We’re living in a strange moment. A moment where we’ve emerged into a world that has allegedly returned to normalcy. But does any of it feel any less absurd? I’m not certain.
Trying to find our feet again in what feels like a constantly shape shifting reality is exhausting. Things are happening again, the obligations have returned, and life feels busy. Events in the world beyond St Andrews feel far away, no less comprehensible and tinged with an air of unreality.
To deal with it all, I like to exert what little agency I have in the kitchen. One of the few pleasures of lockdown life was the wealth of time I spent in there, finding myself becoming a little too emotionally invested in the health of my sourdough starter.
Now that our busy lives have once again resumed, it’s easy to miss out on thinking intentionally about our meals. Thinking about where our food comes from, how we cook it and where it goes when we’re done, has never been more important in an age of crisis and rupture.
Luckily for us, exciting things are happening in the UK. Due attention is finally being paid to the wealth of local produce available at our doorstep. This issue of Unearth seeks to tie together a host of environmental concerns regarding food, as well as point you in the direction of more ethical, sustainable choices about your next meal. Starting from industrial issues, Simone unpacks eco labels, and the importance of ensuring their accuracy in producer and consumer relations. Then moving to our dinner tables, Emily and Conor highlight the importance of buying local, and have provided a delicious recipe utilizing ingredients sourced from Pittormie Farm, a small, intensive family run farm based in Cupar. Rose Jones finishes with a piece on the environmental impacts of our post dinner leftovers and treats you to some top tips on how to lower your household food waste.
We hope these pieces make you think twice during what would normally be a mindless trip to Tesco, or better yet, look closer to home when shopping for your next meal.
Happy dining,
Michelle
UnEarth Magazine 
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