Connecting Farmers & Food Lovers

The Meaning of Food

In 2004 PBS aired an interesting three-part series called The Meaning of Food, a social documentary about food as it relates to life, culture, and family. My favorite episode is part three, in which the documentary focuses on several different families and discusses how food has played a large role in their lives.

The Meaning of Food is available at the Odegaard Media Center and it is also streaming on Netflix.

What Can Be Done?

An clear and interesting guide I found: How-to: Eat Local

http://www.worldchanging.com/local/seattle/archives/008238.html

Previously, I have discussed several food movement stategies that I thought were important, but not entirely practical. I found the guide linked above, and I feel that it represents an easy way for anyone to get involved in local food movements. And really, it is quite simple. The idea is to become a locavore- or to eat foods that are produced and processed within 100 miles of where you live.

The guide doesn't suggest that you radically change your behavior, but instead says that one should "ease in" to the new habits. In addition, I found the point about bottled water to be especially important. Bottled water is often a complete waste, polluting the world in exchange for profit. By choosing not to help that industry, you're not exactly making a big difference, but you are taking a simple step that can't hurt the general direction we're headed in.

It's the little things that count. They add up. This is why I think that grander schemes are often hard to implement successfully. Education is an important component of this. If the people are educated about environmental truths, they will have more incentive to make healthy decisions. Often, it seems as if the general public cannot make the connection between pollution and a ruined future. Why worry about recycling when my neighbores don't anyway? Why pick up this trash that will end up on the ground somewhere else? It's easy to pass the responsibility off.

All that the individual can do is practice eco-friendly habits and find new and innovative ways to spread the information. And really, as far as I can see, until some catastrophic event happens that will allow people to make the connections neccessary to see the importance of environmentally friendly actions, this is all we can do.

Good luck, world.

RECORD 41.8 MILLION PEOPLE ON FOOD STAMPS 9-15-2010

As I was cruising the internet, I stumbled upon this video about the rates of Food Stamps. Here in the United States, we have reached an all time high of Food Stamp users at 41.8 million people. That means that for ever seven people in the United States, at least one person is provided food from the government. Before Food Stamps was a program designed for people who did not have jobs and needed help with the basic necessities of life. But now, many have jobs and are also using Food Stamps to supplement their income. The reason for all this? The current economic recession. People who at one time were not eligible for Food Stamps now are and to the pool of our economic crisis.

Although most people on Food Stamps are in desperate need for the service, I just can't think that a lot of people are just abusing the privilege. I will admit to considering applying for Food Stamps last year as I am a broke college student with bills to pay. But I rejected my consideration due to the fact that others who are more needy then myself need the program more so. I mean why wouldn't you go on Food Stamps...It's Free! Are we to say that moral judgement is supposed to hold our standards as to what is right or wrong? No way! We like in a modern Capitalist society who loves oil, football, and hunting. Or are we?

Watch this video on Food Stamps and I ask you to consider at what point do we feel that we need to be supplemented food by the government? If you lost your job would you apply? What about losing a girlfriend of boyfriend? What constitutes this idea that at one point you must become even more reliable on the government to later bound your feet to the shackles of Uncle Sam's lair!

Traditional Mexican cuisine - ancestral, ongoing community culture, the ...

 

This video is about 10 min long, but the information on this short video is really important as it shows the power food has towards the Mexican culture. In the video it explains the importance of passing down recipes to new generations so that their cuisines never die. So food in a way is part of how these Mexican people identify themselves. From personal experience I myself have made it my mission to learn some of the Mexican foods my mother prepares; but these foods have been passed down from generation to generation. I can see how many of the people in the video identify themselves with the foods they create as it is a part of who they are. In a way it serves as a tool to connect with their ancestors whom have passed these foods. For the video being this short, I feel like it is very informative and educational. It helped evaluate the relationship between food and people as a whole.

The Crop Mob

The links:

http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/crop-mob-atlanta
Article detailing "Crop Mob"

http://www.cropmobatl.com/
Crop Mob's blog

Once again, my post theme is to find small examples of change that may translate into larger models of success. I found information on a group from Atlanta that calls themselves the "Crop Mob."

This group volunteers at local farms during the weekend, and may perhaps be likened to a flash mob. The founder, Kimberly Coburn, says that, “Nothing is more basic than the food we eat and we need to help people re-forge the relationship between food, land, people, and how each feeds the other.” I feel like this vision fits perfectly with the themes explored in this class. The article goes on to describe the fulfilling nature of the work, especially for those from the city.

The question is,

Are the people likely to participate in and enjoy these types of activities doing so because they are passionate about it or because it is intrinsically satisfying?

I have no experience working on a farm, so I don't have a baseline to go off of. I have no doubts that the work is immediately satisfying, but it seems like the people who are doing this are already passionate about foodways. What would prompt average citizens to partake in small movements like these?

Society is not laid out in such a way that this type of movement could expand. Farms are clustured together far from urban areas, making them impractical to travel to. To me, it seems like the farmers need to somehow move to the cities, rather than having the citygoers moving to the farmers.

The type of society where the general population helps to produce food with farmers is entirely possible, but our current framework will resist this. It's essentially like fitting a circular peg into a star shaped hole. One of the "items" needs to change drastically to cooperate with the other. Right now, farming and urban life are not in sync. I appriciate groups like Crop Mob Atlanta, and the publicity they create is powerful and progressive. I do not believe, however, that this type of movement represents the future.

Cultural Unity Fair: Wapato Middle School

In 1982, a group of teachers and school leaders decided to organize an event to combat the perception that gangs dominated the Wapato community. The event has become an annual tradition in which many of the school clubs such as European (CUB) Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlan (MEChA), Asian Youth Organization (AYO), and Native American (NA) would make some of the cultural foods to sell to the community.

This is one of the schools major events as it allows the whole community to gather at a special event in which it showcases many of the different cultures in the Wapato community. Wapato is probably one of the most diverse cities in the lower Yakima Valley as its residents include Native Americans, Caucasians, Japanese, Filipinos, Hispanics, and African Americans. 

I think that one of the important features of this event is the ability for the community to be exposed to the diversity of foods from all ethnicities. For example: CUB club would sell pizza, hotdogs, fries and cupcakes. MEChA club would sell enchilidas, ceviche, nachos, and flan. AFAS club would sell pansit, lumpia, fried rice and fortune cookies. NA club would sell smoked salmon and fried bread. Each year these clubs switch foods; these were just some of the examples from the year I experienced the event.

Not only does the event help create a connection with food, but also with entertainment. Many of the clubs perform traditional dances that have been a part of their culture for many years. From balancing glass cups on their heads to bashing machetes and everything in between these students perform to entertain the community. Many of the dances have been passed down by older students and have remained a part of the school for many years.

This event has created a way for many of the ethnicities to gather in the same place and have the ability to share the diversity the town has to offer. This is something that will always be important in the community and will continue raising its standards to connect everyone, even if it is with food or entertainment.     

Sarah Palin: Connecting with Yup’ik Eskimos

There is a new show on TLC called Sarah Palin’s Alaska and in this show we get an overview of the different things to do in Alaska while learning about Sarah’s family as well. On one of the episodes we learn about her husband’s extended family and it happens to be that they are Yup’ik Eskimos. Something that really caught my attention was the way Palin’s family was able to explore a new culture and what better way to do it than that of her own family.

What was really important about this segment was how Sarah’s daughter got taught the rituals of filleting, chopping and stringing salmon the way the Yup’ik people do. I feel that it is important for people to learn how to cook or prepare traditional foods from their own cultures especially if they never have before. This is a great way to connect food and people at the same time as it is important to learn how cultures have lived through generations.

 

In the show we meet Lena, Palin’s husband’s grandmother who instructs them throughout the process. For the first part of the show we see how Lena uses a tool called the ulus that helps fillet the fish and Palin’s family is able to learn how to use this instrument. Without hesitation the family gets right to work and without any complaining. The next process was to string the fish for the reason that they would be hung in the next process which was smoking the strips. The strips were then hung in a little smokehouse and in the middle of it was a small fire. Through this process the smoke would then dry out the fish and that is how it would cook.

Palin’s family was able to learn a traditional custom that the Yup’ik people do and that was an amazing experience as they were able to feel, smell, and hear information that in do reality belongs to them. Her ancestors used the same process to store up on food especially during winter times and for them to have experience what her people went through is just remarkable.

Sarah Palin’s Alaska on TLC:                  
http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/sarah-palin-alaska/

2010 Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation Community Advocates of the Year

2010 Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation Community Advocates of the Year
Focused on water usage issues that ultimately effected the farming of Taro.
It is inspiring to see people's hard work paying off in the end and then being reorganized for it as well :)

Join the Fight and Spread the Word!

Here is some information that I gathered together from other blogs about the causes and affects of Genetic Modification (GMO) on Taro (Kalo).  (http://www.islandbreath.org/2008Year/01-farming/0801-01SaveHaloa.html)

“What you should know about Genetic Modification of Kalo:
Danger! Genetically modified kalo can cross-pollinate with native kalo varieties and the unknown and potentially dangerous effects to the species, our environment and our local agriculture business and economy can be irreversibly permanent! There is no complete research to understand what long term threats to human health may come from eating genetically modified kalo. Genetic modification is an imprecise and short-sighted attempt at a solution to stresses that Hawaiian kalo agriculture faces when clean abundant water is no longer made available to farms. Hawaiians have been successfully breeding and farming many varieties of kalo for thousands of years- time & experience have proven that species diversity & access to clean water is what is needed for a sustainable agriculture industry that can feed our islands. 

Genetic modification of kalo is culturally disrespectful. Genetically modifying and patenting kalo is culturally inappropriate because kalo is both a fundamental and also sacred food source to Hawaiians, who understand that their shared ancestry began with Haloa the Kalo. Haloa the Kalo was the first kalo plant born from the ancient gods and became food for his younger brother, Haloa the Human- child of the same gods and the first human ancestor of Hawaiians. Haloa the Human was given the kuleana (responsibility) to take care of his older brother, Haloa the Kalo, who would in turn provide food for all humans. It must be understood: Kalo is not only a staple food source for people in Hawai'i, Kalo is also a member of our family, Kalo is our Kupuna!

Who "owns" the right to grow kalo? Patents associated with GM kalo create false ownership rights of what is now a free-to-grow traditional food source. The right to freely grow kalo should never be a commodity. Corporately owned food technology is increasing and people of developed countries are becoming LESS healthy. Food science shows over and over that traditional diets are best. World over, our food sources and diets are being patented, processed, and removed from the people. It's time to say, "Stop!"

I agree with everything that is said in this article 100 percent! What really got me is the statement of “Who “owns the right to grow kalo?” After doing research on this topic and the constant debates of Taro, I realized that this is not the only problem out there in the world going on.  Power and ownership is a constant struggle that has been going on for centuries all over the world.  People’s greed and selfishness lead them to wanting to take over something that isn’t theirs.  Such as land, food, people, sources, taro, etc.  This is a fight that everyone is constantly partaking in.  As for the Native Hawaiians and their fight for keeping their sacred plant (taro) from ownership, can only be accomplished if everyone comes together.  The problem is that people are not aware of this problem, especially the youth!  If you are reading this blog I ask that you spread the word! And help aid in the fight of preserving the traditional and sacred rights of a culture!  Please don’t let one’s history/past fade away… 

Origin Story and Cultural Significance of Taro

The Origin Story/Farmer's Stories

To gain a better understanding of the significance of Taro or Kalo to the Hawaiian culture please watch this video! In hopes that you understand why there is such a big dispute of GMO's and patents on Taro!

Moving Forward!

He keiki aloha na mea kanu. (Beloved children are the plants)

A hearing on the billSB958 (the 10 year Moratorium on Genetic Modification of Taro) took place on March 19^th, 2008. Here is a sample of the Testimonial that was presented by the Native Activists.

Name:
Organizations:
Neighborhood:
Town, Zip Code:
Phone/Email:

SUBJECT: TESTIMONY- IN SUPPORT SB958
10 Year Moratorium on the GMO Taro

Aloha Legislators,

We write to ask that you support the 10 year moratorium on all forms of genetic modification and patenting of the taro (kalo) plant species. For 1200 years farmers in Hawai'i have cared for and protected the most varieties of taro on the planet. In Hawai'i taro is the plant of the people- it is our living culture and ancient history, native nutrition and ecological tradition. Taro provides a beloved and unique hypo-allergenic food, medicine, sustainable agriculture and industry for Hawaii. Genetically modifying any variety of taro is culturally disrespectful and also poses irreversible and irresponsible dangers to our food, health, environment and economy.

I support sustainable farming & precautionary scientific research that does not expose the taro species to the disrespect and risks of genetic engineering. I ask that the legislators actively support farmers/scientists in publicly accepted and safely advanced methods of protecting taro from land & water issues and invasive pests & diseases.

Taro is an incomparably sacred and valuable part of our island community. We join mahi'ai (farmers) of Hawai'i in calling on you and your fellow legislators to protect all of us and Hawaii's unique culture and resources by passing a law to provide a 10 year moratorium on the genetic modification and patenting of all varieties of the taro plant species.

Malama Haloa! Malama Pono,
Hawai`i SEED/GMO-Free Maui
808-572-1865

It is inspiring to see how the Native Hawaiians are able to come together and unite for such a cause. Many of the activists created websites, blogs, forums, and where able to spread the word about this taro controversy.  Yet the battle has just begun, and they are still seeking more people to help fight this war of patents on taro.  

Native Hawaiians Protest Patent on the Sacred Taro Plant

(Here is picture of a baby as the “root” of the Taro.  This picture depicts the origin story of the Native Hawaiian people, and how “Kalo” is the source of the people)

Continued from earlier post….

"We're saying you cannot own our taro, you cannot own our taro. It's so simple!"

“Hawaiian activists and farmers are demanding that the University of Hawaii (UH) give up its patents on three lines of taro whose lineage extends back to Polynesian taro first brought to the Islands centuries ago. The University was granted U.S. patents on the varieties in 2002, and has also sought world-wide patent rights.”

This article came out on May 19^th, 2006 by the Organic Consumers Association.  Here is a link to the article if you would like view it: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_504.cfm

This debate about patenting Taro between the Native Hawaiian Activists and the University of Hawaii has been going on for the past several years.  Although I can see both sides of the arguments.  

Native Activists are outraged that even the thought of this sacred plant being “owned” is oppressing to the people.  NO corporations or by that matter even Universities should have the right to put ownership on something is sacred/culturally significant to one’s culture. 

The University of Hawaii argues that they are only doing this to “protect” the taro.  They argue that if they were not the first ones to put a patent on the Taro, or even stepped down and took no action at all, then other corporations would do it. 

I however am on the Native Activists side.  Even though the University of Hawaii has a valid point of “someone else coming into patenting the taro,” still doesn’t mean that THEY have the right to do it.  Taro or Kalo has NO OWNERSHIP.  It has been here even before humans have been on this planet.  Taro is so culturally significant to many Pacific Islanders culture that some even have ceremonies for Taro.  In several Polynesian cultures it is believed that Taro was given to the native people directly from the Gods.  Now tell me, how can you patent that? 

Just something to think about….

Intro to Taro!

In the Pacific Islands, Taro is believed to be one of the earliest cultivated plants.  Taro is a tropical plant that primarily is grown as a root vegetable.  Taro is a starchy plant that consists of carbohydrates that provides natives with the energy they need.  Taro is a big factor when it comes to the culture of Pacific Islanders.  The whole process of planting the seed of the Taro, harvesting it, and then feeding it to the people is a whole cultural history in itself. 

I am Samoan and Hawaiian and grew up hearing origin stories of Taro as much as I ate it.  In Hawai’i the native word for taro is “kalo” which appears in many creation stories of the Hawaiian people.  For example this creation story of the Hawaiian people shows how “kalo” is the source and strength of the Hawaiian people.  

They say that Papa Honomaku, the Earth Mother and Wakea, the sky father came together and birthed a beautiful girl named  Ho’ohokukalani, the stars.

Ho’ohokukalai and Wakea came together to create a child who was born premature and alu`alu, watery or deformed. They named the child Haloa Naka Lau Kapalili, buried it into the ground and after Ho’ohokukalani wept upon the grave the kalo plant sprung forth.

Wakea and Ho’ohokukali came together again and created their second child, the strong baby boy also named Haloa. The kalo in the earth became the sustenance for the younger brother Haloa the Man, and the genealogy of the Hawaiian people was forever linked to the sacred kalo.

As you can see taro or “kalo” has deep roots in the Hawaiian culture.  That is why controversy is sparked when there are big named companies who come into Hawaii and try to patent or take over the taro fields.  To Native Hawaiians, the planting of taro is not only to feed their families, but is a cultural and sacred tradition embedded in the people.  They do not farm/plant taro for economic gain. This is a struggle that many other Pacific Islands are facing. 

More to come!

Food Safety and Modernization Act

On November 29th, the U.S. Senate passed Senate Bill 510, the Food Safety and Modernization Act.  Highly controversial, this act was a response to the rash of food-borne illnesses in the country over the last several years.  The idea behind the bill is to have more accountability within the food production system, and the regulations are mainly designed for the largest of industrial food producers.  This is problematic for many mid-size farmers, though thanks to the Tester Amendment, small farms (those making less than $500,000 in revenue per year) are mainly exempt from the provisions of the bill.  For those farms that exceed the $500,000 threshold, fees, fines and taxes will increase.  Large-scale production facilities and corporations will be able to absorb these new costs fairly easily, but this could lead to an even stronger division between large and small-scale farms by removing the mid-size farm from the picture.  If these mid-size farms can't pay for all the proposed inspections and upgrades, this act could easily drive them out of business.

One of the most controversial elements of this act doesn't look that controversial on the surface.  The act calls for increased inspections of farms.  That sounds great, until one digs a little deeper and discovers that increased inspections means only once every three years for high-risk facilities.  Additionally, the bill puts the FDA and U.S. farms under the control of Homeland Security, installs as "food czar" a former Monsanto executive, and gives the FDA the power to initiate and enforce recalls (a power most people are surprised to learn they didn't have before).

Though the bill that passed is somewhat better than the initial draft of the bill (which would have made seed-saving, home gardening and food storage, organic farming, and family farming essentially illegal), many people fear what this means for the future of our food.  Though designed to protect us, it could ultimately disconnect us even more from our food.  If these regulations ever change to include small farmers, it could spell the end of small-scale agriculture and food production.  Since it champions the use of chemicals and antibiotics for industrial-scale production, what health problems will we face down the line? And if the FDA decides it doesn't like certain products, say raw milk, that could mean a total ban on the production of these foods.

Don't you feel safer already?

For the time being though, the bill is stalled on Constitutional grounds, as the it stipulates the creation of new farming taxes, a power that the Senate does not have.  As Congress and the Senate duke it out over the bill and what powers each body can exert, let's keep up with our farmer's market shopping and give support to those groups that could be hurt the most by this bill.

You can check out the entirety of the bill here.

Happy eating!

Molly Moon's

Continuing from my last post on eating local I want to highlight one of my favorite Seattle establishments, Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream. Inspired by Big Dipper Ice Cream in Missoula, MT (a hometown favorite of mine), Molly Moon’s is known for its unique selection of ice cream flavor fusions including Balsamic Strawberry, Honey Lavender, and Maple Bacon served in homemade cones. (Pictured below is the Honey Lavender and Chocolate Raspberry Hibiscus Sundae)



But these unusual flavors are not Molly Moon’s most distinct quality. Rather, it is their commitment to using ingredients local to the Pacific Northwest, buying fruits and other ingredients from local farmers, and using Seattle's Theo Chocolate. They also use organic foods when possible. For me, changing their flavors seasonally based on the fruits and herbs available makes me conscious of my own foodways. Beyond their locavore contributions, Molly Moon’s contributes to sustainability by using compostable dishes and their buildings are made from sustainable materials and reclaimed timber. Overall, eating at Molly Moon's is a delicious way to support not one local business, but several including local farmers and a Seattle chocolate factory.

Slow Food’s "Ark of Taste"

While exploring Seattle's local slow food movement, I came accross this post on Slow Food's "Ark of Taste":


Shown to the left is a recent Washington nomination from Vashon Island.

http://slowfoodseattle.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/sugarhubbardsquash/
I have mixed feelings about this program. To quote the blog:

Through the Ark of Taste program, Slow Food USA has a catalog of over 200 delicious foods in danger of extinction. Since 1996, more than 800 products from over 50 countries have been added to the international Ark of Taste. By promoting and eating Ark products we help ensure that they remain in production and on our plates.

Should this be a key part of the Slow Foods movement? First, let's look at the positive:

---As the post states, promoting these "under the radar" foods will potentially benefit the communities that are producing them, either through tourism or production.

---As Dr. Pena has said, diversity is the key to resiliance- by saving endagered foods, we are ensuring food remains a diverse, real experience.

---Through Ark of Taste, others may learn more about the slow food movement and be prompted to get involved.

And now, the negative (in my opinion):

---This portion of the slow foods movement seems like some kind of specialty/ elite club that is not for everyone. I makes me feel excluded, personally.

---It is not immediatly apparent that this movement is supposed to help the communities the food comes from- it seems more like a competition at first glance

---Does it actually work? It's hard to know.

Overall

What I'm getting at here is I think the focus is in the wrong spot. The Ark of Taste program is good for publicity, but I cannot see it bringing any lasting changes. It is good to know that this movement is alive and well in Seattle, but I think the "Ark of Taste" is unecessary. It might be a better idea to find out why these unique dishes are going extinct, and work to modify the system, rather than pick and choose, letting only an elite few in while the rest disappear forever, as if they weren't worth anything.

More Than A Meal

Meals on Wheels client Patricia Snell, 69, gives driver Jessica Perez of Stockton a grateful hug while receiving her meals at her home in Stockton on Thursday morning.

Ever work at a food bank before? What about distribute food to the needy? Jessica Perez and the San Joaquin County's Department of Aging have helped distribute food to 450 senior citizens each week. Like the Food for People program I had discussed in an earlier post, Perez and the Department of Aging have helped many through their Meals on Wheels program. But to Perez, giving food to the needy is more than just the transaction of food for appreciation. Jessica takes care of the elderly with routine well being check ups. "They monitor the clients and their homes. If the heat is off, for example, they make sure someone gets it turned on. Other days, they simply engage in a friendly visit, or, when delivering to Snell, enjoy a warm hug," said Jessica Perez. The Meals on Wheels program has noticed an alarming increase in the number of senior citizens in dire need of food. Terence West, one of the community providers, explains that social security checks stay at the same rate as inflation increases which makes the cost of living more difficult for citizens who might not be able to work. "He saw the lunch group grow from nine or 10 to an average of 17 and as many as 30 on some days." The San Joaquin County's Department of Aging wants to serve more seniors but fall short simply due to funding. "We're meeting the needs of as many as we can reach with our funding," Parrish said. "If we had more money, we could do much more, which I'm sure every county will tell you. Funding is a fact of life."

It is unfortunate to note that our capitalist society, let alone one of the most powerful countries in the world, simply cannot provide food for all of its citizens. Especially our elders, who we should respect and provide as many services as possible. I understand that the world runs on money but aren't there more important things in life? Am I crazy to say that personal well being holds a greater value than those that are of monetary value? What is the true cost of happiness and what values are we to give up to find this happiness? I think that through community involvement and a localized approach to funding we can find solutions from left to right. It is easy to find problems in the world, just go to any news station website of program. But it's those small gems that we find in life that truly explain the meaning of happiness.

For Jessica Perez and the San Joaquin County's Department of Aging, happiness and community involvement have been found. We need to take practices like these and reestablish them into our own localized communities. We can't assume that one food program is best for all. Which is why community involvement is so key. With a wide array of ideas and voices, each community can alter food programs to suit their own special needs. No one deserves to go hungry in the United States, or anywhere in the world. Let's do what we can at a localized level to help the people we love.

What urban agriculture means to Detroit today.

Once a city of nearly million, Detroit has seen more than half its population flee due to an economic collapse of its industrial and manufacturing base. Today less than 900,000 people remain, a disproportionate number of whom are desperately poor and suffer one of the highest rates of unemployment in the nation, recently estimated at 27%.
Neighborhoods are sparsely populated in many areas and completely abandoned in others. This has caused the city to demolish entire blocks of abandoned homes to reduce the strain on city services and for fire safety reasons. It is estimated that these bare and vacant lots now make up thirty percent of the city, which provides and excellent opportunity for urban agriculture because the soil has not been toxified by industry. Already there are around 900 urban gardens within the city limits with many more planned on these vacant lots. Moreover the resurgence of urban agriculture allows residents to regain control over their lives lost due to globalization of Detroit's manufacturing base. Also it provides a source of community food security that it desperately needs after the loss of many of its major supermarkets. In this way, Detroit's urban gardens demonstrate the principals of autarchy in that the surplus can be sold once the community needs are first met. Finally it is important to note that many of these urban gardens signify the recovery of the town commons, in that local residents can plant crops, alleviate their poverty, and rebuild the local economy by usufruct, use of the town commons. In this case, borrowing the use of the commons to plant crops, while not diminishing its value. It would be interesting to see more if more cities could adopt these ideas and empower their citizens to be able to grow their own food, while creating more economic resiliency in the community.

Detroit - Urban Agriculture Movement - Democracy NOW!

Botox Apples

The speed of scientific development has resulted in numerous medical, technological, and agricultural advances. Most of these advances we have labeled as “good” as they have helped us move faster and more efficiently through various obstacles allowing us to save lives and to essentially get important things done. Others advances honestly speaking have been questionable at best, involving several different risk taking innovations that have made several people nervous. An example of one of these novel innovations is the new technology evidently created to stop apples from browning, commonly known among critics as the "Botox Apple".  This raises some very obvious and important questions, for example; how safe are these apples? How will we know when they’re getting bad? How will we know if we are in fact buying fresh apples? Who is really benefitting from this invention? The lack of answers to these questions is one of the reasons the USDA has yet to approve this product for sale in the United States.

According to the Associated Press it was essentially created by the Canadian fruit company Okanagan using licensed technology from researchers in Australia who established it and used it in potatoes. To help us understand the way these apples would be we need to ask the essential question; why do apples brown? And what does this technology actually do? Apples contain a chemical compound that consists of iron that reacts with the oxygen in the air when exposed; they also contain enzymes that speed up the reaction between the oxygen and the iron. What the researchers have done is “silence” the enzyme hence drastically slowing the rust-like chemical reaction, and the “browning” of the apples. This product would mostly be used for children’s lunches, that provide already cut apples and possibly salads and other foods that could not previously include apples without a large amount of added antioxidants, to avoid browning, that are expensive for the companies. People have not showed very optimistic responses to these apples, neither have apple corporations seeing as a genetically modified apples would not go over very well with consumers, there is proof from examples such as the genetically modified salmon that has yet to be approved by the USDA.

Although I disagree with this specific form of genetically modified fruit, I also think it is very important to recognize the effort put in by the researchers and scientists, and that it is also important to take into consideration that this sort of pioneering science could help  deal with diseases that have been plaguing crops all around the world, could prove useful for eradication of fungal, bacterial and viral infections of certain agricultural crops. I believe that its not all bad, we must open our minds to understanding where the researchers are coming from and what this could mean for the future.

Eating Local in Seattle - Why and How?

The locavore movement is the practice of eating locally produced food with the idea of local ranging from about 50 to 200 miles from the consumer, and it is becoming increasingly popular. But why bother eating local when we are surrounded by conveniently located grocery stores and mini marts stocked with a variety of our favorite foods? Eating local has numerous benefits for the consumer and their community. First, supporting local farmers and businesses benefits the local economy. Secondly, buying from local producers also reduces your carbon footprint. According to CUESA, the average American meal travels 1500 miles before consumed. These large distances that food moves damage the environment through increased carbon emissions. Finally, eating local is delicious – it brings fresher, tastier produce to your plate.

So eating local increases sustainability, supports the local community and economy, and it tastes better! But is it plausible? In truth, it can be a difficult diet to follow. The ease of shopping at grocery stores is a hard convenience to give up, but there are ways to buy local in a convenient manner. Some grocery stores, like Whole Foods or PCC, try to feature local products when possible. CSA’s (Community Supported Agricultre) are an amazing way to easily get local produce delivered to your door. For more information and a list of CSA's in the Seattle area, check out Fresh-Picked Seattle. There are also several farmers markets scattered across Seattle’s various neighborhoods. Price is another factor in the reality of eating local. Personally, I’ve found that produce is relatively inexpensive, but finding processed foods (chips, cereal, etc) can be pricy when compared to their non-local counterparts. Eating out can also be a challenge, while there are Seattle restaurants that feature local foods, they are few in number, and some (not all) are rather expesive, for example Tilth.

Supporting local farmers and producers is important, but not always easy to do. Personally and realistically, the convenience, cost, and variety of products available by not eating local outweigh the benefits of trying to eating completely local. However, I try to incorporate local foods into my life when possible and I encourage others to do the same. Trying the Eat Local Challenge is a great way to get involved and learn more about your own local food system.

Native Plants and Sustainable Agriculture

If you were asked to make a list of edible plants you would most likely envision a farm list what you see growing on that man-made plot. However before we mastered agriculture we foraged. We consumed what was native in the area for our nutritional needs and learned what plants cured our ailments. Native plants evolved and adapted into species that are perfectly suited for their environment. They work together with the weather, land, native species, and native people who understand and nurture this connection.

If we are going to work towards a real local and sustainable food system we must begin integrating native plants into our farms and gardens. Farming native plants takes much less maintenance because they have adapted to the environment. Little attention needs to be put on pest control, irrigation, and adding nutrients. Also since they adapted with the rest of the local environment they can help conserve soil, water, and energy as well as provide habitat and shelter to many native insects and animals that can help you combat pests that could attack the rest of your crops.

A good way to learn about the native species in your area and explore which you may want to integrate into your farm or garden is to forage. Online you can find recommendations for books on foraging in your area, information on guided tours or classes, and blogs by local foragers that will tell you where to find certain plants as well as recipes to show you how to integrate native foods into your diet. One thing to keep in mind when planning a foraging trip is to know where you are allowed to forage and to be respectful of treaty rights given to First Nations people over certain areas.

Some good resources for the Pacific Northwest are:

Books:

Northwest Foraging: a guide to edible plants of the Pacific Northwest

By Doug Benoliel

Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West

By Michael Moore

Classes:

http://www.wildernesscollege.com/wild-mushroom-identification.html

Blogs:

http://pacificcrestforaging.com/

http://firstways.com/

Food for People

Humboldt county in Northern California has developed a program that helps people who are at risk of hunger and food insecurity. Their goal is to “provide individuals and households with the emergency and supplemental food they need, while working to address the root causes of hunger in our county”. Food for People is the local food bank having events every Wednesday and Friday providing food for 1000 families each month. This organization also has an Emergency Food Pantry Network with 17 pantries, 3 congregate meal programs feeding another 9,000 to 10,000 people each month. Along with the exceptional meal programs this association offers, low income seniors over the age of 60 receive bags of groceries serving about 600 seniors a month. For citizens who are disabled or ill, Food for People deliver groceries to them and are 100% powered by donations from the community. This locally driven program shows the true potential of community based organizations. Low income citizens far and wide now have a source of food, one of the most basic and necessary components of life.

Along with provisions of food for the needy, Food for People also provides education and outreach programs designed to help low income households make smart choices for adequate nutrition. Recipes, cooking classes, nutrition seminars and kitchen parties all help Food for People and the surrounding community relate and learn about nutrition together. Such community based programs help the people in so many different ways. Physically buy having a meal and filling their stomachs, emotionally from not having to worry about another night not eating, and socially by creating a healthy community with people who love each other.

Food, along with water, is something that everyone has a right to enjoy. Community outreach programs like Food for People help the community stay healthy and stay together. When areas have tightly wound programs and groups, people are more resilient to change and negative scenarios aren’t as bad as they would be without these programs. Personally, I feel like we need localized food banks in every continent, country, state, county, town, community and neighborhood. Whether this bank is in the form of outreach programs like Food for People, or simply a free meal from a friend or business each week, programs like these need to be implemented to help enrich the lives of the wealthy, and the needy.

If you would like to become a part of Food for People or help by donating, you can do so by calling direct at (707) 445-3166 or online at http://www.foodforpeople.org/Donate.html

To be Organic, or Not to be Organic

Italy; the land of love, romance, beauty and food, prides itself for having one of the most exquisite cuisines, produced from the finest locally grown products. This passion for quality has inspired many regions in Italy to join together and boycott the use and sale of genetically modified crops, trying to keep that part of their lives and culture unscathed. Local pressure and county’s beliefs have made it illegal for people to grow GM crops without a permit, and making it increasingly difficult to obtain one.

Recently Greenpeace has taken it upon themselves to protect some of the maize fields in northern Italy that were suspected of GM use and those in close proximity to them. Greenpeace took samples, tested them in a specialized Laboratory and confirmed that the maize was in fact a patented Monsanto maize type MON810. This Greenpeace believes is illegal seeing as the grower did not have a permit to grow such crops. Greenpeace Italia took action by cutting off the buds to stop the spread of GM pollen, this action was intended to bring an end to contamination of other crops and draw attention to the issue, urging the government to take action against these illegal crops.

There is considerable documentation and research that proves that GM crops are indeed a threat to local biodiversity, cross-contamination by insects and winds was feared as well as soil contamination. Cross-contamination could result in a monocrop in which the plants are genetically identical, having mixed organic seeds with patented ones that release pesticides, herbicides and insecticides that could harm the organic seeds, and could harm the insects and other plants around them. In order to restore the natural and variable Italian crops and conserving what they hold so proud inspires Italians to work against companies like Monsanto and GM crops.

            Italy is not be the only country with these concerns, the vicious cycle that has consumed so many of the famers and crops worldwide is becoming more of an issue, people are more aware and speaking out about the destruction and the dwindling crop diversity throughout the world. Monsanto will continue its monopoly over farmers and our food chain if we do not speak up and take drastic measures, to ensure organic sustainable crops.

            These recent events raise the important question; would Italian pasta, vegetables and grains taste the same if the ingredients were affected by GM produce? The answer is that no one knows, and Italy is not willing to take the risk, and frankly when it comes to delicious Italian food, neither am I. 

Gold/Fish?

Alaska is home to many valuable social and environmental and cultural gems; indigenous cultures, oil, gold, salmon and numerous other resources that have recently been discovered and exploited, some unfortunately at the expense of others. Recently Anglo American and Northern Dynasty Minerals have decided to excavate a gold mine in Alaska’s very important and sustained Bristol Bay. The Guardian reported that retailers including Tiffany & Co. have decided, in objection to the environmental damage and long-term destruction of an indigenous culture, not to sell gold mined from Bristol Bay.  They are more specifically concerned with the damage it would do to the Wild Alaskan Salmon population in the Bristol Bay Watershed which is an essential food source to the Alaskan Natives as well as the world’s largest outstanding wild sockeye salmon fishery, an industry worth about $320 million a year. These companies who are said to have a combined sale value of close to 5.6 million dollars, have made their point clear; the gold is just not worth the incredible sacrifice

            Internationally, wild salmon fisheries are slowly being diminished, Bristol Bay remains one of the most unstinted sustainable fishing grounds left, unfortunately it is predicted that close to 10 billion tonnes of mining waste would be produced as well as the movement and displacement of water in salmon spawning locations. Alaska Natives and fishermen greatly rely on these salmon supplies for their subsistence and livelihoods; gold mining would deplete their resources and would damage their way of life and income.

            It is very important to understand not only the implications for this specific situation but gold mining in general and its economic, social and environmental impacts locally as well as globally. As acknowledged in the revised World Gold Council’s sustainability statement; most of the countries that rely on mining are less economically developed nations that rely on exporting gold, the WGC advocates striving to obtain sustainable development and mining, and attempts to improve awareness and increase support for this imperative cause. The more the consumer understands the implications of gold mining on the environment and various food sources, the more they can push for action, which is demonstrated in Tiffany & Co. and their commitment to the environment and indigenous rights and traditional food sources in Alaska. Michael Kowalski, CEO of Tiffany & Co. commented: “There are some special places where mining clearly does not represent the best long-term use of resources. In Bristol Bay, we believe the extraordinary salmon fishery clearly provides the best opportunity to benefit southwestern Alaskan communities in a sustainable way. For Tiffany & Co - and we believe for many of our fellow retail jewelers - this means we must look to other places to responsibly source our gold."

Commensality: The Importance of Social Eating

Creating a meal and sharing it with friends and family has long been an important aspect of eating. However our society has increasingly viewed eating as an individual act. Convenience, price, calories, nutrients, fats, etc. are what most Americans consider when making their daily food choices. Under these conditions many would consider a Slimfast shake and a McDonald's salad a reasonable meal. Lunch breaks are squeezed into a half hour period and in many workplaces lunch breaks are alternated so there is somebody working at all times. The half hour allows for just enough time for you to grab your Slimfast out of the fridge, hop in your car, drive to McDonald's, pick up your salad, and consume your meal while heading back to work.

What happened to commensality? Cultures are shared and bonds are created when a meal is shared. We need to bring the importance of community back into food. You can often learn a lot more about someone from cooking with them than from talking. Food engages all your senses and can speak a lot about a person. Heritage is passed down through food. Teaching the younger generations how to cook and interact with food allows them engage with their culture and bond with the past. Sharing food and cooking techniques with friends gives them a chance to learn about your culture. Giving the cultures a taste, a smell, a feeling can increase respect between groups of people. Sharing food can also bring out emotion, like the comfort felt from eating a meal cooked by mom or the romance your partner (or date) cooking for you.

Culture, emotions, and bonding are all integral parts of eating a meal that are being squeezed out because of our busy lifestyle. We need to make social eating more of a priority and a focus when considering what to eat in a day. The connections food can create between people are too valuable too overlook.

Urban-Agriculture

Urban Agriculture in Developing Nations
Urban agriculture is a crucial strategy that helps the inner city poor survive in Latin America. To better define what is urban agriculture I researched an article called Agricultura urbana en Mexico, situaciones y perspectivas, por Ramon Soriano Robles. "Urban Agriculture is the agricultural practice and animal husbandry of inner cities and suburban areas that use local resources of labor, space, water and organic waste to generate sustenance for consumption and local sale." (tr Rosel) However, barter is also an important strategy in many impoverished communities that may have goods or services to trade, but lack hard currency to do so. Urban agriculture is an important part of this informal economy that is common among the less affluent classes of Latin America that depend on it to supplement their diet and help them negotiate a capitalist society in which they may have few marketable skills. A low-wage economy, poverty and lack of other opportunities have influenced the popularity of urban agriculture in Latin America. In contrast, the United States, Canada, and other first world nations have seen an increase in popularity of urban agriculture due to the organic food movement. This is not to say that Latin America doesn't value organic food; rather, the order of priorities is very different depending on the affluence of the society.
The demographic shift to large cities is being experienced on global scale. Today half of the world's population lives in urban areas and 1/6th of the world's total population lives in mega-cities in excess of 10 million people. The vast majority of people that migrate to cities/urban areas worldwide do so in search of employment opportunities. In the U.S. 82% live in urban areas, while on average Latin America stands at 75% and Mexico at 77.3%. These figures are quite similar; however, the percentage of urban poor is much higher in Latin America and developing countries.
In Latin America many people migrate to the cities for low-paying jobs that often do not provide much job security. In this regard one of the principal benefits of urban agriculture is the security of a ready food supply (la seguridad alimentaria) that does not depend on whether they could find enough work that day. The duality of urban agriculture allows a family member who is the primary childcare provider of the household to enhance its food security as well because it is home based. In these ways urban agriculture helps aliviate poverty and enrich the diet of the urban poor.

Agricultura Urbana: una realidad

Complete the Cycle, Compost!

When developing a relationship with food it is important to stay connected throughout the entire food cycle. Your interaction should not end after you have consumed a delicious home cooked meal. To complete the cycle of your food's life you must return what is left over from preparation back to the land. You can do this by composting. Composting in an urban setting has become increasingly easier. If you do not have a yard there are small indoor compost containers available to purchase. If you do have a yard (of any size) you can purchase a compost bin or make one. One method to making one is to get a plastic bin or trash can with tight fitting lid, drill a few holes (not too big) in it for circulation, and place it in a place that is out of the way and not in direct sunlight or you may dry your compost out. Now to the actual composting...

The following a some things you can compost:
vegetables, fruits, nuts and their shells, flowers, leaves, twigs, beans, pasta, rice, egg shells, coffee grounds, paper bags, newspaper, manure, and rodent bedding (only if it is paper-based or shavings)

Here are a few things to avoid adding to your compost:
meat, dairy, large amounts of acidic fruit such as citrus, and carnivorous animal waste or litter (ex. cat waste)

Make sure you are adding both "greens" and "browns" to your compost. Worms and microbes do the job of turning the waste into nutrient rich compost, so in order for them to be most effective you want to provide them with a healthy environment. Greens provide nitrogen which is the protein and browns provide carbon which is the energy that proteins need to flourish. Without enough greens it will take much longer for browns to break down and without browns the greens decompose too quickly creating a smelly slime.

Greens include:
food scraps including egg shells, grass clippings, coffee grounds, fresh weeds and leaves

Browns include:
dried leaves, paper, sawdust, straw, and wood products

Turn or stir the compost every few days to provide oxygen and after a few weeks or so you will have nutrient rich compost. You can use your compost on indoor or outdoor plants or donate it to a neighbor or local community garden.

San Francisco's not-so-happy meals

On November 2nd, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a city ordinance banning the inclusion of toys with children's meals that do not meet certain nutritional guidelines.  Hoping to improve the way American children eat, the Board passed these measures in order to create an incentive for restaurants, chains, and food providers to improve their abysmal nutritional records.  The provisions of the ordinance stipulate that toys can be included with children's meals, so long as "the meal contains less than 600 calories, has less than 640 milligrams of sodium and if less than 35 percent of the calories are derived from fat (less than 10 percent from saturated fat)." Additionally, "the meals must contain a half-cup or more of fruit and three-quarters of a cup or more of vegetables. A breakfast meal must contain at least a half-cup of fruit or vegetables" (source). 

The ordinance passed by 8-3, meaning that San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom's planned veto will be overturned.  Unsurprisingly, many fast-food industry groups have been speaking out against the ruling.  McDonald's spokeswoman Danya Proud said "We are extremely disappointed with this decision.  It's not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for." The group Free to Choose Our Meals is also trying to stop the toy ban.  Many groups supporting the ban have pointed out that "fast-food restaurants spent $161 million advertising to children under 12 and an estimated $360 million on toys distributed with their meals in 2006" (source), and that the industry's self regulation has thus far been unsuccessful in combating childhood obesity.  Both sides seem to be equally passionate, but as the ordinance doesn't go into effect until December 2011, there will be plenty of time for arguing and appealing.  At any rate, an interesting case to keep an eye on!

Food for Thought

While meandering through the web today, I discovered a heap of local food resources I thought I ought to share.

First, is the Eat Well Guide.  This is an amazing tool that lets you search for farmer's markets, CSAs, and farms anywhere across the country!  I would really recommend this for anyone who might be traveling and looking to stop at some regional markets.  There's even a section called "Eat Well Everywhere" which helps you plan where to eat and stop on your trips.  Definitely going to be using this next time I go on vacation (which will, admittedly, not be any time soon!).

Next up is the FoodRoutes Network.  This website is home to a bunch of handy guides on how to eat local and where and how to shop to make that happen within a budget.  There's a lot of information on how to start a "Farm to College" healthy-eating-on-campus chapter, so UW students, if we're not already doing this, we should!  FoodRoutes also has a cool challenge: try and spend just $10/week at your local markets.  According to their website, "[a] recent study in Maine shows that shifting just 1% of consumer expenditures to direct purchasing of local food products would increase farmers' income by 5%."  I think this $10/week idea is really great, especially for us broke college students.  Let's try it out this Saturday at the U District Farmers Market.


Edible Seattle: This magazine, published every two months, celebrates the bounty of the Puget Sound region, advocating for our local foodways and farmers. Part of a national group of publications, there's a lot of nice web content, and a really sweet podcast. 


Lastly, the Food and Water Watch.  Confused about what seafood is safe/not safe or sustainable to eat? Well here's a great seafood eating guide for you!  With the slogan "Know your fish, know your water, know your food," the Food and Water Watch is an amazing multifaceted resource. Tips and tools for living and eating well. 


Enjoy!

ESTRELLA FAMILY CREAMERY AND THE FDA

The Estrella Family Creamery has been producing award-winning and delicious raw-milk cheeses in Montesano, Washington since 2001. But last Friday, FDA agents and federal marshals raided the farm, and the entire stock of cheese seized. What happened?

Estrella family photo from company website


Three times this year Estrella has been cited for the presence of the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, and forced to recall select varieties of cheese. L. monocytogenes can cause virulent food-borne illness, often resulting in death for the young, the old, or those with immune deficiencies. Unfortunately, at this time, information is conflicting as to how much listeria was found in the Estrella cheeses. Kelli Estrella, co-owner of the farm, has gone on record saying that there were only cases of isolated positives for listeria. The FDA press release on the seizure says that the cheeses were thought to “have the potential” to be contaminated with the bacterium, but there is no mention of any cheeses actually containing the pathogen. Listeria seems to cause a pretty serious illness in certain people, but even though Estrella has already issued three voluntary recalls this year, not a single known person has become ill through eating their cheeses.

After the FDA asked Estrella to recall all of its cheeses in September (not just the varieties that may have been contaminated, but all their cheese in production), Estrella refused. And so, with warrants and an apparent intent to take this court, the FDA has effectively shut down the Estrella business. The Estrella Family Creamery is actually a family business consisting of Anthony and Kelli Estrella and their children. Like other small businesses, I imagine they don’t have the financial resources to fend off the FDA or other governmental regulatory agencies in court.

Compare this all to the major recall of Wright County Eggs that happened in August of this year. Hundreds of people became ill with salmonella over the course of months before a recall was even issued. In the end, over 380,000,000 eggs were recalled! The company has a history of health, safety, and labor violations, and they still haven’t been shut down. A 2006 outbreak of E. coli—resulting in at least one death—was linked to Dole. Obviously, they’re still around and retailing spinach among many other things.

Estrella Family Creamery cheese

 

Why is Estrella being treated differently? All the other recalls I’ve cited have been tied to large companies and corporations. How does the size of Estrella, and their financial inability to fend off attack or threats play into this? Is it because they use raw milk for their production? In today’s super pro-pasteurization American society, raw milk is often treated with skepticism, if not outright fear. Doesn’t any food have the potential to be contaminated? I think that’s just a risk we have to take if we want to eat.