It makes no sense...

Farmers in Florida are chopping down their strawberry crops... it is so incredibly unbelievable to me, how thoughtless these actions are. To some of us, they are just strawberries. To the farmers, the only thing they are thinking is that they are losing money on them... apparently from the freezing temperatures this winter they had to take drastic measures to save the crops, and as a result of the cost to save them, and the fact that the strawberries are just now becoming ripe, there are too many to make a profit on them, so rather than sell them (they would lose money to ship them anywhere) they are cutting up their crops. Thousands upon thousands of strawberries wasted... there are food banks and homeless shelters all over the place, and instead of donating them, or selling them for really cheap, they are throwing them away. I understand that strawberries can't be sent overseas to places that are starving, and that these farmers need to make a living too, but the money is already gone. It won't hurt anyone to share the extra. There is one farmer who has "changed his mind" and is letting anyone who wants them come and take away as much as they want for free. At least someone has come to their senses.

I just think that this is a sign of the selfishness and greed of our culture. Here in America we don't have to think twice about throwing away food (and sometimes other stuff too.) Most of us get what we want, when we want it... food, clothing, material possessions. I knew a girl in college who had so many clothes she forgot which ones she already bought, and had multiples of shirts and pants... sometimes three or four multiples! And how many of us cook too much food for dinner, and then throw away the rest, because "We just don't like leftovers..." (I know that sometimes I do that because, really, mashed potatoes are not that good microwaved...) I am feeling especially convicted of senseless waste... I think that its time I counted the things that I have, rather than the things I have not, and become a better example to my children of how blessed we truly are.