Early pioneers of the sustainable food movement, with dirt on their hands, lessons learned and progress made, have played a critical role in blazing trails for new ventures.
Supporters of local and organic food should be substantially reassured that the new food safety legislation working its way through Congress does not place an inordinate burden on small and organic growers.
I don't usually get calls from the deputy secretary of the USDA, but there Kathleen Merrigan was on the phone. She talked about the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food campaign that launched this week.
The problem is that Americans have convinced themselves that cheap food, a seasonless selection, and endless variety are their rights instead of healthy food, in-season crops, and correct variety.
Fast, cheap and easy is not a porn film; it's the new American diet.
I liked watching these two regular people play around with change, with having less and discarding less, and with what it means to take individual action towards a global goal.
What there is to eat is my filter -- the lens through which I see our society. My road trip was a roller coaster of food experiences -- enlightening highlights, frightening plunges, and overall wonderment.
Establishing farmers' markets and community gardens across low-income areas may be the most effective way of attracting attention to healthier fare, as they present a new, vibrant image of food.
Today, Roger Doiron presents a compost-able list of signatures from people who supported his campaign to plant a White House edible garden, or wanted to thank the first family for their efforts.
The problem with McWilliams' argument is its irrelevance. To devote an entire book to debunking the impulse to eat closer to home doesn't address the points raised by food and farm activists.
Iso Rabins is among a growing band of urban foragers who have been sprouting through sidewalk cracks all across the country as the economy contracts and local-food movements gain popularity.
Most can agree that ingesting pesticides is not a great idea, but beyond that it's chaos. And as a private chef, I have a responsibility to my clients, to provide them with the best food and most current information I can.
There is a much broader movement out there towards food democracy: the effort to ensure healthy food for everyone.
What's missing from the national conversation about school lunch reform is the opportunity to use food to teach values that are central to democracy.
The usual argument against sustainable food is that it costs too much; but my farm share (which I pay directly to the farmer) is a bargain.
If there are people willing to spend $300 a night to sleep in a tent and spend Labor Day weekend as migrant workers, I think that screams paradigm shift. A welcomed one, at that.
We need to consider what has happened to the quality of our lives since we gave away control of our bodies; we must learn to use pharmaceuticals more appropriately and not medicate ourselves into oblivion.
Homemade tomato sauce has a taste of summer that just can't be faked.
Sandwiched between the caricatures of loco locavores and McWilliams' hey-ho-GMO cheerleading, lies the meat of the matter; we can't go on eating animals like this.
Bradley Birkenfeld may be one of the most effective whistleblowers in the nation's history. His reward? A 40-month prison sentence.
I want lettuce that is dirty from the fields. I want leeks that are sandy; apples that are crisp and occasionally misshapen. I want my eggs fresh, from pastured hens, with a loose feather inside of the box.
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Three Cheers For Fruits And Vegetables!
Cool, I'm a farmers market fan too. Great that's she's being a positive role model for whole foods and supporting local farmers.
Big deal!! How about giving the farmers in California some daamnn water to grow their food, instead of saving the smelt-
Agrabusiness has turned the central valley into a dust bowl.
There are no "farmers" in California. Just feedlots for cattle and corporations who plant seeds (genetically modified by Monsanto).
Michelle is the most honest and down to earth and might I add prettiest first lady !!
Of course this is just a white baby boomer speaking his mind !!!
I think Michelle Obama is an incredibly genuine, authentic, person and probably the most gracious first lady ever to live in the White House.
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