Keepers and changers

Keepers
potluck
giving up fast food
blog

Changers
buying organic
trying to completely eliminate corn

Group Reflection

Put your initials beside your response

Keepers:
-like the blog and the sharing of resources through the blog- sb
-like the individual action and sharing of progress this allowed for lots of actions to be covered under our topic-sb
-great celebration potluck-sb, jc

Changers:
-it would have been nice to get together and start a herb garden as a group but each take away their own!
- comment on each other's blog posts more - jc
- strategy to promote the blog -jc


Any other thoughts:
- Great group, worked well together, communicated well! Thanks everyone for all of the effort and support- sb
- I really enjoyed learning from others! It is nice to work with others towards a common goal. - jc

Love Food Hate Waste

Here is an awesome resource that I found while going through YouTube videos. It is a website that allows you to plan portions, find recipes that will help you use your left-overs, learn more about food waste, and how to store your food for optimal freshness.

Food Waste

I really liked this video because it offers ways that people can make changes regarding their wasteful food habits. It also gives statistics throughout the video to demonstrate the severity of the issue

Potluck

My original plan was to bring coffee and then a snack as well but since my group doesn't drink coffee i opted for apple crisp instead, it's super easy to make and I had everything at home already which worked great for my buy nothing week!
All you need its apples, cinnamon, oats, flour, margarine and I added real Canadian maple syrup from Quebec for my own personal touch!

Self Reflection on Eating Locally

My original goals for the project
• Learn how to preserve food that is locally available
• Learn where my food comes from and find local sources
• For food that can only be imported, find local alternatives to replace them in my diet
• Plan for spring where I will assist my mom in her garden
• Start an indoor herb garden
• When I cannot control my food options, eat the healthiest option
• For foods I am not allergic to, exclude them from my diet if a local source is not available
• For foods that I am allergic to, if a local source is not available eat only once a week.

I thought spending the Thanksgiving weekend at my grandparents’ farm would be the perfect opportunity to learn about how to eat more locally. I was a little discouraged because it seemed like only the “old timers” are the ones who eat locally. My cousins and friends who are around my age buy most of their groceries. They are busy with work, family and children and there never seems to be enough time. I felt like I was trying to take on too much with my prairie diet. It feels like if you don’t have the money to buy more locally produced food (which is usually more expensive) you need the time, effort and land to produce your own. It all seemed so overwhelming. I am so busy with school and I was worried that I am doing too much for the Action Learning Project. I needed to rethink things my short term goals. My refined goals for the project
• Learn how to preserve food that is locally available
• Learn where my food comes from and find local sources
• Plan for spring where I will assist my mom in her garden
• Start an indoor herb garden
• When I cannot control my food options, eat the healthiest option
• For foods I am not allergic to, exclude them from my diet if a local source is not available

I decided I needed to be a more proactive and less frozen in fear about starting to eat more locally. I cannot start a garden this time of year but I can certainly plan for one. During our class camping trip, I started reading the book Carrots Love Tomatoes to start planning my future garden. I found out from my mother that due to some neighbouring trees there is not a lot that will grow in the garden. Currently my goal for next year is for our family to become self-sufficient with carrots and potatoes. A garden with more variety will have to wait until I have my own place.

In the meantime, I started growing a little indoor garden. I realize that seeds are not in great demand this time of year but I was able to find seeds for Summer Savory, Thai Basil, Chervil and Sage. I really wanted mint but there was none.

I got the bright idea to buy some peppers to harvest the seeds to grow my own. It is a small start but at least I’m heading in the right direction. The herbs have started to sprout but the peppers have yet to do anything. I might have to wait until spring and buy some pepper plants to grow inside.

In addition to starting an indoor garden, I also learned some cooking methods that would help me to eat more locally. I bought peppers so I could plant the seeds but then learned how to pickle the peppers. It was interesting to learn but I felt like it was such a waste of water to pickle such a small amount of food (lesson learned). I’d like to try canning again next fall but I’ll wait until I have a larger amount of food to preserve.

Both Brooklyn and Michelle had done some research about food waste that opened my eyes to the issue. I came across a new report that the US could save the energy equivalent of about 350 million barrels of oil a year — without spending a penny or putting a ding in the quality of life: Just stop wasting food [Wasted Food, Wasted Energy: The Embedded Energy in Food Waste in the United States, Amanda D. Cuellar, Michael E. Webber, Environmental Science & Technology 2010 44 (16), 6464-6469]. I try not to let food go to waste but I felt I needed to do more. It always bothered me that my family did not compost in the wintertime. I persuaded my parents to let me start a vermi-compost for we can compost year-round. The vermi-compost will serve two purposes: less household waste and fertilizer for my indoor plants.

Some of the food facts that Jenny and Sophie had shared with us had our entire group reading our food labels more. I had always been bothered by how much packaging is needed to keep cheese fresh. Once in class, our instructor Peta had mentioned “cheese isn’t naturally orange”. This made me start to look at the ingredients of a food I always deemed healthy. I found it a little off-putting that rennet, an enzyme used to separate the curds and whey, is usually made from the stomachs of calves. [Rennet. (2010, November 15). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:45, November 23, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rennet&oldid=396994098]

I was recently watching a chef on TV make ricotta cheese from scratch and thought it looked pretty easy. I found a recipe for Farmer’s Cheese seemed simple and had readily available ingredients. Following the directions, it turned out more dry than expected but it still tastes good. Next time I try to make it I will use some comments from the website where I got the recipe so it has a more spreadable consistency.

The Skills I Learned for Eating Locally

My peppers have started to sprout!

I was convinced that my peppers were never going to sprout and then they started to pop up today!

CSA

A CSA is community supported agriculture. The farmer sells shares to customers and they receive produce once a week in return. The farmer gets a boost of money in the spring from the customers when they really need it. The benefits for the customer are they get locally grown food and they form a relationship with their food and the farmer. It is cheaper than going to the grocery store and it offers food security. My friend Jessica introduced me to CSA's. She gets her box of produce and a chicken once a month. She got me thinking of joining her CSA and I will suggest it to my mom. This is a great idea and it allows the consumer to have more control.

Reasoning for scones and chokecherry jelly

I choose to make chokecherry jelly because it is delicious and it is a preserve that will last at least a year. I made the jelly in September with the help of my sister. We picked the berries at White Butte trails and sorted through them. It takes a little time but for the first time I tried it turned out okay. Scones taste good with the jelly and they are easy to make. It is possible to get some of the ingredients locally but I did not. You can also make chokecherry syrup which is also fairly simple but this year we did not pick enough berries.

Scones

ingredients
-2 cups of flour
-1\2 tsp. salt
-2 tbsp. baking powder
-2 eggs
-1\2 tsp. baking soda
-2 tbsp. shortening
-2\3 cup milk
-2 tbsp. sugar

directions
-mix together ingredients
-put large tablespoonfuls on a cookie sheet
-bake at 350 degrees F. and lightly browned in about 15 min.

Chokecherry Jelly

ingredients
-1 ice cream pail of chokecherries
-need 4 cups of juice
-1 box of certo
-5.5 cups of sugar

directions
-cover berries with water: until can see the water
- boil berries
-take juice, certo and boil
-add sugar and bring to a boil
-boil for 1 min.
-put into hot sterilized jars, lids and seal

Farmer's Cheese

Even though I know that Dairyland produces cheese within Saskatchewan, I wanted to try my hand at Farmer's cheese.


First I heated whole milk to almost simmering

I next added buttermilk and some vinegar so it would separate into curds and whey (this was the part that felt like a science experiment)

After turning off the heat, I let the curds and whey sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. I then separated the curds from the whey using a strainer, 2 layers of cheese cloth and a stock pot.

I bundled and let the curds dry for about a half hour.

I've never seen Farmer's Cheese before but it is very similar to a ricotta cheese.

For my class presentation on Wednesday, I'll be sharing with my group cheese that I've made and some bread from a local organic bakery. I want the cheese to be a little more spreadable do I'll have to do a little more research on what I can do differently.

Source: Fresh Farmer's Cheese Recipe, John Mitzewich, About.com Guide, http://americanfood.about.com/od/appetizersandsoups/r/farmercheese.htm

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 quarts whole milk (use pasteurized, instead of ultra-pasteurized, if available) 

2 cup buttermilk 

1 tablespoon white vinegar 

1 1/2 tsp salt 

cheesecloth, rinsed 

Preparation:

In a heavy-bottomed pot, over low heat, slowly heat the milk up, stirring often, until it is just about to simmer (about 180 degrees F). Stir in the buttermilk, and then the vinegar, and turn off the heat. Very slowly stir until you see the milk separating into curds (the solids) and whey (the liquid). Leave undisturbed for 10 minutes.

Line a large strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth, and place over a stockpot to catch the whey. After the 10 minutes, ladle the curds into the cheesecloth, and allow the whey to drain for 10 minutes. Gather up the edges of the cheesecloth, and tie a string around the top to form bundle. Tie the string to a wooden spoon or dowel, and hang the cheese curds over the stockpot and continue draining for 30 minutes.

After draining, remove the cheese from the cloth, and transfer into a container. Stir in the salt and refrigerate. This fresh cheese can be used for up to 5 days. Use as a spread, or as you would use cream cheese, or cottage cheese.

Biodynamic Farming

I happened to be watching an episode of The Nature of Things from Nov 18, 2008 called The Suzuki Files (click the link to view the episode if you are in Canada). David Suzuki and his daughter Sarika take a road trip to Europe to seek out sustainable options.

One of part of their trip they were in Loire Valley, France visiting a biodynamic farm. The philosophy behind biodynamic farming is that each plant and animal is treated as a living organism and you cannot isolate that organism from its surroundings, where it lives and what it eats. Humans are not in charge but rather part of a bigger eco-system. It is much more than organic farming which just excludes the use of chemicals. Nature abhors monoculture so biodynamics is a way of working with nature instead of against it. The show emphasized how "bigger is not better" when it comes to agriculture. We've discarded a lot of the traditional ways of farming all for the sake of "progress".

How does your garden grow...

As I mentioned in my post about pickling peppers, I planned to make a indoor garden. Unfortunately this is a bad time of year to buy seeds but I was able to find Sage, Thai basil, Summer Savory and Chervil. Before I pickled the peppers, I harvested the seeds from a Yellow chili, a Green chili, a Serrano chili and a Jalapeno. I planted them last week.

I checked on the plants today and the sage, chervil and basil are starting to sprout!

This is a picture of the Thai Basil. Since the plants are so small, it was difficult for me to get a decent picture of the Chervil and the Sage. I'm a little worried that the peppers will not sprout since they need to be keep at 25-30C in order to grow. They are supposed to take a little longer to sprout so I'll just have to wait to see.

I really wanted a mint plant but couldn't find any seeds locally. I found out a friend has a mint plant and he is willing to exchange part of his plant for some of my left over seeds.

Self-Reflection

Since I started this journey I have tried to incorporate the findings of my group members. I have given up pop, reduced waste by starting a compost, stopped eating fast food, and eating local. I am planning to start a herb garden and maybe try and grow tomatoes. These are some of the small changes that this project has inspired. I know that there is a lot more I can do, and hopefully I continue changing, and not slide back into old habits. It helps that my family has taken up the challenge as well. Withtout their support I do not know if I could have made these changes in my life. It was difficult at first to work with a group but in the end their support was essential. I could not have made changes without the research they provided. I am armed with this knowledge to change my life and those around me.

Click here for North Central Community Gardens website. It is a great project in North Central to provide fresh produce for the residences. They are communal gardens so anybody can take from them.

Here is a video that I made using xtranormal. It is my reflection on my action project. Let me know what you think. I am planning on presenting it to class as well during our project presentation next week. http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7700209

Action Project Reflection

    This action project has been a great experience for me, as I have never realized or thought about where are food comes from or what goes into it. While researching about the issue around corn it made me realize how bad we treat our bodies from what we put in it. We also treat the animals and the people who risk their lives and don’t get paid very much to bring us the food that we eat. Not only did I learn from my research but also from my other group members. Food consumerism is a large issue with many aspects and each is equally important. I took some of what my group members researched and what I found to create action that would benefit me. I came up with trying to reduce the amount of high-fructose corn I eat. This was really hard and I found that the big thing that I eliminated was junk food and pop. I wasn’t able to eliminate everything but I became more conscious and read labels every time I went shopping. I also ate meat that came only from my farm, as I knew that the animals were treated with respect and I helped take care of the animal so I was more appreciating of the food. I also made an effort not to waste food, I only bought and made what I could eat. The problem that I faced with this action was that it is hard to put all these things into action when they are expensive and I have no money. This was more of an exploration period, seeing what I could and could not do. Maybe when I am done being a student and have income coming in it will be easier. With that said I will still be conscious of what I put in my body. Just by doing the little things that I did I feel better.

There is a reflection that I did using an xtranormal video coming soon.

Equal Exchange

Products from here support small farmers that use sustainable methods.

Our Guiding Principles

• Trade directly with democratically organized small farmer cooperatives.
• Facilitate access to credit for producer organizations.
• Pay producers a guaranteed minimum price that provides a stable source of income as well as improved social services.
• Provide high quality food products.
• Support sustainable farming practices.
• Build a democratically-run cooperative workplace.
• Develop more environmentally-sound business practices.

Products include: Coffee, Tea, Sugar, Chocolate, Nuts and Berries and Bananas. Look for the Equal Exchange sticker on products.

http://www.equalexchange.coop/index.php

The Regina Farmer's Market has a great website where you can look for vendors in the area. It also has events and links. Buying locally turns out not to be so hard!

http://www.reginafarmersmarket.ca/

Kicking Horse Coffee

Kicking Horse Coffee is Canada's number one organic fair trade coffee (not to mention is shade grown and roasted in Canada) and offer tons of different roasts. They also sell organic tea and chocolate.
I have found this coffee at all of the grocery stores, Sobeys, Safeway, Superstore and at a reasonable price.
http://www.kickinghorsecoffee.com/en


Husky is the only retail gas station to brew Kicking Horse Coffee for their customers, a perfect way to get coffee on the go while still supporting fair trade growers.
http://www.myhusky.ca/you/in-store/kicking_horse_coffee.html

A zillion uses for corn

Here is a site that I found called A Zillion Uses for Corn which gives you a list of products that contain corn as well as a list of ways that corn is used in some products. This is sure to blow your mind, as you might not think of some of these things using corn. This is not just a list of food but of things like toothpaste, cosmetics, and batteries just to name a few.

List of food that contains high-fructose corn syrup

I found this blog called Change Your World which contains a list of foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup. This is just a small sample as there are many other products out there that contain high-fructose corn syrup.

List of food with no high fructose corn syrup

While doing some research on my topic around corn I found this site that provides you with a list of foods that do not contain high-fructose corn syrup. You can find this list at http://highfructosehigh.com/no-hfcs/

San Francisco bans Happy Meals with toys

In a move to combat childhood obesity, the City of San Fransico has banned toys being sold in kids meals that do not meet certain minimal nutritional requirements:

Under the law, McDonald's and other restaurants will have until December 2011 to improve their meals' nutrition by adding fruits and vegetables -- if the chains want to keep offering toys, including those promoting the latest films.

The food and beverages will have to contain fewer than 600 calories, and less than 35 percent of total calories will come from fat. The meal must contain half a cup of fruit and three-fourths cup of vegetables, and offer less than 640 milligrams of sodium and less than 0.5 milligrams of trans fat. Breakfast will have the option of offering half cups of fruit or vegetables.

City officials said they expect a legal challenge from McDonald's, which declined to comment on possible legal action. 

Source: San Francisco bans Happy Meals with toys, Michael Martinez, CNN, November 9, 2010 7:45 p.m. EST

Food waste has environmental impact

This article is by CBC. It highlights the extent of food wasted primarily Toronto and Britain.

A New Generation of Canadians are Bringing Root Cellars Back

Very interesting article on why so many Canadians are putting root cellars in their homes.  The article also has links to  many related "How to" articles and videos.

The food storage secret our grandparents knew, SARAH ELTON, Globe and Mail, Published Tuesday, Nov. 02, 2010 3:53PM EDT, Last updated Wednesday, Nov. 03, 2010 11:43AM EDT

Pickled Peppers

As I mentioned in my rationale for a prairie diet, I want to learn to preserve for another day. This past weekend, I finally got around to learning how to pickle peppers.

I pickled four types of peppers

Serrano Peppers


Yellow Chili Peppers


Green Chili Peppers


and Jalapeno Peppers


While I sterilized the canning equipment, I harvested the seeds from each type of pepper so I can plant my own indoors.



Next I blanched the peppers then put them in an ice bath.



I only had enough peppers to fit into 3 small jars


and once all the jars were in the canning pot, I realized what a huge waste of water it was to pickle so few jars. Next time I'll have to make sure I have more things to preserve at one time.


I was reusing old jars that my mom had saved but two of the lids did not seal properly so I had to throw out the lids and try again. On the second attempt, both jars sealed properly.


Next weekend, I plant my indoor herb and pepper garden.

Resources:
"Canning, Salting, Smoking and Drying" The Joy of Cooking. 75th Anniversary Edition. Irma S Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker. p 888 - 893

"Pickled Peppers" The Joy of Cooking. 75th Anniversary Edition. Irma S Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker. p 954

Elaine Cotcher, Oct 23, 2010

Puppet show teaches children where their food comes from

Neat story I came across in the Leader Post this morning about a puppet show sponsored by the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan.

"The focus is on food — where it comes from, how animals are cared for — so children have a better understanding," said Adele Buettner, executive director of the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan (FACS).
The touring puppet show, organized by FACS, is funded by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and the Cattle Marketing Deduction Fund. It stopped at two Regina schools Monday as part of a two week tour around the province.
Buettner said they are always looking for new ways to educate students about farm facts.
"With only 3 per cent of the Canadian population having direct ties to the family farm, making that connection, we feel, is very important. The puppet show is a creative and innovative way to do that," said Buettner.
"It's important for all of us, as a consumer, to know what you're buying, what you're eating and where it comes from," she added. "Puppet show teaches children where their food comes from" Jenn VanRiper, Leader-Post October 25, 2010

Food Facts

Here are some of my favorite food facts from the book "The Little Book of Shocking Food Facts" by Craig Holden Feinberg and Dale Peterson.

There are currently 923 million starving people in the world.

A single lettuce receives 4 spray rounds of insecticides, 2 spray rounds of fungicides and 2 spray rounds of herbicides (lettuce might be a good one to buy organic)

96 billion pounds of food is wasted in the US each year

Food colouring and additives increase hyperactivity in children (maybe candy is not the best reward in your class)

Four reasons to not drink pop:
1) High fructose corn syrup the sweetener used in most soft drinks and processed food is metabolized directly into fat.
2) Benzene a toxic and carcinogenic chemical has been found in soft drinks.
3) Once ingested the artificial sweetener Aspartame converts into formaldehyde a toxic and carcinogenic substance which accumulates in tissues such as the liver, kidneys and brain (so much for drinking diet)
4) Carbonated caffeinated drinks leach calcium from bones, contributing to osteoporosis

Some Positives:
Curcumin, a compound in tumeric and curry powder, stops the growth if certain cancer cells and protects the brain against Parkinson disease

Mushrooms, along with barely and oats contain beta-glucans which are able to stimulate the immune system and overcome bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections.

Green tea is a very effective cancer inhibitor and preventer.
on a side note: Adding lemon juice to your green tea toughens up the catechins (the cancer fighting ingredients)so that more survive the digestive process and absorb into your body to do some good


High blood pressure or hypertension can be reduced by celery

Conditions like depression and bipolar disorder can be relieved by consuming omega-3 fatty acids only found in oily fish like salmon.

This is a great book and I suggest that if you have a chance sign it out and take a peek through it!

Growing Urbanization and Food Waste

Here is a link to an article, but unfortunately you have to pay for the article but if someone is really interested, I thought I would at least direct them to it. It is called Urban Food Waster Generation: Challenges and Opportunities (http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=record&rec_id=24696)

Team Charter

Group Name: Food for Thought: What are YOU Eating?

Check-in: 

Michelle: I am scared of working in a group. Its hard to trust over people to do what they say their going to do.

Brooklyn: I’m scared about the information I will learn during this project and how it will impact my life.  The action plan as a whole is a daunting task, one of which I have never one before.  Being in a group I feel supported because everyone is doing the project together and will have some of the same feelings as me.

Sophie: supported, productive and great communication. 

Janice: Very excited to learn from others in this group.  I think we have different perspectives but a similar vision.

Jenny: Excited: To learn about the problems around food consumerism and what we put into our bodies. Learning from each others ideas and experiences.

Values: 

Michelle: I believe that the jigsaw approach allowed us to gather more information. Group work is important because you have to with people throughout life.  

Brooklyn: I believe group work is important because a group provides a wealth of knowledge that otherwise I ma not have been able to access.  I am interested in learning about why some people think/feel the way they do (what experiences brought them here, and influence them).  Groups are able to make large projects more manageable so they are not so overwhelming and daunting.

Sophie: sharing resources, getting more accomplished. Making a permanent pro health and environment change and creating awareness is why this project is so important.

Janice: I’m a bit of a control freak so it is hard to let go and have a group consensus.  My strengths lie in seeing what needs to be done and delegating tasks.

Jenny: Everyone comes together and shares their thoughts and ideas. Everyone takes part and does their share of the work and everyone learns from each other. The group is their to support each and helps each other when they are having problems. Everyone shares each others successes. You can always create something better when you work in a group compared to when you work alone because you have more then one person's ideas. 

Vision:

• creating awareness in others starting within our own group
• learning to trust others, learning to work in a group, learning to take diverse views and use them for a common goal
• scared about how the information will impact your life; have each other as a support group to not be overwhelmed and help us process what we learn or maybe how we can use it.
• we all share in each other’s successes (feedback on the blog, in group discussion)

Ground Rules: 

1. Respect others and their opinions: listening when someone else is talking, acknowledging the other is talking, not be negative towards the opinion of others (if there are differences, asks questions to see where the other is coming from)
2. Come prepared for meetings (with tasks assigned from meetings)
3. Follow agenda in meetings
4. At the end of each meeting assign tasks, create agenda for next meeting and decide when we will meet again.
5. Blogging: sharing of resources that we find and reflections of our process.  Our presentation will just be a meta-reflection of our blog posts. 

Team Mission Statement

Shared Vision and Values

WHO: Food for Thought

WHAT: 

Issues surrounding Food Consumerism: community supported agriculture (eating locally), food waste, coffee and fair trade practices, issues around corn, finding locally available food sources  

HOW:  Education ourselves and the public about food consumer issues

Time Lines:

Frame work - Oct 6; working on it on Wednesday but try to answer as much as possible on our own

Planning Paper - Oct 6; individual parts

Presentation - Nov 24

Share resources and progress on blog - on going

FOR: People of Regina - general public, our class (future teachers), our group members

WHERE:  local

WHY:  Everyone who eats but more specifically people of Regina and surrounding area.

Steps thus far...

Here are the steps that our group have taken thus far in our Action Learning Project

Step 1: Reflect on Your Environment, Community, and Your Living Practices

Step 2: Form an Effective Group

Step 3: Choose an Issue and Generate Ideas for Action

Step 4: Research, Analysis, and Decision Making

Our group’s interested in doing our action project on the topic of food consumerism and we have been establishing what part of food consumerism each of us wants to pursue by reflecting on our own environments, community and living practices. Through this we have looked at many video’s, articles, talking with people that we have interest in the topic, and looking at our own health. When moving to the second step we found that it was easy to form an effective group as we all have the same interests and goals for completing this project. We were able to form deadlines for our individual projects and ways of communicating to share and combine our findings. In order to do step three we each had to go our own separate ways to do our own research and explore our individual topics that we are interested in. From this we were able to come up with potential action that we were interested in pursuing. After collecting background information we were able to come up with our own rationale.

Step 5: Build Motivation

Sharing of resources has been our greatest motivation so far.   In trying to decide on course of action, Jenny watched the DVDs King Corn, Food, Inc. and The Future of Food.  Greatly effected by what she learned, she decided to learn more about corn consumption.  

As part of our action, we created a blog.  We share resources like videos and news articles as well share our own experiences.  Becoming more informed on the issues, makes us uncomfortable with our current practices which spurs us on to change.

Step 6: Choose an Action and Make a Plan

Food consumerism is a broad area, and as individuals coming to the group we had different ideas of what food consumerism meant to each of us.  We decided that all of our concerns were important and warranted research so we chose to jigsaw the issue of food consumerism.   Each individual is doing research on an aspect that is important and/or relevant to their personal lives.  By doing this our group is able to learn more about the different aspects of food consumerism and thus are able to better educate ourselves and in turn act on educating others.  We have created a blog in which we are able to share our research and resources as well make it available to the general public so that they can also become informed through our research.  We are hoping that it may inspire someone to want to create their own action plan.

Step 7: Defining and Measuring Success

One definition of success is a favourable or satisfactory outcome or results (Neufeld & Guralnik, 1991). Tools to measure the success of our actions are the blog and our presentation.  Favourable outcomes for these tools are followers and comments on our blog and the presentation changed attitudes of classmates. 

Step 8: Identifying Barriers and SupportsThe stakeholders of our project are grocery stores, coffee corporations, farmers, fair trade organizations and consumers. For most grocery stores and coffee corporations the affects of our actions will be negative. For farmers, fair trade organizations and animals our actions will have a positive affect.  For the consumer our actions could cause concern, but for the most part be positive. We are just giving the information; it is up to the consumer to change. 

Step 11: Celebrate and Communicate

At the end of the project, we are going to have a potluck. The potluck we will implement our knowledge by having local organic food, no coffee, little waste and limit the amount of corn products. We try to eat within a 100-kilometre radius of Regina.  

Neufeldt, V., & Guralnik, D. B. (Eds.). (1991). Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English. Cleveland: Webster’s New World Dictionaries 

Out of the mouths of babes...

Wasted Food, Wasted Energy: The Embedded Energy in Food Waste in the United States

New report that the US could save the energy equivalent of about 350 million barrels of oil a year — without spending a penny or putting a ding in the quality of life: Just stop wasting food.

This work estimates the energy embedded in wasted food annually in the United States. We calculated the energy intensity of food production from agriculture, transportation, processing, food sales, storage, and preparation for 2007 as 8080 ± 760 trillion BTU. In 1995 approximately 27% of edible food was wasted. Synthesizing these food loss figures with our estimate of energy consumption for different food categories and food production steps, while normalizing for different production volumes, shows that 2030 ± 160 trillion BTU of energy were embedded in wasted food in 2007. The energy embedded in wasted food represents approximately 2% of annual energy consumption in the United States, which is substantial when compared to other energy conservation and production proposals.

Fast food not just a problem for the poor

Realizing that fast food restaurants strategically place themselves where there are few other options just shows that  eating locally and healthy requires planning:

In the sustainable foodie world, there's a perception that fast food restaurants prey on folks of low socioeconomic status. That stereotype is partially correct — fast food joints like McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's offer high-fat foods at low, low prices. They also tend to plunk themselves right in the middle of food deserts, areas lacking grocery stores, food coops, or farmers' markets, which are disproportionately found in low-income neighborhoods. But as Slashfood reports, new evidence suggests that affluent Americans are just as addicted to fast food as those who don't earn six figures or more each year.

It's Not Just Poor People Eating Fast Food, Sarah Parsons,  October 01, 2010 12:30 PM (PT)

Goodbye School Junk Food?

Interesting idea, I look forward to learning more about it:

A group of researchers at UC Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., say schools can break out of their lunchtime ruts by offering students time in the garden, the kitchen and the lunchroom cafeteria.

This newly revealed road map for school cafeteria nutrition is the result of an experiment to teach a generation reared on junk food about eating healthy, where their food comes from and the environment, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. 

For the last three years, science classes at Berkeley grade schools have been taught weekly in school gardens. English, history and math courses are held regularly in the kitchen, and processed food is gone from school cafeterias. 

Everything is made from scratch.

Now, the results are in. The UC Berkeley study, "Changing Students' Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior About Food," shows that a radical program where kids garden, cook and learn about nutrition, really does work. The kids have better eating habits than their peers.  - Goodbye Junk Food? School Study Finds Teaching Good Nutrition Can Change Kids' Food Choices - by Mary Beth Sammons , Sep 29th 2010 8:00AM

Heading Towards a Prairie Diet

I  am currently being treated for my food allergies using immunotherapy. Any food that I am being treated for, I must consume at least once a week or the immunotherapy shots can make me ill. At the time of my next allergy testing (mid-December), it is possible to ask my doctor to use avoidance treatment for certain foods. My known food allergies:

• beef
• chicken
• pork
• milk (can avoid)
• cheese (can avoid)
• eggs
• malt
• barley
• wheat
• corn
• tomatoes
• apples
• oranges
• carrots
• lettuce
• potatoes
• beans (can avoid)
• soy
• cinnamon (must avoid)
• lavender (must avoid)

I am also a university student who lives with my parents. I often do not get to choose where my food comes from so I’ll try to do as much of this as possible:

• Learn how to preserve food that is locally available 
• Learn where my food comes from and find local sources 
• For food that can only be imported, find local alternatives to replace them in my diet 
• Plan for spring where I will assist my mom in her garden 
• Start an indoor herb garden 
• When I cannot control my food options, eat the most healthy option 
• For foods I am not allergic to, exclude them from my diet if a local source is not available 
• For foods that I am allergic to, if a local source is not available eat only once a week.

I have lots to learn but I'm trying to make gradual changes so it isn't overwhelming.  Baby steps...

Food INC

This morning I watched the movie Food INC., as part of my action project around food consumerism. It opened my eyes to what we pump into our bodies 3 times a day. It actually made me disgusted, and made me not want to eat ever again. It definetly hit home for me as my family use to be dairy farmers and now we are just beef farmers. I found myself comparing our style of farming to the ones that were displayed in the movie that worked for the production companies. I would not be able to live with myself if my family treated our animals as badly as they were. It makes me sick thinking about all the chemicals and toxins that we eat at every meal. It hurts thinking about all the people who have gotten sick or have even died because of all the diseases that form in our meat during production. It makes me upset to think that these companies can get away with it because they are so powerful. This movie has made me re-think the way I have been living, and I want to help be the change in food consumerism. Food Inc. also has a website that provides further information about the movie. Here is the trailer for this movie.

King Corn

I watched King Corn today and it made me be more aware of the things that have corn in it. I came to realize that there were not very many things that do not contain corn. It was crazy to think that so many farmers grow corn and that when they harvest it there is so much that it does not fit in the elevator, so they have to create new areas to put it. I always thought when I drove past a field of corn that it would taste like the stuff that I grow in my garden, but instead it tastes like sawdust. It actually does not tasted like corn until it is processed. You would think that everything would be healthy when you see the name corn in the ingredients but instead it is not corn it is actually just a pile of sugar. It was interested how when these guys first started out with growing their acre of corn they wanted to track where it went after they harvested it, but seeing that it is impossible to do they changed their direction. It is hard to believe that some of it goes for food and is processed and the rest goes to feed lots to be fed to the cows and fattened up so that they can be butchered quicker. King Corn also a website that you can go to that provides more information about the movie and things that you can do to help. Here is the trailer for the documentary. I highly recommend everyone to watch it.

Organic on the Green Blog

Here is a blog that I found in my searches. It is a great blog that points you in the directions in great resources and things that you can do to eat healthier. The name of the blog is Organic on the Green. I hope you enjoy the blog.

Fight Poverty- Quit Drinking Corporate Coffee Article


Want to know if you are drinking sustainable coffee?
http://www.coffeehabitat.com/2007/05/top_5.html

Do we ever stop to think where our coffee comes from? Do we realize that our daily caffeine fix is fueling a vicious poverty cycle in our world?

These 2 videos got me motivated to take action on this issue.





My goal is to create awareness on the issues surrounding the coffee industry and discourage people from buying “corporate coffee” and move to the Fair Trade movement. As consumers we have the power to control the market and if more people demand fair trade coffee this will have a positive impact globally.

A Rationale for a Prairie Diet

For years, the way I eat has been weighing heavy on my mind.  I have multiple food allergies  so it is necessary for me to know exactly I am eating.  For years, each meal was meticulously planned and I cooked nearly everything from scratch.  It all seemed so easy, living in rural Saskatchewan away from the temptations of fast food.

When I moved to Calgary to teach, it seemed like I spent most of my life commuting.  Too often I found myself far from home and hungry.  Slowly my good eating habits were replaced by what was fast and easily available.  Not surprisingly my health suffered as a result.

This past spring, I suffered from constant allergy-related migraines.  Although most likely caused by airborne allergens, my diet certainly did not help.  On one of my many doctor's appointments this past spring, I came across this quote in a magazine called Allergic Living:

My life since I was diagnosed with celiac is not focused on what I have to live without. My life is focused on everything I have now – great food, good health, a new life – everything to which I can say yes. -  Shauna James Ahern, GLUTEN-FREE GIRL, The Diagnosis: Life After Bread, Allergic Living

It was sort of a light bulb moment for me: I need to eat to be nourished instead of eating to fill my stomach.  What is the point to dulling the hunger if we are not giving the body the nutrients that it needs? I had been filling my stomach with junk and defeating the true purpose as to why we eat.

In recent years, the news has been filled with food recall horror stories.  In our globalized marketplace, it is difficult for government inspection agencies to assure the source, contents and safety of our foods.   Additionally, most of our food comes from large companies:

As the agricultural and food industries in the U.S. have consolidated under a profit-over-all, "get big or get out" mindset, fewer and fewer players have come to dominate our food supply, especially in the area of eggs and meat. As such, a single outbreak of a contaminating agent in the system of any of these huge producers can rain down salmonella on all four corners of our country and beyond. Eating food from smaller, less remote establishments is a worthy goal... because we are all safer if one outbreak can't sicken millions. -  Katherine Gustafson , Food Recalls Highlight the Dangers of Farm Consolidation, Sustainable Food

Even if I cook all of my food from scratch, I do not know exactly what I am eating if I do not know the food source.  I am concerned about the resources consumed when food is shipped from far away but scares me the most is the uncertainty of the quality and contents of my food.

Without a doubt, I have been influenced by movements like the 100 Mile Diet and No Impact Project.  I have heard many criticisms that such things are not possible in Saskatchewan. I know it is possible because I grew up with two living examples: my maternal grandparents. My grandfather is a retired dairy farmer and my grandmother is a master gardener and probably the best cook I know. My grandparents would be more accurately described as living on the "10 Mile Diet".

Living in the city, I need to expand the range of my food sources a little more than my grandparents. I want to work towards a prairie diet but it will take some time and research to get to the point. My idealistic goals for the future (adapted from Amy Jo Ehman's Home for Dinner: A Food Adventure Close to Home):

• grow my own or buy Saskatchewan produced food
• eat what is in season and preserve for another day

In the months to come, I'll update on more specific goals and they are progressing. I'm glad to have you along for my journey :)

Food packaging

Here is an awesome link about wasteful food packaging and environmental impact!!

http://www.ift.org/knowledge-center/read-ift-publications/science-reports/scientific-status-summaries/editorial/food-packaging-and-its-environmental-impact.aspx

Welcome to Food for Thought
I am so excited to see all of the groups ideas, resources and links!