| candicee_19 | Date: Monday, 2012-06-11, 9:46 PM | Message # 1 |
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| Overall, I thought this book was interesting. It was not a difficult read by any means. It has several facts that make you think to yourself," Wow! That actually happens?" In addition, Michael Pollan helps you to realize that you are uninformed as to where your food comes from and whatnot. He goes through three important food chains: the industrial, the organic & the hunter-gatherer. If you would like to be more informed about where you food comes from and how it got to your plate, read this book.
My one critique would be the section entitled "Corn Sex." Basically, this chapter goes through how corn reproduces and I saw no connection to the main story whatsoever.
-Candice Carrizales
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| gmg4444 | Date: Monday, 2012-06-11, 11:31 PM | Message # 2 |
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| Grace Gonzalez
p.2
This book is divided into 3 parts- Industrial, Pastoral, and Personal. Michael Pollan goes into depth about the agricultural industry and organic foods. He also describes his experience in creating his own meal with products he hunted or gathered himself.
Part 1, the Industrial portion of the book, focuses on the typical food-production system across America. The majority of this system is based on corn. Corn is an indespensable product that has a wide range of uses; it can be used from anything like a sweetener, fuel, or even feed for livestock. Seeds are genetically modified, and our crops are sprayed with pesticides; organic, in some cases, has even lost its meaning. Changes haven’t partaken only on crops, but livestock, as well. Pollan purchases a steer (named 534) and spends time on a feedlot where he observes the conditions faced by animals prior to its slaughter. Their unnatural diets, which contain antibiotics, have led to Mad Cow Disease and lowered the quality of meat that we eat.
In the Pastoral part of the book, Pollan goes into depth about organic farming. Organic products have become popular, but some farmers have adopted some of the industrial farming methods. Very few people know their farmers, where their food is coming from, or how animals were treated before they became poultry. Pollan visits Joel Salatin’s farm where everything is raised under natural conditions, and customers personally know the farmer. Pollan believes that we should return to the pre-industrial methods of farming, and supports the idea of local farming.
Lastly, in the Personal part of the book, Pollan describes the process he had to undergo in order to make his own meal where he uses only products he had hunted or gathered. Locals helped teach him which plants to pick and how to hunt. Pollan concludes that, while killing an animal may be cruel- it benefits the species as a whole. If humans weren’t to eat meat, there could be an overpopulation, which would lead to disease. He believes that animals should be treated humanely up until the point where they are slaughtered. Pollan finishes his book by stating that if we were aware of where our food came from, we would realize that we eat by the grace of nature, not by the grace of industry.
All in all, this book was interesting! I'd definitely recommend it- especially if you're planning on taking AP Environmental Science next year. This book was interesting, and really opens your eyes about what you eat.
**Sorry Candice... I couldn't figure out how to add a new thread. I'm technologically impaired. 
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