As I prepared my Instagram photo this morning to support
Fashion Revolution Week April 18-24, 2016, it struck me that as we pay attention to 'Who made my clothes', we might also think about 'Who grows my food'. At first glance, 'Food' may not be necessarily be connected to 'Fashion', yet maybe a similar thought process can be found there.
In America, and particularly in the area in which I live, there is a highly popular movement called
'Farm To Table' where our local restaurants are buying farm fresh organic produce from our local farmers, even altering their menu to take into consideration the seasonal items. This not only enables our local farmers, who own small organic farms, to economically survive, but also for folks to have an opportunity to know where their food comes from and enjoy meals prepared with the freshest of fresh ingredients.
Through the years, my husband and I have embraced the
sustainable organic gardening methods and have incorporated this way of
gardening into the food we grow on our land. We are not able to grow enough to provide all our needs, but we very much enjoy what we can. Our small flock of chickens provides us with delicious eggs, and are hardworkers who eat our kitchen compost and fertilize our garden soil.
We also pick and process fruits that grow wild on our property, like the muscadine jelly you see here below. My favorite!
So, if anything, this post is to encourage thinking about maybe not only where fabric originates, and clothing is made and what people and industry are supported in this way, but also how and where your food is grown. This morning I am
harvesting baby romaine lettuce whose taste is unlike anything one can
buy in a store.
And because this really is a sewing blog, I am wearing the
Ottobre no. 10 Sculpture top with a new (unblogged) Newlook pattern 6192 skirt.
Happy Sewing Everyone!
I grew up this way but have to live differently at the moment. One day. My parents used to run a free range poultry farm in the UK, where I was born. 500 birds. And produce was sold below market price at the local market so poorer people could afford to buy them. Those sort of people do not exist in the world now (people like my parents), so it is nice to see younger people especially thinking about these ways of life, before they are lost.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree! And 500 birds is a huge flock!!! We have 5 sweet ladies. :)
DeleteWe have the same movement over here. Not in the big cities but in the small town I live inorganic and local grown food is a huge topic! We have vending machine were you can buy eggs,milk, apples and other stuff from local farmers around the clock!
ReplyDeleteSadly Marvin and I are living in a flat. we grow tomatoes and citrons on our balcony but that's it. I would love to keep some chickens and really grow vegetables and I think it is great that you do! :) Thanks for sharing :)
Love, love, love the idea of a vending machine to buy local farmer's produce! We don't have anything like that here. Our neighboring towns do have a weekly Farmer's Market during the growing season for our local farmers that is also very popular. Hope you are able to have a flock of chickens someday! :)
DeleteSome wonderfully sensible thoughts about food on a sewing blog! That lettuce looks so good. It will be a while before our garden produces our first salad greens, but you are so right. They taste like nothing you can buy in a store!
ReplyDeleteHello Mama Pea! Somehow it all seems intrinsically connected! Your garden always amazes me and continues to inspire me. You have been a big factor in our gardening endeavor in trying to grow what we grow. :)
DeleteOh dear, I wish my thumb were not so black as it is!! fortunately for me we have a great grocer that sells locally grown stuff. I loved reading your thoughts, and you are right, it is all intrinsically connected, where things like out food and clothing both come from, and how feasible is it to make/grow your own rather than rely on things transported halfway around the world? I know it's not always possible to get things any other way, but at least we can try to support local resources and make a difference in our own lives as much as we can. :)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! :)
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