If I were to take every single food item in my meal last night and break it down all the way to the seed, then grower level, I would more than likely see a lot of things to turn my belly and cause me to put my fork down. So, I started thinking about the resources available to help folks learn more about where their food comes from, and how to reconnect with our food. Here a few of my favourite resources, but feel free to comment and add to the list.
I'm really fond of the Food Routes Network in the U.S.
Except for those who eat only from their own vegetable gardens, it is virtually impossible to keep track of every aspect of their food. But if the average food item travels at least 1500 miles from unknown sources, how can you know anything about the way it was produced? How can you be sure that the food was processed safely? How can you know whether or not pesticides, GMOs, antibiotics, or growth hormones were used?
One of the best Canadian projects to emerge in the last years is, of course, the 100-Mile Diet and the related campaign with fabulous educational materials.
In 2005, Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon began a one-year experiment in local eating. Their 100-Mile Diet struck a deeper chord than anyone could have predicted, inspiring thousands of individuals, and even whole communities, to change the way they eat. Locally raised and produced food has been called "the new organic" -- better tasting, better for the environment, better for local economies, and better for your health. From reviving the family farm to reconnecting with the seasons, the local foods movement is turning good eating into a revolution.
