Book: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

I found this book in the Biography section at Powerbooks and picked it up because I have previously read The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.  This is about her family's experiment to eat local - i.e. raising, planting the food that they will eat for a whole year, or else buying from local farmers.  I was interested in the concept and was curious about how they were able to manage it.

This book opened with the family moving from Arizona to a farm in Virginia.  Barbara talked about raising chicken and turkey, planting heirloom vegetable breeds, making cheese, etc.  It was all very interesting to me.


While the narrative was good, I appreciate this book more for the ideas that were presented.  We live in a truly global era such that the produce that is grown in one country can easily be made available in other countries.  We enjoy our choices and forget to consider the amount of fuel needed to transport these products to where we are.  We have forgotten the concept of seasonal food because we can get them whenever we want, just because it's in season somewhere in the world.

I've experienced planting/harvesting okra, tomatoes and pechay in my childhood.  We had a yard that also had (and still has) avocado tree, jackfruit, balingbing, guava.  We also raised chicken and pig for some time.  I unfortunately cannot give Neil this experience but I want to take advantage of whatever opportunity I may have to teach my urbanite kid about food origins, that he may have a greater appreciation of the whole process.  Food do not just magically appear in the grocery shelves.

Last Sunday, we attended a wedding at The Mango Farm and I pointed out the mango fruits hanging on the tree to Neil.  Some fruits have fallen to the ground and I picked one up to show him as well.  These things may seem very simple but I hope he starts to get it.

I live in a condo in the city and obviously cannot do anything remotely similar to what the author did but I can be more conscientious about my family's food choices and opt for what will be sustainable in the long run.

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