I always enjoy the variety at Flavors of the Valley--the range of producers, publishers, greenhouses, nonprofits, restaurants. Add to that the hundreds of people who will visit their stands, taste their food, pick up a bit of literature, make a connection. It's a small glimpse into how complex our food system really is.
This graphic, created by the Vital Communities staff and posted in the room where we're blogging, tells part of the story. What this event is about for me is helping to make those many links in the food chain apparent: how interconnected we all are.
It seems more and more important to make these connections with each other and with real food grown by real people. We need to shift our values around food, to appreciate the fact that really good food is seldom cheap. And to buy real food, grown by real people who need to make a decent living, will probably cost more than we've been spending for an inferior product.
I grew up in a place where quantity was valued over quality. I've learned to appreciate a different perspective. I want to eat better food, to know the people who raise it and how they raise it. I appreciate the fact that in the Upper Valley--and in New Hampshire and Vermont--we can buy directly from farmers who take care in what they produce. It's always great to see so many at Flavors of the Valley.
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