Saturday Morning and the Farmers' Market

I'm turning into one of those people... you know... a real blogger. ;)
One of those bloggers that carry their laptop with them wherever they go just in case they have to blog about something interesting. (You're just lucky I don't have an iPhone... yet.)

This morning I made my weekly stop at the farmers' market. The one in the University District is open year-round. Lots of greens and root vegetables! It's starting to get busy again too. I think all of us Seattleites are anxiously awaiting spring.

After picking up some Brussels sprouts and kale, I stopped at Trabant for some chai (and blogging). This quarter is coming to an end and I keep questioning myself if I've "learned enough." In this moment of reflection, I tell my voice of cynicism to be quiet. I remind myself that learning is a process and there is no end.

The end of this quarter will not signal the end of this blog. This experience has changed my relationship to food - both publicly and privately. I appreciate that this blog that has opened up amazing conversations about food and life which I never would have had without it.

This morning, I came across WhyHunger.org and an amazing article on racism & farmworkers: "Seventy to seventy five percent of the entire agricultural workforce (migrant and non-migrant) in the U.S. are members of racial minority groups" and "farmworkers are the lowest paid occupational group in the United States." Just because a farm sells its organic produce at the local farmers' market does not mean they engage in fair and equitable labor practices. Just something to keep in mind.

There is so much more to food than what meets the eye. I cannot look at my food now without thinking about who grew it (if I even know) or how it was grown (again, if I even know). Food is not just about eating and nutrition. Our food system is so interconnected with issues of labor, race, culture, class, economic status, gender, policy, and the planet. I think my next area of exploration is organizations who are working on community-based solutions for food justice. Uh oh... do I hear another independent study?