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Fresh Look: Plenty
November 13, 2007

For the inaugural book of our newly formed neighborhood Green Book Club, we wanted something interesting, somewhat lighthearted and relatable by all. So we picked Plenty – the story about local eating from the now famous 100 Mile Diet Couple, Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon.

Plenty is not a compilation of statistics or political discussions on topics like climate change or steady decline of family farms. Rather it brings a very personal perspective through a local food experiment: for one year, the authors would eat only foods grown and produced within 100 miles of their downtown Vancouver apartment. Within the first chapter, the global reality of our food system hits: no sugar, salt or wheat produced within 100 miles. Cane sugar – OK. But salt? Wheat? How can that be when Vancouver is surrounded by the ocean and can support other types of farming? Further handicapped by poor timing (the Diet started in March, before any spring shoots), the couple basically ate potatoes for the first month. Motivated by their curiosity and hunger for variety, the authors eventually discover their surrounding land yields simple foods (long forsaken by modern pursuit for the convenient and exotic): fresh strawberry apples, wild blackberries, Early Girl tomatoes, pumpkin honey to name a few.

One of the most striking points of the book is that most of the diet could not be purchased in supermarkets, even in the bountiful summer season. The authors had to go directly to the growers and farms and take part in harvesting their food, creating an unbroken line of connection and accountability. In some ways, the book felt like a tribute to the past habits, when people took part in the food production, valued the efforts involved and savored the fruits of their labor. One club member remarked that Plenty reminded her of the frontier tales from The Little House on the Prairie, with the planting, harvesting, rationing, canning and occasional starving, except it took place in a large city. Although it sounds strange, I completely agree with her.

Plenty is fast and enjoyable read. To their credit, the author never claimed this experiment was easy or revolutionary. It was just a personal way to challenge our food habits and lifestyle. And it succeeded with our club members. One member shared her heightened awareness of all the fruit trees in the neighborhood; another tried persimmons for the first time; yet another joined a CSA to support local farmers. I received great tips on planning my small vegetable garden from a seasoned “localvore.” No one is planning anything as dramatic as following the 100 Mile Diet but we are trying to do better. I guess that’s what the book is all about.

CindyC at Organicpicks

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