Hey friends! How are you? I’m finally back from my whirlwind tour of the Eastern United States. Or what feels like a tour of the Eastern United States. I did cover 3 States total, but traveled through 6 states overall. Anyway, all that travel and fun didn’t leave me any extra time for reading much less planning our book discussion for this week. So Tracy from Garden, Cook, Eat, Repeat was gracious enough to write our discussion as a guest post for us. And when I say gracious, I truly mean it. I asked her on very short notice and she was so super happy to do it for us! Thank you Tracy! Oh, and one more thing. I need to push our next post, our wrap up reading of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle back by a week…because…ahem…I’ll be on the road again in two weeks. Such as hard life I lead, I know. But we want to try to do a video chat for our wrap up so I want to make sure I have the time to devote to that. So if you all are in agreement, let’s do our round up on February 25th. I’ll provide more details later. Anyway…onwards! After reading Tracy’s fantastic post, please go show her some love over on her blog. She is truly inspirational! And without further ado, take it away Tracy!!

Guest Post on Discussion of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Chapters, 11 – 15
Many thanks to our Chicken Librarian Kristin for the invitation to write the lead into our book club discussion of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. This week we are considering chapters 11 through 15.

There was a lot of ground to cover in these five chapters! Below, I have listed Kingsolver’s chapter titles and my two-cent summaries:

11 – Slow Food Nations: Kingsolver shares regional food observations from a family trip from home to Canada, across NY and PA, and over to Amish friends living on a farm in OH. At the farm, they discuss pesticide use, bugs, and the dilemma and risks of “getting big” versus staying a small, family farm.

12 – Zucchini Larceny: In spite of the weeds, the harvest will come in. And the harvest isn’t going to wait for you. Regardless of what’s on your schedule, you will have to fit it in. And do something with it. Also, roosters come of age.

13 – Life in a Red State: Food preservation, food labels at the grocery store – what is REALLY locally-grown, and farmers making pennies on the dollar. There’s still a lack of understanding of farmers’ needs – and still a notable lack of respect for farmers and their work in today’s society.

14 – You Can’t Run Away On Harvest Day: Killing animals – roosters and turkeys. Family friends, children included, assist Kingsolver and her family with the process. Also, the environmental impact of the “meat industry’s” CAFOs and a call to raise meat sustainability – plus how raising meat can in fact produce a healthier ecosystem when we move away from the industrial food system method prevalent today.

By the way, did you all know that the author (Barbara Kingsolver) holds degrees in biology and her husband (Steven L. Hopp) – a co-author on this book – is a professor of environmental science? Consider that as you read this book.

15 – Where Fish Wear Crowns: Kingsolver and her husband take a trip to Italy where they enjoy the culture of (respect for) food, describe their agriturismo (stay at a working farm) experience, and gardens everywhere.

Just for fun since Tracy totally lead us down the rabbit hole with this post on seed catalogs!!

Three Questions  

I want to start (and end) with these three questions – something for the group to think about as you read today’s post and then develop your own thoughts in comments. We absolutely want to hear from you! Join in!

·       One: What is American food?

·       Two: Do you eat meat and where do your beliefs about eating or not eating meat come from?

·       Three: How do you create space in your routine to give time to growing / raising food and cooking / preserving? (Or, how are you GOING to create that time moving forward?)

One: What is American food?

I grew up in Western NY, under Buffalo, so I think you might guess where I’m going with this.

Wings. Buffalo Chicken Wings. WNY, we don’t typically say Buffalo Wings; we say wings. (And we don’t necessarily agree with all those “flavors” of wings that float around out there… But I digress.)

So what IS American food? Probably like many of you, I think regional dishes (ingredients) versus “American.” That means in WNY I salivate for Wings and Beef on ‘Weck (Kummelweck roll). Then there is “The South” – known for its tasty BBQ in many forms and flavors, along with Kansas; regions in Louisiana with its Cajun food; Idaho potatoes; New England with its chowder; Chicago deep-dish pizza; NYC “thin slice”; Maine and its lobster roll; Philly Cheesesteak in PA; Tex-Mex in Texas; fried cheese curds in Wisconsin; avocado in “healthy” dishes developed in California… and so on.

But what IS American food? This question has been asked abroad and answers often include: hot dogs, hamburgers, McDonald’s, and my personal favorite: corn on the cob. But American food is more than fast food or sandwiches. And embracing our local resources and forgoing the fast food for home-cooked food helps combat that dreary image of US cuisine.

Loving to “cook, eat, drink, and be merry,” I grew up on a staple of dishes that were probably German-based (a sizable number of my mother’s side comes from PA Deutsch region). No complaints. My father hunted, so there was often venison or another game meat. My mother made a roast with potatoes almost every Sunday for dinner held at 1:00pm. Often there was pie, usually apple.

So hard pressed for an answer, if you asked me 30 years ago “what is American food?” I might have told you: roast beef (or venison), mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, corn, and apple pie for dessert. Cooked at home, lovingly, by my mother. Family around the table. Sometimes lovingly. (Ha!)

I never would have said McDonald’s. That wasn’t American food. That was “fast food.” American food is cooked in the home. And like America, it’s a delightful, delectable mish-mash of cultures, traditions, regions, innovation, and love. 

I need to create a bumper sticker.

So my first question to you, fellow readers and visitors:

What is American food? And a part two to that question, if you’re up for it: What do you want the world to picture when they think American food?

(Dear Canadian Readers – I know you are out there! People often picture “Canadian bacon,” maple syrup, and poutine as Canadian food, but we know there is so much more across your vast country! Please share your thoughts and dishes, too!)

Two: Do you eat meat and where do your beliefs about eating or not eating meat come from?

I believe at some point many of us who love animals, care about their well-being, AND care about our food choices, consider the question: Should I eat meat?

My answer is not intended to argue for one choice over the other. You need to follow your own true compass – based on disinterested facts – and make your decision from there.

To answer the question: yes, I eat meat. My father hunted (I love venison) and in truth, I didn’t know anyone who didn’t eat meat when I was growing up. The closest I could come to a person “not eating meat” were family members who only ate chicken or fish. When I made my way out into the world, I met “vegetarians” who ate fish. Eventually, I met vegetarians who did not eat fish. I’m sure I might know a vegan, somewhere.

Over the years, I’ve come to understand that people – myself included – seek proof to support their own beliefs and desires. Some vegetarians point to CAFOs (a convincing argument) for a good reason to not eat meat.

Let’s look at these abbreviated definitions from the US Dept. of Agriculture (Link: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/plantsanimals/livestock/afo/ ):

Animal Feeding Operations (AFO) and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines AFOs as agricultural enterprises where animals are kept and raised in confined situations. AFOs congregate animals, feed, manure and urine, dead animals, and production operations on a small land area. Feed is brought to the animals rather than the animals grazing or otherwise seeking feed in pastures, fields, or on rangeland…  A CAFO is another EPA term for a large concentrated AFO. A CAFO is an AFO with more than 1000 animal units (an animal unit is defined as an animal equivalent of 1000 pounds live weight and… Any size AFO that discharges manure or wastewater into a natural or man-made ditch, stream or other waterway is defined as a CAFO, regardless of size.

I think by now most of us have heard the term CAFO, and many of us agree this is not ideal living conditions for the animals in these arrangements, not good for the environment in the short- and long-term, and ultimately, produces a poor food product for our bodies.

We have also seen (or heard of) the reports of how animals have been treated in these types of conditions. Many of us find this to be unacceptable.

There are those who cite the above as reason enough to not eat meat. Again, a convincing argument. 

Now let’s get back to the book we are discussing, and in particular, chapter 14 (You Can’t Run Away On Harvest Day). Kingsolver, a meat-eater (remember, she was also a vegetarian prior to this book) writes on page 221: 

“The blunt biological truth is that we animals only remain alive by eating other life. Plants are inherently more blameless, having been born with the talent of whipping up their own food… Strangely enough, it’s the animals to which we’ve assigned some rights, while the saintly plants we maim and behead with moral impunity. Who thinks to beg forgiveness while mowing the lawn?” 

And that’s the key, isn’t it? For one to live, another life – many other lives – must die.

Kingsolver continues:

… we still must live with the fact that every sack of flour and soybean-based block of tofu came from a field where countless winged and furry lives were extinguished in the plowing, cultivating, and harvesting.” 

She also points to the loss of bird life and helpful insect life (think butterflies) when pesticides have been used on these crops. She adds: “To believe we can live without taking life is delusional.”

Ah, yes. That truth that many find so distasteful – even the meat eaters who pretend that hamburgers come from a grocery store. 

And yet, above is philosophical in nature (as much as it’s true), so let’s move on to one real-life example she provides (pages 226 and 227). Consider the region of Piura in Peru in which the return of goat raising – for food and for strengthening the natural vegetation – not only added a benefit to the environment, the health and well-being improved of families improved. 

Looking more local, Kingsolver notes that:

“Using diesel tractors to turn the earth every spring …sends our topsoil downhill into the creeks with every rain, creating many problems at once. …Cattle, goats, sheep, turkeys, and chickens all have their own efficient ways of turning steep, grass-covered hillsides into food. …They do it without drinking a drop of gasoline.” 

And that’s what we all must face. We cannot shy away from the fact that whether we eat meat or not, we are still having an impact – and sometimes a negative one – on this planet and everything that lives here, plant or animal. 

To round out my answer to the question, “do I eat meat and where do my beliefs about eating meat come from?” I would answer (again): yes, and that my beliefs started with my family and community’s culture. My beliefs (and hopefully knowledge) have grown based upon listening to the various voices out there discussing pros and cons – both philosophical and factual. I have not shied away from considering respectfully and with an open mind the philosophies that were not mine, as well as the disinterested facts that are presented over time as we learn more as a people on this planet. 

I’m still learning. We all can. 

Three: Time is an important ingredient in our food production and preparation. How do you create space in your routine to give time to growing / raising food and cooking / preserving? (Or, how are you GOING to create that time moving forward?)

Time! Anyone who grows a garden learns fast that many varieties come in all at once. Or, many plants deliver their goods at once. I love tomatoes, but last year as I followed my husband out to pick tomatoes after a long day at work and pretty much in the dark, I thought: I’m so done with this. 

Then there is the time spent putting up the food. My husband often takes the lead so there are two of us doing the work, but yes, instead of a day lounging over a couple of glasses of wine at a sidewalk cafe people-watching, we’re in a steamy kitchen making a mess canning. 

I have no magic recipe to tell you how to make or save time. What I can tell you is what I also find in Kingsolver’s book: Define your priorities in life and make time for them. If growing and / or sourcing your food locally is a priority, you carve out time in your schedule. And, you might have to make a choice to give something else up. We’ve made that choice and it works for us. It might not be the same for you. 

In her book, Kingsolver and her family are disciplined and they do make food cultivation, preparation, and putting up food a priority. And they also offer, I believe, two key pieces of the puzzle on doing this successfully: They chunk it down as much as possible and they also make items routine. At their level of food production and preservation, they need to follow those two practices.   

That’s a good model to follow. I believe that if you are trying to get a handle on making the time, but you are still struggling, scale back. Scale back a bit and when you have a handle on a few items (growing, preserving, etc.), then add one or two more items to what you want to successfully accomplish. 

I do want to be honest: it does take discipline if you want to increase your success and production / preservation. You might have to say no to other things in order to reach your food goals for your family. Life involves choices, and fellow readers, we cannot have it “all.” 

But we can have a lot of what we love if we prioritize and put into place planning, discipline, and rewards. Yes, there are rewards. It’s a reward to open that pasta sauce in January and say, smell this! It’s like the garden!

Those Three Questions

At the beginning of this post I asked three questions:

·       One: What is American food? (Or Canadian food?)

·       Two: Do you eat meat and where do your beliefs about eating or not eating meat come from?

·       Three: How do you create space in your routine to give time to growing / raising food and cooking / preserving? (Or, how are you GOING to create that time moving forward?)

And we all would love to read your answers – whether you are reading this book or not!

Extra Credit

I want to add in a fourth question, because chapter 11 brought it up, but this question below felt a bit too… “College essay-ish.” But I’ll ask it here… for extra credit! (wink-wink)

“Extra Credit” – Author Kingsolver mentions the start of the “Slow Food Nation” movement (idea birthed in Italy 1989; officially founded in Paris 1989; came to the US in 2000). This concept in the US has spanned two decades now. What’s the impact – has it become part of our common culture, incorporated into daily lives – or is it still a lofty, great idea?

My answer, in short, an opinion, not a fact: I believe the work culture of the US has negatively affected the way we treat and think about food. I believe our working attitude and what we believe is necessary to be successful in our careers are the biggest driving factors in how we have drifted so far from taking time to procure / grow / raise our local food and cook lovingly and healthily. The need for “fast food” has grown as our fast lives – with little time for breakfast, lunch, or dinner – has been bolstered by an indifference to what we are putting into our bodies, because who has the time? I finally stopped eating lunch at my desk while I worked. I now have the “gift” of 30-minutes to prepare and eat my food. It’s still not enough. And I always work over 40 hours per week for my employer. 

The work culture of the US has failed with regards to understanding our food production and healthy, responsible consumption. Overall, it’s failed to respect our food and our bodies. I’d love to be able to change that. 

Alright, it’s YOUR turn! We want to hear from you in the comments below! What are your take-a-ways from chapters 11 through 15? Do you want to share your answers to the questions proposed above? Ready… set… comment!