YOU MRSN MILK COMES FROM A COW? DO FRESH TOMATOES EXIST?

In my Thursday classes I was lecturing over the Texas economy. I gave them the stats of how many people lived on a farm in 1950 vs. 2017. The number is approximately 75%/>10%. I then began talking about AGRIBUSINESS and to my not so much surprise very few knew what this term meant or its significance. So....I began talking about the vegetables and fruits found in the average grocery and asked the following question: "Raise your hand if you have had a fresh tomato from a garden?" Are you ready? in the total of my two Texas government sections 7 people raised their hand! I was in such shock that I asked it again adding squash...nope...cucumbers...nope...watermelon ... I describe the beauty of a runny slurpy tomato with a little salt. "crickets" I am not making any numbers up. These students are college aged. The few that raised their hands were the older non-traditional students and two students wearing their 4H jackets. What does that say about the modern American idea of food and nutrition? NOTE: VEGETARIANS/VEGANS MAY NEED TO SKIP THIS PART:)  From the time I can remember I did all, at least once, of the following: --chased a hen around the yard for Miss Dolly, handed to her and watch ed her dispatch the chicken with one snap of her wrist. We then had a fire, plucked and singed the pin feathers and fried that sucker up! --When I was six, I helped slaughter a hog. My job was to sit astride the dead porker after it had been bled out and dipped in a barrel of scalding water rubbing the hair off with hot water and a flat, sharpened stone. then watched the women take EVERY PART of the pig and make something. HMMMM! Pork cracklings. go on now! --Milked the cow in our back pen . We did not drink raw milk but it was donated to someone for butter, etc. but the cow had to be milked. --picked fresh everything from the seasonal garden of our neighbors. Beans and more beans, peas (good Lord I hated shelling peas of any kind), tomatoes, squash, mustard and collard greens, on and on and on. We lived in the original, real FARM TO TABLE culinary world. I realize that modern America has changed that entire dynamic. Suburbanites grow small gardens and that's a good thing. But reality is that our daily food comes from the large agribusinesses whose main job it is is to make as much food as possible lasting as long as possible, and keeping as many bugs from them as possible. Products are picked before their time and shipped from whatever foreign nation we have trade deals with. Some like to think that Whole Foods is the answer, but I've been turned down for a credit union loan because "buying groceries was not a proper reason for the loan!!" Have you thought about the fact that eating really fresh food, or organic is a privilege of those of us with some money? Since my 180 degree food intake turn around eight months ago, my grocery bill has more than doubled. That's why I went to food delivery because I have to buy groceries weekly. For you that may not be a big deal...for me mission impossible! My point is those who live on extreme fixed incomes; have to supplement their food with government assistance (do not go to the fact that some try to abuse it...); please know that many of our enlisted soldiers with a family has to go on food stamps from time to time, or God forbid, they have to visit the saints who open food banks. Texas has one huge population of poor children and no matter one's political persuasion children in the supposedly richest nation in the world should not go hungry. That's why I support the school breakfast and lunch program. Children can not learn when they are constantly hungry. Heck! I lose my mind if I am 30 minutes late for lunch. As one of the 60% of American's who are "too short for their height," I am know that when I started eating 80% fresh fruits and veg, along with discipline of course, I began losing weight. As said before, at a much higher price for weekly groceries. But I am older/somewhat wiser, and I have a good income. Please remember those who have to choose between regular groceries, or medicine...shoes for their children, eating or not eating one day. There's a reason they choose McDonalds....at least for their kids, its doable..