"animal, vegetable, miracle"

I am reading this wonderful book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle", by Barbara Kingsolver.  I first read her fiction books ("The Bean Trees" is great) but this is nonfiction... and it's changing the way I think about food!  I'm sure we are all more conscious about what we're eating, how can we not be with all the info in the news about trans fats, poisoned tomatoes, etc.  I buy organic when possible, no hydrogenated oils, and have heart palpitations when my son drinks soda.  Then I started reading this book, and I am inspired to become a locavore.  This is a movement wherein you buy food only from local sources.  If it is trucked, flown, or in any other way freighted in, then it's off the list.  The purpose is to support local producers and local economy, but also to avoid increasing the amount of fuel and greenhouse gases, and wasted energy in order to ship strawberries to NY in January, or to ultra-pasteurize milk to maintain its "freshness" on its 2000 mile journey to [insert big name supermarket here].  The Kingsolver family moved to a farm in VA and began growing their own fruits and veggies, EVERYTHING they ate had to come from a local source.  She even made her own cheese.  I wish I could go that far, but I know I'll never do it.  I can barely work up the will to make baby food (which I did tonight - two jars worth!  Unfortunately my wee gourmand rejected my offering, but that's another blog).  So we are not going to start making our own cheese, pasta, bread, or raising chickens; but I am going to only buy local foods, especially produce.  I try not to think too hard about the lasting trauma I'm causing my son when I make him say "please", "thank you", and "may I be excused", or the numerous other ways in which I could be driving him to future psychotherapy; however I do worry about what I am putting into, and on, his body.  Who knew parabens and phthalates might affect my chances for grandchildren (at the least)?  There's a cool website about all the environmental hazards that could affect children.  Warning: it's not for the easily paranoid.  It's www.safemama.com   It's interesting to read, but only in tidbits.

So I encourage you all to read this book - it's very interesting, and she mixes anecdotes with facts about the science of food, which is both enjoyable and enlightening.