The Rural Voice, 2006-06, Page 40Gardening
We are what we eat: growing healthg food
Rhea
Hamilton -
Seeger and
her husband
live near
Auburn. She
is a skilled
cook and
gardener.
By Rhea Hamilton -Seeger
As the last of the melons and
cantelope are planted, gardeners all
over Canada are already salivating in
anticipation of the fresh produce they
will enjoy from their gardens this
summer. For a few months each year
more Canadians eat better directly
because of gardeners, whether the
gardens are in their own backyard, in
their generous neighbour's yard or
located down the road with the local
farm family who haul their produce
to the closest weekly market.
Initially my June column was to
be on the growing vegetables but as I
started to do some research some
other tidbits surfaced that I want to
share with you. It all started with an
CBC radio interview with Alisa
Smith and James MacKinnon of
Vancouver who started the 100 -Mile
Index. They were surprised that most
of the produce an average Canadian
eats travels roughly 1500 miles. from
a farm to your plate. This young
couple set out to eat only food
produced within a 100 -mile radius of
their home. I thought that if you were
going to do that, the only better place
to try this idea out would be right
here in southwestern Ontario.
Their website helps you get started
and even outlines how to determine
your 100 miles. They list some
interesting facts among the silly and
two caught my eye. For every
consumer that cooks a traditional at-
home meal there is another who buys
ready-made food. The second telling
point is that in 1910, 40 cents of
every food dollar was returned to the
farmer. Compare that to 1997 figures
where that return is a whopping seven
cents. While these are US statistics, I
don't think we are much different
north of the border.
36 THE RURAL VOICE
The next item to catch my eye was
a little piece in The Globe and Mail's
Social Studies column about Graham
Harvey's book, We Want Real Food.
Reviewed by Felicity Lawrence, the
book dives into the downside of
modern agriculture. Harvey first
tackles the most basic requirement
and that is good soil. For years I have
written about the value of taking care
of your soil. Adding compost,
mulching and last year I noted the
benefits of those wee thread-like
fungi that help plants absorb precious
minerals and moisture. Harvey notes
that vegetables in the United
Kingdom have lost a quarter of their
magnesium, more than a quarter of
their iron and nearly half of their
calcium. But if the plants cannot
absorb enough minerals from the
weakened or depleted soil then how
can we manage to operate at our
optimum health? We promote the
consumption of fruits and vegetables
to increase our nutrient intake.
Balanced with grains. dairy and
protein and reducing our dependency
on sugar and fats makes for a
healthier population.
The research is overwhelmingly in
favour of a healthier diet. The
downside is that your average person
is not paying attention to this
research. Statistics from the western
world show an increase of heart
disease, some cancers, respiratory
diseases, arthritis, rheumatism, even -
tooth decay just to name a few of the
human ailments we deal with more
and more.
There were concerns about soil
depletion as far back as the the mid -
19th century. Both Europe and
America imported natural bird guano
fertilizers from islands where large
bird colonies were located. It was
chemist Justus von Liebig who
analysed the chemical structure of
soil that led the way to the
manufacture of nitrogen, phosphorus
and potassium. Harvey gives much
more background and details about
the repercussions of synthetic
fertilizers that led us to the Green
Revolution. We Want Real Food is on
my reading list.
So what is happening today, in
light of this information, to effect
some change. I listened with great
sadness this winter to all the protests
staged by our farming neighbours. I
even read some scathing columns
about farmers wanting handouts.
Shame shame. People really should
read a little more, or move to a
working farm.
The Institute for Agriculture and
Trade Policy issued a report in March
entitled Food Without Thought, How
U.S. Farm Policy Contributes to
Obesity. It is a well -crafted document
that recognizes that both the
incidence and the financial costs of
obesity have skyrocked. It outlines
how current farm policy has directed
the food industry investment into
producing low-cost processed foods
high in added fats and sugars. It
points out that the farm industry has
been devastated by a system that
favours low value bulk commodities
over higher value food crops. The
consumer is becoming more
dependent on imported higher value
produce crops.
To turn things around the report
recommends that the connection
t:.tween public health, food, and farm•
policy be recognized; that local and
regional food systems be supported
and market incentives be developed
for increasing healthy food
consumption; and that school and
government policies favour healthy
foods.
There is a 2007 Farm Bill in the
works south of our border. It will be
the first time that public health will
have a strong voice and if they work
with the agricultural groups they may
be able to make some positive
changes in the way agriculture is
guided. It is to this project, the 2007
Farm Bill that the Institute report is
directed.
The one point that stood out was
the call to keep small farmers on the
land. It has been noted that the small
and medium farms that are
continually going out of business are
often the most innovative. We need
creative farmers to set up healthy
regional food systems. The Institute