Breadline USA, starving in rural counties

[Liberal_in_LA]

Just read this great book.

One chapter that stuck out was about people who were starving in a rural CA farm town. One long timer started a food pantry because people had lost of the habit of growing food on their acres.

1. Rural families adopted the habit of driving many miles to buy processed food from supermarkets.
2. They fell out of the habit of growing food.
2. The economy tanked and gas prices increased so they could not afford to drive the miles to buy food they had no money to buy.
3. Rural families are now dependent on food pantries that hand out expired, unhealthy, sugary processed foods and ramen noodles.

:scared:

http://www.amazon.com/Breadline-USA-Hidden-Scandal-American/dp/0981709117

[truedelphi]

1. As someone who went gleaning after the pear harvesters

Went through the pear orchards, I got about 80 to 100 pounds in maybe forty five minutes or so.

There were tons, literally, of pears left - to rot.

Even a decade ago, farmers encouraged gleaning. But now there is so much fear of lawsuits should someone fall and break something, so it is no longer encouraged.

Church groups, of all denominations, and other groups should try to break through this fear and get healthy food back on rural people's tables.

[AlecBGreen]

2. +1

[LeftyMom]

5. We have something similar here.

http://harvestsacramento.wordpress.com/

There's an abandoned orchard north of town on what's now city land. HS got permission to pick there and took in a semi-load of apples in one weekend, pears another. They also go out into neighborhoods and get permission to pick people's fruit trees, leave the owner whatever share they want, and donate the rest to the food bank. Unfortunately, the city is going to be tearing out the trees soon. :(

[msongs]

3. yet the obama administration has many billions for wars to kill women and kids. nt

[kestrel91316]

4. People who have access to land need to get BACK in the habit of growing food,

so the price pressure on store-bought food for those who have no land is decreased.

And I am tired of hearing how people don't have enough time. They are just too frickin' lazy, and it's NOT HARD. And it DOESN'T COST MUCH.

And BTW, just 'cause people can't grow 100% of their own food is no goddamned reason to throw up their hands and say they can't grow ANY.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

6. I agree. What a lousy excuse that you got out of the habit of growing food.

These are hard times and they need to get back in the habit.
We built four raised beds last Spring and harvested a wonderful veggies.
We planted fruit trees and blueberry bushes, started keeping chickens,
and are experimenting with mushrooms, beekeeping and other projects.

Our neighborhood also started a pea patch another way they can pool their resources.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. Your garden sounds awesome.