Last year, my partner started pointing out the different countries our cucumbers and other fresh groceries were coming from. Suppliers we didn’t recognize were often named on our produce, when we could get it, as ongoing supply chain issues and labour shortages disrupted the usual food distribution channels. These disruptions were similar to those we saw during Covid-19 in 2020, atmospheric rivers in 2021, and annual wildfire seasons.
When I was growing up, my mom went through a phase where she’d buy a new (to us) fruit each time we went grocery shopping. Now when I browse these imported fruits, like mangos and prickly pears, I notice where they’re from and wonder if it’s the same country as last week.
From Elsewhere questions where our food comes, why it comes from there, and what its implications are.
