Chapter 16

I found Chapter 16 more interesting than other chapters I've read throughout The Omnivore's Dilemma. Pollan begins this chapter discussing the choices people make when they are choosing what to eat. He says, "The blessing of the omnivore is that he can eat a great many different things in nature." This quote is very true, even in today's society there are so many different options of food. For instance I don't eat meat so when I go to a restaurant I avoid those optioins, however there are vegetarian selections for people with my similar diet. Also when eating out or even at the store sometimes people can't decide what to eat because there are to many choices. Another point that is brought up is omnivores choice to try new foods. It is tempting, but also is seen as scary because one might not like it.

Pollan relates humans to rats through this reading mostly due to the fact that both can always choose to try another food if they don't have their preference around. Unlike the Koala who is a picky eater, only eating eucalyptus leaves. Also humans have the ability of cooking food. We as a group of people have created ways to blend things together with spices, sauces, or more. At fast food restaurants one has the choice of what kind of sauce they want, for their fries or whatever, from many options. In today's society there are so many choices of what to eat and how you want it cooked ect...

Chapter 8, Feb. 15th

Chapter 8 is about Michael visiting and helping out at Polyface Farms. Through his visit here he gets to see the relationship between the animals raised here and grass. This particular farm believes that they should raise animals to create a natural rotation that makes everything better for the land and the animals. They are somewhat practicing the same methods as the Naylor farm, however Naylor farm is much more industrialized, but still holds somewhat organic practices.

Michael's description of laying in the pasture just observing the grass and his surroundings made the farm sound peaceful and surreal. He also talks about how the grass goes through the process of becomming hay. At this point it is not the soft peaceful "hospitable" stuff. It becomes sharp, dry and dusty. I can relate to the description of the hay because I grew up next to a horse pasture. The grass was always the source of food for the horses and they tried to keep it long and luscious. But the hay stacks were dirty and rough. They made my eyes itch, when graass however never did. This reminds me of what the Polyface Farms was trying to do. He fed his animals pure food not the corn which is being fed to animals on many other farms today. People don't think about the fact that what goes into the animal then goes into us later in the processing of food. When we later eat the meat that has been raised on these farms people need to ask what are they feeding us? How are the animals raised, and what are they fed?

Omnivore's Dilemma Chapter 9

Chapter 9 entitled "Big Organic" by Michael Pollan is about his story of following the packaged foods from Whole Foods back to where they came from. It also discusses the truth about industrial organics. The big time organics have sold themselves to the industrial system. Pollan says the organic movement was founded on three methods of production, alternative systems of distribution, and alternative methods of consumption.

Gene Kahn, the original owner of Cascadian Farms, now a completely owned subsidiary of General Mills says, " You have a choice of getting sad about all that or moving on. We tried hard to build a cooperative community and a local food system, but at the end of the day it wasn't successful. This is just lunch for most people. Just lunch. We can call it sacred, we can talk about communion, but it's just lunch." This man lost his farm which is very sad. People talked of eating organics in 1990 but they never bought organic. After he lost everything he joined the industrial business. However, the whole problem cannot be blamed completely on the farmers. The people are a big part of the blame as well. If small sustainable agriculture is not supported then they will be forced to sell out or will eventually end up broke and go under.

This chapter was by far one of the more interesting ones I have read so far in the Omnivore's Dilemma. Pollan made some points that really made me think about what I am eating. My family along with me are health conscious and organic foods are definately more expensive. Some of Pollan's ideas make me re-think my shopping habits and if what I am eating is the best or healthiest choice for me.