When I moved to Charleston I could count the days on one hand to represent the amount of time I had spent in the city before I moved to it. Of course I went to the beach and the open market, but I missed the Farmers' Market. Now, it's part of my weekly routine to pick up produce and meat from the market. After making this part of my routine I've come to realize how important it is to buy local and how horrible the food industry is.
That being said, there was something which significantly pushed me (onto my face, down on my knees while holding one hand over my mouth and the other clinching my aching stomach) over the edge; "Food, Inc." I knew before I watched this documentary that it would have an affect on me. I didn't know it was going to make me so angry. I was really, really angry. I was angry with the industry and I was angry that I didn't know what to do to change it. I felt, and still feel, like one ant that wants to rebuild a damaged hill. Something big has damaged this hill. There are ants scattered about as well as specks of dirt which, at one point, supported a working infrastructure that met the needs of everyone. But now, nobody knows how to start rebuilding. As one of those ants I fear that thing that's much bigger than me will always be much bigger than me. I'm afraid once we come up with a plan to rebuild, it will come back and damage the hill again. My voice, and the voice of others who want a change in our food industry, is as small as an ant.
Recently, I've reminded myself of how strong ants are. I laugh at myself now but I once watched an ant for at least 15 minutes as it maneuvered, adjusted, orchestrated, and struggled to cary a roly-poly in a pile of gravel. The roly-poly rolled down the gravel multiple times or the ant lost it's footing and fell into the small rocks. Every time, whether it was the roly-poly or the ant who fell into the gravel, the ant never gave up while I was watching. I have to believe there are other people who will carry the same characteristics of this one ant. I'm not sure where I fit in when it comes to finding a solution to this problem but I know I really care. I care enough to question the food I buy, to look at the labels, to protect the health of all animals, to inform others, and to support local farmers in their fight against an inhumane giant. Maybe caring is the first step in rebuilding. Maybe if enough ants care about the future of the hill, they'll find a way to stop those that are destroying it.
Watch "Food, Inc." Pay attention to what you are putting in your body. Think about how the animals you eat are treated before they become a part of what sustains you and your family. Find a local farmer and see if there is a way for you to support them. Look into how the produce you buy is grown. Know if the produce you are buying is in season. If it's not, you need to ask where it's coming from and how long it sits in a crate before it's on your plate. Visit
http://www.takepart.com/foodinc
TAKE ACTION
