Problems with our food culture

Industry is to blame for what has happened to the way factory farming has grown and the way they treat animals. Though they are not the only ones to blame. our government is also to blame. They profit from the many factory farms and don't seem to care all that much about the family farms that are being put out of business. The government is also doing nothing about the living conditions of the many animals that live on the farm. And our culture does not want us knowing about these ways in which farming has developed. When we are little kids we are taught about the family farms and are shown pictures of happy animals living in wide pastures. Most Americans today probably are not aware of where there food comes from and how the animals are treated. Before learning about all of this in this class I was kind of aware that most farms today are not what they used to be. But I could have never guessed that most animals that live on the farm are treated so badly. Most animals are compacted so closely together that they can not move right and then there are those like cows that are sick and have milk pumped from them daily and are given hormones that give them more milk. This is such an unnatural way of doing something and it is appalling. I never knew that calf's get fed blood from those that have died. I do not know why anyone would do this to any animal. I am also surprised that no one is really speaking out about it and how our government can let this happen. Though I feel that if a majority were told only perhaps less then half might do something about it, half would change their perspective and start watching were they get their food and the other half would be like oh i never knew that and not be affected.

Then there is the government telling consumers that the more they "apply chemicals and technology to agriculture, the more food will be produced and the lower the price will be to the consumer"(Industrial Food is Cheap). When people try to argue they fight back with this saying how everything they are doing with factory farming is making everything cheap and with out it food would be to expensive. "the industry has even succeeded in portraying supporters of organic food production as wealthy elitists who don't care about how much the poor will have to pay for food" (Industrial Food is Cheap). This is a way of turning the focus on someone else rather then themselves. If you create an enemy then the people will want to join in on the cause and forget the important matters like factory farming and animal cruelty. There is a lot of money going into the process of making food such as the many hormones being given to the cows, the many machines, etc. There is also the price clean up toxins that get polluted from the factories. These toxins are effecting the many communities that live near these factory farming and it also effects the animals living there.

Omnivores Dilemma chapter 2

Through out the years farming has changed from farmers actually going out and plowing and growing all sorts of crops to one to two farmers driving trucks producing more crops but only two crops still are being plants which is corn and soy beans. This change in how things are done is actually worsening the soil and damaging it so that it can not be repaired. This is happening everywhere and because of this the farmers need more land to grow cause once the soil cant be used to grow anything they move on to the next plot of land, killing more and more of the earth. This extra land being used also cause problems for the animals that live on the farm. The land they once were able to stay in has been used to plant the farmers crops so the animals are put into pens in which they have no space to walk around. This is also happening in the Amazon Rain forest in south America. Many trees are being cut down and the soil used to plant grass in which they can feed the cattle for all their meat. This kills the soil and every time it does they move deeper into the rain forest leaving many people and animals out of their homes. I wonder how its going to be like in 10-20 years when there is no healthy soil anymore and the farmers will need to find a new source of land where they can farm. And if this is the case then more and more trees are going to die and we would be cutting down "the lungs of the earth" and causing many problems for us humans in the future.

The two main plants that grow on a farm are corn and soybeans probably because everything that we eat has some version of corn in it. Although I had learned recently about the three sisters. This name came from native Americans whom have been farming far longer then we as "Americans" have. The three main agricultural crops are corn, squash and beans. These are the perfect crops to plant with each other. The squash goes in between the corn stalks and the beans usually grow on the stalks and all three are supposed to be beneficial for the others. I wonder if farmers started planting more crops that did well together instead of having genetically made corn that are the some so they wont have to fight for sun and nutrients then would the soil not get eroded.

Everything that is happening could be blamed on both the corn and the tractors (new technology). So what I am wondering is new technology a good thing? and are the consumers also to blame for the loss of farms. The consumers consume much more then they can eat and want everything in high supply. With this many of the farms feel pressured to produce a huge quantity of crops. Because the horse and plow could not meet these demands they have become obsolete and tractors have taken their place. Then the corn was seen as the crop that gave the farmers the most money because you can practically find it in anything we consume, so they began to grow just corn at huge amounts so that they can meet the demands and in doing so have been unable to feed their own families from their "labor" because the corn has to go through being processed first in order for it to be eaten.
I can not stop to comprehend what has been going on with the fertilization of crops. Having created ammonium nitrate fertilizer by fixing and controlling nitrogen is something I would never have thought of. I feel in a way this is just as bad as it is good in peoples eyes. I cannot understand humans needs to be able to have a power over everything and to later and change things that should be left alone. Nitrogen is one of the main leaders of causing acid rain when fossil fuels are leaked into the air. Acid rain can hurt crops and plants by causing them to die. "Liberated from the old biological constraints, the farm could now be managed on industrial principles"(45). Now humans are no longer need nature to help support them but instead can use their chemicals and products to survive. But this causes problems for the wild life. "By fertilizing the world, we alter the planet's composition of species and shrink its biodiversity" (47).

Vincent:
Its like the quote in the book "men have become tools of their tools. With not needing sunlight anymore and using fertilizers made from nitrogen and a bunch of other things, we have put our hands in the fact that all these things will keep working for us. We are now dependent on them to keep growing crops and there will be many changes to them so that they can grew more and more crops most effectively. A better thing to farmers is all of this new technology but they don't think of the other outcomes of it. Like how it is effecting the other life sources around them. Naylor's family has even been effected by some side effects like the fact that they cannot drink tap water. they see this happening and now the cause but wont stop to think why are we doing this and how can we stop it? Do you think you have an idea to why they continue to use all the new products knowing all the consequences?

Comments on other peoples blogs

Gavin:
Its interesting to see how the fact that we don't have a food culture may seem in its own way Americas own personal food culture. I had never thought about it and am not sure a totally agree. I dont think America has its own food culture but that as americans individually we do and that is because of the choices we choose after all the media all into what we decide to eat and what is healthy.

Henry:
Americans have no food culture I agree but I would be interested to what you have to say about what Gavin said. I agree that we have no foods for our selves but usually use other cultures as our own. We do not have anything for our selves as Americans, our culture is a big combination of what we liked from other cultures and we make them our own.

Rachel:
I like how most of our families do not follow the TVs and medias generalizations of what to eat for food. I think its good that your mom makes her own things and does not allow fast food for dinner. Its healthier when its not part of your everyday meals. Maybe you should learn to cook and then cook things you want so she is not always in control.

Second draft on Pollan

In the book Omnivores Dilemma, Americans do not have a food culture. Everyone is so scattered and indecisive that we listen to what ever the media tells us to eat. We base our opinions of what's good and what is healthy on what the TV says, we use that to base our meals. We usually do not know what to eat and we usually do not know which diet is the best. Our decisions come from the ads on TV and how things are set up to catch our eye in the grocery stores. People take the atkains diet is where people are told only to eat meat and no grains or fruit. This is bad because your body is not going to get all the necessary proteins and carbs that it needs to function. But people do not take this into account because they only listen to the results of the diet and they might not even care or think its unhealthy because no one ever mentioned it to them. Gavin had said that this indecisiveness is in fact our own food culture. But I see it as our way of coping with all the decisions. And in its own way puts on a false culture look so that people don't think anything is wrong with the way they eat and will continue to eat like this under the excuse of because its our culture. With all of the influences around us telling us what to eat and what is healthy we choose from those options thinking there is no other choice. Yet there is always a choice. Like the Italians who have set food culture my family is just like it although in someways we also add a little of our own culture from the influences from society. We set our own food culture from what past generations have done and have passed down. We do watch the news and listen the newest trends about food and I usually do not listen to what they say but I do have a couple of good laughs when I think about the people that do listen with out any questions.

popcorn recipe from Yu-xi

-2 tablespoons olive oil or any other oil
-1/2 cup of kernels
-2-3 packets of sugar (raw sugar packets)

Directions
1. Pour the oil in the pan over medium high heat
2. Put 2 kernals in the oil (this is alittle tip to test when the kernels are ready to be put in)
3. After the two kernels pop put the rest of the kernels in the oil
4. Pop the rest of the popcorn
5. Put the sugar once its done popping (2 tea spoons)
6. While sugar is melting stir the popcorn to coat w/ the melted sugar
7. Turn off heat and add a pinch of salt

done!
(watch the popcorn and sugar to make sure it doesn't burn)

Omnivores Diemma

In the book Omnivores Dilemma, Americans do not have a food culture. Everyone is so scattered and indecisive that we listen to what ever the media tells us to eat. We base our opinions of what's good and what is healthy on what the TV says, we use that to base our meals. We usually do not know what to eat and we usually do not know which diet is the best. Our decisions come from the ads on TV and how things are set up to catch our eye in the grocery stores. People take the atkains diet is where people are told only to eat meat and no grains or fruit. This is bad because your body is not going to get all the necessary proteins and carbs that it needs to function. But people do not take this into account because they only listen to the results of the diet and they might not even care or think its unhealthy because no one ever mentioned it to them.

Going to the grocery store

At the grocery store we went to look at the chips and cookies. The whole entire shelf was nabisco products and the healthy food was on the top shelf out of reach, the chocolate and sweet stuff in the middle where people mostly look and then there were rice crakes in the corner where if you had not been looking you wouldn't have seen them. There were 8 types of chips ahoy and 36 different products in total. The products that are unhealthy and more expensive are at eye level where you can see them. The sweet stuff is also usually in colorful packaging that makes people want to buy them. At the grocery store me and my mom always go to the grocery store and there are always so many different choices of that one product. With fruit we try to get the fruit that is not bruised and is usually less expensive. We do not really pay attention to the facts about calories or whether the meat is not processed.

Food Habits

In a common week I eat about a total of 21 things from vegetables, fruits, beans and grains. The most amount of things that I eat in a week is fruits. I eat a lot of fruits, I have fruit with my breakfast sometimes a pear or an apple then at night I have oranges and raspberries as snacks. I also eat a good amount of vegetables. I eat mostly broccoli and carrots but I do tend to eat other things. I do not eat nuts and I do not eat beans. So I only really eat rice and what ever grains are in the bread I eat. I always was introduced to a wide range of foods and when I was younger I used to eat a lot more of everything. But I do not eat a lot of the things that I used to and I do not know why. Perhaps its because of the theory that when you eat a lot of things overtime you will get tired of everything. I am hoping that in time my tastes will change again and that I can increase the amount of different types of food that I eat. This may in time make my eating habits more healthy and I can enjoy more of different cultures food. I think that in a common week I have a small range of different cultures food. Sometimes we have chinese other times we have Italian and then other times we have Mexican or spanish.

Brooklyn Food Conference

Going to the different booths on the 2nd and 4th floor was very interesting. I expected there to be less in ways of actual food and more in ways of educational booths that give insights to what goes into the actual food we eat and ways that we could start to make our meals more healthy. The food was interesting and the cookie that i tasted was just as good as normal cookies but was made with corn bread substance instead of dough. There were many different stands and while I was walking around I thought about what the people's views were on recycling. Many people think recycling is better for the environment while others find it uses to many resources.

The workshop that I attended was the school food activism workshop. I thought it was very interesting. The more I heard what the speakers were talking about the more I seemed to disagree with them. They went on to talk about how there is not enough money for staff, ingredients and other numerous stuff. They gave all their views on how they want to make the food served at lunch more healthy. Me and Jacara just looked at each other and shook our heads. In our opinion if the cafeteria were to serve only healthy stuff most of the kids at school were either going to start going out to eat or not eat at all. In my opinion its stupid to change the whole menu. They should at least leave some things because people's tastes are different. It would also be harder for teenagers to switch their eating habits then it is for young kids. Today during lunch we went to eat at the cafeteria and as soon as we saw the food we walked straight out and did not eat lunch. They were serving toffu, and meatless sandwiches. I am a picky eater and for them to consider changing the lunch menu is a little upsetting. Although I am not against them putting more healthy things on the menu. I am sure people would love the chance to choose what they want to eat for lunch. It also seemed as the speakers were talking our school was not even one of the ones that has a set program where people come to our school and do surveys where they see where the students feel about the food being served at lunch.

May day

May day seems to me one more blunder America has to add to its long list. But not just our government, also its people. It astounds me that people would be pacified by our government so willingly. They tell us one thing and with out any question or thought we are ready to accept it. Countries all over the world celebrate may day. Labor unions and hard workers gather to protest and hold demonstrations for those killed in the Haymarket martyrs. The only countries that do not celebrate May day are the united states and Canada. Although many people have tried to get the holiday official their efforts have mostly worked. The official federal version of "workers day" is labor day on the first Monday in September. Allowing our government to change and create holidays on their whim should not be tolerated. Especially when its almost a cover up, by taking the spot light of the negative event and transforming it in to a new holiday (by saying look how good we are, we're giving you a new event). Even when its the birth place of the specific event. Not taking charge in our governments actions will lead them to think that they can go and meddle in affairs that lead them to take away our rights little by little. This in my opinion does not make our lives meaningful. Being led around on short leashes and living in Americas plastic bubble leaves Americans unable to think for themselves and easily ready to accept any news they get whether its truth or fiction.