
Being in the checkout line at the grocery store is not a passive event. Choosing the food you eat is the biggest political and the most far-reaching act that occurs daily in America.
If not LOCALLY PRODUCED,
then organic.
If not ORGANIC,
then family farm.
If not FAMILY FARM,
then local business.
If not a LOCAL BUSINESS,
then fair trade.
People often ask us, "What do you sell? Is it about cooking slowly? Oh wait; - it's the opposite of Fast Food! … Right?" Sort of.
Slow Food is hard to explain in a nutshell, and with good reason: it is a complex concept, intertwined with a huge social movement, and has been translated into many countries and cultures around the world. The Slow Food organization began in 1986 in Italy, in response to the opening of a McDonald's on the Spanish steps in Rome; since then it has spread beyond Italy, making its way to the UK, France, Japan and Australia.
I'm beginning to realize that I titled this series incorrectly. Not only does it remind me of a notorious TV show with a blond, rich girl (Of which I am neither) it also somehow implies that this life is simple. Well, it's not meant to come off that way. What I meant to imply is that this life is "down to earth."
As Americans have realized the health and environmental benefits of eating food without pesticides, organic food has increasingly made its way into more homes and schools. Organic foods sales have increased 17 to 21% since 1997.
Various campuses at the University of Minnesota are finding ways to bring these healthy, organic foods to their students. In Morris, Sandra Olson-Loy, Vice Chancellor for student affairs wrote the use of sustainable and locally grown foods into their contract with Sodexho.