Another reason to eat local...

This is an article that has a primary concern of addressing how our country responds to crisis and natural disaster. (Click the post title to read the article) It discusses the drought situation in California and what needs to be done by the government to better address natural disaster situations so they don't all wind up like katrina. This is a valid argument but what really caught my eye and made me worry was the following statement:

"Although few have yet noticed, this is a national crisis because California produces 50% of the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables, and a majority of the nation’s salad, strawberries, and premium winegrapes."

50%! That HALF of the nations fruit and vegetables that will not be available if the drought situation is not handled, lets say, well enough but that is HALF of the nation's fruit and vegetables are being shipped long distances, like to the other side of the country. Here in Chicago that is only half a country away but i can buy all those things at the farmers market and they don't come more than say 5 hours away. And they don't come from big companies that need to be bailed out by the government when the ways of the world are cruel to them. they come form small farmers, some of whom i know by name and i even know where they live in the city, who are used to the government not exactly working i their favor and when disaster hits, it hits and the only thing they can count on are their customers who know them and will keep buying from them even if this season is bad because next season will be better.

Know your farmer. Buy Local.

We should all stop relying on the government and the big corporations to baby feed us- that goes for everything, most emphatically food- because when it all goes south we can no longer support ourselves, we have lost all our survival instincts. all we can do is scream and cry for something that isn't coming.

Sorry if that is a little preachy. Its how I really feel. The emphasis has come down to quantity and how cheap you can get it not to quality and respect for the work that goes into making something or the special skill it takes to do it well. the average person doesn't have any of these skills and they are too blinded by convenience to even recognize and appreciate them when its right in front of them.

Its my blog dammit, i can say what i want. you don't like it. don't read it.