The Farm 4,000 km Away
Friday, August 6, 2010 at 05:23PM I am not even going to attempt to apologize for my extended absence from our little farm blog. Since spring, I have worked more hours, worked harder, gotten far dirtier, and slept better than I ever have in all my brief 31 years. So I worked... and worked... and worked. The blog got lost in there somewhere. My bad.
Back to the matter at hand, however. Organic. The big O. A lot of folks ask us why we don't certify when we could. It's a long story, and I will come back to it. I want you to read this quote from The Omnivore's Dilema first. I just came across it and it struck me as very relative to our province.
"...the organic label itself - like every other such label in the supermarket - is really just an imperfect substitute for direct observation of how a food is produced, a concession to the reality that most people in an industrial society haven't the time or the inclination to follow their food back to the farm, a farm which today is apt to be, on average, fifteen hundred miles away" pg. 136 - 137
In Nova Scotia, the average that your food travels is 4,000 km. That's pretty far. In fact, you could almost drive to Austin, Texas in that. The Ecology Action Centre recently released a report based on 2008 data that pegged the average food milage at that whopping high number. Now hopefully, since 2008 we as a province have been buying more local grub and have driven that number down, but that remains to be seen.
The point is, our farm is not 4,000 km away. I promise. Driving in to "the city" every Saturday morning would be far more painful if it involved multiple thousands of kilometres. It takes ninety minutes to drive from downtown Halifax to our driveway. Trust me, I do it a lot.
It is on that note that I want to challenge you. I don't want you to just buy in to my pitch at the Market and walk away satisfied that you are doing your part. You are, don't get me wrong. You are making a huge difference to both our farm and Nova Scotia agriculture as a whole. Every dollar you give to us and deny those grocery stores is a sort of vote. But, what I really want is for you to give up one hundred and eighty minutes and come see the farm that is growing your food. Come meet the people you never see (my infamous father-in-law) and look your food in the eye. See for a fact how it is raised, what it eats, what it doesn't eat, and how we treat them. I want you to come and ask to see their feed. Ask to see their water. Walk around with the cows and calves and experience it all for your self.
This is where that organic thing comes in to play. I promised to tell you why we don't certify, but only on the condition that I get to tell you while we sit around my dinner table and I serve you coffee. And maybe a burger or steak. Maybe. The point is, please come see your food. Don't just buy into a label and walk away satisfied. Know your food. It doesn't come from 4,000 km away, it's just down the road.
Local Food, Organic, The Farm, Visit
Reader Comments (9)
I'd known for some time that I should be buying local and that factory farmed is awful. But I failed to even consider looking into buying meat locally. It wasn't until I recently read the comprehensive Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer that I had a real awakening and set out to change my behaviour. That's when I found you folks and a number of other responsible NS meat producers.
My fiancee and I plan to come by for a visit this fall. I wouldn't be surprised if she started to eat meat again.
this new post is amazing - I have been wanting to bring my kids to your farm to see where the meat comes from - and appreciate the effort that their parents are trying to make to ensure that they are eating healthy happy cows and pigs. To teach them the value of treating animals (and their earth)with respect, and letting them know that blindly buying from big supermarkets is not always good for you. I need to order another freezer box - perhaps I could come and pick it up this time?
I don't need to visit -- just the offer is good enough to sell me :)
ps: while science supports organic ideas like don't-eat-pesticides and feed-cows-grass, I don't think there is good science behind feed-cows-organic-corn-instead-of-non-organic-corn. I don't think there is a big connection between a cow eating pesticides and you getting pesticides by eating the cow. that said, maybe it is against the organic ideal to support non-organic feed. I don't know... food for thought though
Good Sentiment: I think there is fairly good evidence that consuming animals that have themselves consumed pesticed does transmit pesticides (and other metals) to you. In fact, not only is it transmitted, but it is delivered to you in a concentrated fashion. This process is called "biomagnification" or "bioamplification". Pesticides and heavy metals are concentrated as you go up the food chain.
This is true about heavy metals, but pesticides and heavy metals are different things. There are a lot of pesticides, and some might have heavy metals in them, but I don't know this
I was at the market today and bought some meat from your shop. I'm planning on doing a posting of produce grown locally and wanted to include your company in it. While I am not a trained chef, I do have a passion for food and how food helps to keep the body healthy. That's one of the reasons I started my food blog. I love the TED video on Jamie. He is a 'real' food hero to me. Look forward to going to your farm at some point.
Cheers,
Heather Chase
Last year I switched to Paleo Nutrition as part of a personal wellness plan that simplifies my diet to one that focuses upon lots of good proteins, good fats, vegetables and fruits. With an eye to balancing my Omega 6-3 ratios grass fed meats play an important role. It took some time and effort to source out local producers who raise animals the "old fashioned" way without the use of grain feed,antibiotics and hormones. Good on you!
I have purchased your medium and lean ground beef at the market and absolutely love it. I`ll definitely be a repeat customer and thanks for the offer to visit.
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