“To be interested in food but not in food production is clearly absurd.”
Wendell Berry
Wendell Berry’s quote is a frank challenge to modern society’s relationship with food—one that forces us to examine how disconnected many of us have become from its origins. It raises critical questions about the flow-on effects of this disconnection in our modern ecosystems.
As we continue to feed the world through highly industrialised systems, we must ask: is fresh, organic food becoming a privilege only available to affluent communities? In valuing convenience, low cost, uniformity, and shelf life, are we trading away our connection to food’s origin story?
More urgently, are we losing the cultural significance of preparing, sharing, and enjoying meals—a practice that has historically brought people together and grounded them in a sense of place?
There is a growing movement of individuals seeking to reconnect with food culture. This isn’t just a nostalgic trend—it speaks to deeper human values: purpose, connection, mindfulness, and fulfillment. In a society driven by consumption and speed, these values are increasingly rare and increasingly needed.
Who is leading this shift? Who holds the knowledge we’ve lost? Who is listening—and who cares?
In this space, I aim to explore these questions, gather insights from other thinkers and doers, and reflect on the fundamental need to reconnect with agriculture in modern life. My belief is simple but bold: food, culture, and land are interwoven, and they offer solutions to many of the social dilemmas we face today.
By understanding where our food comes from, supporting agricultural diversity, and valuing what’s grown in our own backyards, we can build a more connected, thoughtful, and healthy society. We can also learn to appreciate what comes from afar, not as a commodity, but as part of a broader global relationship—one grounded in respect, care, and interdependence.
This is not just a call to eat differently—it’s a call to live differently.
SACRED THINGS 