Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

Not since Fast Food Nation has a book affected me as much as this one. I know, I must be a glutton for punishment reading a book about local food and farming when I live in the Mojave Desert which is barely fit for human habituation. But, a girl can dream. If you care about big issues, the way food relates to politics, homeland security, global warming, the environment, corporate greed, and living simply.....just read this. It is powerful.

There are tons of resources out there that say it better than I can, but here are 10 Reasons to Eat Local and the “Locovore Pledge”, which I like because it allows for options:
If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic.
If not ORGANIC, then Family farm.
If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business.
If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.
If all else fails, at least don’t eat at McDonald’s!

Local can also be defined differently based on regions, so here in the desert 250 miles from home is “local” compared to say 100 in the Bay Area or 20 miles in parts of the American South. The Eat Local Movement is also closely aligned with the Slow Food Movement, which seeks to encourage and nurture diverse food cultures (think Tuscany, the Mediterranean, and parts of Vermont).

I have a tendency to get a little obsessed with things, and I’ve moved on to reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Coming Home to Eat. But, I like food, I like cooking, and I like the simple pleasures of spending time with people over a meal (as opposed to going out and spending lots of money) so this stuff hits home with me. Enjoy!