What's the Use of a Movement, Without Personal Action?
What’s the use of a movement, without daily personal action? I often wonder what the country would look like (environmentally, socially, and economically speaking) if everyone eats like I do.
My breakfast: Canewater Farm cornbread, microgreens (baby nasturtium, radish, and sunflower) from Living Greens Organics, Alake's Georgia Pecans, Bootleg Farms "Bar Fight" cheve (berrys, peppers, and Kentucky bourbon), and Savannah Bee Co. acacia honey. Then I had a snack of carrots and cucumbers from Adam’s Farm.
I shopped here in Savannah – downtown and at the farmers market. Everything is from the southeast, and aside from the bourbon and honey, everything was grown and harvested from less than 100 miles away. 5/6 foods I bought were directly from the person that grew the greens, baked the bread, harvested the pecans, milked the goats, etc. The honey wasn’t uber local, but Savannah Bee Co. has been a huge supporter of the Bee Girl org, and sent about a dozen volunteers to our Kids and Bees event in South Carolina last year, so I love showing the love back.
While a farmer’s share of commodity crops is a travesty (i.e. - the farmer’s share of conventional bread that retails at $3.79 is $0.11, and the farmer’s share of conventional cereal that retails at $2.99 is $0.05), farmers markets are a boon to farmers. Organic hotspots raise median household incomes by $2,000 and lower poverty rates by 1.35%. These farms also see an average of 34% more biodiversity and 50% more profits. On that same vein, I’d also like to acknowledge that the conventional cereal may cost you about $3, but the actual, externalized costs to human and environmental health are much more.
My breakfast was about $4. 100% of it went directly to the local farmers and bakers.
I was looking around the room this morning and wondering, “what if just everyone in this room eats like I eat?” There are over 400 people in here – all farmers and ag professionals. They could support local family farms in a pretty significant way. And wouldn’t it be awesome if we could also hire a local chef or catering company to make our lunch? Our NWFU board member, Allie, thought of a beef and veggie stew from White Oak Pastures and a local veggie farm like Joseph Fields Farm. I would be feeling much better after eating that then this. Plus feel great about bringing wealth to the community and not a corporate hotel chain. Finally, we could reduce much paper and plastic waste.
This is just what I think about. All day. Every day.
I would love to see beekeeping and farming conferences infuse thousands of dollars of cash into the local farms of the communities they visit.
And also I would just love it if you would have one meal this week that was made completely from food that was farmed within 50 miles of where you’re at. Would you do that for me?
