The season of thanksgiving is upon us. At this time of year, I'm always reminded of this lovely poem by Gary Paul Nabhan. I know I've posted it here before but it's been a while.
Know where your food has come from
through knowing those who produced it for you,
from farmer to forager, rancher or fisher
to earthworms building a deeper, richer soil,
to the heirloom vegetable, the nitrogen-fixing legume,
the pollinator, the heritage breed of livestock,
& the sourdough culture rising in your flour.
Know where your food has come from
by the very way it tastes:
its freshness telling you
how far it may have traveled,
the hint of mint in the cheese
suggesting what the goat has eaten,
the terroir of the wine
reminding you of the lime
in the stone you stand upon,
so that you can stand up for the land
that has offered it to you.
Know where your food comes from
by the richness of stories told around the table
recalling all that was harvested nearby
during the years that came before you,
when your predecessors & ancestors,
roamed the same woods & neighborhoods
where you & yours now roam.
An excerpt from the poem “Terroir-ist’s Manifesto for Eating in Place”
written by Gary Paul Nabhan, January 2007 on behalf of
Renewing America’s Food Traditions.
The complete text can be found at GaryNabhan.com.
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