Subverting the food system

About a year ago I met an awesome couple through meetup.com, one of whom is a fellow type 1, the other of whom works for Wasatch Community Gardens. In discussing some of his work educating youth about gardening, he talked about his success with youth by approaching gardening as a subversive activity. To a lot of city kids, and to a lot of adults as well, food is a thing that costs money and comes from stores, in boxes and cans. So the idea of food being something that comes out of the ground, for the price of weeding and watering and a little time, it's almost magical. And also a way to screw the corporations who take food and partially digest it with machines and add colors and chemicals.

I really like that idea, and it's been one of the many reasons I've particularly enjoyed the last few weeks as I've planted my first tiny plot in a local community garden. (It's a stake garden, a local church endeavor, not part of the Wasatch Community Gardens.) Gardening has been something I've always felt I ought to do, but as a renter and apartment dweller, wasn't quite sure how to get started. So I feel very lucky to have a little space now, as well as a few expert gardeners who share the space and can answer my questions.

I've also been thinking about other ways that I subvert the system. A few I've been engaging in recently: soaking and cooking beans, rather than using the canned ones from the store, and baking bread (with whole wheat I grind myself!). No, I don't grow my own beans to soak, or my own wheat to grind, but it's something. Also, the local farmer's market is starting this week.

Being subversive turns out to be more motivation than saving money or being healthy. I think I'll try subversion as motivation in other areas of life... And let you know how it goes.