Terry Gross did a terrific interview with Michael Pollan today regarding his letter to the next President that was in the New York Times weekend before last. I'm embarrassed to say I haven't read the letter. I mean, have you seen it? It's long. Even one of the campaigns (he didn't say which) asked if he could write an outline for the aides. The outline of his answer was no.
I've been listening to Michael Pollan for several years and he's on fire right now talking about solutions for the changes that need to be made to food policy at the federal level to our own backyards. He's the only guy that can talk about the farm bill and laugh at the same time. And he is laughing a lot. He made the idea of a vegetable garden on the White House lawn (it's apparently in the letter) sound completely reasonable. He made the fact that there isn't a vegetable garden at the White House seem ridiculous.
I know I'm a how-does-food-get-to-the-table geek but this is an enjoyable interview. It's 40 minutes and you can listen to it here while you're doing something else. I promise you'll smile more than once and you may think a little differently about the food on your plate or how in the world it got there.
2 days ago
5 comments:
I really enjoyed that interview. I have to admit to feeling a little Pollan-weary at the beginning of it, feeling like it was going to be full of his sound bytes that I can recite in my sleep. But 5-10 minutes in, and it got fascinating. I really appreciated the portion about the price of food.
Well, it probably will take less time to listen than to read the letter. ;-) I'll make a point to listen to it this weekend.
Jennifer Maiser - It's no wonder you were weary. Starting last year he was sounding weary and making lots of noise of not wanting to be the face or mouth of local food, or slow food or any food for that matter. He was going to write about rare orchids or something. I don't know what's reinspired him but I'm glad he is. Not that he's everything but he's got a stage that people are paying attention to. But look who I'm talking to! You're the eat local choir director for crying out loud. You have a stage people pay attention to as well. And I hope you don't have a fondness for rare orchids.
Green Bean - Laughing ... You're probably right!
LOL... I... also didn't read the NY Times letter. I keep meaning to. But it is long. And most of it is stuff we probably have already heard from him... Um, yeah. Should. go. read. the. letter.
And I'll listen to the interview when I'm cleaning the house this weekend!
melinda - Good thing we aren't running for President although I doubt either of them have read it either. But hopefully their aides have.
Pick a quiet cleaning job while you listen to the interview so you won't have to miss any of it.
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