Potatoes Case

What is hiding in plain sight is the collision of several over-powering forces: the vast majority of us are completely disconnected from the food chain except when it is supermarket shelves in plastic wrap or bags, and the wealthy agribusinesses and food processing conglomerates who recognize that people will buy convenience, sugar and salt if they promote and package it well. It really came home to me yesterday. I was at a Costco to seek out mussels and clams on their Saturday fish market day (aways good and a good buy in the Pacific NW), and was strolling through the aisles, noticing the dramatic increase in organic products in almost all departments. Passing a 30-something, well-dressed couple and their two postcard looking kids, I overheard the mom say about a bag of frozen fruit "That other brand is organic and costs $1 more (for three lbs) and this one has a bit more in the bag."

Clearly, as this article points out, there is more to nutrition and eating for health than just organic. But trying to exclude pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers, and invasive processing and ingredients is not a bad start.

For years, and with increasing firmness and authority, my wife has pushed two strong principles (among others I might add). First, what you eat has a nexus to your health both short term and emphatically long term. Secondly, you have to know a lot about the food you eat to fully understand the first principle. She has made a believer out of me and now others.