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January 30, 2008
Frozen vs fresh
For two 18-week seasons now, Ben and I have paid a local farming family for a share of its harvest during the growing season. Some of the veggies we've brought home have been odd - kohlrabi, anyone? They've all be fresh, though, and very tasty. At the end of each year, we get an e-mail from Vicki, the matriarch of the family, who urges us to think about where our food comes from as we head back to the grocery store to stock our pantries through the winter months.
In the economics classes I took last year, I learned that global trade makes everyone better off. In some parts of the world, workers specialize as farmers. Elsewhere, they fill factories. In the U.S., presumably, they become engineers, consultants and retail clerks. I'm not quite informed enough to understand how this theory plays out with food, especially when things like flavor, community well-being and the environment come into play.
I know that I like the fact that I have blueberries in my fridge in January. (Thanks, Chile!) Still, I do try to buy frozen or canned foods through the winter. Local farmers sell some of their corn, broccoli and the rest of their harvest to the companies that freeze or can the produce I can buy at the local supermarket, Vicki says. When I get a hankering for stir fry, the pre-chopped broccoli, bell peppers, onion and corn are cheaper than fresh stuff at this time of year. And they cook up just about as good, only with less prep work.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at January 30, 2008 08:28 PM
Comments
"In the U.S., presumably, they become engineers, consultants and retail clerks."
We're screwed. We're like the second spaceship full of Golgafrinchams.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/hitchhikers/guide/golgafrincham.shtml
Posted by: underwhelm at January 31, 2008 05:22 AM