A road trip with my Father
I was so pleased to be able to transfer all my winter belongings from Ed’s place to the cubby hole at my Fathers where I store my entire life (that’s worth an entire entry unto itself!).
Not only does it feel good to compartmentalize my existence into tidy square bins (out-of-sight is most definitely out-of-mind in this case) but it also serves me {and ED} well to cleanup my trail of reign which once eclipsed his living room. Ed now has his futon and reading space back 🙂 — and if you know Ed, his reading space and home in general is sacred.
The morning started out in organization-mode, first picking slaDE up from a teeming Tim Horton’s in Wingham (he had hitchhiked to the farm) and then attempting to juggle with 3 hands but finding myself with only 2 :). So many things on the go — both personal and business related, with little time to stop and breath (yoga — sadly an idle afterthought at the moment). But then came the opportunity to spend an afternoon with my Father; a rare occurrence to say the least. I jumped at the chance to keep his company as he transported a load of non-GMO (not genetically modified) soybeans to Granton, Ontario (close to London). What an educational experience that was! I learned quite a bit about genetically-modified foods and the whole process of growth, testing and production. This load that we hauled was specifically meant to be shipped to Japan. I discovered that Japan and most parts of Europe will only accept non-GMO exports into their food supply. Sadly, there are no regulations in place for either Canada {Agriculture Canada} or the USA {FDA} stipulating the differentiation of GMO vs. non-GMO components on their labels.
What determines the difference between GMO and non-GMO foods? In the facility we delivered at, the soybeans are weighed and tested on site. The whole process was complete within a 15 minute window; a sampling of the soybeans were crushed in a blender, water was added and then tested for a specific protein, that if found, determines their genetic status. This protein, if found, shows that they are Roundup-resistant. Roundup is a chemical, made by Monsanto (one of the world’s largest chemical producers), that will kill ANYTHING it is sprayed on, unless it is bred Roundup-resistant. Kinda scary in my minds eye. Another good reason to eat organic foods (note: just because they are non-GMO doesn’t specifically indicate a food as organic) … Organic living is by far the most wholesome and beneficial way of improving our health and general lifestyle. I truly believe that Japan and Europe have the right idea and understanding of what makes for a healthy diet. Choice is always a powerful tool in our lives …. Knowing the composition of the foods we eat is incredibly vital I believe. Thanks for listening to my rant :).
Anyway, the ride in a big truck was reminiscent of my childhood days, spending time in a big rig with my Dad and enjoying together time with the busiest, most wonderful man I know! Being so high up in a vehicle with the rumble of the gears shifting beside me brings back lovely memories and makes me grateful for the blessed upbringing I had, growing up on a farm and learning the lessons of hard down-to-earth work.
