I was particularly interested in how both Wendell Berry and Michael Pollan see “Eating Responsibly,” as Berry puts it, as a democratic act. Berry states, “we cannot be free if our food and its sources are controlled by someone else.” He says that it is part of your free will and a democratic right to choose your food based on the fact that you know and trust where it comes from. It is unfortunate that in this day and age this right is neglected, and most people do not even think about trying to reclaim it. Berry regretfully writes that most Americans have lost touch with the agricultural roots of their food. They don’t know where their food comes from, and passively accept the foods that are marketed at them.
Pollan makes the connection to Wendell Berry by quoting his phrase, “eating is an agricultural act.” He expands on the point encouraging people to give their food dollars to producers who emphasize values such as the quality and health of their food. Pollan asks consumers to make active choices about what foods they spend their money on, and asks that consumers make the choice to spend more money for better quality food.
But the type of food empowerment that Berry and Pollan speak of is not available to everyone. Pollan admits, “not everyone can afford to eat high-quality food in America, and that is shameful; however, those of us who can, should.” He argues that by voting with your fork and spending more money on good quality food, you can support the people who produce these foods.
I personally make the types of choices that Pollan encourages because I want to eat what is best for both my body and the land. I am not convinced, however, that by making these choices myself I am helping other people besides the producers I am directly supporting. I hope that if I and other vote with our forks, we will help local, organic, small food producers (from farmers to small companies) expand their businesses. I hope that once these businesses have grown, their food will become more affordable and available to a broader range of people.
I definitely share your uncertainty, Nina, about how far our personal patterns of consumption can change the larger picture of farming and nutrition in America. In light of yesterday’s field-trip, though, it seems that our individual choices may at least be coordinated with other constructive changes. Maybe this is the equivalent of climate action, in which a carbon tax, rooftop pv panels on one’s house, and public transportation all have a role to play.
The Common Good Garden was inspiring, because the quality of produce those of us with backyard gardens or CFA memberships desire was also being made available to children and families who had been living in a food-desert. The dynamism of Union Kitchen, where you’re interning, fostered fledgling companies already bringing tens of millions of dollars into urban neighborhoods, supporting 400 jobs, and producing high-end chocolate for my wife in Vermont! The trick seems to be constantly shifting one’s perspective, from the plate of tasty food on the table, to isolated neighborhoods deserving a better share of the bounty, to economic structures that might promote social change.
It’s good to have you in the class this summer.