Knowing Where it Comes From

June 30, 2010

If you're not completely captivated by the thought of these people producing your food, then you're flat out crazy.

Anna whispering sweet nothings to her sheep:

Anna doing something that I'm too lazy to do:

Anna carrying something heavy:

Michele planting garlic, and Denis hoeing a row (I have no idea if that's what he's actually doing, but I heard it in a Dixie Chicks song and it seems like it fits):

Not sure about you, but we're the type of family that usually shares a prayer before we eat--you know, if we're not so super hungry that the food just kind of jumps into our open mouths before we have the chance to bring it up with God.

But most of the time, one of us offers a prayer. And most of the time, the prayer says at least these two same things:

1. We're thankful for this food, and

2. Please bless it to make our bodies strong and healthy.

As far as the whole 'thankful' thing goes, I can assure you that it's one thing to be grateful that you swiped your debit card at Hannaford and *surprise* you actually did have enough money in your account to buy that two pack SnoBalls. But gratitude for having friends and neighbors who are willing and able to use their land to grow natural, organic food that's completely safe for you and your family to eat? Gratitude that someone is stooped over in a local field, pulling up your carrots and wiping the soil on their jeans? I can absolutely assure you that that measure of gratitude is on a completely different plane.

And how about the 'bless it to make our bodies healthy and stong' part? When I sit down with my family to eat something that was produced in a factory, or doused in pesticides, I'll tell you, that prayer really means a lot. After all, it could take a real miracle to see an increase in health from that kind of food. But this CSA produce is totally and completely different. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it's increasing my kids' health, and fighting off the cancer that everyone seems to get these days. Furthermore, I wholeheartedly believe that it's reversing the effects of the Sinckers bar I ate for breakfast dessert and taking years from my complexion with every single bite.

Now if Long Meadow farm could start growing a cookie here and there, my life would be complete.