Welcome back to the LocalHarvest newsletter.
While spring came achingly slowly to my part of the country this past month, I
spent a lot of time pacing in front of the window looking out at heavy gray
skies. The soil being too wet to dig, I had extra time for rumination, much of
which revolved around what LocalHarvest most values.
In last month's
newsletter I said that in this period of budget cutbacks we as a society
need more public dialogue about how to make sure that everyone has enough good
food to eat. My article struck a chord with many. With a number of others, it
hit a nerve. There was
plenty of emotion to go around.
Readers from across the political spectrum wrote in to voice their frustration or support, aimed
variously at the federal government, the media, Wall Street, liberals,
conservatives, the system at large, and the poor. In addition, a number of
people wrote to express their disapproval of LocalHarvest being vocal about the
federal budget process. These writers argued vehemently that I should stay out
of politics.
Most people don't give a hill of beans what we write about, but others
absolutely want our work to reflect at least some of what they hold dear. This
is particularly true for some of our members, the 25,000 people who list their
businesses in our directory. Partisan politics is something we have always
avoided in the newsletter because we know that our members' leanings cover the
entire political map and then some. Steering clear of particular political
parties or heads of state is relatively easy, but avoiding politics all
together is impossible. Being a strong advocate for local food is itself quite
political, given our current food system.
We stand behind our belief that having an adequate and steady supply of good
food is a basic human right, and that those with plenty have a moral obligation
to look out for those who do not. There is ample room for discussion and debate
about how far that obligation extends and how it gets paid for.
Meanwhile, the rest of our manifesto reads like this: The best food is that
which feeds body and spirit. This food can best be found at a farmers markets,
through a CSA, and in your own backyard. Cooking fresh, unprocessed food and
sharing it with people you love is one of life's great pleasures. We support
farms which place primary importance on building healthy soils, protecting the
ecosystem, fair treatment of farm laborers, humane treatment of animals, and a
sustainable life for the farmers. Protecting biodiversity on farms and seed
saving are both good ideas. Genetically modifying crops is a bad idea, as is
the current approach to farm subsidies. Local and regional food systems are of
vital importance in this changing world and should be encouraged on every
level. There is plenty of work to be done to strengthen and expand these
systems, work in which each of us can play a role. Onward!
As always, we appreciate hearing what you think.
Take good care and eat well,
Erin
Erin Barnett
Director
LocalHarvest
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