Whole Foods--by Prof. Whitman

Now that my students have weighed in about Whole Foods, it's my turn.

Chef Kiss's tour gave me a new appreciation for all the "back story" at Whole Foods. I learned that farmers have to produce without pesticides for 3-5 years before they earn the "organic" stamp of approval--and that all the equipment along the supply chain has be to be washed, logged, and sanitized...that wild fish can't qualify as organic (who knows where they've been swimming)...that vegan "cheese" starts with ground nuts ... that Bell & Evans chickens cavort in litter with stimulating play toys... that blueberry extract produces a beautiful blue buttercream icing. Who knew that of the nine departments at Whole Foods, groceries produces the most revenue, followed by cheese/beer/wine/housewares, with produce coming in last?

Our large group drew gawks and a few scowls from other shoppers, one of whom was so fascinated with Chef Kiss's information that she parked her cart and followed us around.

I had a low moment, though, when I looked up from scribbling in my steno pad and noticed that I was the only one in the class taking notes.

Inquiry, guys!

But I'm heartened to read my students' blogs. Taking it all in, they appreciated the Whole Foods emphasis on presentation--the beautiful colors of the fruit, the marbling of the beef fat, the appealing tidiness of the shelves. They're also starting to wrestle with some of the contradictions within the food revolution and to come up with thoughtful questions. I wish Asia had had a chance to find out about employee eating and shopping habits.

I've learned a few things as a teacher about field trips:

1) Assume you have half the amount of time you imagine. I had pictured the class roaming the aisles studying labels, but we had to hustle back to the shuttle bus with hardly time to buy "wholesome" chips.

2) Remind students to bring notebooks.

3) Trust that learning doesn't have to be visible to be happening.