Every place had been displaced…
                                                                    to make way for the passage of the crowd…
                                                                    with their many eyes opened toward the objective
                                                                    which they did not yet perceive in the far distance,
                                                                    having never known where they were going,
                                                                    having never known where they came from.
                                                                                                                            Wendell Berry
 
        Avery Mann stopped to fuel up at the Quickie Mart on his way to the familial homestead in Southwest Wisconsin for Thanksgiving.  He looked forward to a break.  A break from the pressure of work, from burdening expectations, from the constant push to stay ahead of…of what?  He wasn’t sure.  
 
       Avery flipped up the gas pump lever and was barraged with “Gas-station TV” blaring from the pump screen. “You’ve got to be kidding,” he thought.  “Does our every minute need to be filled with someone’s idea of…entertainment?”  Inside the Quickie Mart every type of convenient, tasty, sweet, or salty, or greasy, or carb-filled snack imaginable gaily lined the shelves begging to be consumed – calories as hollow and unfulfilling as the gibberish gushing from the pump screen. 

       But soon the hills, bluffs and valleys of the Driftless Area began to pull him in.  As he wound his way down small country roads the weight of the uncertainty, of the drive to push ahead, of the need to impress, began to lift.  The beauty and atmosphere of this national treasure, the Driftless Area, began to work its magic.

       Thanksgiving – a time to pause, a time to consider the blessings bestowed instead of seeking that next hit of instant gratification either from the ever-present screen or on the shelves of the Quickie Mart.  We fortunate ones who live in the Driftless have a better chance than most of holding tight the sense of place that Wendell Berry fears may be rapidly slipping away.  Reflections of respect for place - the natural environment, culture, history, and one another, surround us.

       Avery pulled into the driveway and embraced the warmth of family.  “We’re so blessed to live in a place where folks cherish the land and each other.  Contrary to Berry’s lament, we DO know where we’ve come from and with guidance and grace CAN know where we’re headed.  May it be so for our children’s children because the Driftless Area and Earth itself are precious places.  And after all, where else would we go?  We’re here forever… Earthbound.”

       After grueling state and regional competitions, the four national finalists in The Great American Cook-Off had been selected.  These accomplished chefs would prepare their most delectable dishes in hopes of winning the coveted Feed the World Golden Cornucopia.

       Portney prepared his lip-smacking barbequed pork ribs.  Baron’s Beef Wellington emanated eloquent dining at its finest.  For down-home comfort food Betty’s Boston Baked Beans are unbeatable.  And Chico cooked up his mouth-watering spicy chicken enchiladas.
   
       The judges carefully sampled each dish - sniffing, tasting, delighting in the texture of every morsel then solemnly convened in the back of the auditorium.  The contestants waited nervously and finally the head judge took to the podium.  “Ladies and Gentlemen.  After compiling the scores, it seems we have a 4-way tie!  Tie-breaker rules will apply.  The winner of the Golden Cornucopia will be the chef whose prepared dish feeds the world most efficiently.”

       Tiny beads of perspiration immediately popped out on Baron’s forehead.  He knew the delicious steer he was serving up was notoriously inefficient as a food source.  On average, to make just one 4 oz. serving of his dish requires about 7 lbs. of grain and forage and over 50 gallons of water.  About 96% of the protein that goes into a steer is lost before it becomes dinner on the table.

       Meanwhile, Portney felt a glimmer of confidence.  He didn’t know about the other two contestants, but he did know that on average hogs are more than 3 times as efficient in converting feed into protein for human consumption than are cattle.

       But Chico’s the one who couldn’t suppress a grin.  His beloved chickens, as well as other poultry, are efficiency experts.  Poultry are about 8 times better at changing chicken feed into Sunday dinner than are beef cattle.  In fact, at least one study shows that if the U.S. completely replaced cattle with poultry the additional calories and protein would feed about 130 million more Americans.
 
       Not surprisingly, the Golden Cornucopia went to Betty and her humble beans. “I love a juicy burger on occasion,” commented Betty.  “But I also love exploring new recipes using chicken, beans and veggies. And while grass-fed cattle from Southwest Wisconsin undoubtedly beat the averages, just how many 50-gallons-of-water-per-quarter-pounders can Mother Earth afford to supply?  It’s something to consider because this is our only home.  We’re here forever… Earthbound.”