Building Stronger Communities Through Sustainable Agriculture

Farewell but Not Goodbye

2011-12-08T16:45:00.000-08:00

For the first time in media history information dissemination is no longer in the hands of the few. Anyone with web access can create a blog and begin telling their story, whatever that maybe. Through this medium of blogging people can share ideas, connect, communicate, and build on those ideas and dialogues. Wow! It's pretty amazing to think about being a voice that's heard, even if only by a few others.

I have a newfound appreciation for those who blog daily, or even weekly, and do it well. It takes time, energy, and a tremendous amount of thought to continuously create worthwhile material. Fortunately this was just a test drive for me, so the pressure was off, but for those who perform in the realm of professional blogging, I salute you.

What and how we eat has a tremendous impact on us, our communities, and our planet. It's an extremely important topic and one in which I think I'll always be involved with in one way or another. I plan to continue blogging about these issues in my local community, because bringing the topic down from the 30,000 ft. level to the tangible local level is far more impacting.

If you want to create positive social and environmental change and don't know where to start. Look no further than your next meal. Just think, you can preserve the planet one delicious bite at a time.

Here is a sampling of some great organizations working in this realm:

http://www.slowfoodusa.org/

http://www.slowmoney.org/

http://www.livingeconomies.org/

http://www.foodroutes.org/buylocal.jsp

http://www.localharvest.org/

15 Minutes of Fame for My Favorite Superfood

2011-12-08T15:58:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season for holiday cheer and hardy winter greens, such as my personal favorite, kale. It's a farmers market staple and as noted in NPR's food blog is gaining greater popularity throughout the U.S. One guy even began printing "Eat More Kale" t-shirts to show his true love for kale, only to be bullied by Chic-fil-a for "stealing" their tag line.

Maybe it's because I was raised on fresh greens, with kale representing the majority, or maybe it's because kale chips are sustaining me through the overly busy two years of grad school, but I love this leafy green superfood. So much so that I think I'll order a couple of t-shirts and support Team Kale.

Building Local Economy in Port Townsend, WA

2011-11-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

Don't just buy local, invest local!

In Port Townsend, WA a network of community members have collaborated to jump start and support their community through the power of investing. The key here is that they're keeping it local. The Local Investing Opportunities Network, or LION, holds a mission of building prosperous local businesses, by investing money in their community, to help build a more resilient and sustainable community.

One example of a business the LION network has supported is the Mt. Townsend Creamery, a Port Townsend based cheese maker founded by Matt Day and Ryan Trail. They had a vision of reviving the Olympic peninsula's waining dairy industry, and providing their community with good jobs and delicious cheese. They found a facility that would work, but only had half of the capital necessary to fund the endeavor. In stepped the LION network who funded the remaining half, and the rest is history.

The creamery had $1.2 million in sales and is happily repaying the local investors with interest. One investor even receives his "dividends" in the form of fresh, local, delicious cheese. Now that's local food & local economy at its finest.

Going from Movement to Normal Life

2011-11-29T09:22:00.000-08:00

"The phrase 'local food economy' wasn’t one I was familiar with until very recently. As it turns out, I’ve been a local foodie for some time now without ever realizing it." Little City Kitchen Co. blog

I've heard similar statements before in my own work and personally I look forward to the day when local food, local economy, organic agriculture, slow money, etc. is not a revolutionary movement, but just is. Thankfully these topics and their many components such as farmers markets and "Local Business Saturday" are gaining momentum in the media and society, but really they should and could just be the norm of how we as citizens and communities participate in commerce. It's ironic that there's such a buzz about these movements toward local and regional economies, because this is the way humans have lived for ages, and the way that many still do in other countries. It just makes sense, that's right good ol' common sense, to eat fresh food grown in your own yard or at least your own county. Does it make sense to burn millions of gallons of fossil fuels to grow and transport food around the globe, when it could be grown with little to no fossil fuel close to home?

Ben Drury wrote an excellent blog post recently about the tar sands oil in Canada and the dark future that its extraction entails. Watching the trailer of the video on his blog, it's impossible not to feel sad and outraged about the destruction that our thirst for fossil fuels continues to cause. We often feel helpless and point our collective finger at the oil companies or the government and demand them to do something. When in fact, it's our collective everyday decisions that create a need for fossil fuels, a need which any good capitalistic system will fill.

If we want to stop further fossil fuel use and environmental degradation, one of the easiest and most immediate things we can do is begin eating locally grown food. Given the fact that the average piece of produce in the average grocery store travels 1,500 miles, it's no wonder we're seeking new oil sources.

First Organic Cranberry Farm in Washington State

2011-11-28T12:20:00.000-08:00

In this story from KUOW radio Jessika Tantisook, a fellow BGI student and one half of Starvation Alley Farms, is interviewed about her and her partner's attempt to transition their Long Beach, WA cranberry farm into Washington's first certified organic cranberry farm. As is the case with all organic farms, especially small family farms the transition process and maintenance of organic methods greatly increases the workload and many uncertainties. Using organic methods to fend off disease and pests can be twice as difficult and costly, leaving organic farmers with difficult choices. However, organic farming looks beyond the immediate and works to create a healthy environment that promotes healthy plants, which in turn fend off disease and pest. As is the case with Starvation Alley, they desire to deliver the tastiest and healthiest product while supporting their land and community. Sure they could farm with pesticides and herbicides, but what long term negative effects does that have on the very land and people that sustain them?

It's a beautiful thing to see adventurous, hardworking, passionate, and conscious people embark on such an endeavor. I personally hope they succeed on their own farm and set the precedent for all other PNW cranberry farmers to follow. Go get 'em Jessika!

Interesting Local Food Stories

2011-11-14T14:52:00.001-08:00

Here are couple of interesting local food and agriculture related stories from NPR.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/11/14/142306970/local-food-is-no-small-potatoes-farmers-rake-in-almost-5-billion

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/11/14/142303900/farmland-is-real-estates-big-bright-spot

How do we change eating habits? Make it fun!

2011-11-13T16:37:00.000-08:00

Our eating habits are based on the commercial society in which we live, our tastes, how we were raised, our geographic location, our culture, and even our religious beliefs. These habits are often so engrained, it seems an impossible task to try and coax even minor changes toward local and organic products. However, there's one great way to open people's eyes and motivate them to step outside of the box and try something new, that is both beneficial for them and the environment. Make it fun!

This week team "Put a Cran on It" is launching our fun filled campaign to bring awareness to the incredible edible Washington state cranberry, and more importantly showcase Starvation Alley Farm, Washington states very soon to be one and only certified organic cranberry farm.

Many Americans know cranberries only as the stuff from a can that goes with Thanksgiving dinner, or the dried snack known as craisins. However cranberries are a delicious superfood that can be enjoyed year round, fresh or frozen, in a wide variety of recipes.

Our "Put a Cran on It" campaign encourages anyone and everyone to purchase some fresh cranberries, hopefully from Starvation Alley Farm at the Pike Place Market in Seattle, and put them on whatever they choose, as long as it's "decent," and send in their photo or video of them "Putting a Cran on It." This leaves the creativity and fun in the hands of our social network, and will hopefully spread the word about this delicious fruit and the importance of family farms and Starvation Alley's admirable mission.

So "Put a Cran on It", have some fun, and send in your photo or video.

Eating Local Fights Terrorism?

2011-10-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Yep, it sounds odd at first, but our industrial food system is highly exposed to terrorist threats.

This fact has even made the "why eat local" lists.

From the Life Begins at 30 Blog.

"Last December, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson resigned his post. At the news conference announcing his resignation, Secretary Thompson spoke regarding the possibility of a bioterror attack on the food supply, saying 'For the life of me, I cannot understand why the terrorists have not attacked our food supply because it is so easy to do.'"

This is still the case with our industrial food system. As our food supply is controlled by fewer companies and funneled through fewer aggregation and distribution points, we expose ourselves to greater risks of harmful contamination, be it deliberate such as an active terrorism or merely accidental.

The strength and resiliency of our food system comes from diversity, and small family farms drive diversity. I use the "fight terrorism" argument when confronted by those individuals who don't, and I quote, "give a rat's ass about local food, local economy, or family farms." They usually do give a rat's ass about terrorism, and are often more inclined to lend an ear and explore the options of eating outside of the industrial supply chain and inside of their community.

Every Meal Has a Story

2011-10-23T17:32:00.000-07:00

My first movie, ever! My untrained eye and skills certainly resonate here, but hopefully the message comes across. Please enjoy and provide feedback.

Joel Salatin on Farming and Food

2011-10-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

Stuanton, VA farmer and sustainable food advocate Joel Salatin doing what he does best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxTfQpv8xGA&feature=related

Food Action Day & Local Food Facts

2011-10-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

Farmers markets are blossoming around the country with a 17% increase from 2010 to 2011.

Local food directly supports local economy.

Buying local anything directly supports local economy.

The argument for local food systems.

Make a Connection for Blog Action Day

2011-10-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, I'd like to give a shout out and connect readers to Taryn's blog which covers many of the "why" go local and organic reasons. Keep up the good work Taryn!

Thankfully our options in the U.S. for procuring local, organic, and sustainable foods are rapidly expanding. Farmers markets, community supported agriculture programs (CSA's), urban farms, community gardens, cooperatives, and backyard do-it-yourself gardeners are sprouting like mushrooms after a fall rain. But why are these small scale food initiatives expanding and why do I and others strongly advocate for greater participation in the "local food revolution?" This is an easy but very in depth question to answer, so I'll tackle a different and distinct aspect in each new post, and do my best to tell the story. Without the growth of the above mentioned food options, we wouldn't be able to have this conversation, but it's the underlying why that's driving this process, and is most interesting to me.

A picture is worth a thousand words and I think the above picture tells the first story quite well, the story of connection. When we involve ourselves as customers in a direct marketing food initiative such as a farmers market or CSA, we usually interact directly with the person who's grown our food, the very thing that sustains and nourishes us. This immediate and direct connection forms a mutual and bonding relationship. Without the farmer, we don't eat, and without us, neither does the farmer. Yep, this is good ol' capitalism at its finest, the supplier needs customers and the customers need suppliers.

Beyond the business transaction, this relationship creates a deeper bond. We can ask the farmer about their practices; "is the produce organically grown, how do you treat your animals, how do you treat your land or workers, what's your favorite recipe," etc. Some farmers even offer farm tours, allowing us to see and touch the land, ask more questions, and build stronger personal relationships. This is what it's all about, connection and relationships, relationships that rely on mutual trust and respect. Now we have an economic, communal, and environmental connection. The farmer's food nourishes our health, our dollar nourishes their family and recirculates within our community, and the whole process directly nourishes the farmers land and, in the case of local, the greater environment through carbon emission reductions.

It's sadly humorous when I think about our modern food system. If I eat a conventional item out of a standard grocery store, say a green pepper, I have no clue about it's life. Where was it grown, how was it grown, who grew it, how long has it been on the shelf, how many people have handled it, and how many places has it passed through on its journey to my hand? Here it is, the most basic of necessities, the very thing that sustains my life force, and I have no clue about its history, no connection to its process, and no relationship with its grower. The only assurances I have are those of the USDA and the corporation that's selling it to me. I'm sure they have my best interest at the top of their list.

But if you buy a green pepper from your local farmers market, you can look the person in the eye and shake their hand, and they'll happily tell you who they are, where they grew it, how they grew it, and that the only hands that have touched it are their own.

In my experience, farmers like to talk about what they do, and they like to talk about how they do it, but they love to talk about why they do it. More often than not, these "why" stories focus on a connection to the land, a mutual relationship, that is not merely passed on to us as customers, but that which includes and relies on our participation and our collaboration.

I encourage everyone to visit a farmers market or take a local farm tour. Even if you don't want to buy anything, just start a conversation, make the connection, and see where it leads.

We All Gotta Eat

2011-10-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

In this age of abundance and rapid technological advancement, we often forget that we're biological creatures. We have smart phones, ever present wifi, fast cars, jets that will take us around the world in a matter of hours, endless entertainment options, stylish clothing, advanced buildings, and food anytime anywhere. While this is not true for everyone throughout the world, this is true for a large number of members of western societies. However, no matter what our "advances" may be, we're still humans, and still biological beings. We first require air, without which we'd last a matter of minutes, we still require water, without which we'd last a week at best, and we still require nutrition from food, without which we'd last a couple of months at most. It's this latter need, that I'd like to bring our attention to.

Food. For many of us in the western world, it's a complete after thought. Eating is something we do for pleasure more than necessity. In the melting pot of America, we have everything under the sun; raw, cooked, processed, packaged, and just short of being digested for us.

Food comes from the grocery store, or the convenience store, or the restaurant, with the land, sunshine, water, farmer, community, and good luck completely detached from the end product.

Think about it, even the most processed item, say a Twinkie, has to get its man made chemically derived raw ingredients from somewhere. Yep, somewhere, way way back in that Twinkie's supply chain is an ear of corn, or a sugar cane stalk, or some nuclear waste.

Well the fact is that food doesn't come from the grocery store, it comes from nature. Yep, even the all mighty human being is still reliant on the natural world for life's true necessities.

What we eat, when we eat, and how we eat has an incredible impact on the world in which we live. Every day we vote with our dollars. If you go to the nearest grocery store and buy a conventional tomato in the winter, you're probably voting primarily for the grocery store and its stockholders, secondarily for some middle man, and way down at the bottom for a large industrial farm. "But what about the farmer?" Industrial farms don't have farmers, they have contracts and migrant workers who are often paid very little and treated very poorly.

"But that tomato is cheap and available anytime of the year." On this you are correct, so you just voted for your wallet and your convenience. But you voted against the environment, against migrant laborers, against your local farmer, your local economy, and your local community.

What's my point?

The point is that our connection and relationship with food has vast implications that spread like rings on a rippling pond far beyond our narrow personal scope. For those of us always seeking to find ways in which we can help the Earth, help our fellow beings, and live better more sustainable lives, one of the easiest, most rewarding, healthful, and delicious ways to do so, is through conscious eating.

We all gotta eat and this is my attempt to show local-food, local-economy, and the impact food has on our personal health, our community health, and our environmental health.