Future Food

Growing up in South Carolina and Texas, I was always surrounded by farmers and ranchers. Watching my family and neighbors care for livestock and provide for their communities filled me with a sense of pride and deepened my love for nature. Over the last few years, I noticed a shift in my local agricultural community, less local produce at our markets, and increased prices. Many of our local farmers began to sell their land due to the increasing temperatures and severe droughts. Their crops consistently died, and the harsh weather began to harm livestock. Their once beautiful land that united our community became empty parking lots and new carwashes.

Living in this current day is no easy task; we are in the middle of biodiversity mass extinction and experiencing heightened climate change effects, all while needing to feed a growing population. This series shows the potential future of food and questions why certain ingredients are more acceptable than others. Bugs are used as substitutes in various recipes to explore how they could be incorporated into our daily lives. The bugs within the dish are chosen based on their protein and how they could be used for the meal. This series takes common comfort foods and alters them in subtle and intriguing ways.

Food is vital to our existence; it keeps us alive and creates ways to connect with others. The fact that our family recipes and culinary experiences could be changed in a few years is a future many do not want to dwell on or are unaware of. Inspired by local farmer’s struggles, these photos ask viewers to question their consumption habits and what they are willing to eat to survive.