Happenings on the Ranch

I was going to post this when the show actually aired, but time got away from me.

Oprah recently had author Michael Pollan on her show and I made a point to watch.  Anyone that follows the sustainable food movement knows Pollan as the author of Omnivore’s Dillemma, In Defense of Food and other books touting the importance of knowing where your food comes from and promoting the sustainable production of our food.  He is also a proponent of the humane treatment of livestock used in our food supply.

Oprah made it very clear that she was presenting Pollan, and the recent movie Food, Inc., so that her viewers could make an informed choice about their eating and food buying habits.  “You can decide that for yourself. Isn’t that wonderful? Because we live in America and you can do that,” Oprah says. “But for me, it boils down to making more conscious food decisions. That is my opinion. I saw the movie. That’s how I felt. But you need to see it for yourself and make your own decisions because I believe you have a right to know where your food is coming from.”

Unfortunately I haven’t had the opportunity to see Food, Inc., although I intend to.  I do know, though, where a lot of our food comes from without having to see the movie.  Factory farming, which is what this documentary focuses on, is something I have made a conscious effort to stay away from, both as a farmer and a consumer.  I believe it’s important for people to understand the true differences between the food we eat today and the food our families ate only a few generations ago.  I don’t think we can ignore the correlation between how our food is produced and the rise in obesity, allergies and other illnesses compared to just 60 years ago.  We’ve been on this earth a long time and been farming our food for centuries.  Why now, in such a short period of time, has the human race become so unhealthy?

Granted, we can feed so many more people for so much less than we used to.  Commercially grown chicken is now grown to twice the weight in half the time.  That’s a great engineering feat in may respects and makes meat more affordable.  But in order to do this on a large scale, producers are forced to feed these animals large amounts of antibiotics to keep them from getting sick in their cramped quarters.  I’m convinced that if you eat these antibiotics consistently they won’t work for you when you need them.  Again, you should form your own opinion.

If you look at the grocery store shelves they are lined with processed foods that contain things that I can’t even pronounce.  My husband knows first hand that there are just certain things he is not to buy and expect me to eat.  Like yogurt with more corn syrup, sugar, and “unpronounceables” than actual dairy.  These products make up what Pollan calls the “Western diet.” “It was really invented about a hundred years ago. It means lots of processed food and meat, lots of added fat and sugar,” he says. “Lots of everything except fruits, vegetables and whole grains.”

So, take a close look at what you’re eating.  I know, it’s hard.  I have a cookie that has been a favorite of mine since I was very young.  And even though I can pronounce all the ingredients in them, I know that every time I eat one (or more) that I’m eating something very processed and not so good for me.  I think the key is moderation, making smart decisions about what we eat and paying attention to where it comes from.  Buy produce grown locally and without pesticides, if you can.  Buy meats that are humanely raised without the use of antibiotics or hormones.  I know it’s more expensive but if we go back to filling our plates with the lesser expensive fruits and vegetables and eat meat as a once- or twice-per-week part of the meal, I can’t help but think we’ll all be just a bit healthier for it.

Until next time.  ~Karin