A four-legged chicken? That's how they fill all those buckets with fried goodness!
Okay, so the last entry on the meat glue really got to me. I was a vegetarian for three years before joining the Peace Corps. There were some tough cultural points that encouraged me to make some meat allowances (my host mom thought I’d die without animal protein) and I haven’t eradicated poultry from my diet since I returned. With all of the cloning, gluing, recalls and diseases I think I’m jumping back on the veggie bandwagon.
Unfortunately, going back to vegetarianism isn’t a sure-fire way to ensure that my food is, well, good for me. There is ample genetic modification, hormones and dangerous pesticides awaiting me in the produce section. Why is it so scary to eat nowadays?! Food shouldn’t be stressful.
We can only try to make good decisions to protect our bodies and our earth. One good start is identifying a food source that you trust and doing what you can to afford it. In many cases, organic, local foods are cheaper than the traditionally harvested equivalents. In some cases, they aren’t. But when it comes to your health, why settle? Especially if you’re willing to invest money in a top-of-the-line electronics, clothing, accessories or cars. What will those do for you? Buy the damn organic cucumber!
Seriously.
Here is what I’ve found to be helpful. The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG) has a list of sustainable farmers throughout the region. It connected me to Georgia Organics. There are all sorts of resources there for those who are tired of scary food. There are also links for gardeners and farmers who want to take action and participate in sustainable land usage.
As far as eating goes, there will be a Mindful Eating Community Coarse on August 28, 2011 from 7-9pm and alternating Wednesdays through November. The location is The Amerson House in Atlanta. Learn the connection between food, faith, and well-being. The host, Kim Broerman, focuses on incremental ways that we can improve the way that we eat and relate to our bodies. This will be my first meeting so I can’t tell you what to expect but you can bring a comfy shirt for tree hugging and an open mind. I hope to see you there!