The Omnivore's Dilemma and Fast Food Nation

Don and I have been listening to audiotapes and we just finished The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan and Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. We think both books were excellent and we learned so much from them. It has changed the way we see food and now we are trying to change the way we buy food and eat.

This year we were able to get a vegetable subscription at a local farm. It is a program called Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and you buy a subscription for the growing season and you get a box with vegetables every week or every other week. There are very few in Florida but we were lucky and there was one 10 minutes away from the house. It is a very popular program and they have a long waiting list. Last year we were not able to get a subscription but this year we applied earlier and we got in. You need to (re)learn to eat and cook with what is available locally so it has been kind of an adventure. The first box had tomatoes, bok choi, arugula, cucumbers, herbs, different types of zucchini and a medium pumpkin. We ate the pumpkin as a side dish and we made two pumpkin pies. It was delicious. We have been eating some vegetables from our garden as well and I am trying to give up coffee and have tea from herbs from the garden. Not easy, I still miss coffee!

I also found a farm in Fort Pierce that raises animals in pastures and they are fed grass. I know that is the way animals were intended to be raised but it is not common anymore. We have been buying from them. We need to put an order and they come twice a month to a place nearby where we pick our order. They process the orders in the morning and deliver at night and we have to go with our coolers to pick it up. It is kind of an adventure as well but now I feel better about eating eggs and cooking meat for Don.