Food Matters

We take food for granted. I think this is something I’ve always known, but never realized until I read A Language Older than Words. Michael Pollan hints at this in In Defense of Food, but Derrick Jensen says it–as he always does–ever so eloquently.

Humans need food. And why shouldn’t we have it? We’re the top of the food chain, right? Well, that’s what I thought. But check it — there are thousands of other animals on Earth, yes? Why should we assume we’re on top? I wonder what a shark, or a bear, or a snail thinks about his relationship to the world, and to food. Does he think he’s on top of the food chain?

Honestly, chances are that he doesn’t even care. We do. We have to be dominant.

As you may know, Shane and I started a garden this year. We were so proud of our garden, for magically growing all of this grand food. It never even occurred to me that I take the fact that I can grow/cultivate food for granted. In nature, this food would naturally occur; no human help needed.

I found myself a bit disappointed when one of my squash plants fell prey to potato bugs. Man, I thought, I’m a bad gardener! But not really. In nature, some plants are eaten by bugs. Who am I to try and kill the bugs? I’m already killing the squash. Why shouldn’t the potato bug get his share, too?

I know what you’re thinking…and no worries, I’m not out to be all “OMG I’m killing vegetables. Let me hug a tree.” I’m trying to understand my place in the world.

Being on an airplane last week reminded me of how small the world is. Being thousands of feet in the air, you see little communities (which look pretty impressive from a plane…but the most impressive things I’ve seen are natural landscapes…like mountains. No one built those, they just exist.) all over the place, and realize that the problems that exist down there are nonexistent when you’re in the air. It’s like they’re not even real. Scary. Wild. Man!

If we continue to consume food wrapped in plastic, we’ll continue to hide behind our cell phones and gadgets. – Shane Brill.

We are wrapped in plastic because our food is wrapped in plastic and food is what we are!