musings from a garlic-growing greenhorn
Dear Greenhorns,
Sarajane here, writing from Keith’s Farm in Port Jervis NY. There is much to say and do, tell and ask. For now, though I want to let you know about some NPR news I heard recently. (Strangely, working on this garlic farm has allowed me to clock WAY more NPR time than I have in the last years of my life…luckily we also get WFMU here as well…)
Last sunday driving home I was listening to “Weekend All Things Considered.” Tom Vilsack was interviewed in a strange way, mostly on farmer’s markets. And THEN (for perspective?) they interview Sallie James of the Cato Institute on her thoughts on farmers markets and eating local and government goings-on. She doesn’t think farmers markets are suited to serve poor people. How to do it then? the interviewer asks. WAL-MART, she says. Too bad activists are so big on keeping Walmart out of the neighborhoods that “most need them.” Yikes! I highly recommend a listen and maybe a comment on npr’s website. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113485037&ps=rs
keep up the good work.
your website has been great sustenance for me this summer season. thank you thank you!
more soon,
sarajane
ps: michael pollan on talk of the nation yesterday (oct 9) along with the farmer and author of “the omnivore’s delusion,” which was a kind of rebuttal to the OD that I first read about on your website. he is his smart self.
-
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October 11, 2009 at 3:57 pm
What I am about to offer may seem controversial. And it’s not necessary a direct response to the post above, but more of mine own reflection on the debate that seemed to have taken place. (I haven’t listened yet
)
I live in a major American city with an incredible amount of poverty. Large swaths of our city are neither (easily) accessible by public transportation nor have any source of food less local corner stores that often offer only snack food, soda, and beer. While I agree that farmer’s markets and community gardens provide an ideal solution to the problem of making good produce and healthy foods accessible, they are not necessarily the most practical solution.
Community members most in need do not have the time to devote to gardening and farming themselves, and farmer’s markets have yet to grow large enough to support such need, nor do they venture into the depths of these communities. While I don’t think WalMart is necessarily the answer, I do think that a lot of people – community members, health professionals, and activists alike would rejoice over the building of a Pathmark in some of the neighborhoods I’m referring to.
I recognize that a Pathmark can have negative consequences: put the small grocers that do exist out of business and disincentive people from shopping at the farmer’s markets that do set up. But I think it’s important to prioritize the needs of the communities we’re talking about when we enter into these debates and to consider all options – not just to act on pure ideal.