Author Archives: Traci Houston

Alright, let’s cut to the chase. Food prices are climbing, and everyone’s feeling it. But here’s the kicker: while you’re out there hunting for the cheapest dozen eggs or the lowest-priced chicken, you’re feeding into a broken system that’s screwing us all over in the long run. Yeah, I said it. So, how do weContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: Making Food Affordable Again—And Why It Matters More Than Ever”

I recently stumbled across a comment about preventative justice vs. retributive justice, and it hit home in an unexpected way. The gist? Preventative justice is when you’re punished for something before you’ve actually done anything wrong. It’s like saying, “You might do something bad, so we’re going to limit your freedom just in case.” Meanwhile,Continue reading “Farm Table Talk: Should We Punish Potential or Just Actual Harm?”

Alright, let’s get into it. Every single school should have a garden program. No excuses. Kids should be learning how to cultivate and grow their own food, and it’s beyond me why we’re not doing this everywhere already. Let’s start with the basics: some of the most important life skills can be learned in theContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: Every School Should Have a Garden Program—No Excuses”

I just finished reading Will Harris’ book A Bold Return to Giving A Damn, and let me tell you, it’s a game-changer. There’s one question he poses in the last chapter that has been bouncing around in my head ever since: “What will it take for you, the person buying the food that farmers likeContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: Resilient Food or Efficient Food—What Will It Take?”

Alright, let’s get into it—self-sufficiency. With all the modern conveniences we’ve got—grocery stores on every corner, fast food just a drive-thru away—some folks think self-sufficiency is outdated. But if the last few years have shown us anything, it’s that relying on those conveniences can be a shaky bet. Remember COVID? We all saw firsthand howContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: Does Self-Sufficiency Still Matter? (Spoiler: Yes, Now More Than Ever)”

Alright, it’s time we talk about some of the most misleading words in the food industry: “natural” and “sustainable.” These days, it feels like everything has one of those words slapped on the label. Pick up a bag of chips, and suddenly they’re “all-natural.” Look at a plastic bottle and, wouldn’t you know it, it’sContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Truth About “Natural” and “Sustainable” Labels—It’s Mostly Marketing”