Terra Madre - essay 3

This probably doesn't fit in the A-Z blog challenge; but I just submitted the delegate application, I thought would go ahead and share:

Why do you want to go to Terra Madre/Salone del Gusto?

Globally, the food we eat, how it is grown, processed, distributed, and who grows and controls it has changed radically in the last fifty years. These changes adversely affect our lands, our waters, and our people.   Awareness of our broken food system is growing. People are fearful and sometimes overwhelmed by the enormity of problems; but there is hope and there are solutions.

To bring these solutions to the fore, the Slow Food, Good Food, Local Food, Responsible Food, Just Food, movement et al. needs leaders. Since I started farming, I’ve grown into leader/advocate for local and sustainable foods, but I can get much better. Traveling to northern Italy this fall, tasting traditional foods from all over the world, and engaging in the stories of growers from all over the world will expand my contacts, give me new knowledge, and inspire me to continue to change the world.

B is for Butcher

Okay, we run a meat CSA - that's community supported agriculture. (If you're new to this and would like to learn more our farm and CSA visit us at Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm. If you'd like to find a CSA in your area got to Local Harvest. If you're in Chicago, visit The Local Beet.)

Raise our animals in ways that nurture their true natures. We're mindful that their well being is dependent upon us, just as our sustenance is dependent on them. It is a relationship grounded with respect and reverence.

But, to become the nourishing goodness that goes into our monthly shares, their lives must end. We take great care with our animals and work to ensure that the same care is taken when they become meat.

Luckily, we have a fantastic  butcher who does his job as thoughtfully as we do ours. His name is Scott Bittner.

Scott runs the only buthcher shop in the state of Illinois that can do certified organic butchering for red meat animals (beef, pork, lamb, goat). Although we are NOT a certfied organic farm, this is important to us and our customers as it means that only organic methods and ingredients are used in the processing of our meats (no MSG, added nitrates etc).

Bittners (Scott and his wonderful staff) are an important part of our farm's community, and we appreciate all they do!