We went to the Topsfield Fair yesterday. Due to our late arrival with hungry kids, we immediately entered “seek food” mode, searching for a food vendor that didn’t look too sketchy, greasy, or full of allergens. It wasn’t easy. Does it seem reasonable that an annual celebration of local agriculture should be a difficult place to find fresh, healthy food?
It’s a perfect summary of mainstream America’s cultural attitudes toward food production and food consumption: decoupled, disinterested, and increasingly bifurcated along class lines.