Eating with Intention

As consumers, we have been conditioned to want our products asap, instant gratification. Whatever, wherever, however. But why have we fallen into this trap? Is it the convenience factor or is it that quick hit of dopamine we get when we “click here to order now”? I am not sure of the exact answer to that question, although I have lots of speculation.

But what if we were forced to eat what is only in season or products that were only available during a certain timeframe? I personally don’t think majority of consumers would be able to do it. Imagine having to plan your meals solely around what is in season and not what you might actually want. Think about it for a minute.

Eating what is in season has so many benefits that most people do not even realize. Eating in season promotes better overall health. Bet you didn’t know that? When we eat what is in season, we are eating food that is at its peak nutritional value and flavor. Sure, products can be grown outside of their natural seasons thanks to mankind, but it doesn’t always mean we should. Seasonal eating is not only beneficial to our bodies, but beneficial to our planet because it helps reduce our carbon footprint.

As we get into the cooler months, there are a lot of misconceptions that the variety of products dwindle, but that is not true. Some examples of things that are in season are lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, and beets. I made some collard greens the other day with our backfat and they were nothing short of amazing.

We get asked a lot of the time, “why don’t you raise chickens all year round?”. Well, the answer is quite simple to us. We cannot sustainably raise our top-quality meat birds in the dead of winter. It wouldn’t be humane. Swinging temperature changes, minimal pasture, and an increased wet season are just to name a few. That is one of the reasons that we limit our chicken production to warmer months. On the other hand, our pork is able to be humanely sustained all year round. We chose Kune Kune pigs for their master foraging capabilities.

My challenge to you this Fall and Winter, is to incorporate at least one in season product in one of your daily meals. And if you want to take it one more step further, buy said product from a local farmer!