I finished reading Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food today. Pollan effect is great, and it has made me ever more determined to go back home as soon as possible and re-sume (!!!!) what my mind/soul/body is craving–to do gardening/farming. It was heartening to receive an email from Cynthia Watts of Samata School in Jorpati telling me that she read part of my essay, “For Breathable Future”, to her students there. If it works out fine, someday I want to work with the kids in gardening and developing what Pramod calls food pedagogy.
Food connects us with the world in some of the most profound ways. Therefore, our choices regarding food, have deep ramifications. It determines whether we sit in the chair for hours or stretch our legs in the garden; whether we suck our eye-sockets in front of the TV or relish in the serenity of bird-chirps; whether we get obese, or stay trim; whether we are educated about our food or remain ignoramus and thereby good target of food industry; whether we know our neighbors or believe that the characters we see dancing in TV are somehow part of a mystical global village; I can go on.
My next essay for the Kathmandu Post is going to be on food crisis–which is looming all across the country and all over South Asia.
I understand that pull towards growing food. It’s so good to find a place to do that, even if it’s in an urban backyard. Looking forward to seeing more of your posts here.