Decay

Blog post

In our final unit, Birth, the freshman class was assigned to create a poster symbolizing the food system and how it affected, affects, and will affect us, and the environment. My group decided to create an art piece symbolizing the third unit Decay, which explained how technology has affected the way people eat. With that we also chose 3 keywords that explained this time of history well. The most challenging part for my group was drawing it out, but we overcame that when we realized that we don’t necessarily have to have a lot of drawing talent in order to show our hard work and understanding. We all are proud of how our art piece came out. We all helped each other when one needed help. When the class is finished we will put all posters together, to represent the four units, Life, Death, Decay, and Birth. When we put them together, it will represent the new understanding we have about the food system. Below are also pictures of both our individual, and whole poster.

Artist statement

AMK,RD,JR(2014) Food For Thought.

Our poster represents the third unit, Decay. In this unit our class learned about the industrialization of food, the American diet, and the food industry. The unit is called Decay because we studied how technology has influenced the way people are eating. We illustrated the American diet, the food industry, and the Green Revolution. We represented the American Diet by drawing a globe and a conveyor belt. The globe symbolizes how most of the world relies on fast food, or more specifically McDonald’s. The conveyor belt represents our food system, and the distribution process that animals and our food have to go through. 
We then drew a factory where our food is processed. The man outside the factory is not actually planting flowers, but painting them out. He represents how the nation puts a “band aid” to cover the truth on how our food gets to our table. The truck shows how the final step in the food industry is to finally ship out all the food. From the factory the truck is pulling out with boxes in the back, which is the food. Each box represents a fast food chain, to show how that food gets to a restaurant. We then drew a tractor connecting with the food system by having the conveyor belt as a wheel. The tractor is on road that connects all four units together. We drew an average American fast food meal, walking its way to the globe, or to its home McDonalds. We represented the Green Revolution by drawing the “Father of the Green Revolution”, Norman Borlaug, injecting fertilizer and chemicals into wheat. To represent the harm these fertilizers and chemicals do to crops, we drew an empty bottle of poison on the ground. We wanted to capture all the elements of this unit so when people look at it they get a sense of what is going on.

AMK(2014) Food For Thought

Genetically Modified Food, Good or Bad?

For the last action project for Food, we studied genetics, and genetically modified food. This unit mostly focused on science. My classmates and I spent countless hours researching and learning about genetics. We also had a guest speaker, Oana, who works with genetics come in and talk to us in depth about how genetics and crossbreeding works. We also learned about genetically modified foods. These foods are foods that have changes in their DNA using genetic engineering technique. For our action project, my classmates and I had to pick a side: pro GMOs or anti GMOs. This means that we had to discuss why genetically  modified foods are or are not a good idea. I am anti GMO, because I feel that GMOs are not the truth. The people producing these crops don’t tell us whether our products contain GMOs . I think that these foods will end up causing us harm. That is why we need to put a stop to it as soon as possible. I am most proud of the interesting information, and facts I found. Lastly I am proud of my overall presentation below!

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How would you feel if you knew that scientists are putting harsh chemicals and dangerous injections into the food that you and your loved ones consume? How would you feel if you or your loved ones get severely sick because of this? Well, this is what genetically modified food is doing to us humans. These foods are foods that have changes in their DNA using genetic engineering technique. You probably haven't heard of genetically modified foods because the U.S Drug and Food Administration does not require a label to be put on foods that are GMOs. There are quite a lot. You should be aware of what scientists are doing to our food because it can cause great devastation to us and our planet. Genetically modified foods can cause soil depletion, allergic reactions to us humans because of the the crossbreeding, and even severe consequences to our body. In this speech I will be talking about genetically modified foods and how they are not beneficial for us humans, and also the effects they are causing us, our environment, and world in general.

There are many reasons why genetically modified foods are very bad. Some often affect the environment. When growing genetically modified foods, farmers practice monoculture which means that they only grow that one crop. This has two effects: one on the environment, and one on us humans. In a monoculture, the soil is used for the same crop which causes soil depletion. This causes plants not to grow. Also by growing the same crop a virus can break out spreading to the same crops, causing the food supply of that crop to drop. Even though GM crops double their crop yields, if something goes wrong then they can lose that crop. A drop in food supply could damage our economy and cause crises such as famine.

In the late 1980s patents on plants were legalized meaning that anyone could own a seed. This often causes small scale farmers to get sued due to bigger corporations such as Monsanto patenting a particular seed and having it cross pollinate with theirs. When their seeds cross pollinate with the seeds from small farms, the smaller farm workers often go out of business because they get sued for what happens in nature. This affects the small scale farmers tremendously because they go out of business. Also GM crops in technology can hurt the small scale farm workers because the crops are too expensive to purchase. GMOs and even patents can cause people to go out of business because of the competitiveness in farming.

Lastly, Humans can get allergic reactions to foods they eat,  or even get severely sick. When these crops are crossbred they form a new substance which can also be bad for humans. Like JV said on the farm in Elgin, her brother broke out in hives from eating lunchables. These are the affects that GM foods have on us humans and if we don't stop now it could only get worse. I am stating that it could only get worse because genetically modified foods do not require a label, and are not tested. We must put an end to this because it is going on without our knowledge and we need to be informed.

Overall GMOs are a great threat to our food supply. A study in India showed that the GM grains that scientist fed to rats showed up three months later damaging their ovaries, spleens, and immune system. Despite all this testing the U.S Food and Drug Administration still allows foods to be labeled without the proper signs. This shows that the people in charge of making sure our food is safe to eat are not fulfilling their job. If we continue to let this happen it could only get worse. I believe that the U.S Food and Drug Aministration needs to stop lying to us humans, and let us know what we are actually consuming. I am totally against GMOs because they are not beneficial for us humans. GMOs are bad for the environment, bad for humans, and are dangerous because they are not correctly labeled. They are also a risk to your health. If you want to live in a healthier, more efficient world without genetically modified foods, then vote anti GMO.

 

Food Review!

For my Food For Thought course, my classmates and I learned more about food, and what it has become today. We spent these last few weeks watching movies, studying readings, and discussing about how food has evolved over decades. We also wanted to get a better understanding about how the industrial revolution and the Green Revolution changed our food system. For this action project, my classmates and I were required to write a food review, comparing two of the same dishes, one home cooked and one in a restaurant. The food I chose was pasta, meat sauce, and garlic bread. I thought that this action project was very interesting because it gives us students a chance to compare and see for ourselves what dish we actually like best, similar to a critique. When going out with my family it made me realize that I had to not only eat the dish but, keep in mind how the dish looked, the flavors of the dish, and the quality. This unit definitely impacted the way I eat because after watching movies and, reading books about the American diet it’s almost sad to see what we are feeding ourselves, and the fact that people are letting this happen is terrible. Now that I have the right knowledge about where most poultry such as meat comes from, I now avoid fast food restaurants as much as possible because in the long run, their food can end up hurting you.
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For my food review, I decided to make regular pasta with homemade meat sauce, and garlic bread. I prepared my meal at home with the help of my mom. I decided to make and compare pastas because, most restaurants usually serve this dish and I thought it was simple to make and compare. The restaurant I decided to go to was Leona’s. I decided that going to a local restaurant near me would be a better option in case I had to extend my research.

Preparing my dish was harder than I expected, but I thought the outcome would be worth it. When I completed my dish it looked appetizing and flavorsome. The noodles looked neither under nor over cooked, they seemed just right. My pasta sauce looked fresh and very mouth-watering. Lastly my garlic bread looked homemade and also very delectable . Overall, my dish smelled really nice. The sauce blended well with the pasta, creating a hereby oily smell. When I ate my pasta it tasted great. I could really taste the sweetness and spiciness of my sauce and the moist noodles. The garlic bread tasted incredible considering I only used regular sliced bread and put butter and garlic powder on it. While eating the pasta it didn't have much of a sound but the meat sounded chewy, and the garlic bread was crunchy yet scrumptious.

For the most part, my dish tasted very flavourful and home cooked although my pasta did come in a box, but when I cooked it it tasted as if it was made from scratch. The meat I used was organic. Maybe by it being organic it brought out the flavors in my dish. Overall my dish didn't taste industrial nor processed. My dish tasted fresh and delightful. The pasta brand I used was Barilla. It contains the ingredient Thiamin, which is very safe for us although it adds small amounts of Nitrate to our food. In conclusion, my dish turned out to taste very good. It was the perfect combination in my opinion.

                                                                                 AMK (2014) Home cooked pasta.

A couple days later I went to a local restaurant called Leona’s. When arriving at the restaurant I could already tell it had a home-like feel to it, the waitresses were very kind and let me take my time upon ordering. It took about ten minutes for my food to arrive and when it did the aroma smelled great, and the dish looked very well put together. When I took my first bite the pasta tasted decent, but the sauce did not blend well with the pasta. The sauce tasted a bit too salty as if they overseasoned it. The meat, however, was nice and well sauteed with the sauce. Lastly, the garlic bread was okay, it was a bit oily on the outside and very dry on the inside. I would say that this dish was probably processed because the sauce seemed to have come out of a can. It also tasted dry, as if it had been sitting on a shelf for days and the cooks just added salt to it. The garlic bread tasted like it was previously frozen, and cooks just put it in the oven. I then concluded that the garlic bread wasn't organic.

                                                                      Leaona's (2014) Pasta.                                               

A couple days later I went to a local restaurant called Leona’s. When arriving at the restaurant I could already tell it had a home-like feel to it, the waitresses were very kind and let me take my time upon ordering. It took about ten minutes for my food to arrive and when it did the aroma smelled great, and the dish looked very well put together. When I took my first bite the pasta tasted decent, but the sauce did not blend well with the pasta. The sauce tasted a bit too salty as if they overseasoned it. The meat, however, was nice and well sauteed with the sauce. Lastly, the garlic bread was okay, it was a bit oily on the outside and very dry on the inside. I would say that this dish was probably processed because the sauce seemed to have come out of a can. It also tasted dry, as if it had been sitting on a shelf for days and the cooks just added salt to it. The garlic bread tasted like it was previously frozen, and cooks just put it in the oven. I then concluded that the garlic bread wasn't organic.

The dish I prefered the most was my homemade pasta. I preferred this dish the most because it seemed more fresh and natural. It also seemed to taste better in my opinion. I think the restaurant’s pasta dish was also good but I feel as if they did not put much time into making the dish. I think that if they were to put more time into making my dish, and possibly changing some ingredients, then maybe the dish would have had a different outcome. This relates to a Michael Pollan reading my classmates and I read. Michael Pollan talks about how a modern American diet isn’t about the quality of foods, it mostly focuses on how fast you can produce your food, and make the most money.

Michael Pollan talks about five different ways the modern diet has transformed the way we eat today. One of his five food transformations is, quantity over quality. Quantity over quality means when we focus on mass production and try to produce the food quickly, we lose the nutritional value of the food. I feel that if the restaurant were to get all fresh produce then maybe this would change the way the the food taste. If the restaurant were to put more time and effort into making the dish then maybe the dish would have a different outcome. Maybe if the pasta was whole whole wheat instead of refined, then the pasta’s nutritional value would increase.

I honestly would not recommend any of these dishes to anyone because, I like my pasta sauce sweet yet spicy and sometimes one of those flavors is dominant over the other. I would not recommend the restaurant’s pasta because I would not want to recommend a dish that you would have to eat a high quantity to get a high nutritional value. I also wouldn't want anyone else eating food I don't feel okay about. The dish didn't seem fresh so I wouldn't want someone else consuming it. Overall, I thought this food review was very interesting, because it makes you think about what you are really eating and if you really like it.

Changing The Recipe

In the 2nd unit of food, our class focused mainly on the science behind cooking .Throughout this unit we studied chemical changes that occur when ingredients mix with each other. For our field experience we went to a private home that belonged to a friend of our school for a cooking demo with her son and a pastry chef. During the cooking demo, we learned more in depth about acid base reactions and leavening agents. For the action project we had to make cupcakes that were controlled and one that was experimented. For the experiment we left out a key ingredient (leavening agent) and replaced it with an acid and a base, the two compounds that make up baking powder.Our goal was to see if we can leave out the leavening agent and still have our cupcakes rise. I will also go more in depth about that in my lab report. Overall I thought that this action project was very interesting because we got to taste the outcomes of our different cupcakes. I also think its cool how science has a big impact in cooking

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1. Introduction

For the cupcake experiment, I chose to substitute baking powder with egg whites and molasses because baking powder is made up of cream of tartar, a pH level of 5(acidic) and baking soda a pH level of 8.3 (basic) . Egg whites has a PH of 9 and molasses has a pH of 6. By combining these two ingredients my goal is to create an acid base reaction. We talked about chemical reactions and leavening agents. Leavening agents such as yeast, baking powder, and baking soda are key ingredients in baking because they help the baked good rise. When we were baking the experimented cupcakes we were told to pick out the best cupcake and have it used in a magazine  for Passover. Passover symbolizes a time when Jews could not eat certain foods including leavening agents.The reason why leavening agents helps the cupcakes rise is that an acid base reaction occurs when baking powder is exposed to heat. It releases carbon dioxide, bubbles that make the cupcake rise. We also learned more in depth about proportions, ratios, pH levels, and conversations to help us get a better understanding of cooking. We learned about chemical reactions and what leavening agents have to do with baking. Our class decided to make cupcakes. We had one batch of cupcakes that were called the controlled group, the cupcakes that followed the recipe.The experimental group, cupcakes that followed the same recipe but having the leavening agent substituted with ingredients that are that was acidic and basic.

2. Research Question:
Can I create the effects of a leavening agent using an acid and base?

3. Hypothesis:
If I mix egg whites and molasses into my cupcakes instead of baking powder, then my cupcakes will not rise as high as the original recipe.

4. Materials:

1/12 cup of sugar

¼ cups of butter

⅙ tsp of vanilla

3/24 cups all purpose flour

1/24 cups of milk

1/6 egg

1/3 tsp of baking powder
(Acid and base for each of the experimented cupcakes are below.)

5. Procedure:

For Control Group:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease 9×9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth.

Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

let the cupcakes cool for five minutes

For Experimental Group:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Grease and flour a 9×9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray

3. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.

4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

5. Combine flour, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

6. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth.

7. spoon batter into the prepared pan.

8. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

9.let cupcakes cool for five minutes.



6. Data

	Amount of molasses substitute cups/tsp	Amount of egg whites substitute  cups/tsp	Height(in cm)
Cupcake 1	1/16	1/16	3.7
cupcake 2	1/32	3/32	3.4
cupcake 3	3/32	1/32	3.5
cupcake 4	0	1/8	3.7
cupcake 5	1/8	0	3.3
cupcake 6	2/48	4/48	3.1
controlled cupcakes	(With baking powder): 4.15 cm	__	__

7. Graph


This chart shows how high each of the experimented cupcakes rose to.

8. Recipe in Metric

Ingredients	Amount in cups/tsp	Amount in ML
sugar	1/12 cups	20ml
butter	1/24 cups	20ml
vanilla	1/6 tsp	0.83 ml
all purpose flour	3/24 cups	30ml
milk	1/24 cups	20ml
egg	1/ 6 tsp	0.83 ml
molasses	1/8 tsp	0.625 ml
egg whites	0	0

9. Conclusion

For this experiment I learned that, substituting a leavening agent (baking powder) for an acidic compound and a basic compound can make a cupcake rise. My hypothesis was correct, my cupcakes did rise and ended up tasting decent. My hypothesis was correct because, I predicted that my cupcakes will rise by substituting the leavening agent . Although I didn't add the base my cupcakes still turned out well. I will be putting the fifth cupcake into the magazine. The fifth cupcake only had molasses as a substitute . This cupcake turned out to be very sweet yet smooth and warm. I like this cupcake the best. Although my cupcakes did not rise as high as my controlled cupcakes, I think the cupcake turned out the way it did because molasses is an acid and for the fifth cupcake it did not contain the base, egg whites. Therefore an acid-base reaction did not occur within the fifth cupcake.



These pictures are the controlled cupcakes we baked. They turned out pretty good. They tasted moist and similar to cornbread. Overall I think the outcome was good.

Chiquitas journey.

For my food for thought class my classmates and I focused on one specific food, we had to take you through the process of how and where our food is grown, we had to find the geographical location, how it was cleaned, how it was transported, the process of doing this, what may occur when you have to do all these things for one specific food. The food I chose was the banana. I chose the banana because there is so much information regarding that food. My classmates and I created a Prezi, a Prezi is a live and more active slideshow. Through out my Prezi you can see the journey of the Chiquita banana. I chose to do specifically the Chiquita company because I felt that, they were one of the biggest banana companies I've already known about. During the process to find all the information it got difficult trying to take all the information you found into a clean presentable presentation. Overall I am proud of my Prezi and I hope you enjoy!

Organic Garden

In ‘Food,’ a STEM course, my classmates and I are studying ecology. We are focusing on the importance of plant nutrients, and how the different cycles work together. We also watched a TED talk by Ron Finley. What he’s trying to do is make south Central Los Angeles a more beautiful place with gardens. He encourages everybody to garden. He wants people to grow their own produce because stores in that area lacks fresh vegetables and fruits. If we take action by growing our vegetables and plants in a garden, it will inspire others to do the same.

My house is located in a somewhat busy neighborhood in Chicago. Since that is the case, I have chosen to construct a raised bed. By doing this, my crops will not interfere with the soil. It is also easier to transport the raised bed if we ever need to. The garden I designed will be 20 inches in height, 48 inches in length, and 48 inches in width. The volume will be approximately 46,080 cubic inches. My garden will be big enough to hold 10 different plants that I plan on growing. In order for my plants to grow healthy and survive, I will need 16 different nutrients. The three most important macronutrients (big nutrients that help the plant) are Nitrogen (N), Potassium (K), Phosphorus (P).

My classmates and I collected dirt and performed a soil sample. A soil sample is a test conducted on the soil to see if the soil has enough nutrients, and if not substitutes such as fish meal, a organic fertilizer can be added to make the soil healthier. Before doing the soil sample, I noticed that my dirt was very moist and seemed ‘alive’ to me, rather than dead. When I did the soil sample my hypothesis was right. My soil turned out to be sufficient in phosphorus (K3), sufficient in potassium, and surplus in Nitrogen(N4). I think my soil was surplus in nitrogen because, where I collected my soil there are small plants living there. This means that the plants are alive and releasing nitrogen into the soil.

Since my garden is sufficient in Potassium (K3), Phosphorus (P3), and surplus in Nitrogen (N4) I will not be adding substitutes into my soil because my soil is ‘alive’ and healthy. I believe my soil is healthy because there is plenty of sunlight hitting the plants in that area. There are currently plenty of plants growing that look healthy. Lastly, there is also a gardener that is one of my neighbors, she often takes care of the plants from time to time.

I will be planting broccoli with rosemary because it improves broccoli flavor, as well as, other crops. Broccoli loves calcium so pairing it with a plant is a good combination. Also rosemary keeps pests from the vegetable. I chose to plant carrots and lettuce together because flax produces an oil that protects the root of a vegetable like carrots from some pests. Beans and maize are good together because beans are good for heavy nitrogen users like corn (maize). Beans are Nitrogen fixers that add nitrogen back into the soil. The plant uses it up it is replaced at the end of the season when plants die. I chose beetroot and garlic because beetroot is good for adding minerals into the soil. It also provides garlic with better growth and flavor. Lastly, I chose basil and tomatoes. Basil repels flies and mosquitoes, and improves growth and flavor for the tomato.

My biggest takeaway from this action project was how important soil is. I never would have thought soil was so important to plants, especially the nitrogen cycle. I knew plants needed soil in order to survive but I did not know how dependent they are on soil. I think this action project was very informative about soil, and I am glad we studied it. I will implement my garden during the summer time when I have more time to care for a garden bed. I think by having this garden it will make my neighborhood a little prettier and hopefully inspire others to construct one too.

This is a sketch of my organic garden. The calculations are below.

citation(s):
"Companion Planting." Companion Planting. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.

The 'Heart' Broken Potato.

For my humanities class; food for thought my classmates and I focused on the unit; life. During the unit we talked about how and why humans transformed from the method hunting and gathering to  agrarian societies. We also learned more about crops and how, and where they originated from. In addition we focused on a crop of our choice. For this action project my classmates and I had to pick a crop and write an autobiography in the crops' point of view, we also had to take the persona of the crop. The crop I chose was the potato. I chose the potato because, although I don't eat it as a regular potato, I still consume it a lot in different forms (mashed potatoes, potato chips, and fries).  By choosing this crop it made me realize how much I consume this product. I am very thankful for the potato. My classmates and I also had to make a family tree based on food. By creating this tree it showed me that, although my family is 100 percent Nigerian they still enjoy American food, and food from other cultures. Down below is my autobiography on the potato, and my picture of my family tree.  

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Hello! Im a potato, I live on a farm in Live Oak, Florida. But my ancestors were originally from Peru in South America. We were domesticated 10,000 years ago. Followed by centuries of breeding there are now, thousands of different potatoes similar to me. I’m not just any ordinary potato. You see, i’m a special potato.I am in the shape of a heart. I am able to detect broken hearts in the potato community. I’ve been dodging mean farmers. There are three of them. Whenever the mean farmers come around I try my best to hide. I know what you're thinking, ‘’how can potatoes move?’’ Well I am the only potato that can and boy am I grateful! Although i'm getting very old, and my time may be soon. One day they might pick me up off the shelf, and take me to be washed, packed, and ready to be shipped, just to be a part of a dish.

I’m a gentle potato, quiet, and very kind to other potatoes. I am able to sense fear, danger, and pain from other potatoes that were taken from the fields too soon. Since I know my time is soon all I ask is to be incorporated into a great dish made by a foreign family, I've always wanted to be near foreign foods. I often smell the greasy American foods that the farmers eat. Weird, right? you'd think he’d eat healthy at least. You also may be thinking how could you, last so long?! I don’t even know, myself. It could be that wisdom thing,or the chosen one, right? Well i’m pretty sure i’m going to be ‘’chosen’’ soon.

One day I was trotting in the potato fields enjoying the sun when I heard two unfamiliar voices talking. I quickly stopped dead in my tracks so they didn’t see me walking. How freaky would that have been? I stood still for five minutes, carefully listening to their conversation. Apparently the farm was being sold to a big company with more workers. The deal was done and they went on their’ way. I was stunned. All these months I've been dodging two or three farmers, and now I would have to dodge who knows how many.

I could not sleep at all that night. I kept tossing and turning I didn’t want to actually meet my fate! Then I heard big footsteps coming towards me. I tried my best to hide, without getting caught, but the heavy footed guy noticed me first and picked me up. He shouted to his partner ‘’Hey look at this weird potato,’’ then threw me into a dark sack filled with other potatoes. I could sense that they were all scared and felt danger. I tried my best to keep them calm but it was no use. They all started panicking.

One potato, ‘’asked old great potato why are we in this dark sack?!’’ First of all, i’m not that old I and I feel great. Secondly, we are in this sack because our time is up, it is time that we go on to get washed, packed up, and shipped out to different places. ..’’Washed w-why do I need to be washed i’m not dirty, and packed up? Where to? Why do I have to be packed?’’ Calm down this is your fate as it is all of ours. You simply have to accept it. All the other potatoes started to weep, but there was nothing I could do.

After hours in the sack I could feel someone opening the back then..ouch! I was dropped on my head onto a conveyor belt, which hurt a lot. Suddenly I was picked up (again) and inspected for rotting. When I did not have a spot of rot, the mean man dropped me hard on my back. I was taken further down the conveyor belt, where I was washed with very hot water. I literally felt as if my skin was coming off! I tried my best not to scream, and I cried when it was over. I didn’t think this process was going to be so difficult. I just hoped that it was done. Then a man wearing gloves grabbed me and tossed me into a mesh sack with weeping potatoes. I tried my best to ignore it, then drifted to sleep.

When I opened my eyes I heard a faint ‘’beep’’. I started to panic I was being bought! I didn’t know whether to feel excited or sad. I was taken on a long ride, listening to a family deciding to go to Nigeria and London for the summer. They also decided on making meat pies for dinner. The mom wen't over the directions to her daughter saying, ''remember the potatoes have to be tender before putting them in the pies.'' I gasped, they're going to make me tender! That instantly reminded me of being washed. I started to cry again , I didn't want to meet my fate!

When the family arrived home I was put on the counter for a couple of hours. Then a girl opened the bag and picked ME out first. She stated ‘’hey mom look at this heart potato.’’ She washed me with warm water (thank goodness). Her mom started to tell her how this dish called 'meat pie' was a party favor in a Nigerian culture.it was really interesting learning a little bit about the dish, but then I felt a sharp pain it took a long time. I felt as if I was being chopped up (I was). I then realized she was cutting me right down the middle. My heart was now broken, I had lived a long potato life and I was glad. Now I may finally rest.

This is my family tree I created. Down below are my sibling and I. Then it connects to our parents, then it connects to my parents' brothers and sisters. All followed by they're favorite food

Citations:
"The Cambridge World History of Food- Potatoes (White)." The Cambridge World History of Food-Potatoes (White). N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

Life. "Where Did Potatoes Come From?" LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 19 Jan. 2013. Web. 18 Apr. 2014
Potato History and Fun Facts." Potato Goodness Potato History and Fun Facts Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.

"Potato Harvest Season." Oregon Rural Action. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.