I don’t write much about the politics of food, but this issue really shows why it’s so hard for people to cook the way their grandparents did.
In the past century, world agriculture has lost 75% of its genetic diversity to globalization, standardization and monoculture farming; 95% of the tomato varieties that existed in 1909 have become extinct; 91% of corn — gone. In addition, 95% of the cabbage varieties your great-great grandma grew have been consigned to oblivion.
Regardless of whether you think food activists are tree-hugging hippies or the last line of defense against corporate America, this is something that should make you stop and think. For all the talk of the diversity of the American diet — we’ve got fruits and vegetables in the typical supermarket year-round that our grandparents never saw — we typically have only two or three varieties of each one, if we’re lucky.
Crop diversity protects us against disasters, natural and man-made. It is less destructive of farmland than monoculture farming. And, even if you think those issues will never affect you, diversity means more variety. So you get to eat the food you like the best, not just the one variety with the best shelf life.
Go read the whole article about how a few large companies are stamping out diversity in the name of profits. Then think about whether you might want to go to your local farmers market and check out the heirloom tomatoes.
13 Comments
Thank you for posting about this – I have very strong feelings about this and it really infuriates me that we have let our food come to this point. No wonder there is so much more illness and sickness and health problems in the U.S. We're not eating real foods. Thank you corporate America. I can't wait until I've moved out of my apt and into a home where I can grow my own garden.
Ditto! Thanks for posting on this and making us think about these issues again, Drew. Only when we have something like the great Potato Famine will our eyes truly be opened to the need for genetic diversity in our crops.
I totally agree with the scary nature of monoculture and industrial agriculture. I love the concept of supporting small, local farms. I've started gardening because of my disgust over the taste of supermarket veggies.
But regarding the variety our grandparents supposedly had? Not really. I read and interesting explanation about the huge number of plant varieties that used to exist. Most heirloom varieties were just that… heirlooms – families saved their own seeds year after year that created varieties that were specific to that farm and that microclimate. 10 miles down the road, different soil conditions created different variations. But people did not trade globally. Local meant something totally different when a 20 mile trip required an overnight stay. There may have been a million varieties of cabbage but grandma only planted the one her mom planted. Not much variety or selection at all for individuals.
Yes, the variety was there so total crop wipeout was unlikely. But I thought it was an interesting perspective.
I'm thinking that growing non-hybrid plants really is up to individuals. Companies as a rule cannot afford to that that much of a risk on things that may not produce at all… and if they do may not sell. They aren't evil-doers for trying to find consistently good producers. No reason whatsoever smaller producers and individuals can't continue to save some of the more worthy cultivars.
Svedi Pie and Trixie, do your friends and family look at you like you just sprouted a third eye when you talk about this stuff? Or have you learned to only mention it with other weirdos on the Internet?
Seren Dippity, that's a really interesting point about why there were so many varieties. It would make sense that on a true "family farm" they would have at most one early-bloom variety and one late-bloom variety of each veggie. I wonder how many people, before the advent of the car, ever had the opportunity to compare multiple tomatoes and pick their favorite.
Mary, I don't think they're evil for trying to find good producers. My problem with them is when they use practices that can't possibly be sustainable over the long term. They have to know this, and just plan on moving on to another company when the inevitable happens.
My experience on your blog is much better now.
I'm seeing much faster response times… I had at time 3-7 seconds before I could even contact your blog.
Whatever you did, made it MUCH BETTER.
Also, on the many varieties of fruits and vegetables… I was looking for a set of posters the characterized many different heirloom fruits (pears, apples, tomato, etc…) and the breeds/cloning techniques of things like Navel Oranges and Bananas and other strains of mutants that cannot reproduce themselves.
I've wondered if you've seen them… they are definitely framing worthy. The last set I saw was reprinted in 1992. Last I saw of them.
Any ideas?
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/10/11/magazine/20091011-foodrules.html
I found this article today that reminded me of your blog entry. I thought I'd pass it along. Cooking LIKE your grandmother isn't always the most important thing, its keeping the old fashioned ingredients and REAL FOOD alive in the new world. These are some rules that I agree with that I think you might too.
Greg, no I haven't seen those posters. (PS: Thanks for the site help. Looks nice and snappy to me, too.)
Kate, somehow I know that was going to be Pollan before I even followed the link. And yes, I liked most of them. Not that I disagreed with any of them, but there were several I liked better than the others.
I've never told you and I think it's about time: Thank you for all the work and time you put into your site. I am so thankful for your culinary perspective!
Great article. If you haven't already, you must read "Renewing America's Food Traditions." The book highlights a number of foods we are on the verge of losing, and those people trying to save them. It's a great read for anyone concerned about the loss of diversity in agriculture.
Αγαπη, that's really cool of you to say. And by the way, how is your name pronounced? (I don't even know what alphabet that is.)
Pete, no I haven't seen that one yet. But it makes me think: If there are organizations dedicated to preserving endangered animal species, and endangered wild plant species, why do you never hear about the loss of food crop species?
Drew: It is written in Greek and it is pronounced Agape (Uh-gop-ee)
It means roughly "unconditional love." I am blessed to have it as my name, but at the same time, it is a lot to live up to!
This is a drum I have been pounding for a long time. Ten years ago when I tried to talk seriously about this particular issue I was called ridiculous and told how I didn't know what I was talking about. You keep talking about it. You keep them under attack. In addition to the elimination of varieties our agriculture is nutritionally deficient. We wonder why so many are sick and dying not to mention learning disorders, behavioral issues, and a whole host of allergic reaction. I know as a cook (and a pretty good one) that I strive for the freshest produce, meats, etc, that I can buy. I prefer to support local farms as much as possible. I constantly hammer grocery stores in the area for not supporting local farmers. Heavensake, I live in Texas and you would be suprised how much meat we see in the stores that's not from Texas. I would hate to see what's in the stores in Ohio!
This is a horrible issue and will truly send our food chain into oblivion by the turn of the next century. God help us if we have a famine or some crop disease that would wipe out less hardy vegetables. Great information!