Welcome to the Gibralter Farms blog. We are on a journey to provide you with not only food from our farm, but also to provide you with connection and well-being. Thank you for connecting with us and your food. We’re so glad you are here.
We live in interesting times. Technology has given us more information at our fingertips than world leaders had a few decades ago and more comforts than royalty had a century ago; and through the internet and social media, we have the ability to connect with people all over the world. Yet we have become increasingly disconnected; disconnected from each other, disconnected from nature, and disconnected from the thing that sustains us: food.
Society’s current relationship with food might be called bizarre when viewed through the lens of history. On one hand, we crave the richness and the variety of food available to us. On the other hand, we blame food for making us fat and sick, judging foods as good or bad (with the verdict depending solely on who you ask), and engaging in restrictive and convoluted diet regimens. And very few people are actually engaged in growing, harvesting, processing, and, increasingly, preparing and cooking this food; currently, there is just 0.8% of the total U.S. population (2.6 of 328 million) engaged in farming.
Data used from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographic_history_of_the_United_States ; https://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Farm_Labor/fl_frmwk.php; https://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Farm_Labor/fl_frmwk.php; https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-labor/; https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-and-food-statistics-charting-the-essentials/ag-and-food-sectors-and-the-economy/
Connection can bring about a much greater appreciation for food. When we appreciate something, we slow down, care for it, and take time to enjoy it. Even more than something like a piece of art, the benefits of appreciating food go beyond just the experience. You may have heard the saying “How you eat can be as important as what you eat”. Appreciating food can help us slow down and take time to eat. This slowing down helps our bodies digest the food more thoroughly while decreasing chances of digestive upset.
Connection to food can also lead to the desire to share what you’ve found. Sharing of food and eating together is at the core of how we interact socially. This may go beyond tradition and be tied to our well-being. Many studies show what we can discern naturally, we feel better when dining together around a table. Current circumstances and our modern lifestyles limit the ability to gather for meals, but an increased connection to food can help motivate us to gather for meals more often.
Taking time for gratitude is increasingly associated with improved health and well-being. Unless you have been without food for a while (not the case for most, but unfortunately still the case for way too many), food can become just another part of your day. A connection to your food and the care and work that went into producing it gives you a reason to stop and reflect on your meals with gratitude.
Connection to food can start with better understanding the food system that makes that food available. The current food system is very complex and oftentimes confusing. To understand it better, this blog will cover the major events that have led to our modern food system in a series we are calling “A Brief History of Food”.
We look forward to exploring and sharing this knowledge with you. If you would like to further your connection to our work, you can sign up for our email list here. Thank you for joining us on this journey.