Petit Jean Farm

Weekly Farm Newsletter

July 20, 2009

Dear Folks,

Last night I got to watch Food, Inc., a movie that lifts the veil obscuring the truth about what America eats.  The seemingly simple act of eating is not so simple.  It involves numerous complexities of law and politics, social justice and exploitation, technology and engineering, marketing and image.  Food, Inc. shows that most of what is called food comes from an industrial factory, not from a farm.

Farmer and author Joel Salatin summarizes one of the movie’s main issues when he says we have repeatedly hit the bullseye of the wrong target.  Our country has gotten good at the how of the way we manufacture food, but has forgotten to think about why we do things the way we do.  There is a reason fast food burgers, packaged chips, and soft drinks are cheaper than broccoli.  Taxpayers fund subsidies to guarantee plenty of high fructose corn syrup and feedlot cornfed meat.  We are paying to make the unhealthiest food the cheapest and real food marginalized. 

There is hope, however.  Not everyone has given up and given in to the overwhelmingly powerful “food” conglomerates.  As you faithful farmers’ market customers know, we all get to vote three times a day, with our fork.  As Food, Inc. communicated, customers are the only ones who are going to change the current food system.  After the movie, we went to YaYa’s Euro Bistro, a newly opened restaurant serving local food in the Chenal Valley.  After a downright depressing movie, seeing our name on the menu was more uplifting than a paycheck.  Having such an innovative executive chef at this high end restaurant means YaYa’s is serving the same top quality, local meat you have access to at the market.  Go there.  It is wonderful.  There are many ways to change the food landscape around you, but the most delicious and perhaps most powerful is with your fork vote. 

You can place your orders for the week by calling 501-727-5659, e’mailing ed@gatewayfarm-ar.com, or by ordering online.  Please place your order by noon on Thursday.  You can check our most recently available selection online at www.petitjeanfarm.com/farminventory.html.  We look forward to seeing you at the market!

Make your vote count!

Your Petit Jean Farmers

Petit Jean Farm

1039 Winrock Drive

Morrilton, AR, 72110

501-727-5659

www.petitjeanfarm.com