Roots are important. Without good roots, a plant doesn’t have the ability to take in nutrients and grow well. It’s with good roots that plants can grow strong and healthy.
When I think of non-gmo and organic, I think of roots. As the saying goes “you are what you eat,” and at the root of that is the nourishment you put into your body. I’ve had my struggles with weight over the years, and the times I’ve found myself successful has been when I’ve been more aware of what I was putting into my body. With non-gmo and organic, the quality standards put in place to verify the crops give me confidence on the quality of the produce. This in turn gives me peace of mind that I’m making sound decisions on what I’m fueling myself with.
Much like Ming in the last blog post, I also think more about where my produce is coming from, the story behind it. I think about its roots.
My parents immigrated from Laos to the US after the Vietnam War ended. My family in Laos are still mostly rice farmers to this day. When I visited back in 2006, I got to see first-hand how much love and care went into tending to these crops. So much effort goes into the food that we eat, that it’s hard not to feel appreciation for folks helping to feed us.
I think a lot about our roots, and how I can help nourish them. Non-gmo and organic aren’t necessarily as accessible to folks in all parts of the US. So, as my friends and I help the community grow, choice will expand and become more easily accessible. The ability to choose how we nourish our roots – our families, our communities, and the people that fuel us. For them, that’s why I’m doing what I do.
I aim to nourish our roots. And that’s what I think about a lot.
~TJ
