A pressing issue in our nation today is the battle over health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), more than one-third of U.S. adults are obese. Obesity can lead to multiple health issues, one of which is heart disease. The CDCP states that one in every four deaths in the U. S. is attributed to heart disease.
This issue is definitely present in Farmville, Va. Recently, Food Day joined the local Farmers Market for the first time in Farmville. According to it’s website, Food Day was created by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, but is powered by a diverse coalition of food movement leaders and organizations, including student leaders, public offices, school districts and local organizers.
Their purpose is to inspire Americans to change their diets and food policies. Their aim is that, every October 24 (Food Day), is a day to make changes in our own diets and to take action to solve food-related problems in our communities at the local, state and national level. The event joined together the Farmers Market thanks to the organizer, Allison Crews.
She said, “I organized Food Day Farmville in collaboration with the Piedmont Community Health Coalition, the Holistic Mom’s Network and the Farmville Community Market Place (the Farmers Market).”
Crews owns natural pHuel, which is located in Farmville. It is an educational business that teaches clients about natural medicine, health, and wellness. Crews’ mantra is, “Our health is in our hands.”
When asked why Crews took charge of Food Day, she said, “My seven-year-old son, Gregory and his health are my passion and that has rippled out into my community. He’s the fire under me to make more things happen in the community and how to raise awareness on how we can help ourselves [get] healthy.”
Tena Ewing, a senior professor at Longwood University in the Therapeutic Recreation department, participated in Food Day by gathering about five students to set up a free smoothie stand during the event.
Ewing said, “They worked as a group to do promotion on Food Day and made smoothies, which are for free. They hid spinach greens in the smoothies. Their point is to show how easy it is to sneak vegetables into a meal or snack.”
Ellen and Terry Hudgins were first time visitors to the Farmville Farmers Market this past Saturday. They came to support Food Day as local farmers and as occupational therapy business owners. They sold beef cattle, hog and chicken during the event.
Together, they own Ripley Creek Farm in Buckingham, Virginia and Progressive Therapy in Farmville. Terry Hudgins does the business side of Progressive Therapy and Ellen Hudgins works as the occupational therapist at Progressive Therapy.
Ellen Hudgins stated, “Our philosophy is that you are what you eat. We hope that we can increase consumption from farm to fork so that people can get good food from their local farmers.”
On their farm, the couple raises genetically modified organism (GMO) free beef cattle, hogs and chicken. GMO is defined as an organism whose genome has been altered by the techniques of genetic engineering so that its DNA contains one or more genes not normally found there.
While they have owned Ripley Creek since 1996, Terry Hudgins admitted he doesn’t know all farmers in the area, he said, “I would say a majority of farmers in this area are buying whatever seeds they can get at the co-op. Most of those seeds now are control by a lot of the large seed companies like Monsanto and all of that is genetically modified.”
To get non-GMO feed and seed, Terry Hudgins travels to Stuarts Draft, which is about two hours away.
“I make the trip because I think it’s worth it to feed our animals non-GMO feed,” said Terry Hudgins. “Our cows are grass-fed so we don’t have to worry about GMO’s with them but our hogs and chicken, I have to get them the non-GMO feed.”
Even though it is more expensive and time consuming, Terry Hudgins said, “Ultimately, what they eat is what goes in us and I get concerned about that.”
Ellen Hudgins added, “We’re already in health care, so we see the negative side effects from when people eat improperly. It can be cancer related issues or obesity which is a huge problem.”
Like Crews, the couple found their health inspiration in their first-born son.
Terry Hudgins said, “When my son was born, we started eating as healthy as we could. That doesn’t mean we haven’t ended up at a McDonalds before, but it does mean that we try to eat healthy at home. Now, I try and sell products that I know are good for my customers.”
Crews addressed the local issues in Farmville: “I think sadly to be, (sic) Farmville we are out of the loop to what reality is. We’re being educated by doctors, who are educated by the pharmaceutical companies and from there. It’s a ripple down effect. That’s why I try and empower people to make the best decisions that they can for themselves and their families.”
“On both exercise and diet, our community has an issue with what they think they know vs. what they should know,” added Ewing. “Our nation and media has actually convoluted what dietary intake should be. Our citizens have fallen prey to marketing. They think just because it’s organic or gluten free it’s good. We have a huge scope issue and it’s definitely a top down issue. It starts from what we’re marketing, what we’re offering, the fact that we don’t give incentives for healthy eating, and locations of good food options versus bad food options aren’t conducive to proper eating habits.”
Ellen Hudgins said, “I think a lot of the problem is a lack of education and I mean that people are not even aware of what’s healthy and what’s not healthy. A lot of the time, when I explain to people what’s in food, it’s a total foreign concept to them. People don’t even know to read the label to see what’s in a product.”
She added that there needs to be a willingness to not only learn but to be open to learning and adopting new things.
As far as change, Crews said, “I think there’s a tide going and there’s momentum. People are tired of being sick and they’re figuring out the norm isn’t cutting it anymore. So I think there’s a rising awareness, even in our very community, of doing something different to get a different result.”
