Farm to Table 6/2

Yesterday we went to the Valley Shepherd Creamery and James on Main in Hackettsown. We also watched a movie called "Hungry for Change". It was about the marketing of food and presented many of the same points as "Forks Over Knives", but got a lot more positive responses from people in my unit. After that, we visited the Creamery and enjoyed walking around the shop and the cheese samples. Then we went to lunch at James on Main which featured healthy, fresh farm-to-table produce and unprocessed grass-fed beef and bison. Overall, it was a very fun day!

Farm to Table 6/1

Yesterday, we took a cooking class at Natirar. It was super duper fun and we got to learn some really easy and delicious recipes. My favorite thing was a potato salad that had corn, bacon, tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. Before that, we toured the farms in the back of 90 Acres and saw chickens, sheep and ate more strawberries. Overall, it was a lot of fun!

Farm to Table 5/31

Yesterday we visited Ethos Farm. We toured the farm and got to pick strawberries, learn about compost, and learn about the difficulties of farming organically. Then we went inside and had a food demo to create a hummus-like dip from almonds, ginger, peas, cilantro, and lime juice. After eating the dip with some cut-up vegetables, Doctor Weiss talked to us. He had some very interesting opinions and avidly argued that we should disregard all kinds of animal products and only eat things that came from the soil. He even refuted hydroponically grown food completely! He basically said that since hydroponically grown food came from water and not soil, the plants did not get the same exposure to the billions of microorganisms that live in dirt. I don't know if I necessarily agree with that because hydroponics saves water, space, and is very effective. The debate when we finally got back to school yesterday was probably the most intriguing part of the day because in that time, as a group, we all tried to reckon the consistencies of the different people we have heard talk and make sense it. It seemed that there were a lot of people who thought that what Weiss said was, quite frankly, crap. I, myself, don't really know if I can necessarily give up food that I have been eating for 15 years of my life on a whim because the good doctor said so, but I do think there is some value to what he had to say and again, frankly, he would not be spouting this stuff if there was not any truth to it.

Farm to Table 5/27

On Friday we watched a documentary called "Forks Over Knives." I found it to be very intriguing because it presented a case that humans do not need to eat any animal products whatsoever and that the only sustainable diet is plant-based. In my house, I grew up being told that it was good to eat lots of meat and lots of dairy whereas the documentary said the opposite: lots of dairy and meat can actually be bad for you. Although I could not watch the parts with open-heart surgery, I was pretty moved by this documentary and this weekend, I decided to try going on a diet that cut out red meat all together as a first step. Considering that it is Memorial Day weekend, that was not a smart move because everyone everywhere is having a barbecue. It is also pretty hard to go on a diet when your family does not exactly support that and says "eat it or starve." Therefore, I have decided to keep constant, but eat smaller amounts of dairy and meat and only eat meat if forced to. So far I have learned that going cold turkey and starting a new diet is not as easy as it sounds.

Farm to Table 5/26

Yesterday we worked out the logistics and actual dimensions of our own greenhouse setup, which is our final project. I also made a layout and 3D model on SketchUp. After that, we went to a very authentic Chinese restaurant and our school group ordered things like pig's ears, pig's feet, and jellyfish. Not only does this harkens back to a very important discussion about cross-cultural ingredients and sustainability. Dan Barber, owner of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, created a menu for the future that centered on the fact that humans would have to start eating all that is currently considered "undesirable." Based on this concept, it seems like other cultures have been doing that for a long time and America just needs to get with it!

Farm to Table 5/25

Today we went to visit a local hunter. We learned about different methods of hunting and hunting as a lifestyle. The cruel irony is that his way of hunting seemed to be more humane than the slaughterhouse. We ate lunch there, which consisted of grilled venison, kale salad that we made, and egg salad and deviled eggs from chickens on site. Despite my qualms about tasting venison for the first time, it was actually quite delicious and I noticed a fresher taste from those eggs than store-bought. Overall, it was interesting learning about the hunter's lifestyle, coming from a background where my family despises hunting and hunters.

Farm to Table 5/24

So today we visited a local farm and learned about hydroponics. Inside a small insulated greenhouse, we saw rows and rows of hanging white columns with plants growing out of them. Our guide explained that each column consisted of a white shell, a strip of felt cloth and an expanding strip to support the roots. Hydroponics is a very efficient way of harvesting produce because it is mostly insect-free, uses less water through a circulating system of troughs and pipes, and produces a greater yield than farming in a field. Overall, it was a very educational experience. After that, we ate lunch and went for ice cream. It was a very fun day and I look forward to learning more about different farming techniques!

Farm to Table 5/23

Today was a basic overview of the course. We visited the Home Winds campus and saw the chickens, goats, ducks, and donkeys. We also watched a video from Dan Barber about the ideal, sustainable four course meal. It was very intriguing because he addressed several environmental issues and explained how almost every ingredient was sustainable as well as what he learned on his personal journey to find the perfect ingredients. I enjoyed his discussion of his projects and experiences along the way. Furthermore, I found out my BMR, how many calories I need to sustain my current weight, and created an account to track my calorie intake and diet throughout the unit. Based on the unit schedule, I think this will be a very fun unit and I am super excited!