In America, shoppers are led to feel like they have access to nearly any food at any time of year in our grocery stores. No need to wait for the season to change to get a crisp Granny Smith apple–immediate gratification is always at the tip of your fingers.
But the American grocery store is a false front that sways the human diet towards 30 plant species. What it fails to acknowledge is the beauty of the Earth’s plant varieties. There are nearly 30,000 edible species hidden across the globe. Do the math–our diet and what's available to the consumer equates to a whopping 0.1% of accessible edible plant varieties.
The conscious consumer is slowly peeling back the layers of sustainable plant-based diets, starting with unlocking the potential of those 30,000 edible plants and the benefit of local farms to provide an assortment of seasonal, nutrient-rich produce. Fortunately, many are choosing to shift to life patterns that reduce our impact on the planet and improve our health at the same time.
Planting Our Futures
Three leaders encouraging access to edible plants are Evan Marks, Taylor Godber, and Emily Murphy. Evan Marks founded The Ecology Center, a 28-acre certified regenerative farm in San Juan Capistrano. Taylor Godber doubles not only as a professional snowboarder, but a plant-focused food enthusiast and Certified Raw Food Chef. Emily Murphy, author of Grow Now, Grow What You Love and creator of the quirky blog Pass The Pistil, offers insights as an experienced lover of ethnobotany and regenerative farming. In conjunction, these three transfer valuable knowledge about expanding the consumption of the many plant varieties we can find on this planet.
Agroecology Is A Benchmark
The Ecology Center is an educational farm based on the practice of integrating ecological and social needs with sustainable agriculture, otherwise known as agroecology. According to the United Nations, agroecology encourages youth engagement, biodiversity, human rights, and provides other socio-environmental solutions. Marks created a space for the community to gather, learn, build relationships, and eat in a way that aligns with local ecological systems and brings together the community. As Marks puts it, “Life is seeking participation and asking us to have a relationship to the source.” Programs at The Ecology Center do exactly that–connect people with their food and process of growing it.
Produce To The People
Expanding available, diverse produce means more farms need to reach consumers. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) plays an essential role in connecting people to a diverse range of seasonal, local and sustainably grown produce. A buyer chooses a CSA to purchase crop shares from to receive deliveries of seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The Ecology Center is supported by 750 CSA members.
However, if access to CSA’s are not in your horizon, learn how to start a backyard garden. Starting with just a few seeds, the backyard garden can supplement diversity not found in stores and fill each home kitchen with delicious, in season plants. As Emily Murphy stated in Grow Now, “In every seed is a tiny plant waiting to grow, but also an entire garden–or forest–because a single seed is the origin of many others.” In her blog, Pass The Pistil, Murphy will show you how to start your garden whether in a 2x2 box or on an acre.
The Chef’s Kiss
The best way to introduce a diverse, nutrient dense diet is in the kitchen. Chef Godber sees the quality of using foods as medicine. She designs meal plans around recipes packed with plant-based nourishment. Farmers markets are a preferred place to discover healthy edible treasures. The Ecology Center also lists creative combinations like Heirloom Bean, Cactus, and Roasted Chile Salad–fully loaded with local and sustainable ingredients.
In season fruits and veggies have been found to have higher levels of vitamins and nutrients through a study on vitamin C in broccoli. Local farms operate with the seasons, unlike typical grocery stores. In an article from Rodale Institute, local farms are acknowledged as having a wider variety of produce options with unique items that might only be grown in your area.
Don’t be fooled by the perceived variety of food offered in grocery stores. Get in touch with farms in your area to better your health and decrease your impact on the planet’s ecosystems. Food choices are personal and vary greatly between individuals for many reasons. Know that just because you're eating does not mean you are feeding yourself.
In America, shoppers are led to feel like they have access to nearly any food at any time of year in our grocery stores. No need to wait for the season to change to get a crisp Granny Smith apple–immediate gratification is always at the tip of your fingers.
But the American grocery store is a false front that sways the human diet towards 30 plant species. What it fails to acknowledge is the beauty of the Earth’s plant varieties. There are nearly 30,000 edible species hidden across the globe. Do the math–our diet and what's available to the consumer equates to a whopping 0.1% of accessible edible plant varieties.
The conscious consumer is slowly peeling back the layers of sustainable plant-based diets, starting with unlocking the potential of those 30,000 edible plants and the benefit of local farms to provide an assortment of seasonal, nutrient-rich produce. Fortunately, many are choosing to shift to life patterns that reduce our impact on the planet and improve our health at the same time.
Planting Our Futures
Three leaders encouraging access to edible plants are Evan Marks, Taylor Godber, and Emily Murphy. Evan Marks founded The Ecology Center, a 28-acre certified regenerative farm in San Juan Capistrano. Taylor Godber doubles not only as a professional snowboarder, but a plant-focused food enthusiast and Certified Raw Food Chef. Emily Murphy, author of Grow Now, Grow What You Love and creator of the quirky blog Pass The Pistil, offers insights as an experienced lover of ethnobotany and regenerative farming. In conjunction, these three transfer valuable knowledge about expanding the consumption of the many plant varieties we can find on this planet.
Agroecology Is A Benchmark
The Ecology Center is an educational farm based on the practice of integrating ecological and social needs with sustainable agriculture, otherwise known as agroecology. According to the United Nations, agroecology encourages youth engagement, biodiversity, human rights, and provides other socio-environmental solutions. Marks created a space for the community to gather, learn, build relationships, and eat in a way that aligns with local ecological systems and brings together the community. As Marks puts it, “Life is seeking participation and asking us to have a relationship to the source.” Programs at The Ecology Center do exactly that–connect people with their food and process of growing it.
Produce To The People
Expanding available, diverse produce means more farms need to reach consumers. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) plays an essential role in connecting people to a diverse range of seasonal, local and sustainably grown produce. A buyer chooses a CSA to purchase crop shares from to receive deliveries of seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The Ecology Center is supported by 750 CSA members.
However, if access to CSA’s are not in your horizon, learn how to start a backyard garden. Starting with just a few seeds, the backyard garden can supplement diversity not found in stores and fill each home kitchen with delicious, in season plants. As Emily Murphy stated in Grow Now, “In every seed is a tiny plant waiting to grow, but also an entire garden–or forest–because a single seed is the origin of many others.” In her blog, Pass The Pistil, Murphy will show you how to start your garden whether in a 2x2 box or on an acre.
The Chef’s Kiss
The best way to introduce a diverse, nutrient dense diet is in the kitchen. Chef Godber sees the quality of using foods as medicine. She designs meal plans around recipes packed with plant-based nourishment. Farmers markets are a preferred place to discover healthy edible treasures. The Ecology Center also lists creative combinations like Heirloom Bean, Cactus, and Roasted Chile Salad–fully loaded with local and sustainable ingredients.
In season fruits and veggies have been found to have higher levels of vitamins and nutrients through a study on vitamin C in broccoli. Local farms operate with the seasons, unlike typical grocery stores. In an article from Rodale Institute, local farms are acknowledged as having a wider variety of produce options with unique items that might only be grown in your area.
Don’t be fooled by the perceived variety of food offered in grocery stores. Get in touch with farms in your area to better your health and decrease your impact on the planet’s ecosystems. Food choices are personal and vary greatly between individuals for many reasons. Know that just because you're eating does not mean you are feeding yourself.
