by Julie Szu Yi Lee
Most of us have a diet consisting of food with unpronounceable artificial additives produced from chemically polluted soil and water. Such food carries many problems and threatens the ecosystem as well as our bodies and those who work on farms. We often seem to turn a deaf ear to these problems, but it’s time for our palates to wake up and take notice! Many of these issues can be solved simply by shopping at a farmers market, where you will be offered freshly harvested products and locally produced, hand-made organic food. Before the industrial revolution, markets were places where people traded for food, and in Taiwan, traditional farmers markets lost popularity during the economic boom while wholesale supermarkets greatly expanded. City dwellers in particular showed a great preference for food in a supermarket rather than that which comes straight from the farm. But with the decline of the farmers markets comes the loss of the social ties that link rural and urban areas. In previous historical periods it was hard for people to imagine buying food without knowing how it was manufactured and who grew it. Conversations between producer and consumer were also lost, not to mention stories behind the food itself. These were not just connections between humans and nature, but vital elements that bridged people with the larger community. The essence of dining shouldn’t be about labels on food packages but entail a direct knowledge of the natural taste of food and the knowledge that lies behind it. The ethos of this new dining culture is that we ask about the source of our food, and that we should think about the land and its water and the people whose work changes according to the seasons. It may be a cliché to say so, but as consumers we can help to rebuild the food chain by buying from the farmers directly at a farmers market, and in the meantime we can also get food at a fairer price. We can help farmers stay in business while being able to eat more nutritious produce and help to protect the environment. If you are hungry now with an appetite for fresher taste and more fairness to those who produce our food, you can help to put an end to the lack of connection between ourselves and our food. All you have to do is make a good choice and dig in! Information on shopping with the farmers market The Bow-to-Land Farmers Market Starts the third Sunday of every month from 10:00 to 17:00 Located at No.2, Alley 14, Lane 230, Sec. 3, Tingzhou Rd., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei a
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The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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