Vegetables as a part of symbolic meanings and importance of food in Finland.

UNIVERSITY OF KUOPIO Symbolic meanings and importance of food Food and Culture2009 Jyrki Turunen 13.5.2009 Vegetables as a part of symbolic meanings and importance of food in Finland.   Introduction When I speak vegetables the term “vegetable” is a culinary term and there is not scientific background as biologist might thought. The correct botanical term can be fruit, but we can use fruits as they were vegetables. Because I don’t make differ between spoken or written English in this text. I don’t even try it because I don’t have decent writing skills, but I have some citrates which can lead to find more interesting text. I also write about the berries, or more likely about currant bushes, in the same context, because they belong to the home garden. I am going to take some historical view to this essay, but only in a common level. In the summer time, and why not winter also, vegetables are real fast food. You can pick them from your garden and you can eat them as they are. Of course they got to be washed because of soil is needed to rinse off. There is some symbolism when you grow them on your own. In spring time seeds are sown, during the summer you can enjoy about the beauty of your garden and finally when it is autumn home-grown harvest. Growing vegetables and picking the berries. Home farming: self sufficiency or what. How the food selection is made in Finland. Someone chooses fast food and never seen any farming or production animals versus someone lives on the farm. Body (text) “When I was growing up, that was pretty clear I had a choice to make by the time I graduated from high school: go to college move away and get a job or stay home and farm.” (1). In the times past it might have been essential to grow your berries, fruits and vegetables on your own. In many cases it is surely necessity in view of the fact that family economy is into consideration. “I confess that I am partial to these wild fancies, which transcend the order of time and development (Henry David Thoreau) (2).” When we look that phrase, is it so that home gardens are going to be the last place where genetically manipulated organisms do live? Apparently not, sometimes we have criticism to inflate these issues. “He would also an array of plants from all over the world, both indoor and outdoor, that would have been envied by the gardeners of earlier centuries (3).” Potatoes, carrots, peas, dill etc. are growing next to greenhouse in the garden as the currants. Finnish home garden is usually quite small but big enough to produce vegetables to one family usage over the coming winter, but there is quite a wide range variety of species. Some of these plants are consumed during summer time and if possible preserved to be eaten during cold winter time. Pickles, potatoes, carrots and beetroot which has to be cooked and then preserved using vinegar. Preserving carrots and potatoes only appropriate circumstantial factors are needed. At these times when you have cooling capacity, fridges for example, some vegetables can be sliced, boiled and then frozen for winter when they are consumed. When you go to the shopping mall similar ideas can be seen. Nowadays we have imports and you can go to shopping if like the taste of summer. But we are familiarized to have fresh, fruity vegetables on our own and it is difficult to make consumer be happy. “Consumers wish that it was possible to improve sweetness and succulence of carrots (4).” Transportation, meaning logistics, has to be in a proper condition when replenish shelves of the shops. There are many steps when frozen vegetables are on the consumer table, and just waiting for a summer. Usually frozen vegetables are spent in a form of soup and spices are also needed, at least salt and pepper. Is it essential or necessary growing vegetables or berries (like blackcurrant or strawberries) in home garden? As the vegetables berries are also preserved in a form of juice or in a form or berry. Usually you have to add small amount of sugar to make berries preserved. Berries are tasty and have good nutritional value. “Gooseberries are also associated with a wide range of meanings (5).” Why we still have small greenhouses at the garden where tomatoes and cucumbers. Tomatoes and cucumbers have own special aroma rich taste when they are grown in soil, of course huge amount of water is needed to keep these vegetables to grow. And because of cold frosty nights greenhouse also covers these plants. Sometimes electrical heating device is also needed, particularly at the beginning period of growth. In the old days when electricity or electrical devices were not so common hot water or open flame could be used to have similar effect. I think in the vineyards they worked as a similar manner. “In his soup pot Simeon uses goat meat. In addition, he throws some dried fish, three or four different spices (uziza and uda), Maggi, the pepper and salt.” (6). Isn’t it enough if the cows are lying in the fields at the summer time, and when it is autumn grain is done? In Finland cow has two functions, producing milk and to a lesser degree meat. Milking cow has helped people to survive over the long, cold winter ensuring intake of nutritious milk. So, many of us might just wonder the connection between vegetables and cow in this text. Simply as it is, cow converts plants, including vegetables into the form of milk, which is basic of dairy product like cheese. Carrot mentioned as example, vitamin rich nature product and you can find riboflavin presence from carrot or milk. Carrot describes something to eat and that eatable, in a case of cow it can be something else too like clover, converts to the milk. Conclusion Where the symbolic meaning of the greenhouse lays? “At times even natural objects may bear a symbolic significance. The experience of the beautiful in nature, can be perceived as a “cipher through which nature speaks us to figuratively,” as Kant puts it (7).” Rhubarb is groping if the winter is gone until it shows again. Tasty rhubarb fruit soup makes you feel better. You can collect rhubarbs (don’t forget freeze a few) at the shadow of the rowan and when it’s done early autumn rowan berries are done. And when it gets cold again waxwings will take care about these berries. Strawberries; I almost forget to mention strawberries, leave the best for last. Cake covered with the cream and strawberries, tasty. When I am watching that lake and landscape surrounding that view I have to ask myself what Kant is meaning. Pine which stands at the backyard and birch where the swing is waiting on the crotch. Seesaw, it reminds me from my childhood, how fun it was eat vegetables and berries and play around at the summer time. As a consequence we can see that many functions are developed around this small scale food production. Later food production has come in the form we can look it in these days. So reason why here in Finland we have small family farms in a scale of world is cultural and historical. Era is artificial and in time we will see if greenhouse is a settlement solution. Biodiversity is quite a range; rangeland, lake system as a natural waterway, fields as where forest is ubiquitous surrounding this system. These elements give strength to this very sensitive system against general threats corrupting this naturalness. Indeed, that was the sight I could in short period of time I hope it raise any opinions or something to discuss.   1. Book: Conlogue, William: Working the Garden, p. 185. University of North Carolina Press, 2002 2. Book: Weiss, Allen S.: Unnatural Horizons: Paradox and Contradiction in Landscape Architecture, p. 84. Princeton Architectural Press, 1998 3. Book: McIntosh, Christopher: Gardens of the Gods: Myth, Magic and Meaning in Horticulture, p. 113. I. B. Tauris & Company, Limited, 2005 4. Book: Katja Järvelä ja Mirja Viinisalo: “AS LONG AS IT’S SWEET AND JUICY” – Consumer views on quality of carrots. Kuluttajatutkimuskeskus, 2006 5. http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/Berries/genprodpdf/berryfolklore.pdf 6. Book: Price, Susan Davis and Gregor, John: Growing Home : Stories of Ethnic Gardening, p. 85. University of Minnesota Press, 2000 7. Book: Bielefeldt, Heiner: Symbolic Representation in Kant's Practical Philosophy, p. 181. Cambridge University Press, 2003