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My Dad has had so much influence on me––for sure cooking and gardening. He read Rachel Carson and fought against the use of DDT, and these days I advocate against the use of glyphosates and other toxic agricultural chemicals, like chlormequat and paraquat, that are often found in common processed foods. I know there is something in our combined DNA that screams environmentalists, but I believe that when one turns to nature and the garden, observations become a guide for what needs to be done. Now, at 94, my dad makes it to the Janesville farmers’ market each Saturday, and there he is known as “the Governor.” This week, after his trip to the market, he said, “They took awhile, but finally the strawberries are in.” I love that he still anticipates the goodness of nature. We share many values. This spring I have been at Mermaid Farm, growing seedlings side by side with Caitlin Jones, who is as passionate about farming as she is about the environment. We listen to podcasts and debate about the world and talk about the birds, the importance of keeping raw milk on our tables, and much more. When Caitlin was going away for a few days, she was more concerned about me being sure to feed the birds than about watering the plants. She showed me her private stash of raisins and showed me how to toss them on top of an old cabinet so the birds could come along and snatch them up. She tossed one up, and there appeared a catbird. As the two of us were chatting, that catbird made a little sound that I swear sounded like “Hello!” “Hello,” Caitlin said back. Those catbirds can mimic anyone! There is so much to learn and discover, and I am in awe over how much I don’t know. Who knew a catbird was trainable? And one area I have particularly enjoyed uncovering is my DNA and gene expressions. Through a simple saliva test, so much is revealed about our health traits, and it turns out one can turn on and off those expressions with diet and lifestyle. If you are ready to explore this (and you can on your own here), consider joining John Bagnulo and me this October in Vermont, where we will cook and hike and discover the interconnectedness that underlies so much of who we are and what we need to be healthy. Come take the test and find out what your DNA reveals. You can change your risks! By and large, most of us need to consume very similar foods or groups of foods (like a wide variety of vegetables, and clean protein sources) to feel and be the best version of ourselves. But sometimes there are unique differences between us that we wouldn’t be aware of without first developing a symptom (for example, nighttime vision difficulties may indicate a need for vitamin A), or without having a unique opportunity like this to gain insight about our genes. Come along! John is a fantastic scientist and nutritionist, and I, well, I show you how cooking can be easy and delicious. We both love to nourish, and to translate information to a language of better food choices and healthy meals.
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