Connecting to Nature Through Food
There’s no better way to connect to nature than through our stomachs. We rely on nature for food no matter how far we distance ourselves from the process of obtaining it. Making changes to involve yourself directly with that process can help you restore a closer connection to nature.
Food can be grown, foraged, fished, and hunted. In the same way that each individual's path in life and toward reconnecting with nature is different, so too is the process by which individuals may choose to obtain food from nature.
Farming and gardening crops, vegetables, fruit, etc. is one of the ways an individual can obtain food. The process gives the individual insight into the relationships that exist between plants, animals, insects, and the elements. Furthermore, it develops an understanding of how much work, and time goes into growing the food that sustains us. Individuals witness things such as pests feeding on the plants, and “good bugs” such as lady bugs feeding on the pests, saving crops from damage. They’ll notice the competition between unwanted weeds and crops, and will have to remove them often by hand. The amount of time and work that goes into the process develops a deeper appreciation for food.
Individuals can choose to grow organically which is the healthier practice, and most natural way to provide themselves with homegrown food. Organic growing processes have the ability to engage individuals even more with nature, because it requires an deeper understanding of the organisms that exist in your garden ecosystem. You’ll learn what they feed on, what feeds in them, their strengths, their weaknesses, how they reproduce, and anything else that may be useful in order to utilize these details to the benefit of your garden’s health and success.
There are countless methods to growing and farming food, each providing its own range of benefits. The more natural the process, the healthier the food tends to be, and the deeper the individual's connection to the natural world develops. For example, regenerative farming involves rotations of crops, and implementation of animals, bugs, etc to mimic a more natural environment. It increases the mineral and nutrient content of soil, reduces carbon footprints, mocks natural ecosystems, and creates some of the healthiest and nutritious food products available. In addition, “forest gardens” mock a real forest in appearance and layout (to a degree), but are made up of edible plants, and fruit or vegetable bearing plants. They are some of the most “natural” types of gardens, and are also some of the most eco-friendly options.
When gardening/farming is too much work for an individual, it’s possible to do it the old school way and go searching for what nature provides on its seasonal menu. Foraging is an activity that requires some research, but can provide a wide range of food with a proper knowledge base.
Depending on the area, a wide variety of wild foods can be found growing in nature. Mushrooms, alliums, dandelions, asparagus, garlic mustard, nettle, raspberries, strawberries, wineberries, walnuts, acorns, curly dock, the list goes on. Research is necessary, and plants should NEVER be eaten unless 100% confident in the ability to identify the plant of choice and how to properly prepare the plant of choice if necessary. This risk can often turn some people off to foraging, but in most areas, individuals can even find experts to guide them along on foraging hikes until they gain expertise and confidence in their ability to forage on their own. In addition, there are thousands of useful books on the topic with images and examples of edible plants and similar looking plants to avoid. If confidence is low, stick to the easier, safer finds.
Plants that grow in the wild tend to have a high level of nutrients. They have had to find good growing conditions on their own, and have taken the time they require to grow at the rate at which they need to in order to be the healthiest possible for survival, and in doing so they have ample time to absorb more nutrients. As described in our previous article A World with Intelligent Plants, wild plants growing alongside a variety of species of plants utilize the natural mycorrhizal network to trade nutrients with neighboring plants, giving them access to nutrients they may not otherwise be able to absorb or get their roots in; see A World with Intelligent Plants for more details.
In general, the healthier a plant is, the healthier it is to eat (so long as it’s edible that is). We believe the closer food is to being natural and wild, the healthier it will be to eat. The more natural and wild your source of food is, the deeper your connection to nature will grow.
Although obtaining plant foods is the most popular among ways to reconnect to nature through food, animal foods are another option. Examples of how to connect through self-harvesting animal foods include farming, fishing, and hunting. In the opinions of some, these practices can be controversial, but they are great ways to develop an understanding, appreciation, and connection with our food and the natural world.
Meat is a large part of our history, and in the past the only way to obtain it was through hunting and fishing. We’ve become so removed from the process of obtaining meat that the idea of obtaining it in this manner has become, in the eyes of some, a horrific idea. Let me start by saying, if an individual themselves does not eat meat, their opinion as to whether or not hunting and fishing is right or wrong is at least rooted in practicality; at least if you aim to solely not consume a part of any animal, and aren’t trying to reduce the amount of death caused by your eating habits. Vegans and vegetarians may not be directly benefitting from the loss of an animals life by consumption, but the amount of plants, insects, amphibious, birds, mammals, and reptiles that have been killed to provide them with their leafy greens and veggies due to the deforestation of the land for growing, use of chemicals both organic and non-organic for killing pests, and the use of machinery for harvesting on a large scale, far surpass the amount of death that is required for a steak dinner. But we’ll save that topic for another discussion.
Getting back on track, if an individual consumes meat themselves, it is hypocritical, and irresponsible to diminish the benefits of hunting, fishing, or raising animals for the purpose of food. In any scenario, it is important to remember that each individual's path toward connecting with nature is different, and there is not a definitive right or wrong way, and imposing a personal opinion on others is never a good way to change someone’s mind; if that’s the goal in mind.
In reality, death is a part of life whether we like it or not, and in order for humans to survive and not starve to death, organisms must die for the purpose of our consumption. The same goes for every living thing on this planet.
The act of killing is what turns most people off to practices such as hunting, fishing, and raising livestock, but it is also the reason why individuals should consider experiencing the act of obtaining meat on their own at least once in their lifetime. Death and killing is supposed to be difficult, and negative feelings are normal to experience. It is the very reason why you should be involved in the process. If an animal is going to lose its life for the benefit of an individual, that individual should experience the negativity that goes along with taking that life, whether experienced first hand, or through an individual that is part of their close community.
It’s often pointed out that some hunters or fisherman show excitement after a harvest, and when looked at from the outside it can seem as though the individual is happy about killing. In reality, the negative emotions that exist with hunting and fishing when it is a new practice morph into other emotions. The excitement or happiness is for the bounty of nutrients that is going to be provided to the individual as well as those in their community that will enjoy the harvest. It’s an appreciation and a gratefulness for the animal, and it often leads to reciprocity by giving those involved motivation to take care of nature and give back to nature. It’s a sense of accomplishment from a successful hunt which is the result of countless hours, days, weeks and even years of hard work, dedication, and practice. The process ties our lifestyle back to nature, restores our direct connection to nature, and demonstrates firsthand how interconnected we are with the food chain, and the natural world. It proves that we are not just connected to nature; we are in fact a part of nature.
When raising animals for food, such as eggs or meat, the more naturally the animals are raised, the healthier the food they will produce. For example, grass-fed beef, or pasture raised chicken and eggs are some of the healthiest options available. The closer these animals are to their natural conditions, the healthier they will be, and the healthier the food they produce will be. Wild animals produce some of the healthiest food available. Their diets consist of what they have adapted to eat naturally, and they are consistently active as a result of avoiding predators, competing amongst each other, and seeking out food. These physical stressors and proper diet makes these animals healthier than some farm raised animals; just as a person who sits on the couch all day and eats junk food is less healthy than an individual who exercises and eats healthy. As one would assume, a healthier animal produces healthier foods and provides more nutritional value and health benefits.
Connecting with nature through food can be one of the most powerful ways to achieve the goals of balancing the Killer and the Caretaker within, and growing closer to the natural world. When an individual tasks themselves with the providing themselves with their own food and experiences the work and the time that goes into obtaining food, as well as the natural processes that the production of food relies on, a deeper appreciation for food is developed. Food is one of our most basic necessities, and the natural world is our only source. Removing ourselves from the process of obtaining it directly from these sources and altering the processes to be less and less natural has diminished our connection to nature, but farming, gardening, foraging, hunting, and fishing can help to restore this connection. The more natural the food source, the more beneficial it will be to the individual both in nutrients, and on a spiritual level. Food can be more than just fuel for the body; it can also be fuel for the soul.
