Service Learning Reflection 3

     For my third service learning experience, my fellow students and I pickled peppers. We first had to cut up peppers harvested from the roots garden. Then we put the peppers in jars and filled the jars with apple cider vinegar. With the jars filled, we put the jars in boiling water so they could become pickled.
     This service-learning experience helped me learn about how pickled peppers are made. I feel like the experience taught me a valuable cooking skill along with a way to provide food for myself. I found the whole experience to be quite interesting. I am now more interested in cooking and creating new ways to harvest and use vegetables that are harvested from gardens. I also learned that the community can provide some tasty vegetables. Asheville is a great place to grow food and it can definitely become a sustainable environment. In the future I hope to accomplish more service learning such as harvesting vegetables or just helping around. I am really looking forward to the crop mob coming up.
    

"Biotechnology Isn't the Key to Feeding the World" and "Will Organic Food Fail to Feed the World" response

     Regarding the TED talk I witnessed today, I noticed several things. First, the speaker informed me about the many vacant lots in south central L.A. I never knew that there was enough land for 20 central parks, and none of it is being used. He also brought up that millions of people are living in food deserts. That means that they do not have access to healthy and organic food. The environment mainly consists of fast food and no grocery stores are even close. I wonder if the movement will get shut down by the government because it isn't in its interest. I also wonder if this will change the lives of those actually living in food deserts. The speaker in this TED talk made me think about how some people do not have any access to healthy food. Obesity is constantly rising and healthy food is disappearing for these people. I hope that the man's movement works out and that he helps many people.

     In the article "Will Organic Food Fail to Feed the World?", the author questions whether or not organic food can feed the entire population of the world. In an effort to reduce pollution, farmers are starting to use organic methods to help curb the environmental effects of pesticides and other conventional farming practices. I also wonder along with the author if organic food can actually sustain the population of the earth. I think the article is very interesting and informative. I find it interesting that the world already produces enough food for each person, but the lack of access is causing people to not get food.

     In "Biotechnology Isn't the Key to Feeding the World", the author wrote about how access to food can become an economic situation. The people who are hungry do not create a large enough demand for companies to give food to them. I think that the author brings a valid point in that democracy is needed for food security can be given. I wonder if the author has a plan to change this lack of democracy in the food department and if it is actually possible. It worries me that capitalism or lack of democracy is causing a lack of food supply,

"The omnivore's Delusion" and "Real Food, Real Farming" response

      In regards to "The Omnivore's Delusion" by Blake Hurst, I understand his point. I notice that he thinks of organic farming as backwards and unrealistic when it comes to the world's population. I also noticed that he said that GMO's are helpful when it comes to creating a more plentiful yield of crops. I also notice that Blake Hurst does not provide some sort of counterargument in his article. He mainly just describes how organic food is unrealistic, but I personally believe that there is a way for organic methods to produce cheap and plentiful sources of food. I wonder why he decided to actually write this essay. The essay is very biased because he was raised in a farming family that uses modern methods of farming. I also wonder if his facts are completely correct, because the video of the debate said that some of his facts were incorrect. Regarding the full text, I think that Hurst's argument is informative and interesting. He obviously has some sort of personal bias in the matter. Although there is a large bias, his facts do speak for themselves.
     While reading the article, "Real Food, Real Farming" by Elliot Coleman, I noticed that it was mainly a critique of American Capitalism. The article writes about how the organic industry was originally shunned, and now American businesses have tried to make a profit out of organic food. I wonder how organic food will change based on this article. Will organic food become extremely expensive and industrialized? I believe the article wonders that as well. I personally think that the article is interesting because there is truth in it. I have personally seen the organic industry explode and also how businesses are trying to make a large profit off of organic food.
      The video of the debate was very interesting to say the least. I noticed that after reading the article by Blake Hurst, Mr. Pollan addressed the facts in the article. Mr. Pollan stated that some of Blake Hurst's facts were incorrect. I wonder what an actual debate would be like with both of them in it. I'm sure it would be extremely interesting. I think that both topics have research to be done. They are not concrete facts because studies are still being produced regarding the topics.

The Only Way to Eat a Cow

  

"The Only Way to Eat a Cow" by Bill McKibben is a very interesting writing piece. I noticed that there was a distinct brash tone in the author's writing. The author wrote about the benefits of becoming vegan and vegetarian, and various methods to prevent global warming via a carnivorous lifestyle. I also noticed the author's claim that becoming vegan is much better for the environment than eating factory farmed meat. I couldn't help but also notice the author himself was a vegetarian and an advocate for global warming prevention. I enjoyed the part about rotational pastures where cows would rotate from pasture to pasture so that the grass wouldn’t become too short in the field.
     This piece made me wonder several things. I wonder about the actual science of how a meatless lifestyle helps fight against global warming. I also wonder why Americans think of meat as an entree instead of a condiment or a side of an entree. I'm curious to see how much research supports the author's claim and I'm curious as to why the author chose to have a mainly meatless diet.
    I think that this entire piece gives me something to think about and also I feel like I learned something surprising today. I knew that eating less meat was environmentally friendly, but I did not know how much it would actually impact the environment. I do think that the writer is extremely brash and blaming if you don't take his side, but I do get his point. In fact, Mckibben makes some very excellent points and even offers a way to reduce global warming while providing a lifestyle with meat. I wish that McKibben offered more than one way to help the environment while eating meat. I would still like to eat meat but I do not want to harm the environment.

Service Learning reflection 2

     Hello All! Yesterday I went to the Lord's Acre farm with some of my peers to help harvest some vegetables. We started out peeling the skin off of garlic cloves and put the cloves in the buckets. We also harvested sweet potatoes, which were gigantic, and we put them in bins. I was very surprised about the knowledge required to run a farm. I learned that there were several thousand ways to grow and harvest plants. I also learned that it takes a lot of work just to run a farm. The knowledge of this helps me create an interest in farming and agricultural work. I also learned that I enjoy helping others whether it be manual labor or some other type of work. I thought the experience was enjoyable and I would like to do more farm work in the future. I also thought it was interesting that the food farmed from Lord's acre was donated to other organizations such as the Green Opportunities Kitchen. I also learned that the community comes and helps harvest for free, and that there are only two paid workers for Lord's Acre. My goals pertaining to the future of service learning is working more for the farm and also helping out in the gardens and such. I also want to find more opportunities for service learning because I enjoy service learning.

Downsizing Supersize and Why Shame Won't Stop Obesity

               In “Downsizing Supersize” by James Surowiecki, the author writes about the ideals of Michael Bloomberg. In particular, Michael Bloomberg proposes that the maximum amount of ounces that a soft drink can be is 16. The author emphasizes how Americans would be angry because freedom would be taken away. Another fact emphasized by the author is that a population purchases something if it is the standard size. For example, people will choose the middle option if there is a more expensive option with tons of features, a middle expense option with a medium amount of features, and a low price with low features. Another approach to help discourage the large consumption of sodas is to enact a tax on sodas. The tax would just be like the tax on alcohol or tobacco in which the consumer is deterred from buying less of it.

               In “Why Shame Won’t Stop Obesity” by Dhruv Khullar, the author writes about the irony of a hospital serving unhealthy foods. The author then relates the irony of the hospital to the reality of the availability of healthy foods. Healthy food is harder to come by location wise and financially. Also, over a billion dollars is spent on food advertisement every year to influence children. The author then also looks at Georgia’s effort to curb childhood obesity. Many children are suffering from obesity and Georgia created commercials to almost shame parents on letting their children become overweight or obese. Although this highlights parental negligence, it does not reflect true circumstances. Most parents probably want their children to have a healthier lifestyle, but do not have the funds to do so. Later the author reiterates the fact that almost 75% of America is either overweight or obese, and that if health problems continue, several billion dollars will be spent on operations related to nutritional diseases

Food justice

After reading Wendell Berry’s “The Pleasures of Eating”, I have a new view on the agriculture market and support for changes in the market. After reading the list made by Wendell Berry, I have to agree with all of them. They are logical and I personally feel as if the steps could make a difference, but only if a portion of the American population committed to them. Although I agree with the steps, I do not practice many of them. I do buy local food because I take pleasure in supporting local markets. Unfortunately, I do not grow, prepare, or have taken an active pursuit of knowledge in the agricultural department. However, I am willing to adopt several of these practices because I agree with them. From now on I will try my best to cook my own food and find out where the food comes from. I will buy some seeds, soil, a pot, and gardening tools so I can produce a small plant. Lastly, I will learn what is put into plants and meat, and I will also pay attention to relevant articles about agriculture itself. I am willing to help make the food industry a better, safer, and ethical industry by taking an active role in that matter.

               Something Wendell Berry could take for granted is the fact that a portion of the population who could want to participate have no means of participating. This is highlighted by the fact that several low-income areas have no access to fresh food, or there is access to supermarkets, but the distance to the supermarket is much longer than a fast food restaurant. There arguments are similar in that they are both a form of food justice. Wendell Berry focuses on how people could help agriculture become a more traditional market instead of acting like a business. Gottlieb and Joshi focus on how low-income areas do not have access to fresh foods and more access to fast food restaurants. Their arguments are different in the fact that their subject matter is completely different. They are both forms of food justice, but they are lacking similar arguments. One is about how to change a corrupt market while the other is detailing the facts about supermarkets and low income areas. 

Image that represents food in Asheville

     When I think of the topic of food in Asheville, I think of organic, natural, and homegrown instead of artificial, processed, and chock full of preservatives. An experience that shaped my perspective of food in Asheville was when a group of students that I belonged to visited the Green Opportunities Kitchen. Food from a local garden was prepared for us, while we learned about the kitchen itself. The food was decadent and it tasted so real compared to something that came out of a box. I believe that Asheville is full of natural foods that are from local sources.
     The reason why I chose this picture was because it looks like natural produce. The picture is full of greens and other vegetables that are comparable to the meals served in the Green Opportunities Kitchen. Also, any other restaurant in Asheville that isn't fast food looks like it is fresh and prepared that morning. The picture represents the freshness of Asheville that cannot be found anywhere else. Asheville's restaurant scene is an organic, fresh, and natural area that is incomparable to many other cities.

http://www.ashevillenc.com/area_info/local_food

Service Learning reflection

     So far, for service-learning opportunities, I have only attended the orientation for service learning. The service learning orientation provided information on what the service-learning model is, how it relates to service learning class, and what can be done to help communities around the area. I actually just sat in a room while I listened to an explanation of service-learning classes,
     This experience has helped me become cognizant of the benefits of a service-learning class. A class such as this can help adjust my perspective on current social issues and also issues plaguing the local community. Also, the service-learning aspect provides something else to the class instead of just having an orthodox academic approach. I now have the opportunity to learn from a social and academic perspective about certain subjects.
     Service learning has helped me in so many ways already. It has taught me that I can be a factor in changing the community for the better and also realizing that I can work with others to solve several social problems. It has also helped learn about myself wanting to help others in need and to want to work with others to solve whatever problems are at hand.
     I have learned several things about Asheville that I would have never learned without the presentation that I attended. Every city or community has something in need of improvement and I can help improve something in that community. Also, Asheville has many wonderful opportunities to help others.
    My service learning goals for the future are to be more active in my hours and actually do something by now. I hope to help improve the community and also learn very important life skills in the future. I am also deciding if I would like to attend another service learning class to graduate with honors.

"Eating the Hyphen" "Reclaiming True Grits"

On Thursday I read two interesting articles named “Eating the Hyphen” and “Reclaiming True Grits”. These articles captured my interest from the very beginning. One was about “soul food” and what it means to modern society and the other is about an Asian American who Americanizes authentic Chinese cuisine. In “Reclaiming True Grits”, the author defines what soul food means today and what it used to mean. Soul food is described as being authentic African American that the media discovered in the 60s. The author persuades the reader that soul food is usually instant today instead of a good home cooked meal. The author also emphasizes that soul food can be healthy, but it is not thought of as healthy currently. In “Eating the Hyphen” a Chinese American describes how Chinese dumplings should be eaten. The author persuades the reader that ketchup is a mandatory condiment to pair with dumplings. The author also provides instructions on how to eat Chinese dumplings correctly.

I do wonder how the author of “Reclaiming True Grits” plans on creating healthier soul foods again. I wonder this because the author mentions that African Americans as a population are unfortunately plagued with health problems compared to other ethnicities. I also wonder if the author can help convince other ethnicities and popular culture that soul food is just black southern cooking instead of this edible anomaly that the media announces it to be. In “Eating the Hyphen”, I wonder how other Chinese Americans or even Chinese people would view her eating habits. Would they give a look of disgust or would they be tempted to try it? In my opinion they sound delicious to me.

I think that all cultures have wonderful foods that can be enjoyed by anyone. I believe that foods should be able to be traced back to a culture, but it shouldn’t be afraid to venture out and become Americanized. I am interested in eating both the authentic version of foods and the more modern versions of foods. I think both of the authors do a great job in describing how certain foods are meaningful to their race and how they contrast their cultural foods becoming Americanized. Both authors offer valid persuasive points and I can’t help but agree with both of them.

Response to food on campus

After living at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, I have ad an interesting dining experience on campus. I usually eat at Brown Hall which is nicknamed "The Caf". I usually eat there three times a day because I selected a meal plan that allowed me to. Anyways, after reading both "Taking Local on the Road" and "You Can't Run Away on Harvest Day", I was forced to review the food that's prepared in The Caf. Back home in Charlotte, my family was always conscious about eating organic meat that wasn't prepared in a processing plant instead of raised on the farm. We have always gone to the local market to purchase meat from the merchants there.
     Here at UNCA, I do have to think about where the meat is coming from and if it is friendly to the environment or not. I do believe that the cafeteria is conscious about what it is serving to its students, and also that it accommodates many different lifestyles including being vegan or vegetarian. I do love our cafeteria and I can't help but feel like the school has a more liberal and non-processed approach to cooking food. The food is tasty and delicious and I love the variety of meals that the cafeteria serves. Overall, the dining experience here at UNCA is fantastic.

"Not Just a White Girl Thing"

In both of the articles, I noticed many interesting things. For example, I noticed that there is a stereotypical person for eating disorders. This stereotypical person is described as being a financially secure, white girl. Instead, eating disorders affect people of all genders, cultures, and races. In the other article I read, titled "Her Chee-to Heart", the author has a penchant for describing foods that she eats as they are, high in fat and full of chemicals. The authors both use rhetoric to help keep the reader interested and also help persuade the reader to a certain view. "Not Just a White Girl Thing" instructs the reader to think outside of the stereotypes that society has. "Her Chee-to Heart" almost forces the reader to reflect on what is inside foods and what is being consumed on an every day basis.

I wonder how many cultures are affected by the current eating disorder pandemic. I know for certain they are in westernized cultures, but I am curious to see the extant of Western culture's influence. I am also wondering what percentage of men in the world are suffering from body-image issues and eating disorders. I wonder if there are any major flaws in both articles' statistics and argument. I wonder if white girls are still being affected as heavily as other races, which I feel like is what the author doesn't want you to believe.

There are copious amounts of information missing from the worlds' point of view about eating disorders. Eating disorders affect a majority of people in western cultures and also cultures that the west influences. I think that men should not be forgotten about when it comes to image issues and eating disorders. I know from personal experience that there are expectations for men when it comes to image and that it does make some men insecure about their bodies. I think both of these articles resonated with me and I was very moved by these articles. Eating disorders and the amount of chemicals and fat in foods should not be treated lightly. They are both serious issues that can harm any person out there who is willing to be sucked into the expectations that society creates. I do believe that the article discussing eating disorders in different cultures uses credible sources for statistics. The author also uses  personal experiences to help persuade the reader to agree with their argument. Overall, both of the articles were informative in their own ways. One used a blend of personal experiences and facts to help the reader understand that eating disorders can affect anybody. The other uses personal experience, descriptive writing, and some statistics to help inform the reader about the fat-filled foods that play a role in peoples' everyday life.

Food Matters

Hello, my name is Macintosh and I am in a class called Language 120 that is taught by professor Pisano. Today I will be discussing why food matters to the individual, the family, and the world.

    Food does and should matter to anybody and everybody in the world. All life would cease to exist without the nutrition that food provides. Food has a deeper meaning than nutrition, though. To me, food is a art. I love the way the flavors dance on my tongue, presenting my taste buds with the unique identity of the dish I am currently eating. I love trying every type of food and learning about the origins of dishes and what culture a certain dish comes from.

    In a family, food is also extremely important. Food can bring families closer by siblings and parents cooking together or even going to a restaurant to go to. Food can be a conversational topic because families can discuss how a dish is made and families can also talk about how good or bad a food is. A dinner table is a social gathering place where food is eaten. Food is a key ingredient in creating stronger bonds between families.

     Lastly, food plays many roles on Earth. Food can identify a culture by unique dishes. Food has played an important role in history. Food is a business, an art, entertainment, a topic, a bond creator, and even a piece of history. Food is all around us and it creates a universal language that words cannot even dream of creating. Food is a gift, it is a treasure. The point is, food really matters.

"What the World Eats"

In the article "What the World Eats", there are pictures of families all throughout the world sitting next to a pile of food. The caption of the pictures explains how much money is spent on food a week for that particular family and it provides information on what the family's favorite dish is.

     While cycling through the pictures of international families and the food that they ate for the week, I noticed some interesting things. One particular thing that I noticed was the range of money spent. One family spent over seven hundred dollars while another family spent a little less than two dollars. Another thing I noticed were the diets of some of the families. Many first world country families typically had an unhealthy diet, such as America with a percentage of the food consisting of pizza, soda, and other sorts of junk food. Other countries who typically spent less on food were eating less portions and were also eating healthier menu items like fruits and vegetables.

     I also wondered about several things in this article. I was curious how some large families depicted in this article could survive on such little money spent a week. I also wonder why a family would need to spend over seven hundred dollars on food a week. That just doesn't make sense to me. I'm also curious whether there is a correlation between money spent on food and the satisfaction of families.

    I think that this article is very powerful in the fact that it compares several families in different countries eating habits and also spending habits. It brings a sort of realization that me being an American could have it a lot worse. I could possibly be living off of approximately 2 dollars of food a week instead of the hundreds that my family would regularly spend a week. I also think that this article creates a sense of gluttony among more developed countries because of all the food that is eaten a week by much smaller families.