This humble blog has been in the back of my mind for the better part of 7 years now. I have been struggling over the past few years finding the right topics to write about that will keep my hunger for communications fed.
There have been a few influences and experiences that have given me new direction and motivation to write. That motivation comes from wanting to better connect the city and the country. I was raised in the city and didn’t step foot on a farm for 20 years. Now I live on a farm and advise Ontario producers on their business decisions every day. Many people raised in the city like myself, don’t get the opportunity to learn how the food on their table arrives there. Meat just doesn’t appear on grocery store shelves. Fruits and vegetables don’t box or bag themselves. So how do those products arrive in the local grocery store? The goal here going forward is to help bridge the gap in understanding of what Ontario producers do to make the best food we have ever had access to.
And while we’re on the topic of grocery stores, how do you decide which product to buy? At any given store you have the opportunity to purchase 3 or 4 different options of the same product. Buzzwords and marketing magic have made it increasingly difficult for consumers to decide what they should be buying, or feeding their kids. This phenomenon has widened far beyond the conversation of organic vs. non-organic. Food trends carried by social media have also impacted the labels we see on our products. I want to dispel some myths and clear away the smoke and mirrors that marketing companies have incorporated into everyday items.
So that’s what I will do. I will find an item in my pantry, or at the grocery store, that has a very compelling label, picture, or buzzword, and get down to the bare bones of what the product actually is, and how it got there.
I look forward to any constructive comments or questions about the upcoming topics, and hope that you forward my posts onto anyone who would find interest. Reality is, we all make those trips to the grocery store; wouldn’t it be an easier trip if we could see through the marketing and just buy the products we like to eat?