by Jim Baird

The roots of farming in Grant County grow long and deep.  From the very first pioneer settlers who arrived in the late 1800’s to the Quincy Valley and other loamy pockets across the great plateau of the Columbia Basin, we live on a landscape that yields to the work of the farmer.
A drive just about anywhere across Grant County in the spring reveals work done by the farmer.  Wide sweeping expanse of tilled fields sprouting a patina of green that over ensuing months reaches knee-high and beyond.  Nestled between this patchwork quilt of a mostly-green landscape are the small farmers, gardeners and those who grow food locally for family and friends, and the ever-popular farmers markets. Moses Lake and Ephrata both have abundant and colorful farmers markets where fresh food and vegetables, crafts and the talents of local musicians are enjoyed.
Farmers markets are a phenomenon.  They continue to grow in number, sales volume and length of season.  Across the state of Washington, from east-to-west, farmers markets incubate new businesses.  They bring together farmers from both large and small operations with the customers who buy and eat the food they grow. Farmers strive to offer the highest-quality products and customers are known to share the ‘word’ about a particular stand at the market where the tomatoes, corn, or melon is delicious, or unequaled, or just right.
There are economic benefits to shopping at farmers markets. Mirroring our past, present and future, Grant County has sustained itself by growing food for others. While most of the farmers in the county sustain the larger economy with food sold across the planet, there are still family farmers in the county whose passion is to grow food for local consumption.  These farmers play a  role in growing and sustaining a vibrant local economy, and frequently are the only face that urbanites can place on actual farmers.
Research has found that 20 percent of our food dollars to local farmers more than doubles the dollars circulating among local businesses.  Community linkages are strengthened, creating a healthier, more diverse and resilient economy.  If there is one very important benefit that farmers markets brings to our county and our communities, it is the role these markets play in providing opportunities for people to shop locally.
Knowing where your food comes from and how it is grown can help you choose healthy, nutritious food for your family.  This is the way it was for the early pioneers whose examples could pave the way for a more sustainable food source for the future.

There’s a growing movement in America about a new way of looking at our relationship with how we eat, and its called Slow Food.

Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is part of a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members in over 150 countries, which links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment. Its focus is to either put us back in touch with the connections that have been broken with our food heritage, or encourages us to establish those links with our food and eating habits anew.

Slow Food USA is part of a global movement, which believes everyone has the right to good, clean, and fair food. With over 250,000 supporters, 25,000 members and 225 chapters nationwide, Slow Food USA advocates for food and farming policy that is good for the public, good for the planet, and good for farmers and workers. I am going to copy what the SlowFood USA website says about the basic premises they make on their website in regard to Good, Clean, and Fair food.

Good:

The word good can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. For Slow Food, the idea of good means enjoying delicious food created with care from healthy plants and animals. The pleasures of good food can also help to build community and celebrate culture and regional diversity.

Clean:

When we talk about clean food, we are talking about nutritious food that is as good for the planet as it is for our bodies. It is grown and harvested with methods that have a positive impact on our local ecosystems and promotes biodiversity.

Fair:

We believe that food is a universal right. Food that is fair should be accessible to all, regardless of income, and produced by people who are treated with dignity and justly compensated for their labor.

I think its hard to argue with any of these points. Slow Food wants to be everything that Fast Food is NOT. Slow food is about bringing awareness of where our food comes from, how it is grown, and how we prepare it for our bodies to use. As the main component of what our bodies need for sustaining life its about time we, as a culture, really begin to slow down and take a deep look at our Food. There are numerous Slow Food chapters throughout WA state, but, regardless of whether or not one desires to join a chapter, the greater awareness of what the Slow Food movement stands for can lead towards a healthier relationship with our food, ourselves, our community, and our soils. Let’s make 2012 the year where slowing down and enjoying and exploring the important things in life become a reality.