Monday, August 20, 2007

Buy American Fruit

Quite a while ago, I watched a movie about an apple farmer in Washington titled "Broken Limbs: Apples, Agriculture and the new American Farmer." This was an excellent documentary that pointed out the plight that many apple farmers face from new stiff overseas competition. It also dove a little into agribusiness, and how hard it is for these guys who have 20-200 acres to even get their fruit to market. They have to go through packer, who then goes through wholesaler, who then sells it to the supermarket chains who then sells it to you. Think of that 25 cents apple and how much of that gets back to the actual farmer.

So I would encourage all of you out there to see this movie, and also to purchase American fruit whenever possible. People might laugh and say this is the natural evolution of the market, but I say it is a literal matter of national security. We must produce our own food. If we lose that then we lose all ability to be self-sustaining and self-reliant. Lets not let what has happened with oil also happen with our food. So check those labels, and if you can get American, please do so.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Midsummer Blogging Blues

I have to admit, I have been unmotivated to blog as of late. It is not for lack of interesting or weird things taking place in these United States of ours. It is strictly the same thing felt by many American's this time of year... a midsummer lull. It has been so very hot up here in MI (take that global warming skeptics), that all you feel like doing after work is coming home and laying around on the couch. The flip side is that when it is nice outside you want to be...outside! So there has been a severe lack of blogging going on around here the past few weeks. Hopefully I will remedy that when I come back from vacation recharged and refreshed. The Wife and I are heading to Jewell Lake National Forest Campground for some good ole' fashioned rustic camping.

For all those out there looking for a good inspirational story to help get you through the day, check out this article from the Detroit Free Press about a kid with a disability and his triumph at baseball. That should make just about anyone feel better about America!