With the lobbyists, the corporations, the media, and the politicians all sharing the same bed nowadays, I am firmly convinced that the only vote that counts, is where you spend your time, energy, and money.

Uneducated and lulled into complacency, I didn’t always care what I put in my body, subsisting off cornbread for most of college and Life cereal for my bachelor years. The healthiest thing I ate was game meat,, and I have always lacked in the veggie department.

Thanks to my loving wife, I am a little smarter these days about what passes my gullet and how my money supports different industries. While we skimp on a lot of  life’s little luxuries, food is one area that we do not, choosing organic and whole foods over the processed garbage like the Lunchables, Twinkies, and Little Debbies that my hunting partner eats everyday, or  the Marshmellow Fluff in Granny’s pantry!!

Enter Three Rivers Market, a community-owned natural foods grocery store open to the public. You don’t have to be a member to shop there, but we signed up a couple weeks ago, paying the yearly $25 membership, and saved half that today during the Member Discount Days  that lasts until Sunday.

Located in Knoxville, it takes us an hour to get there, but we can stock up on bulk items like organic oatmeal, beans, lentils, and rice.

Lots of good stuff for making your own camp meals or just day hikes..

Local and organic produce..

I know where my meat comes from because I kill it, but Three Rivers does a great job for it’s customers, highlighting the local producers.

If you want a sustainable, healthy food system in this country, don’t count on the politicians, the industry, or your government to do it for you.

Vote with your dollars, spread the word, and things will change. You may even be able to buy a kick ass chicken calendar!!

Three Rivers Market – http://www.threeriversmarket.coop/

Food Inc. – Good documentary on our food industry and the associated health concerns – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRp71BwRW8c