Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver

I first bought this book for my Agroforestry PhD candidate best friend. I then picked it up at the library to read for myself.

Kingsolver details the year in which her family of four ate locally and, for the most part, lived off of their farm in southern Appalachia (they purchase what they don't grow or raise themselves from neighboring farms). This book is educational and adventurous at the same time. The writing is rich, satisfying, and beautiful, as is usually the case with Kingsolver.

Reading this book has been applicable to my own suburban life. It has made me think more about where my food is coming from. Yes, most of my food still comes from Safeway, but I am more motivated to consider how I can eat more locally. This summer, for the first time, I am growing three plants: cherry tomatoes, green peppers, and basil. Eating vegetables from my backyard has made me much more mindful of the flavors, beauty, and efficiency of homegrown food. I am planning on adding some more plants this year. This book also encouraged me to research Community Supported Agriculture programs and I'm hoping to join one at a local farm next season (http://www.hiddenvilla.org/csa.php).

This book also made me think more about my own experience with food. I was born and raised in suburbia where most any fruit or vegetable can be bought at the grocery store down the street whether or not it is really in season. I didn't realize this was unnatural until I lived in southwestern China and relied almost solely on the local open-air market for my meat, vegetables, and fruit. It really wasn't until I was 24 years old that I learned that onions aren't in season year round. Tomatoes aren't either! Once I got over this shock, I became more in-tune with what food life was like outside of suburbia and in a more rural setting. I started to love that all of the produce I bought had been picked that morning by the person (or their family members) selling it to me. And that their farms were probably within a mile of my apartment, in the farms surrounding the university campus. Filling up my bicycle basket with this bounty of local, fresh vegetables became one of the highlights of my week. It's also something that I miss the most about living there.

Overall, this book was a treat to read, and made me wonder about how my eating could be different, healthier, and friendlier.