Author: Maggie Danna

Partway through this past semester I brought my family’s waffle iron to school. I was living in a suite with some friends, and we used the iron to make sweet and savory waffles for snacks and meals. Having the waffle iron reminded me of the times my parents had made waffles when we had relatives over, during relaxing weekend mornings, or for special occasions. It was also exciting to experiment with different types of waffles. We made waffles with a variety of ingredients including rice flour, anise extract, pumpkin, and almonds. The waffle iron meals and snacks showed me how nostalgic food can be, and how much room for experimentation cooking has. Everything we made was a waffle, but they all varied so much. The waffle iron was also a good addition since it gave us numerous opportunities to hang out and cook together, an example of how great food is for bringing people together.

Maintaining skills in the kitchen and garden is significant in so many ways. It’s especially important in creating a strong connection with our food. As we were discussing during our last fifth day, growing food is caring for a living thing. We often forget that plants (and fungi) are living; and while it is obvious that the animals we raise for food are living, they are commodified and often treated like feelingless objects as well. I try to remind myself of this, and of all the work that goes into the growth and preparation of food, but it’s easy to forget and eat mindlessly. It makes me appreciate my food so much more when I keep this in mind. It also makes me feel really bad if things go to waste. For example, if meat gets thrown out it’s especially terrible, knowing an animal was killed to be eaten and we didn’t even eat it all.

My family has a garden at home, which has been a great experience for me. When we eat something out of the garden it’s so exciting because we watched the food grow and know exactly where it came from. Plus it’s so fresh. We also frequently share produce with neighbors, which helps us become closer as friends.

Upholding the skills of gardening and cooking can also preserve culture and biological diversity. Large, conventional agriculture has been focused on monoculture lately, while gardening is all about variety. This diversity helps keep and promote heirloom varieties of plants, which is also important in livestock. Maintaining diversity in food is essential because the fewer species and varieties of organisms we rely on, the more susceptible we are to severe problems if these organisms are somehow wiped out (ex: by disease, environmental conditions, etc.) And, as Wendell Berry explains in Bringing It to the Table, different organisms have developed over time to be excellently suited to the areas in which they live. Thus, having a variety of plants and animals living in the areas to which they have adapted is more efficient and less risky than raising a single organism all over under a variety of different conditions. Also, these varieties present an exciting collection of flavors and aesthetics, making gardening and eating more enjoyable. Unfortunately though, our food is less diverse than ever, and we are continuing to lose heirloom foods. Promotion of heirloom varieties and seed bank projects can help, but I think the most important thing is to change our values as a society. We should favor quality and diversity when it comes to production instead of aiming for the goal of “how much could we produce all at once?,” and I really feel gardens and small farms are the way to do this. Plus, gardening and cooking skills can help us gain independence, since we won’t have to rely as heavily on conventional agriculture and pre-processed foods from big businesses.

“Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts.” This implies that the facts are unpleasant, and many of them are. I wonder if we could ever change the situation so the facts are mostly pleasant. This would be very challenging, and it’s hard to even know where to start. As Berry writes in his excerpts in Bringing It to the Table, our conventional food system is now so deeply rooted in short-term economic “success”, “inexpensive” fossil fuels, and unnatural technological “advancements” that it seems like an overwhelming task. I think Berry means we should still manage to find happiness despite negatives. Thus, this quote both encourages and discourages me.

I also believe this joy Berry writes about is only possible if you are living in a way that aligns with your values, so you know you are trying your best not to add to these negative realities. In terms of food, I’ve been working on this by reducing the amount of meat (especially factory farmed) I eat, buying organic and local foods (when appropriate), supporting small farmers whenever possible, and not wasting. This joy also applies to other aspects of our lives as well. For example, I’ve been attempting to move away from wasteful consumerism lately, so I’m trying to purchase as much of my clothes used as possible and buy fewer unnecessary objects. When I eat and shop in this manner, I feel happier. When I eat factory farmed meat or let some lettuce go bad in the fridge before I eat it, I feel bad about it and my joy is reduced. If I can’t stick to what I know is right, how can I expect others to lead their lives in a more sustainable way either? Expecting that would be hypocritical, but at the same time nobody is perfect. It’s also challenging because wastefulness is so incorporated into our daily routines. Almost everything we buy is packaged in plastic, I have to drive to my internship (though I’m carpooling now), and throw-away objects (disposable eating utensils, paper towels, plastic bags, etc.) are rampant. It’s hard to be completely sustainable.

So, in short, for me this quote promotes pursuit of knowledge so we can live our lives well-informed and behave accordingly. It also inspires me to find joy in simple things. Not everything in life will be pleasant, but we can do what we can and look beyond this (without ignoring the problems) as well to appreciate the good things.