The Pleasure of READING

I recently finished reading Bringing it to the Table by Wendell Berry. For the past five decades Mr. Berry has been writing essays on farming, sustainability, and food. He has written over 50 books on the topic and has received countless awards.

This was my first book by Wendell Berry and a great introduction to his writings. The book is comprised of 3 sections - farming, farmers, and food. Many of the essays in the book we were written in the 70's and 80's.

What is extraordinary to me is that for five decades he has been writing about the offensive ways we have been treating the land and the terrible beast that is industrial agriculture. We as a society are just now finally starting to listen, to turn our attention toward understanding how misguided we have been.

Mr. Berry's now famous essay The Pleasure of Eating was published in 1989 some twenty seven years ago and feels like a piece of literature that was written just yesterday. It was the last essay in the book and stood out for me immediately.

He makes it very clear that eating is an agricultural act. Unfortunately our society is no longer aware of this being true. Industrial agriculture has made it far too easy for us to lose site of where our food comes from, this of course is done on purpose. They advertise the ease of "fast food", the cheap cost to you, the "freshness" and health benefits. We have stopped asking the important questions - Where is this fruit or meat coming from? How fresh is it? Was the animals humanely raised? Were the vegetables and fruits grown without treatment from pesticides? Are the eggs pasture raised? Is this food processed? How far was it transported?

One reason to eat responsibly is to live free.

We do not really truly recognize the connection between our food and the land from which it comes from. Mr. Berry says of this "when food, in the mind of eaters, is no longer associated with farming and with the land, then the eaters are suffering a kind of cultural amnesia that is misleading and dangerous". 

In order for us to be truly free of so called "food politics" and industrial agriculture we need to realize that educating ourselves on where our food comes from is essential. This is critical to eating responsibly. There are numerous things that we can do. If you can make a small change in your life such as growing your own food, prepping your own food at home(instead of buying "fast food" or eating out as often), buy directly from farmers (this can be done through a local farmers market, visiting a local farm, or participating in a CSA program). 

I encourage everyone to take the time to read this short essay by Wendell Berry. It might just change your outlook on how you view food. 

What Is Your Deepest Longing?

I was asked the question "What is your deepest longing?". My wife left it on a bright pink sticky note on my computer. I saw it this morning and I kept peering at it out of the corner of my eye. It's a deep, thought provoking question for me. 

I searched my mind for an answer. I have many ideas and thoughts about how I see my future unfolding and I know that very often in life, our paths unfold in a very different way than expected. I surrender to this. 

I realize that the real meaning behind the question is to simply answer what inside of me I long for without putting the answer into a neat little "box" of exact words to go along with a written out plan. If the core of what I long for is pure, the expansive and exact way in which it will manifest WILL become clear. 

I long to make the world a better place. 

This is the purest answer within me.  I have so many idea's on how to do my part to contribute to a greater good. With so many more idea's yet to come. 

As I said before, I surrender to how it will manifest. The path is before me...I walk it, I breath it, I am within it.