Sean Holley

Humanities 11 - Section 1

The Flavors of Change

My relationship with food has evolved over the years due to a variety of factors;
the early diagnosis of a food allergy, the geographical area where I was born and
raised, and my parents’ changing attitude toward food and its health benefits.

Growing up in Florida and South Carolina, better known as the Deep South, food
was served at most of our family and social gatherings. Meat was always the
centerpiece of the meal, whether it was fish, beef, or pork. At least once a month, my
parents would have a group of friends over and cook large amounts of meat, and we
would enjoy beef briskets, pork shoulders, and ribs. Our friends and relatives were not
hunters, so this was not meat we had acquired from hunting, and at this point in our
lives, we weren't looking on the label to see if it was grass-fed or not. We were not
concerned about the conditions where the cows were raised. We never considered the
potential consequences these eating habits could have on our health. That didn't matter
to us; we wanted to have a good meal that could feed a lot of people.

While we were living in Virginia, my mom read an article about eating food that
was industrially produced, including meats, fruits, and vegetables. The article detailed
how these foods were detrimental to humans and the environment. This information led
my mother to begin thinking differently about what we were eating as a family, and she
began making some changes in our food choices.

A benefit of living on the coast was that there were a lot of locally sourced and
organic farms. Specifically, the one we used, had a bi-weekly food pickup where you
would meet at the farm and select your food from a collection of fruits and vegetables.
This worked out well for us because we were able to add more organic food into our
lives. We were also able to try new recipes with foods we wouldn't usually purchase at
the supermarket. Consequently, we realized that we were getting healthier foods, and
we were actually eating more fruits and vegetables than before because of the large
quantity we received. An additional benefit was the support we were providing the local
economy, helping it to grow and sustain itself. Even with the positive dietary changes
we were making at this time, we were still not concerned about the meat we were
eating.

My family moved to Japan when I was ten years old. Once we moved outside of
the United States, it was difficult for us to maintain the practice of buying all organic
fruits and vegetables. We were limited by the selection available at the grocery store on
the Naval Base, and the Japanese didn’t sell or grow many of the fruits and vegetables
we had begun buying off base while we were stateside. Japan has very little farmland,
and much of their food is imported from either the United States or neighboring
countries. There was a two year period where we had no choice but to ignore the food
ethic we had established stateside, eating organic and local fruits and vegetables.
Fortunately, when we returned to the United States, we were stationed at the Outer
 Sean Holley
Humanities 11 - Section 1

Banks of North Carolina where we were surrounded by local farms. We bought all of our
fruits and vegetables and even milk from the Farmer’s Market. The difference between
the two was huge, the food was more colorful, flavorful and well worth the extra price
you paid for it!

Before moving to Durango, the opportunity for my family to purchase fresh,

grass-fed beef was very limited. My parents always tried to buy grass-fed beef because
we knew it was better for us and the environment, but it was not always readily
available. The times we would buy it from the Farmer’s Market, it was almost too
expensive for us to be able to afford on a regular basis.

The places I have lived in the past have been near urban areas, and the
importance of trying to preserve and take care of nature for the good of people and
animals was never a priority. It wasn’t until we drove across Texas on our move to
Durango, and saw the feedlots for ourselves, that we realized why it was so bad to eat
corn-fed beef. We drove for miles, and all you could see in any direction was cow
pasture after cow pasture. Each pasture was filled with more cows than you could
possibly imagine. You could hear the incoherent sounds of all the cows crying out, for
they were living a life that that they shouldnt have had to live. Seeing them tightly
packed into their pens with no room to move was heartbreaking. Even from inside the
car you could smell the farm, and it was far from a pleasant smell; it was the stench of
death coming from live animals. This experience reinforced the feelings we continued to
have concerning the consumption of grass-fed beef. When purchasing the meat locally,
from James Ranch, we know the animals have been treated humanely, and we're
supporting our local economy. I enjoy eating meat far too much to be able to give it up,
especially when I know that the cows I’m eating lived a comfortable life, even if the only
point of it was to become my food.

My parents always embraced “the great outdoors” and passed down their love of
nature to me. I spend a great deal of time hiking, mountain biking, and skiing with my
friends and family. Living in Durango, it's my responsibility to make sure the abundant
resources we currently enjoy are still here for future generations. This is why part of my
food ethic is to always try to eat food that has been sustainably raised, whether it’s
plants or animals. Whenever possible, we buy organic fruits and vegetables in addition
to buying grass-fed and free roam beef from local sources. These foods usually contain
more nutrients that are vital for us to stay healthy. Making these purchases locally also
means we are buying from someone else who has the same stake in the health of our
community. They are also concerned about the use of pesticides and how they impact
the land and rivers around us.

My upbringing has helped shape my food ethic. Eating as healthy as possible

has made a huge difference in my life in keeping me physically fit. We need to rethink
the way we treat our food and the methods we use to get it. The benefits of this are
huge, whether it's for yourself, the local economy, or the whole planet.