My favorite line from this chapter was: "this is why her dad couldn't throw out those peaches, he respected them too much." The practice in Japanese Buddhism of listing gratefulness for everything that went into bringing food onto your plate is something that is severely lacking in the American food system. Food is not seen as reverent and deserving of respect and gratefulness. Instead, it is treated as a commodity, something to be bought, consumed, and discarded without much thought. This disconnect extends to how the food is produced, with industrial farming prioritizing efficiency and profit over sustainability and quality. There is a detachment between consumers and the origins of their food. Many Americans are utterly aware of the labor, resources, and environmental impact of how their food is produced. This lack of awareness only furthers the cycle of wastefulness and disconnection, where food is taken for granted. This is in stark contrast to Japanese buddhism, and highlights the impact that culture and spirituality can have on our views toward food, and in turn the entire food system.
As Ichikawa argues, it is more efficient to teach about the interconnectedness of the whole system than to simply tell them not to waste something. I also really liked the last paragraph in this chapter. We blame the industrial food system and modern agricultural policy for the destruction of rural environments. However, it is the extensive history of immigration policy and systematic racism in this country that prevented people from "putting down roots". Therefore it is no wonder that this country has been dominated by large scale, commercial, industrial farms.
I also loved the last paragraph of the conclusion:
"So healing the climate means healing land, I asked, trying to follow Morningstar’s train of thought, and healing land means healing colonization?
“That’s it,” Morningstar said. “That’s the work.”
I feel as though it summarizes the main, but often overlooked, issues that drive unsustainable agriculture. It highlights the idea that regenerative agriculture isn't just a field of science, it is a philosophy.
1 comment:
I love the quote you picked out. It really shows how contradictory our values can be. People are not grateful for our crops and don't value/respect the food system enough. I like how you indent specific words to further your point <3.You are so right it is also a philosophy.
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