Saturday, July 31, 2010

Food, Inc.


During the middle of the crazy busy week that just flew past, I finally got around to watching this documentary. I had seen small portions of it on television, and discussions about its importance, much earlier this year...so it's been around quite a while. Perhaps you've already seen it.

If you haven't, you might want to consider it. Some of what I saw was similar to information that was in King Corn (visit their website here). Some of it was about Monsanto, and how they have just about tied up our food from one end to the other, beginning with the seeds and including stories about private investigations they conduct to make sure farmers aren't saving and re-using seeds. It was a lot about how poorly many people eat in this country, either through lack of time, thought, education, or money. It painted, over all, a sad tale. It's no wonder there is so much obesity and illness. Our grocery stores are veritable mine fields of unhealthy products.

It's a cautionary tale, to be sure, and to my mind, one that needs to be seen be everyone.

WARNING: If you decide to watch it, it's probably not appropriate for smaller children, due to some fairly grisly footage taken in some farms, feedlots, and packing plants.

5 comments:

ShabbySheep said...

Marty I watched it, then ordered the DVD so I could lend it to friends to watch if they haven't. I agree with you. EVERYONE NEEDS TO SEE THIS! It's so sad and sickening. Especially to animal lovers like us! Maybe the world will realize what we're doing someday and we'll make it right. We can start by only buying grass fed beef (if we HAVE to have it) and really get down on these greedy bastards for what they are doing to our food supply. You can't even trust them when they say free range chickens!!! That might mean they can stand on a one foot square of grass. Not free range to you or me, is it?
Like I said, Greedy Bastards!!!
Now, would you like to know how I REALLY feel? LOL
xo, Sheri

Taos Sunflower said...

Sheri: You're so awesome!!!! I should share my DVD, too, and implore those folks to keep it moving along. I love hearing how you feel about it!!! I'm with you...greedy bastards, indeed. And we've just been led down the dark path, like a bunch of sheep. I wish people knew the real story, next time they're bargain hunting for cheap food! Not to mention that buying whole foods and cooking fresh is cheaper than buying prepared foods with murky ingredient lists and lots of unhealthy results, over time. Thanks for weighing in on this one!! It's great to hear your voice, so strong and loud!!! XOXOX

Anonymous said...

Have missed you, great blogging will write soon, Patricia in Santa Fe

Taos Sunflower said...

Hi Patricia...good to hear from you. I've not had the "normal" amount of time (whatever normal is) to blog or write these last few months...so I appreciate getting a hello from you! Hope you're having a great summer. Talk soon, Martie

Anonymous said...

Martie: I've seen a lot of food production I had rather forget about. That's why I am trying to get a Niman's production certificate for the cattle we raise (we don't have any now). I believe in the grass-fed beef only. No-stress management. There's a lot of us in Texas that produce livestock or husband livestock that consider their herds a part of the family. I looked for a Native American medicine man to perform a ceremony over my herd (I know it's far-fetched, just my weirdness on this) when I shipped them away. In any case, I didn't find one and had to improvise myself. The cattle didn't understand a word I said, but I sent them off sadly with the words that they were going to be a part of another family whose son or daughter was going to have proper nutrition because of them and grow up to find a cure for cancer or bipolarity.

My cattle are grass-fed and have Niman-approved grain. No antibiotics. If they have to have them, they are NOT certified under the Niman Ranch protocol. There is healthy food out there, but you have to be careful.

Hope all is well with you. Good quilting going on out there I read.

(Jack Matthews, Sage to Meadow and Flying Hat Ranch Blogs)