I love Barbara Kingsolver. I have read some of her fiction (The Poisonwood Bible and Animal Dreams.) So, when I needed a book for my trip to Colorado, I picked up Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, a nonfiction book by Barbara Kingsolver. I wasn't disappointed.
I've read other books on the food industry before. I read Fast Food Nation about a year ago. It was a long time before I ate another fast food hamburger after reading that book. This book addresses some similar issues but on a broader scale. Instead of looking directly at the fast food industry, Kingsolver's book looks at the industry's affect on farmers and the land.
She doesn't approach the book as a novelist or as a journalist, but as a mother, doing what is best for her family and the land on which they live. Her husband throws in some journalistic stuff, and her daughter includes her own experiences and recipes.
What did I take away from this book? A desire to feed my family better food, local food whenever possible. I'm not going completely local for an entire year as the Kingsolvers did, but I'm going to make more of an effort to buy my produce from farmers. I use to shop at the farmers market quite regularly. I'm going to do that more often. If all goes well, I'm going to visit a farm today. My dad's bees are on a farm just outside San Antonio. They sell their produce in a stand in the front of their property, so I'm planning on going there today to buy some tomatoes (my plants have lots of blooms and a few unripe tomatoes...), some zucchini and yellow squash, a watermelon, some okra (Doug doesn't like it, but I do!), and whatever else looks good. :)
I've read other books on the food industry before. I read Fast Food Nation about a year ago. It was a long time before I ate another fast food hamburger after reading that book. This book addresses some similar issues but on a broader scale. Instead of looking directly at the fast food industry, Kingsolver's book looks at the industry's affect on farmers and the land.
She doesn't approach the book as a novelist or as a journalist, but as a mother, doing what is best for her family and the land on which they live. Her husband throws in some journalistic stuff, and her daughter includes her own experiences and recipes.
What did I take away from this book? A desire to feed my family better food, local food whenever possible. I'm not going completely local for an entire year as the Kingsolvers did, but I'm going to make more of an effort to buy my produce from farmers. I use to shop at the farmers market quite regularly. I'm going to do that more often. If all goes well, I'm going to visit a farm today. My dad's bees are on a farm just outside San Antonio. They sell their produce in a stand in the front of their property, so I'm planning on going there today to buy some tomatoes (my plants have lots of blooms and a few unripe tomatoes...), some zucchini and yellow squash, a watermelon, some okra (Doug doesn't like it, but I do!), and whatever else looks good. :)
5 comments:
You'll have to let me know what you think of the produce from that farm. Where is it located?
I have loved everything I've had from there. Since my dad has beehives there, we've gotten produce from them before. Usually, though, my dad gets a ton of stuff and disburses it among the family. I've been to the farm only once before and it was a long time ago, and I didn't buy anything there. I was just tagging along with my dad.
It's located on IH 35 South just outside of 1604 -- just off of the southbound access road -- Verstadt Farms. I don't know if I spelled it right. :)
Verstuyft Farms. Located at 14819 IH 35 South -- for those that want to google it... They are open from 8:30am (I think) to 6pm, closed on Sundays.
I got yellow squash, zucchini, small red potatoes, fresh pinto beans and a giant watermelon for $13 total.
I didn't get any tomatoes because the ones they had were a little bruised. I should have gone earlier in the day.
They also had: several varieties of onions, serrano peppers, banana peppers, bell peppers, jalapenos, okra, black eyed peas, and purple hull peas. They are out of corn for the summer. :(
In the fall they will have broccoli and cauliflower among other wintery vegetables...
WOW! I can't believe there's another Kingsolver fan out there! Most other people I know think she's outlandish, especially with that particular book (I read it last year and LOVED it). She's my inspiration. I have always loved her writing style since I first read her when I was a freshman in high school. And my views about the world are very similar to hers.
And thanks so much for mentioning the location of a great place to get produce. I wasn't impressed with the farmers market I went to recently....
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