The Omnivore's Dilemma - Michael Pollan

Part II, Pastoral Grass

In chapter VIII, Pollan basically introduces the notion of " organic" food and its place in nowadays supermarket. In order to investigate this "organic" food, Pollan goes to a real farmer – John Salatin - who prefers to call himself a "grass grower". This term goes beyond being an organic farmer.

Salatin believes in what works, not the science. When Pollan asked Salatin to "FedEx" his meat, Salatin said that it was against his principles ( It never occurred to me that one could "FedEx" food to me... How bizarre... Anyway.)

Pollan describes the farm as having green grass as far as the eyes can see and different kinds of animals actually eating this grass, and not corn ( what a relief :D )

What is a big organic(or industrial organic) farm ? Just as a conventional farm, pesticides aren't used. Fertilizer isn't chemical.

Chapter IX concludes that even though this seems a "greener" method of producing food , it is still “floating on a sinking sea of petroleum.” Indeed, petroleum is still use to transport food until we buy it.

Why don't people carry on with the grass farming method? Here is the cold truth again : time is money. And time is precious. The grass farming method takes too much time to fattened the animals. Moreover, using this method would allow different "types" of grass. Heterogeneity doesn't seem to be part of the industry. Keep in mind that homogeneity defines the standard. Hence the fact that corn works much better than grass.

The polyface method seems great - it eliminates: antibiotics, warmers, pesticides, and fertilizers - but farmers ( or growers) do not want to wake up at 5:00 AM to work in the farm.

However, let me raise this question : If today's industry is so great, why do people feel the need to drive 150 miles in order to buy a chicken at Salatin's farm ?

(Keep in mind that, according to Pollan, farm grass products are expensive, yet average people nonetheless buy them.)

Why do people feel the need to go back to previous methods?

Salatin makes a point : Why are people concerned with their cars but not with their foods?

Just pause and reflect on this.

Here are some more facts I want to share with you :

• Am I the only one who's wondering how much corn I'm eating at the caf' everyday ?

• On page 163, Pollan writes about " prewashed salad", I never ate prewashed salad without washing it again first, what about you ? Read this article from cbsnews.com 

• Pollan cites "Mosanto" in his book. A documentary (that you won’t see on American television) entitled The World According to Monsanto was aired on French television (ARTE – French-German cultural tv channel) by French journalist and film maker Marie-Monique Robin. Try to google it, you'll see! It is horrifying.

• Here is a fact : "Sixteen million acres now being used to grow corn to feed cows in the United States" (p.198) ... SCARY, isn't it?

• On the next page, Pollan raises questions: "Why did we turn away from this free lunch in favor of a biologically ruinous meal based on corn? Why in the world did Americans ever take ruminants off the grass? And how could it come to pass that a fast-food burger produced from corn and fossil fuel actually costs les than a burger produced from grass and sunlight?" (p.199) Those are exactly the kind of questions I was asking myself while reading the book. The answers given by Pollan really made me mad. Folks, we should try the French way : How about a strike ? :D