(Farm)hand-to-Table

A creative submission for the Ursula Franklin essay series
 

Whose realities are not included in our “real world”
of food?

VernacularReality_MushroomPack.png
ProjectedReality_MushroomPack.png
ConstructedReality_MushroomPackage.png

Constructed Reality

Notes:
Relates to a collective constructed reality but also the one we experience as an extension of Canadian history
Built upon the agrarian myth in Canada that food is handpicked in pastoral environments
Prioritization of organic and USDA certification as a preferable food narrative
No mention of labour practices
ConstructedReality_MushroomPackage.png

Vernacular Reality

Notes:
-Mushroom labour in Ontario is often indentured or unfree in the sense that workers are locked into closed working permits and are not allowed to leave the facility
-They are given a quota of 60 pounds an hour, which amounts to 136 packages an hour
-Labour is divided into picking, packaging and transportation roles
-Mention increased use of forced biometrics
VernacularReality_MushroomPack.png

Projected Reality

Notes:
-Robotic mushroom suction cups are being tested to replace human labour in Canada
-Designed to support mushroom employers with inconsistent labour practices rather than the labourers themselves - see Vineland Research Institute’s robot demo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjHM3wDV6Wg&ab_channel=VinelandComm
ProjectedReality_MushroomPack.png
Constructed Reality
Vernacular Reality
Projected Reality
Vernacular Reality
Projected Reality
Constructed Reality