Rastafarian Organics

Hello everyone!

So I thought that this was pretty cool: Ras Rody Organics. http://www.rasrodyorganics.com.

It seems like cultures all around the world care about their food, some we wouldn't necessarily expect. Ras Rody Organics is a small roadside stand in New Bay, Jamaica that offers local organic food. The food is not only delicious, but the story behind is very fascinating as well. Ras Rody is dedicated to growing healthy, organic food after almost dying from the introduction of unhealthy food from the globalizing Western food chain.

For 30 years now, he grows and cooks vegan food while advocating the importance of healthy-eating in his local community. Not only does he associate the food he cooks with health, but he connects it to the very culture of Jamaica, reggae music, vibrant clothing, and eclectic lifestyle. He believes that food has meaning and is an important part of everyday life.

"It got... to be fresh, everyday. So its a responsibility. But, it pays off. That's whats keeps you fresh. That's what gives you life. And that's what makes your blood run. That's what makes your heart beat. That's what makes you wanna go!"

The values of Ras Rody, which are cooperative farming, slow food, and local systems, are exactly what we are trying to grasp today in the American food movement. I think that it is enlightening to see this rastafarian so passionate about food and its meaning. Most importantly, I feel that this demonstrates how learning from other cultures can inspire us to change our own, which is a message that I feel Barbara Kingsolver often delivers as well.