The food we put on our table reveals so much about who we are. Our choices can reflect our taste preferences, heritage, religious or moral beliefs, and dietary needs. Food is universal but deeply personal. On August 17, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum hosted a conversation to explore not the “right” way to eat, but the choices we make and the values that influence them.
“The Whole Table: A dialogue on Food, Care, and Community,” moderated by Laurel Redington, director of programming and audience engagement, brought four perspectives to the table. There was Dr. Shelley Edmundson, marine scientist and executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust; Chef Nemo Bolin, known for his creative, seasonal cuisine rooted in sustainability; Karma Trinlay Rinpoche, a respected Buddhist teacher; and Taylor Smalley, Herring Pond Wampanoag food forager.
The conversation was far-reaching. Highlights included a discussion about what care and relation to food meant to participants. Smalley noted, “I think it starts with changing your perspective and understanding that your food is alive. It breathes just like we do.” Similarly, Rinpoche spoke about having a mindful attitude, and also consuming just what we need, which is being respectful, too, of the environment. “Also,” he added, “through excessive consumption, we harm our bodies. The [concept of] care goes both ways.”
Redington asked how, given the craziness of our everyday lives, we can be mindful and connected to what we are consuming. Smalley advocated growing our food: Nurturing it from seed to maturity fosters an appreciation that might not develop when buying produce, say, from a supermarket. “Put the care back by doing the work and connection, even if it’s just herbs in your window,” she suggested.
As a chef, Bolin is dedicated to fostering spaces where people can gather to create memories, joy, and experiences. “Sometimes it’s just sustenance, and sometimes it’s for celebrations. It’s also about taking care of people by building relationships with farmers, foragers, vendors, and employees. The thing that’s bringing people together is food and drinks –– but it’s bigger than that.”
For Rinpoche, mindfulness was strongly connected to compassion. “In Buddhism, there’s an ancient practice aimed at saving lives. This might involve buying back animals from a butcher or acquiring lobsters that are then released back into the water.” He has done the latter here in collaboration with Bodhi Path M.V. He said, “When I came here with my teacher, we were very saddened by the treatment that was given to the lobsters by the fact that they were steamed alive, which is a very inhumane way of killing animals.” Bolin explained that a more humane method to kill lobsters is to use a sharp knife to cut through the head, straight down in one quick motion. He added, “It brings some awareness. Some people struggle with it more than throwing them into a pot of boiling water, slamming a lid on the pot, and walking away.” Rinpoche pointed out, “Eating an animal that was tortured, we are assimilating that. If we have more respect for it, it might be less toxic.”
Smalley spoke about a related indigenous perspective. “We talk a lot about in our culture that when you are angry, you’re not supposed to go out and forage, because that energy will reflect on what you are doing. If you’re upset and forage, that plant might not come back, because it’s absorbing what you are giving it, or you are unintentionally not harvesting it correctly because you are so wound up.”
Food, too, is intimately tied to the environment. Smalley explained about living in balance with nature when foraging. “You have to learn what you are looking at to give your body what it needs. For instance, with stinging nettle, you don’t want the leaves at the bottom, because they contain toxins that can hurt you, whereas young leaves will help you with joint pains. The time you spend foraging forces you to reflect on what you are eating and what plants are going to mesh well with you. Foraging forces you to think about what you are eating.”
As part of the discussion on accessibility, Edmundson shared about the Fishermen’s Preservation Trust, which aims to safeguard the Vineyard’s fishing heritage and future by supporting the Island’s small-boat, owner-operated fishing fleets and their sustainably harvested catch. “The world of seafood is complicated and layered. Harvesting it is hard and risky, because the price is determined on a global scale, even if you are landing locally.” She continued, “What we try to do is keep that seafood here. We have grants to donate it to the food pantries. But we do also sell at the farmers market, so we have different price ranges all the way to free, trying to make it accessible to everyone.”
The richly diverse topics and perspectives created a refreshing conversation about the ways food can nourish not just our bodies, but our minds and souls as well.