"is it local?"

For weeks, friends who know me well had been asking if I'd seen Portlandia yet. No, I hadn't, and what makes it so great?

"Oh, it's just funny and it kind of reminded me of you."

And then I sat down to watch an episode. The clip above, in which the couple dining insists on learning more about the chicken, Collin, they're about to order and presumably then consume, hit home. As I was laughing, I wondered, "Is this what people think of me?"

I get it. I snub my nose at non-organice produce (and when presented with it, I have to remind myself that I've eaten conventional produce before and this one more time won't kill me). I would rather eat a frozen veggie meal from a reputable vendor who offers organic options than eat at a sit-down chain restaurant. I have shunned meat for more than two years because of my beliefs about the food industry.

And I agree, I'm not all that far from the Portlandia characters who insist on visiting the farm where their meal was raised.

I understand that my way of eating may seem strange to some people, but it's really quite simple: for health of mind, body, and planet, I choose to eat the way I do. I'm a discerning consumer because I want this one singular thing I can control (what I do and do not eat) to be as healthful and enjoyable and positive as I can make it.

That's all.

Now excuse me, I have a farm to visit.