As we’ve pressed on through the various novels, articles, and visual sources of this class, I’ve become more and more disheartened. What can I actually eat, while taking both the moral and ethical concerns of food into account? It seems that the real problem stems from the current state of the farm bill, an issue that is for the most part out of the control of the average citizen. Many of the sources we have read or watched are quick to point out the concerns of industrialized and processed food; however, most fail to point out any realistic solution, if they provide any attempt at one at all. More than any other source Animal, Vegetable, Miracle has me convinced that I can do something about improving the way I eat. Now, the question I’ve asked myself countless times while reading this book, and again reiterated in the form of a class discussion question last period was, “How plausible is living the kind of lifestyle the Kingsolvers do for the average citizen?” Though a viable option for the my future, as a college student it is an absolutely impossible feat to accomplish in the here and now. The best I can do at present is to carefully monitor the amount of processed foods I intake, and try to eat the freshest fruits and vegetables I can. However, I do believe the average citizen can substitute at least a portion of his or her diet with home-grown, or fresh, organic produce. Through definitions by example of what it means to eat towards a healthier lifestyle, the book has shown me that I can actively pursue a partially home-grown diet when I acquire a place of my own. When Camille, a girl writing in a voice almost any college student can relate to, shares her recipes she provides a strong argument of definition by example. They sound both doable and delicious, which strongly help to convince me that I can eventually make some important dietary changes, and that the switch will be utterly rewarding.
