Foodie Food

If you told me a decade ago that I would be freaky about eating local
and treating myself to a compost bin for my birthday (the better to
grow my very own veg)--well, I'd have coughed Marlboro smoke in your face
with derision. But then I went to seminary, and I started going to
farmer's markets around the same time, so of course I got all
theological about it. Common UU parlance is "right relationship",
although I prefer "balanced relationship".

Despite the fact that everything we eat comes from living creatures,
American and Canadian cultures objectify food. We quantify it--
counting and controlling calories, nutritional content, portion
sizes... despite our obviously limited understanding of the
amazingly complex ways that we enteract with food (like breastmilk,
for starters!)

For me, unschooling is about letting go of control and
being fully with my child in our relationship as it unfolds. Slow
food is also about letting go of a control-based relationship and
participating lovingly with the world around me.

I cannot force myself into balance. I cannot have a qualitative
relationship with corporatized food. I can, however, foster a rich
sense of self and community through slow/local/organic food
practices. I think of it as feeding the whole self.

NOW don'tcha wanna come on my picnic?