Friday May 17th
Today was a very busy day. In the morning we went to the Iowa Pork Producers Association, and then we went to the Wallace Farm and had lunch at The Gathering Barn, before speaking with the chef and the CEO. After lunch, we headed out to the garden to help out and learn more about the actual practices of keeping an organic-farm to table production going.
At the Iowa Pork Producers Association I was not surprised to find that they were in support of gestation crates, however I was surprised as to the reason why. Keeping an animal in a small, enclosed place like the gestation crates will make it easier to manage and most likely make it gain weight faster. I thought that this would be the sole reason that the Pork Producers Association required to form their positive opinion of the crates, but I was wrong. They have absolutely no interest in treating the animals inhumanely and referenced a study that showed that when given the choice between living among other pigs or by themselves in the crates, which they could voluntarily enter or exit, the pigs most often chose the crates. Why? Surprisingly, pigs are quite nasty, and the crates create a safe place for the animals to be.
I found today to be very interesting, the food was very good, probably the very best lunch I have ever eaten, and included an absolutely delicious ham sandwich. I am always surprised when organic farms are not vegetarian or vegan. I’m not quite sure why, but I think that when people care enough about their diets to be concerned about the residual chemicals that may enter their bodies through the fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides that were applied to the plants before they are picked, they should care enough to not consume the unhealthy fats contained in animal meats and byproducts. Although I am neither vegan nor vegetarian, I do not care enough to eat exclusively organic either. It does strike me as strange though, that people who refuse to use nitrogen fertilizers and to eat corn-fed beef have no trouble eating ginger gelato or mayonnaise, neither of which are especially healthy. However, the delicious tastes of these foods are definitely a draw for people debating the value of local foods.
The farm to table movement is quite new and exciting in the culinary world. People are excited by the chance to eat locally grown, in season fruits and vegetables grown by people that they know and like. Even the decision to add a salad to your dinner can help support a local farmer and make a difference. Although the movement has been very trendy recently, and that may be a draw to some people, I believe that most people are excited by the ability to know the land and the people on which their food is grown. Every bite of an apple is sweeter if your close friend and neighbor has grown it. Not to mention, when people know and trust the farmers who grow their food, the can be more sure that the food has been grown safely and they are not being tricked into eating anything that they are not aware of. With local foods, what you see is what you get and this fosters community support and love.