the shit's hit the fan

true colors are shining through.

not that it's a surprise. when i lived in piedmont, the head of the organic food co-op i worked for had very strong feelings of disdain for petrini. and they had grown up together (heck, they were even in choir together as kids). he said some pretty awful things about her and all farmers once at a dinner where many CP people were present. that's when my wobbly feelings about slow food were set in stone. the sad thing is that, in some ways, it's all we've got. and weirdly, what slow food is in the us, i think, is a lot closer to what it was always meant to be that what it actually is in italy these days, where to be a member means to be able to afford a series of expensive dinners at fancy restaurants and attend a salone del gusto that champions "artisans" who can afford the 10,000 euro minimum stall fee AND give away thousands of free samples over the course of three or four days (not to mention that its biggest sponsors are tin, lavazza, and barilla. how non-slow is that?).

sorry for the run-on. i got carried away. i just think that this is why you can't put all your eggs in one basket. slow food is good and fine, but we've all got to put all of our money (or at least most of it--i have to say i love soft serve ice cream) where our mouths are.

other thoughts on the same issue:
bad things
rancho gordo part 1
rancho gordo part 2
i heart small farms

and here's what bob has to say:

The ultimate goal of the organic nation is to bring naturally, completely grown foods to all of our children, sponsoring their health and their tranquility.

Whether it be a farmers market, a certified farmer growing at any scale, a humane rancher, or an organization committed to the unified consciousness- All are contributing towards this condition of health for the flesh, soul and soil.

Small confusions such as the Carlo Petrini in Ferry Plaza market exchanges don’t contribute towards that which is truly the desire of the whole community.

Please let such matters rest and instead focus attentions upon the nature in your farm or organization, focusing our energy upon positivity.