Looking Forward to Arrival of West Virginia Family - Appalacia’s Loss is Oregon’s Gain
Sometime in 2013 Oregon will welcome Graham and Beth Goldberg Rankin to the Willamette Valley. Graham and Beth are fellow foodies who embrace a return to a wholesome relationship with our food and its origins.
My friendship with Graham dates back beyond our graduation from Bryan Adams High School in Dallas, Texas in 1964.
When I read Beth’s column from her blog, WVFARM2YOU.ORG, I immediately wanted to cut and paste into The Taste of Oregon. A simple request to Beth and my wish was granted.
Beth is looking forward to transferring her passion to Oregon and its richly abundant supply of food, wine and like-minded souls.
Please enjoy our first guest blog post!
Food For Thought
Wilma Dykeman, the noted Appalachian writer, foresaw the attraction to local food in her 1966 novel, The Far Family, set in the southern mountains. In it, young Ivy remembers her father at breakfast: “And as Papa took that first bite of fresh nut-flavored corn and popped it in his mouth, he always said, ‘No Astor or Vanderbilt has better eating than this. You young’uns just remember, the richest man living on Park Avenue in New York City can’t eat what we’ve got set before us right here this morning. His corn’s stale, his eggs have been shipped in from someplace, his milk’s all treated some way–I tell you–we’re lucky folks!’ And before he had finished, Ivy and the other children were sorry for millionaires who had only money and could not enjoy the fruits of the earth at the peak of their season.”
Interesting that back in 1966 Wilma Dykeman was already reminding us that locally grown food is better. At that time the factory farms were gearing up to produce more more more and small farms were having trouble staying afloat being in competition.
Running across this quote got me searching for other things people have said that you might enjoy. Some below are thought provoking, and some are just plain funny.
The American poultry industry had made it possible to grow a fine-looking fryer in record time and sell it at a reasonable price, but no one mentioned that the result usually tasted like the stuffing inside of a teddy bear. ~ Julia Child, My Life in France
Every major food company now has an organic division. There’s more capital going into organic agriculture than ever before. ~ Michael Pollan
Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people. ~ Elizabeth Berry
How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex? ~ Julia Child
If organic farming is the natural way, shouldn’t organic produce just be called “produce” and make the pesticide-laden stuff take the burden of an adjective?~Ymber Delecto
Sex is good, but not as good as fresh, sweet corn.~ Garrison Keillor
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While it is true that many people simply can’t afford to pay more for food, either in money or time or both, many more of us can. After all, just in the last decade or two we’ve somehow found the time in the day to spend several hours on the internet and the money in the budget not only to pay for broadband service, but to cover a second phone bill and a new monthly bill for television, formerly free. For the majority of Americans, spending more for better food is less a matter of ability than priority. ” — Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto
Food for thought is no substitute for the real thing.~ Walt Kelly
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Please visit WVFARM2U.org by clicking here.
Bon appétit!
— Charles
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Charles, we are so looking forward to all the many choices Oregon offers. With your guidance we will get introduced to new yummies..the razor clams, hunting for wild mushrooms and so much more. Awakening to eating more healthy local food choices has been a wonderful experience here in West Virginia and we know everyone everywhere has great options beyond their local convenient grocery store. I will continue to do what I can to spread the news.
Thanks for you kind words about us. We too are looking forward to being able to pick our own at the farms, year round farmers markets and fresh seafood right off the boat (Kudos for Local Ocean in Newport!). High on my bucket list are to go truffle hunting with Charles, digging for razor clams with Vic and tasting every Oregon Pinot Noir — Not necessarily in that order!