Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating

Having read a variety of organic minded eating books I found this book refreshing because of the new things I learned, that make my lacto ova vegetarian mindset even more serious. Like I didn't know how they grow farm raised salmon or tiger prawns and that it is both less healthy and more expensive in the long run. Or that one of my favorite television chefs, Jamie Oliver from Britain who is known as the Naked Chef, is responsible for getting healthy foods into the British public schools, via his Feed Me Better campaign. Her Chapter 17 titled The Looming Water Crisis struck a cord with me since I live in the Sierra foothills above the San Joaquin Valley east of Sacramento and have seen prime farm land being sold for cookie cutter looking housing areas, where water is a serious issue. Irrigating crops at least allows water to return to the underground water system, whereas water used in a home for washing, flushing toilets etc is wasted. And as she notes on page 260, it takes the following amounts of water to produce 2 lbs of the following crops: Beef 26,400 Chicken 920, Soya beans 530 Rice 505 Maize/Corn 370 Sorghum 290 Alfalfa 235 Wheat 235 Potatoes 130. Now I grow a vegetable garden and know that with drip irrigation and heavy mulching that one can grow food with a good 70% less water waste. Also like that the author reminds the reader that buying organic need not be expensive. If one uses farmers markets, local farmers, co -ops. If one eats foods that are in season. And if one looks at the long-term effect of what your organic food dollars are buying in the form of health care costs, better tasting and thus filling foods. That eating organic will also mean eating less, which will mean less obesity. And that most of us have some small area where we can grow a vegetable garden that can at least provide daily salads for ourselves and our families. And at the beginning of the book the author reminds us of the rich traditions eating meals have had throughout history. Be they religious gatherings or holiday gatherings or simple daily meals where we come together to commune and savour simple meals.

Having been raised in the "heartland" -- that would be the Midwest, in farming country -- over the years I have grown increasingly dismayed at what has become of both our farms and our food. I LOVE great food -- but the "real thing" has become harder and harder to find over the years. The relationship between what we eat and how we live has changed so much that now, we are as a society paying a very steep price with our health -- and sometimes our lives. "Fast food" -- and the convenience of packaged, processed foods -- turns out to be WAY more expensive than we think! It doesn't have to be this way. Jane Goodall presents one of the most impassioned and well-reasoned arguments for how to get back to a sane and healthier way to live. It is precisely because the problems have become so rampant and seemingly overwhelming, that it can be easy to feel that nothing can be done. Big business and corporations (which is what mega-farms and agribusiness has become) are huge -- and hard to fight. But as Goodall points out, one need not actually fight -- it's as easy as the choices you make daily. And everyone has to do that anyway. How many school children (or now adults, for that matter) know where the food you eat comes from? What does it look like, when it's growing in the earth? What does the animal look like and live like, that becomes the meat you eat? We have -- with the help of agribusinesses -- gotten disconnected from the source. And this is not a good thing! Goodall shows us the path back to the source of our food -- and our health -- and a future that really is sustainable. Yes, the vast midwest farmlands where I grew up may now be poisoned, but research is showing us how to reclaim and restore much soil to its proper healthy balance once again, even if it takes time. And in the meanwhile, all over the world, conscious farming is cropping up with healthy food -- in your own neighborhood. Organic and local farmers are working hard to make a difference -- and they deserve your support. Together, we can change the way we eat and live, one meal at a time. It's worth a look. Besides learning how to do this, the resource listing in the back of the book is well worth the price alone. Buy this book! I'm recommending this to all the visitors to my new website: http://www.find-great-organic-gourmet-foods.com. Eating well is not just about expensive gourmet food; it's about making great choices that nourish you and support a healthy way of living for all. In the long run, it's cheaper to live right -- eating well by making better choices. Thanks, Jane, for bringing this message loud and clear to anyone who has the heart to hear it.

I loved this book! I have always thought that eating organic was healthier for me and definately tasted better, but this book opened up my eyes on many subjects. First of all, I did not know the difference between light organic [ which large corporations do] verses deep organic [ which small farms do,rotating crops for example, which is better for the soil]. Now,when I shop, I read where the organic food came from so I know how far it had to travel and how much gas was wasted. I have become a firm believer that I should buy from local farmers when ever possible.One last remark I found facinating was when Jane was talking about GMO's and how when animals had the choice of natural food verses genetically modified food, they always chose the natural.Very interesting.

For the record, I do not have a political agenda in writing this review. Political or not, though, it should be on everyone's agenda to pay attention to the points made by Goodall and her co-authors in this very informative and important book. Harvest for Hope shows us how we are hurting ourselves and our planet and will continue to do so if we don't take a stand against current governmental and corporate controlled agricultural practices. It is a relatively simple message: Eat organic, locally grown foods whenever possible and you will be a healthier person and contribute to the health of our environment. Goodall tells us how to do this and why. People may squabble over certain details but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that what she is saying is the truth. It makes sense. If you value your health and the health of those you love -- and feed -- read this book!

This book completely changed my eating behavior, my appreciation for real farming and my whole attitude toward the food industry. It is a must read for those of us who always knew there were ugly truths out there but chose to keep our heads in the sand. It's an education on cruelty, enviromental and health issues that will certianly keep me from spending another penny in support of multinational corporations like Monsanto.