Novella Carpenter

I went to listen to Novella Carpenter author of Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer.  She made the crowd laugh and she made her talk very interesting.  She uses profanity and humor in her speeches which had many of us looking around because it was unexpected.  There was a mixed crowd ranging from college age to late 60’s maybe. Most of the people there was K-College student since it was hosted in their Fine arts building.

One thing I found most interesting was she used the term “squatting”.  At first I didn’t know what was meant by the term until she further explained that it was farming on a piece of land that nobody really owned.  She mentioned her car was egged when she first rode through the neighborhood.  This is a part of town that has been neglected with lots of burned and abandoned homes.  The land she squatted on for 8 years was a burned down apartment complex.  In this part of town is called “Ghost town” traditionally called food desert because there are no access to grocery stores or healthy foods. She mentioned it was like the perfect storm because the city tried to help and eminent domain destroyed housing, highways were built and it destroyed the sense of community.  People would ask her for .50 cents and she would offer them an apple not thinking they would accept her offer.  This is when she got a real sense of hunger in the community. 

Another topic I found interesting is the fact that homeowners can get a tax credit for having a garden instead of a lawn.  You can place the garden on top of concrete and not have to worry about contaminants such as lead that's found in the ground in California.  I would quickly put a garden in my yard, not so much for the credit but because it’s empowering when you are able to feed yourself and know that you grew it.

Global Warming

I never really thought about global warming and the affects that climate change has on agriculture.  There is overwhelming evidence that the earth is warming based on statistical data. It saddened me to know that the developed countries are the cause of so much greenhouse gases but it’s the developing countries who are suffering the most.  1 in 7 people are chronically hungry especially in Africa and Asia. America is better than most countries when it comes to hunger but we still have problems as well. 450 million people depend on agriculture for eating and economical purposes therefore we must do something about global warming and its affects.

I didn’t know I was helping to minimize my carbon footprint when I got my home weatherized a few years back.  I bought my home in 2010 because of the incentives offered to new home owners after the housing crisis of 2008.  A few months after living in the house I notice it was drafty and my heating bill was threw the roof.  So I called a company that came and blew installation in my attic and walls, sealed up cracks and air seeps and put weather stripping around doors. Getting the home weatherized helped my heating bill tremendously, but most importantly helps to reduce emission from my furnace into the atmosphere. I also learned in my science class that Geothermal heating and cooling emits no greenhouse gases in the air but are very expensive in install.  Although it is costly it only requires a small amount of electricity practically eliminating your carbon footprint.  As our guest speaker mentioned in class the government is also trying to help reduce the effects of climate change by offering tax incentives. If you buy a window that’s energy star rated or if you install a geothermal heating system you receive a tax credit, kind of like a payback when you file your income tax returns.

 I could also buy a more fuel efficient car to help reduce the fuel emission I help put in the air.  I really like the Chevy Volt over a Toyota Prius but I can’t afford either one of them right. So I guess for now I can help by walking to the store that’s only two blocks away instead of driving.

Saffron's

Dr. Allen has taken me out of my comfort zone this semester. He has made me publish blogs for the first time, I visited the food co-op that I’ve rode pass a million times and my latest adventure was visiting Saffron’s.  Friday afternoon I had an enjoyable experience sampling Indian food with Kate and Jordan.  We had the opportunity to talk to the waiter, Abhi, and he was delighted to tell us about the owner and some of his countries cooking traditions. The owner came to the United States and worked with his brother in Boston which is where he learned about cooking. He moved to Michigan and opened Saffron’s which has been in business for over 10 years.  The spices are imported from India and at least 30 are incorporated into each dish. What I found most interesting is the way the animals are slaughtered which is by slicing the throat. Killing the chickens this way has some religious implications and is considered to be more humane.
O.K, so you probably want to know how was the food?  It was so-so. It wasn’t nasty but I can guarantee you it was my first and last visit. It’s just not my style of food.  I tried almost everything on the buffet and the one thing I didn’t try was made with spinach, YUCK! I found 4 items I really liked which was the Naan bread, Tandoori chicken, Saffron’s sensational salad and the Badami Kheer.  The Naan bread reminded me of pita bread that had been cooked over an open flame. It had kind of a char tasting, but it wasn’t burned.  The sensational salad was spectacular. You would never believe that cantaloupe, raw onions, celery, grapes and a shit load of other fruits and vegetable would be good together. It was awesome! The chicken was a little dry but tolerable and the Badami Kheer is an almond rice pudding with raisin and nuts. 

Now I can say I’ve tried Indian food but I can’t say that it’s something I would be willing to pay for again. This location has about 10 options to choose from so Indian food has to be something you really enjoy. The lack of option was my biggest disappointment but overall the waiters were excellent and the environment was welcoming.

Ham on Rye, the end!

I have completed my novel Ham on Rye!!  I enjoy reading but because of my class, work and family schedule I rarely have the time so in a sense I am glad to have taken this class.  There were some disturbing points that would make you shake your head, but overall the book was a pretty good read.
I was a bit confused as to why there weren’t very many references to food but by the end of the novel I was well aware that this family is living through the great depression, poor and most of the children were ill-fed. I felt bad for Henry (the main character) when he was in high school he had terrible acne that blistered and oozed puss when they burst. GROSS, I know.  His acne had gotten so bad he had to leave school for a while to seek treatment. He had an 8:30 appointment with 40-50 people waiting, no guarantee to see a doctor and if you leave you lose your spot.  Here in Kalamazoo we have a dental clinic geared to the unemployed and low income families.  You have to be there by 7:30am and there is always a line that starts way before 7:30.  It’s a first come first serve basis and if you leave you lose your spot and have to come back the next day as well.  This part was interesting for me to read because the author is referring to his life back in the 1930’s and the poor is still being treated the same way today.
There was one statement that really stood out for me and it said “I guess the only time people think about injustice is when it happens to them”.  This is so true.  I know some wealthy people who ride pass Loaves and Fishes or the Salvation Army and haven’t even thought about giving to the poor or less fortunate.   Here I am, head just barely above water giving to these organizations.  I do it because I care and one day it could be me in need. We talked in class how restaurant workers are striking and asking for a pay increase of up to $15 per hour.  I was quick to say “they don’t deserve that much, flipping burgers requires no education and no skills”. But I wasn’t saying that when I made $9 buck trying to take care of a kid and pay rent.  So in other words, whether it’s our situation or not we should try to make a difference in the lives of others.

Ham on Rye pages 50-100

I will start by saying I’m a tad late posting my blog this week but a little late is always better than never.  I was a bit confused as to why there weren’t any references to food in these 50 pages compared the first 50 pages.  Matt who is also reading Ham on Rye brought up a really good point that this section of the book is probably taking place during the great depression which led to vast food shortages, and I think he is spot on with that assumption. 

I believe the author’s way of conveying his message is very direct, explicit and at times too detailed. The events he wishes to expose that has taken place throughout his life is almost disturbing at times. The fact that a child could be beaten for not cutting the grass correctly is horrible.  His father would get down on his hands and knees to look for hairs (grass) left behind.  Then when he found them he would beat the kid and his mother was ok by it.  I have a son old enough to cut grass and I would never hit him because he didn’t cut the grass my way.  And secondly I am not getting down on my hands and knees to check for anything!!   He also beat his wife which is insane.  He had an affair and when the woman showed up at their house she stole his car.  He then went back inside and beat his wife with his child in the other room. Very disturbing.  Another part of the book that’s a bit too detailed for me is the fact he keeps referring to women’s private parts and what he wants to do J.  I guess it bothers me because him and his friend are only in the fourth and fifth grade and they should be focusing on grammar and math equations.  How and why would they be thinking of such things?  I guess some good did come out of reading this portion of the book because it prompted a sex talk between me and my son who is in the eighth grade.

Ham on Rye

As I have read the first 50 pages of Ham on Rye my first impression is the author is hilarious. He has a funny way of conveying his message and does a lot of cursing.  I have not totally made the connection that is related to our class as far as food literature but I’m sure there is some point to reading this novel.
Charles Bukowski is the author of Ham on Rye and this book is a reflection of his life growing up as a child through his adolescent years.  He did not like his father stating he was always mad about something and always started conflicts.  For instance, they would go out to eat which was very seldom and his father would find something wrong with the food so they wouldn’t have to pay.  He once said to the waiter “there’s flyshit in this whipped cream! What the hell kind of place is this”.  They asked him to leave and he responded by stating he would leave but would be back to burn the “god-damn” place down.  I have known people to do this and it’s not that they couldn’t afford to pay for the food; they just didn’t want to pay.  Another interesting part for me is when they went into an orchard and decided to pick oranges that did not belong to them.  They normally had a picnic basket full of food but on this particular Sunday the basket was empty.  As the family was picking oranges the owner of the orchard arose and asked them to dump all the oranges and to leave his property.  The father stated “there are plenty of god-damned oranges and you won’t miss a few oranges”.  The owner pointed his shotgun at the father and told him get off his property.  The father responded “Guys like you ought to be hung”.  At this point I can see the father’s frustration that this man has all these oranges (food) and people are hungry and starving.  I can remember when I went to Florida and seen an orchard for the first time it was rows and rows of oranges.  I did ask if we could pick a few and of course she said no, but they did offer samples of orange juice and you were welcome to buy as much as you wanted. As I think back on the situation, I understand people have to make a living but why not help the people within your community who are in need and hungry like this family? It could be the first step in fighting hunger in a community....

The Hunger Games

What an awesome book!  I totally agree with Stephen King when he states The Hunger Games is violent but jarring novel that generates constant suspense. I couldn’t stop reading it as I found myself laughing and even disappointed when Rue was killed during the games.  I have always turned the channel when I knew The Hunger Games was on television, but now I can’t wait to watch the movie after reading such a great book.
 I know the book is fictional based but there are some similarities throughout I could relate to the world in which we live.  Some people in society are better off than others. A person’s financial or social status can easily dictate whether a person will become homeless or go hungry similar to the tributes fighting in the games.  The tributes from district 12 are poor and dying from starvation where as the people from the Capitol seems to have all the wealth and plenty of food. The districts uneven distribution of food is no different from our uneven distribution of wealth. People in the U.S are deciding whether to pay bills or buy groceries and there are plenty of wealthy corporations that could fight or eliminate hunger but their main focus is their current interest and profits.
Another point that stuck out for me throughout the book is how some districts are better off than other districts and our communities are just the same. For instance some communities in Kalamazoo are considered to be poor and are usually the last to be economically development. When on the other hand, if you drive a bit further west there are several grocery stores and new developments being constructed as I write. So although the book is based on fiction there are some topics throughout that have some correlation to our society and our battles with hunger.