a movement of locavores

some folks in our community in lexington are reading barbara kingsolver's recent release, "animal, vegetable, miracle" together to talk about what it would mean to commit to eating locally (some know it as the 100 mile diet).  on our way to perth, i had a chance to catch up on some newspaper reading and the age featured an article on kingsolver and her book.  in the interview, she explained the process and experience of eating locally for a year.  it is especially telling to hear of these things not from the perspective of an accomplished author, but a mother -

"'We did it for our heads and our tastebuds, says Kingsolver.  'It's not just bad manners, it's plain stupid to keep treating the planet the way we are.  Using 100 calories of fossil fuel to deliver one calorie of food is its own commentary.  We are running out of fossil fuels.  We need to stop denying this and embrace the shift.  My kids' generation will have to figure out a different way to eat, otherwise they won't eat.'"

"'Eating is political.  It is an agricultural act. [see Wendell Berry]  It's the one conscious choice we have to make every single day.  It's the only one.  It's the point of intersection with the economy we are required to make daily.  So it's a political choice to decide which part of the economy we are going to intersect with.'"

"'We need to eat mindfully, using that knowledge and money to invest in our local food economy.  When we buy food locally we are keeping our money in the local neighborhood, keeping those spaces around our towns green, improving food security and we are doing what's best for our bodies and our palates.'"

we think it is not only wise, but a great privilege to begin thinking and living toward this before we no longer have a choice.