Warning: this post gets a bit preachy, but as the saying goes, “take what you need and leave the rest behind.”
Today (Friday) is our last full day at the Amarita Farm in beautiful Mt. Pelion. Over the course of this week, we have enjoyed delicious, organic food prepared by our host and other local chefs. As important, we have been enjoying the company of people, many of whom are healers, who came here to refill their “tanks.” Like Beth and I, they spend their lives giving, so a week of recovery and receiving is good for them and their clients.
Tomorrow morning. we get back in our bus for the four hour trip back to Athens for a day of rest or shopping before returning to the USA on Sunday. Beth and I have opted to spend five days on the largest Greek island, Crete. Our reasoning was pretty simple – it cost us thousands of dollars to fly here, so why not squeeze the most out of this visit!
I cannot over emphasize the importance we have learned about REAL FOOD this past week. The farm-to-table experience here has made it abundantly clear that we Americans are slowly killing ourselves with what one person described as “dead energy food.”
The concept is simple – when food is alive on the vine, on the ground or in the air it begins to lose its energy as soon as it is killed or harvested. Therefore, eating it ASAP gives one the highest degree of vital energy. By contrast, food that has sat on a truck, on a shelf or in a refrigerator has lost much of its energetic value. It may be preserved, but it ain’t alive.
The second factor is knowing the person or persons who handle our food. If we can buy from a local farmer, particularly a person whose values match our own, we are more likely to not interrupt the flow of energy with trucks, diesel fuel, stores and tens of people handling our food.
These days, it’s very possible to know your growers. The grocery store is just one source, but it’s not the only one. Nearly every community has a farmer’s market and many of us within an hour of a farm. We know one couple who orders their food from a farm who delivers it to their home. It’s n other words – RRAL FOOD is here or close by.
For many of us who currently buy their food from some mix of chain stores and warehouse outlets, this is a HUGE shift. My parents and their parents got used to a food delivery system that is convenient and, it would seem, perfectly suited to our go-go lifestyles.
But let’s be honest…
Are we having trouble maintaining or losing weight? My answer is yes.
Are we consistently feeling nourished by our food? For me the answer is no.
Are we spending too much on mediocre food at restaurants? Absolutely!
Do we love, love, love the food on our table? Nope.
So, here’s the question I’m asking myself. Do I want to continue supporting a mediocre, expensive system that provides my family with high convenience, low quality and questionable nutritional value? Or, do I want to support local growers with my dollars – effectively returning my salary to the community – while simultaneously enhancing my body, mind and emotions with fresh foods?
How do you want to fill your tank?
