Problem
Readings:
Dan Barber (The Third Plate): Chapters 1, 2, and 3
Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto): I; One & Two
1. Based on the last six paragraphs of Chapter 1 (beginning with the line "No one spoke directly about . . .), how would you summarize (in a sentence or two) the problem with American agriculture from the author's perspective?
2. Why might Chef Barber's lack of knowledge about the source and 'history' of his kitchen's flour represent a potential 'threat' to the sustainability of his approach to food (at this point in his story).
3. What does Wendell Berry mean by "We did not see or understand where we were or what was there"? What does he mean by, "We came with visions but not with sight."?
4. How might a focus on nutrients rather than whole foods potentially undermine the sustainability of food and agriculture? What similarities might there be between a focus on nutrients for human beings and "N-P-K" for crops?