Responses to: Thiking About the Text (Page 100)

1.       Katherine Spriggs explained how her subject is important on a personal level by writing about her life on rented farm land and her friend, Mr. Lermio, who is a local farmer. She convinced me that buying locally matters by involving global matters as well as local. When discussing topics similar to this, I personally like to know the cause and effect of the solution presented. Spriggs does an excellent job of giving examples of how buying local can change the world.

2.       There are many counterarguments presented throughout Katherine’s essay.  With each counter argument, she responds with facts that support her claim. For example: Katherine acknowledges a counterargument that claims that small farms are less effective than large farms. She responds to this by saying,” Small farms are less efficient than large farms in the total output of one crop per acre, but they are more efficient  in total output of all crops per acre (McCauley).” She further supports her evidence buy citing her information.

3.       I think that the most effective aspect of Spriggs’s essay is that she acknowledges the other point of view.  There are so many counter arguments to the topic she has chosen that she spent about half of her essay discussing them.  An example of this is when she wrote that critics have found negative global effects to buying locally. Then she responds with possible positive effects such as a reduction to the carbon footprint etc. I think that this is a risky move because it can make your position seem less appealing, but if used well it can further strengthen your claim.

4.       Katherine’s photos serve as examples of what she is currently discussing in her essay. For example: she used two photos to show the difference between a small, polyculture farm and a large, monoculture farm.