Yes, Food Inc is disturbing.  But not so horrible that you can’t watch it. Yes it is a bit depressing, but you can feel morally superior because “that’s not how we do things in Australia” … yet.

I did think I’d heard all this before, I’ve read Omnivores Dilemma, I’ve read Barbara Kingsolver’s “Animal Vegetable …Miracle”; I shop at Farmers’ Markets; I hate large scale shopping centres of any kind;  I encourage others to do the same (mostly by taking bowls of delicious “just picked – no cool room” strawberries and cherries to work); what was here for me?

Well, I needed to see this film.  I needed to say that I had sat through it, I needed to strengthen my backbone and be a bit tougher with myself. I needed to see more of Joel Salatin.

Tammi’s fantastic post on listening to Joel Salatin at the Lake House in Daylesford reminded me of some of the things I said I would do.  See, I gutted chickens for a while to help pay for Uni.  I was a vegetarian for 16 years. I don’t wear fur, don’t anthropomorphise animals, don’t think that humans are superior to anything else living on this planet, I’m OK.  Surely.  But I realised that I can, and should, do more.

The ABC’s Landline program did a story on Joel’s recent trip to Oz, not his first.  What struck me was that many of the folk in the audience at the Lake House were primary producers.  Maybe they are right, maybe we, as consumers, just have to ask for it? It’s on iView.  Go have a look.

But I want to do more, I want to do more because I’m scared of WalMart stocking organic yogurt.  Just like I’m scared of McDonalds promising to use free-range eggs. There aren’t anywhere near enough free range eggs produced in Australia to supply McDonalds.  So what happens then?

Heck, I got nervous when I read about a well known chef talking about how great Schulz’s Organic Milk is.  That’s the milk I buy at my local Farmers’ Market.  I know Simon.  What’s going to happen if “mega-famous chef” builds a huge amount of demand for Simon’s milk?

Here are a few things I’m going to do/be better at as a result of having my conscience pricked:-

• Don’t waste food – if you buy it, use it!   I think this is the number one thing for me to work on.  It costs more than just what you spend to get that food to you, think of the fuel to move it, the paper to wrap it, the human power to prepare it.  And if that food has come from an animal, it may not have have a nice life, or death. Respect it and don’t waste it.
• Now that I’m not wasting food, I’m going to buy more from my farmers’ market.  I typically buy most of my veg there, but I’m going to eat less meat, and buy it from someone I know. I’m going to ask about how they raise their meat, how they kill their meat, how far they transport it.  I’m going to let the person who provides me with meat know that I appreciate what they are doing.
• I’m going to insist on grass-fed steak (at a minimum) if I order steak in a restaurant, and definitely buy grass fed beef for home.
• I’m going to join Slow Food.  I am a vocal supporter of raw milk, and raw milk cheese – why not go one step further.
• I’m going to keep on introducing people to their local Farmers’ Markets, by posts on this blog, and by good old one-on-one encouragement.
• I’m going to follow Michael Pollan on twitter @michaelpollan and read his website.
• I’m going to keep an eye on the Food Labelling Review that is going on at the moment.  I  wrote to my local members, but I’m going to keep reading the submissions and create noise if I don’t like what I read.
• I’m going to keep searching for local, accountable food.

As consumers, we’re not powerless.  We need to ask for what we want. Ask.

What can you do?

They are opening their farm in Sutton Grange as a slow food event.

“Ever wondered how a certified organic dairy goat farm, with cheese production, really works? This slow food event will be a hands on experience. Be prepared to get down and see how the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Activities include: farm walk with goats, building better soils with compost, feeding goats, tree planting and much much more. Lunch included, bring your own
plate, cup and cutlery. Booking essential.”

Come and meet the girls and the goats and support some of our most committed farmers and cheesemakers. They really are making a difference.

Sunday 4th October
10am – 4pm
$50 for adults, $45 Slow Food Members and $15 for kids (human)

Bookings: Simon 0421 458 891 of conviviem.leader@slowfoodcentralvictoria.org.au