For Your Reading Pleasure
September 19th, 2008
I read an article at the SF Chronicle featuring Barbara Kingsolver (author of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle) about Canning tomatoes feed the souls, the body. Read on.
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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.
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She makes some good points about why to support your local food economy – I’ve been trying to explain to friends and family why I’m willing to pay more for the “same” items at the farmer’s market vs at the grocery store, and she touched on some of my reasons :)
to Jennifer's comment
I agree with you Jennifer. While I am very frugal in most aspects of my spending, usually preferring to do without than buy something. I am willing to spend more to support local farmers. I have grown produce so I know how much work is involved and I appreciate that they grow things I can’t find in the grocery store.
One thing we also have to realize is that industrialized food is highly subsidized by the government where local farmers aren’t. That’s one reason it costs more (not to mention you’re getting a much better product, and since you’re eating it, why not get the best quality). It’s always amazing to me that people are willing buy yet another pair of $50-$100 shoes (when they already have tons) and yet they won’t pay an extra $10 a week to shop locally, I guess it all depends on what your priorities are.
to Susy's comment
I know that we’re now both paying for the higher price of local foods *and* the subsidies through our taxes – will refusing to buy products that use HFCS make the subsidies worse, or will demand lessen and the farmers plant something else? I don’t know.
I’m also frugal in most aspects of my spending as well. I get my “shop on” at the markets, new food shops, and with the lego for the business.
People willing to spend that much on shoes (or getting their nails done, or whatever) I just don’t understand. I do know however, that there are plenty of people who aren’t able to pay more for food, and buy things when they go on sale… It’s hard, it’s just a shame that the worst food out there for us in this country is the cheapest.
to Jennifer's comment