Re-Learning the Story of our Food .. AT MY ROSE GARDEN

One of the reasons I grow heirloom roses is to ensure that these precious roses are passed down through the generations.  The story of each heirloom rose is unique and is part of the joy of growing them.  It somehow serves to connect the gardener with previous generations of gardeners who have also grown and loved these very same roses.  

English rose, Heirloom 

In fact, my enjoyment of growing heirloom roses was initially inspired by my love of growing heirloom vegetables and herbs.  And just like the story of each heirloom rose is unique, the story of how our food is grown is also important.  Knowing where our food comes from and how it has been grown and raised is part of the story of our food.  

Yet, somehow the story of what we eat every day has been lost in this era of factory farming and 'fast food'.  We are losing an important connection with our food which lessens our appreciation for it.  In short, the provenance or story of our food that we consume daily becomes fractured and lost in a long list of ingredients on the pack.

And we have become unaware of the seasons and complex natural systems that shape when and how our food is grown or raised.  And we lose a valuable part of the story of our food.  

If we only use food that is processed and packaged we lose the knowledge of generations past.  A mindless consumption of processed food impoverishes our appreciation of fresh flavours and colours.  And our knowledge of the nutritional value of the food we eat is lost. 

We lose the richness and joy that comes from being mindful of the story of our food; its role in our culture and how generations past have prepared it.  Recipes are discarded and lost forever; lost to the next generations.

We forget simple things; like picking fresh herbs  from the garden or  a pot on a balcony. These little acts connect us with our food.   Mindfully choosing a herb to flavour a dish is a simple joy that takes no time and minimum effort.   

Losing our curiosity about how our food is grown or raised; what pesticides and preservatives are used and how far it has travelled, has impoverished us all.  

And we risk losing the memory of generations past who understood the importance of looking after the land on which our food is grown.  Previous generations understood that treating our farm animals with respect  enriched our lives.  Yet, because we have lost this knowledge we ignore the plight of factory farmed animals that suffer hideously in tiny cages, or sow stalls, or farmed intensively before being transported as live cargo on long journeys to slaughter.  

We begin to accept the artificial substitutes in packages we see on supermarket shelves row upon row; packaged foods that may be filled with residue herbicide and pesticides. And we accept these as 'real' food.

So let's get back to the 'farm-gate' so to speak and search out food that is grown authentically; demand food that is grown and  raised ethically.  Let's on purpose decide to re-learn the story of our food;

.. to not accept factory farming that forces animals to suffer for the entirety of their lives; to reject grains and vegetables that have been drenched in herbicides and to seek out 'real food' with real stories that we can be proud to prepare and serve to our friends and families.   

This is not a discussion about 'organic' versus traditional farming methods, but rather a call to be curious about the food we buy and eat;  to question the origin of our food and to demand food that is grown and raised ethically by our local farmers.   

Then we can pass on the story of the food we eat to our children, and in doing so preserve precious knowledge and insights that will help secure fresh food security for the next generation.  

                              Now that's a  beautiful story that we can be proud of.