wasn’t so much a critique of the book, but listening to it, ruminating on it, sure led to some interesting discussions and thoughts this past week. And no, I didn’t make it to chapter 5! My apologies! I’ll try to do better for next time.
And as a reminder, here’s our schedule:
January 7, 2020: through chapter 5
January 21, 2020: chapters 6-10
February 4, 2020: chapters 11-15
February 18, 2020: chapters 15-20 and wrap up
Share your thoughts and your experiences in the comments below!
Leigh
You’ve got me thinking I need to re-read this book! Everything you say about it is true. It’s that life-changing. I daresay Barbara Kingsolver was instrumental in the locavore movement.
chickenlibrarian
Agreed. If you think about the timing of her book, she was totally instrumental in that movement! I’m glad it has inspired you. It is such a good read and I’m really learning a lot more this time around.
Tracy
Chapters 1 – 5
First off, thanks to Kristin for agreeing to host Animal, Vegetable, Miracle as the first book to be discussed here in 2020. I had originally started this book a long time ago, probably made it nearly halfway through, but something must have interrupted me as it got put down and I didn’t make it back, until now. I have, however, started the book from the beginning. (I’ve actually read chapters 1-13 now – I just can’t put this book down! – but will limit my comment today to 1-5.)
Kristin did a great job of the “why” in her post – why the author and her family chose to live a year of keeping their food gathering, growing, and raising local. And of course, the author, through each chapter, shares the how’s: growing / raising their own, sourcing local products, being creative in how to prepare and serve what was available. And yes, depending on the season and where one lives, this can be tough. In a locale where produce grows year round, it would be a lot easier for a family to source locally grown, fresh, nutrient-rich produce. In colder climes? Not so much.
Here are the standouts for me in these first 5 chapters:
How the decision to eat only locally impacted her family – especially her daughters. (No judgment here, merely an observation.) Her teen-aged daughter writes on that grocery list: Fresh fruit, please? The first time I read this story, that made me stop and ponder the decision. I mean, fresh fruit! The girl wasn’t saying: Hershey bars, please? Or cheese aged in French caves, please?
But, they compromised with a select list of items that they would allow. In the daughter’s case, it was dried fruit.
To be fair, the authors (Kingsolver and her family) discuss the fact that our imported produce – whether from California, Mexico, or Latin America – can lose much of its nutritional value via faster producing (genetically “enhanced” crops) that are pale comparisons of their natural counterparts, + the time spent in processing and shipping. Picture that bland, pale tomato in a restaurant salad in winter in the north. Meh.
So, Kingsolver and her family got creative and during that first shopping outing, made shopping the local farmers market a priority – and brought home fruit, among other items.
Dovetailing on what Kristin introduced in her post above, Kingsolvers family looked forward to the asparagus as their first crop to harvest and bring into the kitchen. If you have truly had fresh asparagus – eaten on the day it’s harvested, I daresay you will do what many of us do: You will never eat out of season again. And THAT’s a lesson: eating it in season is not only when it tastes better, the nutritional content is better.
I’m not sure who said it – maybe chapter 3 in this book, and possibly in others I’ve read – but America has more “food” than ever, and our bodies are starving. That alone should make one pause and look at the “food” you are eating.
The authors also make a point of sharing that your family (children) might not be a fan of vegetables because what is often offered in a grocery store – especially a DISCOUNT grocery store – tastes… well. Bad. It’s not fresh. But we have become a nation of “shop on price,” not quality. (Disclaimer, we certainly have a poverty and “close to poverty” level problem in the US that forces so many to shop on price. Again, not only are they poor and struggling, they are not getting good food. But that’s a subject for a different time.)
Seeds – Do you know where your seeds are grown and what company is behind the seeds you are buying? Many of the popular seed brands you know have some of those big, agri-business names behind them. Do your homework. The authors discuss how “ownership” of these seeds impact all of us. (We try to support heirloom seed distributors and businesses, plus those seeds organically and “local” grown. In NY, we often look to the Hudson Valley Seed Co.)
Kingsolver writes beautifully, as many of you would agree. The fifth chapter focuses on harvesting – foraging, really – glorious mushrooms. To be honest, this chapter was just a lovely read, and questions for my fellow book clubbers: Hmm, WHY where Old Charley was kept? (Oh dear, what is in that soil, terrain, haha – I’d still eat the mushrooms.) And who here picks ramps? I grew up “going leeking.”
Well, I will wrap up with this, but will be back later to read and discuss this and other comments:
You want to start making a different in your food life (and possibly the world)? It’s actually easy: start with buying local and in season. Those are the first steps to your own positive impact on the business of food. (PS: got to run, not proofing this, ignore typos if any).
Bekah
So, this is when I wish this was an in person book club! I probably have way more to say than I have time to write. But, we will see how well I do. 🙂
Somethings I had to remind myself (continually) while reading these chapters:
* This family had dreamed of living out this project for a very long time, therefore they had years to talk about, think about it, research it, plan it, practice it, etc.
* They lived on their farm for a year in preparation for this project. So they did not show up on a Tuesday night and then proceed to eat 100% locally on Wednesday morning. They took months to source where their food was going to come from. Where they would draw the line for ‘local’. What would be their ‘freebies’. Grow some items and preserve them in preparation of the year ahead. Etc. It was a very intentional and thought out change of life for their whole family. How smart were they?! Actually thinking something through and planning for it before jumping two feet in?
* We are reading this book in January. The only thing growing in my garden right now is some leftover parsley and thyme. So as badly as I would love to put the book down and run out and eat out of my back garden or buy from a local farm…it’s not happening right now. It did remind me though that I could start growing some microgreens again (it’s on my list for this week!).
Ok. After all that…. I really do enjoy reading this book. I think it is worth re-reading, which is what I am doing. I first read AVM shortly after it was published. I can say that I feel many things have shifted for the better in our food economy since publication. Many grocery stores (even the big chain ones) have begun publicizing which of our veggies and fruits are coming from local farms. Many more farmers markets have popped up over the last decade. And, here in the Pacific Northwest, I have noticed a rise in the number of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms.
But, as I read this book again, it makes me realize what a big shift or undertaking this would be for our country to eat seasonally and locally as an entire nation. It makes me wonder what the steps are to get us there. In the spring, I go into elementary schools and teach fourth graders about growing vegetables. I always begin with the fact that almost ALL of our food is connected to plants. This always boggles their minds. There is also the part of our food growing in dirt (“yuck” they would say). Because this is an early spring project, we talk about the seasonality of foods and why we can’t grow watermelon or tomatoes in March. And, then getting them to actually try some of the veggies they grew, because the thought of eating a radish/kale/onion is beyond them when we start the project. Most of the kids change their minds when June rolls around, and they are asking how they can grow all of this stuff at home. So, bringing food education into the classroom seems like a likely start. But, how to actually fit that in? The teachers I work with are crunched as it is to fit every required thing in and there is often very little time to have these garden lessons. Honestly, they wouldn’t happen if an outside person didn’t come in and teach them. But how could every school have a garden coach or educator to volunteer and come in? I have worked for the last few years with one school in particular, and it is very difficult to work in these lessons. I can’t see how this could become a regular offering in every school.
On another note, I have noticed a very large push to waste less food (only buy what you will eat, resources for how to use up what you have, and purchasing not so perfect produce). Possibly there could be a similar campaign to purchase American grown food. Rely less on imported fruits/vegetables/meat/etc. and eat what we grow. That in itself would probably be a very good first step for the general population. But again, how do you teach people about this? Get them to ‘buy in’ to the concept? See the importance?
For many families, their grocery bill is something they see as a flexible budget item. Mortgages, insurance rates, utility bills are fixed expenses. So when things are tight, the grocery budget gets slashed, and families buy the cheapest food they can find. Helping people to see that eating cheaply made food that has been trucked across the planet to get to their plate is not healthy for their bodies, our planet and ultimately their budget (I feel that you pay elsewhere for eating unhealthy foods) is difficult.
Ok. I have to run to a meeting. I can add more later 🙂
But one question for you all…
What would be the non-local foods you couldn’t/wouldn’t give up?
For me I think it would be coffee, chocolate and bananas.
Tracy
Bekah – great points, especially on the planning. I think many of us want to flip a switch and inadvertently bite off more than we can handle. Then, we don’t experience our hoped for outcomes, get discouraged, and maybe even give up. Or, we think we have to do it the way someone else did it to be authentic. (Bull!) 🙂 But I am so glad you started off by laying out that fact: they planned and took awhile before they even started their experiment. (Slow and steady completes the race!)
Teaching an understanding of food, nutrients, and where it comes from in the classroom – you are so right. Most schools / teachers don’t have the budget or the time for it. I love that you go into classrooms as part of your work as an educator (part of CCE I’m guessing)? It IS a heck of an undertaking. But, I think one way to look at it is with the “starfish story” mentally. Make a difference to at least one – you never know the amazing impact you could (are probably) having. I bet the teachers really appreciate it too!
So that’s where I am landing. When I think about the food waste, the food poverty, the lack of education / understanding, etc., it CAN feel overwhelming – and hopeless. How can we make an impact for change? But I also believe in the chipping away, the small efforts that band together, inspire, support… this blog here Kristin has, this discussion right now. 🙂
Alright, I must run, but I am coming back! Loving this.
To answer your question – I hope others join in: “What would be the non-local foods you couldn’t/wouldn’t give up?”
My answer… OMG is this so hard! Could I give up these “not local” foods/beverages:
Coffee (trust me, no one wants me to give this up)
French wines (well, any wine not local – although I am a strong supporter of our Finger Lakes wines – wineries all very local to me!)
French cheeses / European cheeses
Spices – especially those from India or Africa?
No Seafood – the horror!
What about lemons? The juice for food preservation?
I don’t know… It would be incredibly difficult, Bekah. Good question!
chickenlibrarian
I’m going to jump in here and respond to both Tracy and Bekah. I’ve been thinking about this and I was just looking at some organic online bulk food stores. I stumbled across a post on instagram about someone who just ordered things in bulk from a place called Essential Organics. In that post, other people responded with where they purchase in bulk from. As you might recall I’ve been on the ‘where do I purchase flour in bulk without paying an arm and a leg for shipping’ journey. So I was reading that post, exploring the options for purchasing in bulk, and that got me to thinking about our discussion. Much like Kingsolver and her family, we can’t find everything local. Olive oil? Not happening. Sugar? Probably not. there are alternatives to both these things. I can find sunflower oil within probably a 100 mile radius. I can use honey or maple syrup. But what about those other things–baking soda. Baking powder. I do like to bake and you can’t go without these two ingredients. I just saw where you can make your own baking powder anyway. But it still includes baking soda and cream of tartar.
So…at what end do we eat locally? Yes, I can eat locally and seasonally via local farms and farm markets for all my produce and meat needs. I can harvest my own wild game. I can grow the majority of my food, as I have previously discussed on the blog. BUT, and it’s a big BUT, I still need things that can’t be produced in my area. Or within a 100-200 mile radius.
And Bekah brings up a really great point. Well, two great points. First, the planning. I think I mentioned it but she went into greater detail. The Kingsolver clan didn’t just jump right into it. It might seem like it because they don’t really mention it. But as Bekah pointed out, it took them a whole year of being on their farm before they even considered starting their local eating plan. And then they came up with their caveats. The second point that Bekah brought up was how do we teach others about food, seasonal eating, eating locally? Much like Bekah, I teach STEM after school programs. We mostly do baking and at that it’s seasonal baking. We discuss the science and math behind baking but I also sneak in the whole ‘seasonal produce we are using and why’. BUT it’s tough to get people to understand why this is the better option. Especially because of our food budgets, as Bekah and Tracy mentioned. Unhealthy, processed foods are cheaper. I’ve struggled with this for years. In fact, it’s a conversation that the Mister and I have on a regular basis. I used to coupon so we could save money, but then I realized that the coupons are for all the processed stuff. All the stuff with chemicals in it. So they’re already making this stuff cheap enough but then they’re putting it on sale and THEN giving you a coupon on top of that. So now you have a freezer full of frozen, processed crap and chemicals lining your shelves. Does that make sense?
I will admit that I am a fan of the ‘discount’ grocery stores. Aldi’s happens to be my go-to store. But if you recall from one of my previous posts I was going to try to shop at the farm market only. I think I mentioned it above that we have 2 winter farm markets within a fairly short drive, yet I haven’t been utilizing them. And here I sit touting all things local, seasonal, and self sufficiency. I think if anything this book is teaching me it’s to start looking local and making the time. Time is my biggest constraint!
And Tracy brings up a really good point about seeds. I will say this is a big area where I am not self sufficient. Saving and starting seeds has always been a mystery to me. So I normally go to the closest nursery and buy all my starts with disregard to where it originate from, whether it’s been modified or if it’s a hybrid. My dream has always been to have an all heirloom garden but I don’t know why that hasn’t been a priority for me. Other than my lack of knowledge and my lack of time.
Okay. I think that’s enough for right now. I’ll be back later to read and respond to more (I HOPE) comments!
As for Tracy’s question–we pick ramps every year. I’ve only been foraging for a couple of years and I learn more and more each year. We’re lucky to live in such an area that has an abundance of foraging opportunities-mushrooms (although I haven’t foraged for those because I am not an expert), knotweed, ramps, fiddle head ferns, elderberry, wild berries, etc.
As for Bekah’s question, well, as Tracy mentioned and I touched on in this comment, I don’t know how to narrow things down. Off the top of my head I couldn’t, wouldn’t, give up coffee. Or chocolate. I would however try to source both those things from local roasters who support fair trade growers. But I would also have a hard time giving up things such as baking supplies. Citrus. Although couldn’t I order a tree and grow my lemons that way? Originally it wouldn’t be local but then once I start the project, wouldn’t that be considered local? I have a fig tree. I started an avocado tree from seed (will it actually produce? Who knows).
Okay. Seriously. I’m done for the moment! Great convo so far ladies! And I totally overlooked the whole seafood conversation. Let’s save that for a different time.
xoxo
-k
Bekah
I think you both are right. Leading (or living) by example can slowly spread the word. And where each person begins will be at different stages. We can’t all step out our front doors and run a 5k. Some of us are still walking. So, setting goals and then working backwards by creating the steps (baby steps even!) you would need to get there is how any of this would be accomplished. But it’s not an easy task! It takes work, thought, intention, and at first some extra time.
I’m also reminding myself that we (in this group) are kinda all bought in to the concept of organic/real food/seasonable/local/etc…and we’re all still figuring it out. It’s great that we are beginning this conversation in the winter. What better time to plan out your summer months and what you can grow/source locally/preserve for next winter? Deciding where you want to draw the line and what items count or don’t count (like baking soda and such).
Another thought to this change in living would be just that…a change. You would more than likely give up some favorite items and lose some of the variety or ease of availability we have grown used to. Losing that instant gratification of say wanting a fresh stir fry for dinner in January and heading to the grocery store to buy all the things (even if they’re organic items) could be a tough sell for some. How would you keep yourself and family encouraged through this as you develop the habit? I imagine generations ago, this conundrum wouldn’t have existed. Zucchini or asparagus for a meal in January just plain wouldn’t have been possible, so you wouldn’t be faced with the decision of “Do I go to the store and buy these items or not?”
There’s today’s ramble 😉
chickenlibrarian
Agreed Bekah. I’ve been thinking about this a lot since our discussion. The need to take baby steps. One thing I find with people who are staunch in their beliefs is that sometimes, some of those people will demand that you change something immediately. I think it’s important for us to encourage people who don’t adhere to the same lifestyle and beliefs as us to just take a baby step. Stop purchasing one thing-say soda. Drink water or tea instead. Come up with a plan. When I teach my classes I try to tell them how to do things environmentally friendly but I also give them the option of big box stores and/or shortcuts to save time and money. that’s very important–time and money. Isn’t that also a big part of why we do some of these things?
I’ll end here. I could go and on about this. I think we’re all on the same page and you’ve done a very good job at articulating that. Til next time!
Kelly H
Very much enjoying this book and all your comments. If I was on a full size keyboard and it wasn’t so late at night I’d share more! But just wanted to check in with a hello and see you all at the end of chapter 10!
chickenlibrarian
Fantastic! We’re looking forward to having you join us!
chickenlibrarian
Ladies:
I’m loving all the discussion! I’ll be back in the AM with my thoughts! You all have brought up some great points and I’m letting it all percolate! Til tomorrow ❤️
Ashley
I absolutely love this book. We actually stopped purchasing bananas and avocados a couple years ago because of this book. It’s crazy how people act when I tell them that we don’t buy them lol I live in Michigan where we have PLENTY of locally grown fruit. We have apples, pears, peaches, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, cherries and MORE all within 60 miles of pretty much any part of Michigan. WHY do we feel the need to have bananas?? Why is it so absurd for me to utilize and preserve the food that is abundant in my own backyard instead of purchasing fruit from half a world away?? My children are not “going without” by not purchasing bananas *eye roll*, they have plenty of the best fruit available to them. Anyway, rant over. I couldn’t love this book and discussion more.
chickenlibrarian
HEEH! I love your comment Ashley! I never really thought about avocados, or bananas for that matter, until recently. I think my eyes opened when I started reading (or really listening to) the book and watching Rotten. I finished a couple of other episodes of Rotten today. One I already cover. I’ve been a raw milk drinker for a while now. I started a co-op to have the milk delivered to us. It’s been great. And I agree with you about having an abundance of local fruit available. I feel the same about where I live. Except I haven’t mentally gotten over my urge to just grab bananas at the grocery store when I put ‘fruit’ on my list. But I’m hoping that by shopping at the local farm market will help control that urge. Change is hard and it takes time (as we’ve been discussing here. It’s hard to not want to jump in with both feet and without a plan!). Retraining ourselves in our habits takes time. Anyway, thanks for stopping by!
Tracy
I used to buy bananas every grocery shop, and then switched to organic bananas,then just stopped buying them altogether. We actually don’t miss them very much. To be fair, I am not a big fruit eater. However, my favorite fruits – and yes, I only eat in season or dried, are apricots. And we can grow them here! This year we plan to buy (I think) 4 fruit trees to plant. Maybe 6. They are pretty expensive. Along with apple, we are planting apricot trees. THAT is exciting.
I do love avocados, but Mr. Gordon watched a couple of episodes of Rotten, too, Kristin. We had no idea about the avocado cartels. How terrifying and… rotten. So, we really haven’t been buying them. We never successfully started our own indoor avocado tree, but maybe it’s time that we try again. We don’t eat them a lot, so maybe even a small amount won’t feel like we are “giving up something” that is so lovely (and good for you).
Okay, confession: I’ve never had raw milk! And I don’t even know where to begin to find it as something to try. Well, let me amend that. Maybe I can find online. My concern is that I would also need to find a raw milk source that did not use unnecessary antibiotics or growth hormones. That’s one reason why we buy organic milk.
But kudos to you, Kristin for starting a co-op! WOW! 😀
chickenlibrarian
I’m sure you can find raw milk. NY, I’m sure, has strict restrictions on it. You can search online for someone close to you who sells it. I would not buy raw milk from anyone that you can’t inspect their production and have them answer your questions. Raw milk isn’t no joke. You need a good, clean facility. And I would bet money that there are no added anythings to the cow’s diet…it’s kind of a thing with raw milk producers and sellers. The place I get my milk from is super strict with testing (the State mandates it). I used to get raw goat’s milk before we moved to our current homestead. The farmher was certified but her operation wasn’t anything near what my current place is. And I’m lucky that he sells cow and goats milk (both raw). that’s the only kind of milk he sells-raw.
As for the co-op, it wasn’t anything big or special. It’s just a drop off point for the milk. I just organize it and work with the farm to make sure everything is running smoothly. Which it does. Which means I don’t do anything!
Giving up avocados will be hard for me. I love them. I try to only eat them in season, which is good, but apparently it supports cartels and/or water stealers, which is bad! So I’m guessing bananas and avocados will be the things I work on cutting out of my diet. But like we stated above, we live in an area that has an abundance of natural, and sometimes wild, fruit. So I’ll try to concentrate on that and not feel too bad about giving up the other things.
Okay. Now I feel like I’m just repeating myself!! I’m signing off to go read more so we can discuss more next week!!