Mellow on a sunny Fall Sunday afternoon...

So who knew that this 14 year old (who acts like a five year old) would become such a good buddy of mine?

Everyone, meet Mellow. He's a thoroughbred. Over the last couple of months Mellow's helped me gain back my confidence and continue my equestrian pursuits after experiencing a pretty severe fall. His owner, Cindy, has showered him with love and attention, and it shows!

This pony makes me work for all that he gives me...and what he gives me is priceless.

Mellow & Lynne

Food Declaration - Slow Food USA

In principle, I certainly support this Food Declaration and I’d like to thank those at Slow Food Nation USA who took the initiative to create it. I look forward to seeing the refined document once the draft is finalized.

In this context, however, I do not agree that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure or protect our resources, human, agricultural, or otherwise. In fact, government involvement through the form of subsidies is part of the reason our food system is in the shape it is today. These subsidies certainly have contributed to the evolution of monoculture farming and to the degradation of the quality of our food supply. It is up to us as individuals to seek out and demand the type of food that we expect to consume.

I strongly agree that as a society, we can do better in terms of how our food is raised. Of course, this starts by raising awareness. I am a proponent of identifying ALL of the ingredients on the food’s label, including the not so savory ingredients utilized to enhance and encourage growth -- particularly when it comes to our meat sources.

As we are also learning though, it is also not enough to say, “eat organic”, since to many people, organic implies locally grown or small family farm, which is not necessarily the case. An increasing percentage of organic growers are owned by the same corporations that have contributed to the creation of the very food system we are striving to change.

Simply put, each one of us has to take the initiative and responsibility for our well-being and not expect or imagine that our government, or any other organization, will do it for us, or that they are even adept enough to do it.

Life is more much satisfying when we are engaged in it and understand how our choices affect us.

Get out there and learn!