:: 8 Results Of Reconnecting With Our Food Source ::
Our country’s desire to reconnect with our food source is growing!
So what do we achieve when we reconnect?
1) Knowing where our food comes from… There is a huge gap in a generation’s knowledge of where their food comes from, or what happens between the farm and the table – that’s a dangerous sort of “disconnect”! Efforts are sweeping across our nation to rectify that. Very good news! Our culture had become dependent on processed, styrofoam and aluminum packaged foods – faster options were chosen over quality for a number of years.
2) Cooking at home… is beginning to trend amidst economic crisis. Even across Europe there is a great increase in the number of households that make their own meals including breads at home.
3) Saving money… a direct result of cooking at home.
4) Sharing more meals with family and friends… as opposed to our current national average of 40% of all meals being eaten alone. When we cook at home, there’s more of a tendency to want to share it with loved ones, slowing down and savoring the time together. Watching cooking shows while we are growing more and more detached from our local farmers has made cooking more of a spectator hobby but that’s changing!
5) Being familiar with local farms and knowing our farmers… In a word: community. Another positive result of buying local, and caring about the well being of the farmers producing our foods and how their conditions are for the animals they raise.
6) Increased overall health… Many of the processed foods being passed up lately are stripped of nutrition and laden with residual from chemical spray. It has finally alarmed us as a nation. The realization of the connection between growing our own food or buying local and obvious health benefits has finally motivated a great number in our country!
7) We gain appreciation and gratitude for what we eat… Anything that takes more effort to produce (growing our own) or more effort to obtain (local farmer’s market purchases) effects us in the area of attitude. We are connected with that cucumber – we spent time watching it ripen – we weeded and kept an eye out for any pests – we are more invested. We don’t want to see it go to waste either… as opposed to the one we grabbed at the store for 89 cents.
8) Innovative gardening… Necessity is the mother of invention, right? Well not everyone has a few acres but that’s not stopping people! There is a such exciting new gardening efforts under way all over the world! One such instance is Manna from Our Roof – Italy, where Federica Marra addresses urban spaces, alienation from food production through a project will “engage young people in an international network of activities combining education, communication and business: participants will actively take part in cultivation, preservation, cooking and sale of local food products. By the means of roof gardens, window farms and edible walls, the facilities they will be working in will be providing the urban community with fresh and local produce.” Even here in the states people everywhere are experimenting with balcony gardening, container gardening, even vertical gardening with pvc!
Check out “Raised Beds In The City” by Garden Girl TV, we have watched her clips years before we ever bought our homestead.
I am excited to see this positive move in our nation and I am looking forward to watching it G R O W!!!
I can definitley identify with #7. If I grew it myself, I think I would certainly appreciate it a lot more.
Robin (Masshole Mommy) recently posted…5 Tips to Making Travel and Exercise Successful
We’ve been reconnecting. It has been great because we cook at home more, save money, and eat healthier.
I so wish I had the room for a garden, it is much fresher and healthier for you, definitely saves money too!
Mama to 5 BLessings recently posted…Chocolate Confetti Cookies
I love growing our own food! Our tomato plants are going crazy this year and we have fresh tomatoes daily! It’s so nice!
I joined a CSA this year for the first time and I am absolutely loving reconnecting with our food source. Even though we always bought organic, to pull the fruits and veggies right off the vine or out of the ground is a whole other experience.
Jessica @EatSleepBe recently posted…Essential Oils for Skincare: DIY All Natural Night Creme
We don’t have a veggie garden now, but I love buying produce at our local farmers markets.
What a great list! I would love nothing more to grow our own food. I love what you are doing. It’s a goal of mine to start and do more research. Thanks for the tips.
Deanna Ritz recently posted…Top DIY Blogger
Deana – that’s so great. And a good reminder for me as well. I had a carrot crop completely flop due to lack of research 🙁 I hope you enjoy your new adventure!
I dont have a veggie garden but recently started our herb garden again while it looks totally small I cannot wait to use my own herbs soon
Herb gardens are great Maria and don’t have to be large to satisfy. Make sure you send us a picture when you harvest some. We would love to see them 🙂
Great post! My husband has started a garden and is growing vegetables – so rewarding and delicious to eat them fresh!
Lois Alter Mark recently posted…renaissance clubsport walnut creek: my home away from home
Lois… awesome! It can be grueling in this hot summer weather but it really IS rewarding! I think my favorite is just sitting down to a ‘FREE’ salad! hahaha!
I’m excited about the prospect of our attitudes in this country changing about food too. #7 is the big one for me….that awareness changes so much!
Jessica Beal Harlow recently posted…Coffee Lovers: Check Out Java Factory K-Cups! #Review
Absolutely agreed Jessica… it’s about time isn’t it? Good stuff!
That is just totally awesome. I know that gardening was something that really helped my FIL when he was going through chemo, he said it was really nice feeling the earth in his hands… :P)
Shauna… your comment reminded me of my dad… we could NOT keep him out of his garden when it was gardening season. I enjoy it certainly but it was definitely a complete JOY for him.
Cooking at home and having a mini garden saves SO much money. We learned this first hand this year and I am a firm believer!
Jessica recently posted…A Multi-Tasking Mommy’s Secret Energy Boost With 5-Hour ENERGY® Shots #ThisIsMySecret
It’s amazing how much we can save when we put our minds to work on it, Jessica… good for you!!!!
I wish I had a real love of gardening. I so love fresh, local produce but I just have no patience for doing it myself. I grow basil and that’s about it, but my basil is starting to look like a tree it’s doing so well!
Liz Mays recently posted…What Makes You Sparkle? #SparkleWithDasani
That’s funny Liz. I remember my dad just LIVING in his garden during peak season. I don’t love it that much. hahaha…. I had japanese beetles threatening my basil but I think I’ve conquered them.
Knowing where and how your food gets to your table is the best meal. Love working in the garden
Debbie Denny recently posted…Whole Latte Love by Rachelle Ayala! Review and Giveaway!
Now that’s an awesome statement Debbie… I love it.
I am a huge gardener and love the first part of the season digging into the black dirt. It makes you feel so great pulling food from the garden and putting it on your plate.
April Smith Decheine recently posted…How To Make Raw Sauerkraut
It is pretty amazing isn’t it April? I’m excited this year for the first time to have a brussel sprout crop!!!
I like number 5. It feels good to eat locally home grown fruits and veggies and help the little man!
Annie {Stowed Stuff} recently posted…Happy 6th Birthday Aidan!
Well said Annie!
All your points above resonate with me. we have a little garden every year and can’t wait to harvest the crops that come from it.
Diane N – Philzendia recently posted…How To Make Perfect Popcorn Every Time
So encouraging Diane! – Thank you! I love to hear feedback! – so exciting!
Love this post! I think it is so important. My children love being out in the garden with me!
Taralyn recently posted…Lawn Care Tips and Tricks
Taralyn, wow… what a great way to teach your kids! Mine are older now and one is more interested than the other, but they both do LOVE “eating” from the garden! lol!