Black Angus (©photo by Marianne Cleghorn Venegoni, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Slope Farms is one of very few providers of sustainably raised, grass-fed beef in New York State, but there’s reason to believe that such farms could dramatically grow in number.
“There are 3 milion acres of unused pasture land in New York State. That’s enough land to raise all the beef consumed in New York City,” said Ken Jaffe, the proprietor of Slope Farms in East Meredith, New York. He made his remarks as a panelist at “Meat and Potatoes: A local solution to a National Problem,” an event produced by the American Institute of Wine & Food on a recent night in Manhattan.
E. coli & Mad Cow Come from CAFOs
To make that happen will require a good deal of change. Current U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations are more favorable to the corn-fed beef raised on CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) that pose the dangers of E. coli contamination and Mad Cow Disease, the commonly used name for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. Cows raised on CAFOs are administered antibiotics to counter the ill effects of their unnatural corn diet. They are fed corn made cheap and plentiful by heavy subsidies of taxpayer dollars. Cows in CAFOs are also given growth hormones to add to the weight of each animal, though panelist George Faison of DeBragga.com said the use of hormones diminishes the quality of the meat.
Family farmers like Ken Jaffe produce beef that are free of the diseases brought on by the unnatural corn diet and closely confined conditions, but still face a system of legal requirements developed in the face of the threat to human health posed by cattle raised in CAFOs. One such rule makes it difficult for a farmer like Jaffe to have his animals humanely slaughtered, a hurdle that needs to be overcome to make much of New York’s unused pastures financially viable for family farmers who want to raise grass-fed beef.
Healthier Families & a Healthier Environment
The benefits of greater grass-fed beef production would be prodigious. Raising beef on grass would eliminate much of the foodborne illness plaguing the nation’s food supply. The beef raised on grass contains nutrients such as CLAs and omega 3 fatty acids, which are not typically found in animals raised in CAFOs.
Besides the health benefits there would be enormous environmental benefits. The corn fed to cattle in CAFOs requires a great deal of fossil fuel to produce and poisonous pesticides are used in growing that corn. The tremendous amount of manure produced by the thousands upon thousands of tightly confined animals is another environmental hazard. In contrast, the manure from the cows on the Jaffe’s farm is a marvelous fertilizer for the grasses on which those cows feed.
Restaurants Making a Difference
Panelists Andrew Taylor, owner of Diner and Marlow & Sons, and Chef Sean Rembold are set on a future of serving their customers fine, grass-fed beef and using the entire animal. They take delivery of whole animals from Slope Farms then age their beef to an extraordinary degree to maximize a rich flavor. They are committed to training their chefs to make use of the entire animal, even using the fat to fry potatoes. Their staff members visit farmers to deepen the food knowledge that gets applied in their kitchens. After the panel discussion those in attendance were delighted by the taste of the tender braised brisket they prepared.
Is there a down side to the story? Yes, grass-fed beef is roughly twice the price of corn-fed beef from CAFOs. One answer is to eat less and eat better. And what price should we place on healthier families and a cleaner environment?
To learn more about AIWF, the sponsor of the event, and the events they will be presenting in the future, go to: The American Institute of Wine & Food
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A Healthy Pig (photo by vnyberg, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Many people see CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) as a problem some distance from home, but those who live near the “manure lagoons” created by such mega-farms cannot escape the terrible odors emitted.
In northern Missouri a group of farmers living near a CAFO decided that they had enough of the awful smells and decided to sue Premium Standard Farms, a hog production group owned by Smithfield Foods. A jury in Kansas City has awarded $11 million to the plaintiffs, who claimed, “…odors from the operations nauseated them and forced them to stay indoors with the windows shut,” according to the industry publication, Pork. The facility in Berlin, Missouri is said to produce 200,000 hogs annually.
It was the second such suit brought by locals against the facility. The first was in 1999, when 52 farmers received $5.2 million. The second suit was brought because the farmers claimed the odor problems had not been corrected. The jurors agreed that the local farmers had been deprived of the enjoyment of their property by the stink from the PSF facility, and that they were not just normal odors to be expected in an agricultural community. PSF is appealing the decision. A battle has been won, but the war goes on.
There is nothing new about complaints of environmental degradation, animal cruelty, and the threat to human health posed by CAFOs, where hogs are kept in extremely close quarters, fed growth hormones, and administered antibiotics, and the list of reasons to oppose CAFOs keeps growing. There seems little hope that they can be improved. The intense concentration of animals is the root of the problem, the critical element that makes such operations unsustainable.
The Alternative
The alternative to factory farming has been demonstrated on a small scale by food artisans and thoughtful farmers across the U.S. In one example, Herb and Kathy Eckhouse of La Quercia adhere to principles of sustainability in the making of their world-class prosciuttos. To them, this means that the animals have access to the out of doors, have room to move around and socially congregate, and root in deep bedding. They do not use meat from animals that have been given antibiotics, kept in large animal confinement facilities, fed animal byproducts, or given hormones.
Factory farm advocates will argue that they produce pork that is affordable for working families. But who will pay the health care and environmental cleanup costs that will inevitably result from meat full of growth hormones and antibiotics? What of the fact that these facilities are virtual incubators for health threats such as swine flu? And looking over the past record, are CAFOs part of an industry to be trusted with protecting the health of the environment?
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Founder Marina Marchese and the rest of the folks at Red Bee are passionate about the culinary delights of honey. Their philosophy is that every bottle of their artisanal honey is a gourmet food and can be tasted and evaluated similar to wine, each one having a unique flavor profile determined by the kind of flowers visited by the bees.
The essence of a honey is dictated by the terroir, the unique combination of geographic location, climate, soil and temperature that gives each honey its complex composition and individual personality. As in winemaking, terroir dramatically affects the flavor profiles of the honeys produced.
Red Bee is a boutique honeybee farm located in the historical Bradley Tool section of Weston, Connecticut. The company’s charming red cottages were once the home of ballerina Gelsey Kirkland, who partnered Mikhail Baryshnikov. There they are inspired to create the purest artisanal honeys and sustainable products. Using old world techniques, products are handmade in small batches using only plant-based ingredients to insure the finest quality. They never use pesticides, alcohol, paraffin waxes, petroleum or preservatives.
Red Bee's organic gardens produce culinary and medicinal herbs, vegetables and flowers for cutting. They make their organic, free range chicken eggs available locally. Red Bee Honeybee products have been aspectacular success at the New Canaan Farmers Market each summer for the last 6 years.
Red Bee Founder Marina Marchese (photo: jeffbeckerphoto.com)
Marina Marchese is a second generation Italian sharing her love of crafting artisanal products. After graduating from the School of Visual Arts, Marina traveled to Europe and Asia as an illustrator and product designer. Her unique sense of style and love of color was defined in designs that have graced the cover of WWD and greeting cards sold worldwide by UNICEF including children's products, books and magazines.
Her own Red Bee® cards were recognized by The National Honey Board after appearing in Victoria Magazine and on the cover of American Bee Journal. Marina’s love of honeybees and painting has led her to the ancient technique of painting with beeswax, made popular by the Etruscans. (The portrait at the top of this item is one of her paintings in beeswax.)
She has published her first book, Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper, a marvelous read book on the wonders of honey and it's healing properties To learn more about it go to: Honeybee: From Hive to Home, Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper
If you’d like to sample some of Marina’s superb artisanal honeys or send some as a very special gift, click on any of the following:
Wildflower Liquid Honey
Wildflower & Comb Honey Gift Box
Chunk Honey
Clover & Creamed Honey Gift Box
Comb Honey
Creamed Honey
Spring Clover Liquid Honey
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Dairy Cows in Vermont (photo by Tara, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Many large corporations are busily sending messages about their newly “green” behavior, but Ben & Jerry’s has been operating as a socially responsible company for decades. The company has just announced a commitment to go fully Fair Trade across its entire global flavor portfolio by 2013.
Ben & Jerry’s was the first ice cream company in the world to use Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients starting in 2005, and today it’s racing ahead as the first ice cream company to make such a significant commitment to Fair Trade across its global portfolio.
Company co-founder Jerry Greenfield said, ”Fair Trade is about making sure people get their fair share of the pie. The whole concept of Fair Trade goes to the heart of our values and sense of right and wrong. Nobody wants to buy something that was made by exploiting somebody else.”
Ben & Jerry’s Fair Trade commitment means that every ingredient that can be sourced Fair Trade Certified™, now or in the future, is Fair Trade Certified™. Globally, this involves converting up to 121 different chunks and swirls, working across eleven different ingredients such as cocoa, banana, vanilla and other flavorings, fruits and nuts. It also means working with Fair Trade cooperatives that total a combined membership of over 27,000 farmers.
Tackling Poverty through Trade
Rob Cameron, Chief Executive of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) said, “Congratulations to Ben & Jerry’s on the scale and the depth of this commitment to take their whole range Fair Trade. Tackling poverty and sustainable agriculture through trade may not be easy but it is always worth it, and Ben & Jerry’s has demonstrated real leadership in laying out this long-term ambition to engage with smallholders, who grow nuts, bananas, vanilla, cocoa and other Fair Trade-certified ingredients. Ben & Jerry’s, like all of us in the Fair Trade movement, believe that people can have fun standing up to injustice and campaigning against poverty while enjoying some of Ben & Jerry’s best-selling favorites like Phish Food and Chocolate Fudge Brownie, how cool is that.”
Farmers selling Fair Trade products earn a better income, which allows them to stay on their land. Fair Trade premiums also allow for reinvestment in their farms, their families, their communities and their future. Fair Trade means that certified farmers are using environmentally sound practices to grow and harvest their crops in a sustainable way.
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Historic New Hope Mill (photo courtesy of New Hope Mills)
New Hope Mills has produced quality products for more than 180 years; earning it the distinction of being one of America's oldest flour mills. It may be one of the oldest, but this water-powered mill is also one of the most environmentally sound.
Leaving Clear Skies & Clean Water Over the Centuries
The mill has been operating on water power since 1823, leaving clear skies and clean water by milling the old fashioned way. In fact, at New Hope Mills, the water is improved by its use; it is aerated as it passes over the waterwheel or through the turbine. The wheel does not put a drop of oil into the water because the wheel bearing is made of a rare wood, Liqnum Vitae, that has its own lubricant.
The mill was built by Judge Charles Kellogg; just two years before he was elected to the United States Congress. Local history has it that the community of New Hope was given its name from the top of its newly built mill. After the 40-foot, 5-sided ridge pole was put in place, a man climbed to the top and threw a gallon jug of whiskey over his shoulder declaring the town of Sodom to be renamed New Hope. Charles Kellogg owned the mill until 1851, when he sold it to Horace Rounds.
The mill originally contained three runs of stone capable of 200 bushels a day. In 1892, the mill began grinding with roller mills which are still there today. In 1947 the mill was sold to Howard Weed, Hubert Latta, & Leland Weed. Today, it remains in the capable hands of the Weed family.
The most visible feature indicating New Hope Mills’ water power is the picturesque waterwheel. Although the waterwheel is its most visible feature, the mill's real power comes from the water turbine underneath the mill. The turbine can run all year round providing there is sufficient water. The mill has an ideal location and facilities for water power near a mill pond with a 28-foot waterfall. With solid management by the Weed family this venerable operation remains competitive while operating much as it did in the 1800's.
No Chemical Additives or Artificial Ingredients
For the Weed family the quality of the product is paramount. Any product that is made at New Hope Mills is absolutely free from chemical additives & artificial ingredients. The family’s commitment to quality has made New Hope Mills Pancake Mixes the number one pancake flour in central New York.
Most old mills today are a novelty. If still standing, they are deteriorating fast. At New Hope Mills, the Weed family takes pride in preserving an important piece of our American Heritage. You’ve got to love how they preserve our Heritage by making delicious products that protect the health of our families, while using methods that protect our environment.
If you’d like to taste some premium pancake mix from New Hope Mills click on any of the following:
Buttermilk Pancake Mix
Old Fashioned Buckwheat Pancake Mix
Apple Cinnamon Pancake Mix
Blueberry Pancake Mix
Variety Pack of All 4 Natural Pancake Mixes
Would you like to purchase some syrup worthy of New Hope Mills Pancake Mixes? Try one of these:
100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup
Wild Blueberry Syrup from Maine
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Raspberries! (photo by Marcin Modestowicz, courtesy of morguefile.com)
It’s the combination of hard work and best practices on the part of Heidi and her brother Doug that make the incomparable organic jams of Heidi’s Raspberry Farm possible. It all starts with hand-picked, fresh fruit, and making their mouth-watering and nutrtious jams begins with a meticulous approach to sustainable methods on their farm in Corrales, New Mexico.
Corrales is a unique agricultural village farmed by families who have been living there for generations. Located on the Western bank of the Rio Grande, the land has been tilled since 500 A.D. Back then the ancestors of the present day Pueblo Indians reaped harvests in the fertile valley. Subsequent populations of Spanish, French and Italian families settled there to raise grapes, apples, livestock, and now, gloriously healthy raspberries!
Having grown up in this special place Heidi and Doug are dedicated stewards of the land and keepers of a healthy environment. They are truly “walking the walk” when it comes to best practices for preserving the sustainability of their farmland and the health of their community. Doug has converted the farm to a drip irrigation system that makes the most efficient use of precious water. He provides hives in the field for the honeybees that pollinate the delicate raspberry blossoms. A flock of native Rio Grande turkeys control the insect population amongst the hedge rows, so there's no need for poisonous pesticides!
Heidi, Maker of the Best Raspberry Jam We've Ever Tasted!
They’ve been selling organic raspberry jam, fresh raspberries and cut flowers at the local farmers markets in Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Corrales and Albuquerque for several years now. By personally selling their delicious fare Heidi and Doug have made a lot of wonderful friends. They’ve also built a loyal following of appreciative customers who keep coming back for more of their amazing jams!
If you'd like to order some of Heidi's incredible raspberry jams click on any of the following:
Organic Raspberry Jam
Organic Raspberry Ginger Jam
Organic Raspberry Red Chile Jam
Organic Raspberry Red Chile & Ginger Jam
New Mexico Organic Raspberry Jams Variety Mix
If you'd like to try a simple recipe using one of Heidi's great jams go to: Chicken Breasts with Raspberry Ginger Sauce
To view all the recipes on the American Feast web site go to: American Feast's Recipe Collection
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Napa Valley Winery (© Don Mace | Dreamstime.com)
The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance has announced the introduction of a statewide certification program that provides third-party verification of a vineyard's adherence to a "process of continuous improvement" in the adoption and implementation of sustainable winegrowing practices.
Open to all California wineries and vineyards as a voluntary option, CSWA's new program requires applicants to meet 58 prerequisite criteria to be eligible for the program, assess winery and/or vineyard operations, create and implement an annual action plan, and show improvement over time.
The goals of the new certification program are to enhance transparency, encourage statewide participation and advance the entire California wine industry toward best practices in environmental stewardship, conservation of natural resources, and socially equitable business practices. Three years in the making, the certification program is the first statewide program available to both wineries and vineyards.
Finest Quality Grapes Produced with Eco-Friendly Practices
"Third-party certification helps California's wine community speed efforts to create a healthier environment, stronger communities and vibrant businesses," said Robert P. (Bobby) Koch, Wine Institute President and CEO. "The program reflects the California wine community's commitment to continually produce the finest quality wine and grapes with practices that are environmentally and socially responsible."
"The scale on which California's wine community is adopting and expanding sustainable practices is truly impressive, as the state is the fourth leading wine producer in the world," said California Association of Winegrape Growers Board Chairman Kim Ledbetter Bronson of Vino Farms in Lodi. "CSWA's mission is to bring recognition to the California wine industry as a change leader in the global marketplace and serve as a model for other industries."
To date, 1,566 vineyard and winery organizations representing 68.1% of California's 526,000 wine acres have evaluated their vineyards and wineries with CSWA's Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices Self-Assessment Workbook. Wine Institute and CAWG established the Sustainable Winegrowing Program in 2002 and incorporated CSWA a year later as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to continue implementing the program.
"With a majority of our industry already involved in CSWA's Sustainable Winegrowing Program, the new certification option evolved as the appropriate next step," said CSWA Executive Director Allison Jordan.
2009 Wine Community Sustainability Report
CSWA has also released its 2009 Wine Community Sustainability Report, measuring the California wine industry's adoption over five years of 227 best management practices from the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices Self-Assessment Workbook.
The strengths of the state's industry are practices for viticulture, soil management and ecosystem management. Areas identified as opportunities for improvement include energy efficiency, materials handling, waste reduction and environmentally preferred purchasing.
To view the full press release on which this item was based, go to: California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance Launches Third Party Verification Program
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This just in from our friends at the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food:
Chefs, food aficionados, school food service directors and cooks, moms and dads, culinary students, and anyone else who enjoys cooking is invited to submit recipes for possible addition to NYC school menus. The recipe contest is part of Project Cool School Food, to develop and test plant-based main dish recipes in schools.
The program is a partnership between New York Coalition for Healthy School Food and the New York City Office of School Food, along with the James Beard Foundation, Candle Cafe and Candle 79 Restaurants. We are heading into at least 15, and possibly up to 30 additional schools in all five boroughs with our pilot program - Project Cool School Food.
Cool School Food is healthy, delicious, and it helps to keep our planet "Cool". Plant-based main dishes contain no cholesterol, are low in saturated fat, and are high in fiber and phyto-nutrients.
The partnership has put out a call for plant-based main dish recipes. They are seeking recipes through Friday, January 15th, and will hold judging semi-finals at the Food and Finance High School in NYC and finals at the Beard House in late January, with famous chefs and NYC school children choosing their favorites. Student chefs from the Food and Finance High School will be preparing the dishes for the judging.
Recipes will be judged in two categories:
1. Culinary High School Students
2. Chefs and others
Winners will receive a choice of dinner at Candle 79 Restaurant or membership in the James Beard Foundation or dinner at the Beard House.
Deadline for submission of recipes is Friday, January 15th by email. Be sure to read the rules of the contest to make sure your recipe meets the required guidelines. They look forward to receiving your recipes!
For more information please contact Amie Hamlin, Executive Director, New York Coalition for Healthy School Food at 607-272-1154.
To enter the contest, visit the the Healthy School Lunches web site and click in the "What's Happening" box for all the details. It is important to follow the guidelines exactly in order for recipes to qualify, go to: New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods
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U.S. Government Poster from World War II (courtesy of Library of Congress)
There are plenty of benefits to planting a garden, and our friends at the Victory Garden Foundation explain some of the most tangible:
Those nasty pesticides can be avoided by growing your own food at home or buying organic. While buying organic can be expensive; you can grow your own food at home for pennies. And, did you know that food stamps can now be used for purchasing seeds and plants that produce food for the household to eat?
There you have it, planting a garden can improve your health, the environment, and your financial affairs. Inspired by the successful program of World War II fame, when as much as 40% of all the produce eaten by Americans came from Victory Gardens, the nonprofit Foundation wants to help today’s gardeners succeed. There’s a wealth of practical information at the organization’s web site, and it costs nothing to join. By joining you become eligible to apply for a grant as an individual or as an organization “in synergy with our mission.”
To visit the organization's web site & get more information go to: Victory Garden Foundation
To view a previous post on the topic go to: Bring Back the Victory Gardens!
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Child in Pool (photo by Phaedra Wilkinson, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
The intensive use of pesticides is one of the most dangerous aspects of monoculture farming, the practice of growing a single crop over a wide area, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced plans to more thoroughly assess the risks pesticides pose to children and farmworkers.
But how much more assessment of the risks is needed before these toxic substances are recognized by the EPA as a severe threat human health?
Multiple studies have linked pesticides and Parkinson disease. In one, Scientists from Duke University, Miami University and the Udall Parkinson's Disease Research Center “found those exposed to pesticides had a 1.6 times higher risk” of suffering from the debilitating disease. A study conducted at India’s Patiala University found evidence that pesticides have damaged the DNA of farmers in that country, making them more likely to develop cancer. Other researchers believe the reason organic produce has a higher nutritional content than conventionally-grown food is due to pesticides inhibiting the production of nutrients in plants.
Concerned parents have been shopping to protect their kids for some time now, and their desire to avoid pesticides has been a key driver of the explosive demand for organic food over the past decade. Even in challenging economic times, research from Mintel says households with small children that ate organic before the recession will probably continue doing so.
The EPA’s new policy proposal provides insight as to just how ubiquitous the presence of poisonous pesticides has become. Risk assessments would consider aggregate pesticide exposures from sources including residues in food, drinking water, on lawns, in swimming pools, and in the workplace, and the cumulative effects from multiple pesticides that have similar toxicity.
EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said: “It’s essential we have the tools to keep everyone, especially vulnerable populations like children, safe from the serious health consequences of pesticide exposure.”
Is there a better way to protect children “from the serious health consequences of pesticide exposure” than to shop organic whenever possible and apply pressure for an agricultural system that employs healthier alternatives to pest control?
The Environmental Working Group has come up with an iPhone app to guide produce shoppers looking for the fruits and vegetables that contain the lowest levels of pesticides and help decide which ones need to be bought organic.
Sign up to download the iPhone app or a PDF version of the guide: here.
The EPA is asking the public to comment on their new approach and how best to implement the improvements. For more information on the proposed policy, go to: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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Wouldn't it be nice to send a gourmet food gift this holiday season and benefit a worthy cause at the same time? Well, the folks at the AmericanFeast.com website will help you do just that.
"People enjoy sending delicious gifts that reflect their desire for a more sustainable world and we're proud to help," says Jeff Deasy, the company's founder and president.
Robin's Chocolate Sauce is handcrafted in northern Maine from a family recipe using only the finest ingredients. Mark and Robin Jenkins combine pure organic cocoa, organic cane sugar and organic vanilla with local farm-fresh dairy ingredients to create a dessert topping that is simple and sophisticated, exotic and homemade. No artificial ingredients, just pure decadent goodness.
Awareness of global environmental issues is at the heart of the family's business. With every purchase of Robin's Chocolate Sauces, you're supporting the mission of the National Wildlife Federation to inspire Americans to protect wildlife.
Aaron Baum brought Hand To Mouth Edibles to market in 1997 with all natural, gourmet tapenades and spreads that the professional and the home cook alike can enjoy. They're a vegetarian appetizer in a jar, a distinctive condiment to spice up a meal, or a special addition to a gift or picnic basket.
Aaron and his team believe in giving something back to the community, so a portion of thei profits are donated to Share Our Strength, a national non-profit organization working to alleviate hunger and poverty.
AmericanFeast.com also offers a gift box of delectable gourmet brownies with proceeds supporting the Greyston Foundation's low-income housing, childcare, and healthcare. The Foundation's bakery offers on-site training, and fair wages to local residents, regardless of work history. Greyston's brownies are ideal for the giver who believes in making choices that make a difference, especially for those who can use a helping hand.
Know a foodie with a taste for hard-to-find heirloom items? Then the Native Harvest Wild Rice: Manoomin is a perfect gift. Unlike the genetically manipulated, "wild rice" grown in paddies, this indigenous rice is an important American heirloom crop. It grows naturally in the lakes of Minnesota and is hand-harvested by Native Americans using traditional methods. The Ojibwe people call it "the food that grows on water".
Proceeds from the rice support the White Earth Indian Reservation's efforts to recover land, practice traditional land stewardship, and preserve the community's cultural heritage. It's a wonderful choice for the giver who wants America's heritage preserved for future generations.
There are dozens more artisanal, hand-crafted foods from families operating some of America's most creative kitchens and family farms using sustainable practices available from at American Feast. To view the full selection go to: Great Food Gifts!
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Barbeque Shrimp (photo by Chef Tony Hamati, Bravo Bistro, Scottsdale, Ariz., courtesy of Ocean Garden Products)
The National Restaurant Association’s annual survey of more than 1,800 professional chefs reveals that local sourcing of ingredients, sustainability and nutrition will be the hottest trends on restaurant menus in 2010. Locally grown produce, locally sourced meats and seafood, sustainability, mini-desserts and locally produced wine and beer top the list of nearly 215 culinary items in the “What’s Hot in 2010” survey.
Rounding out the top 10 trends are nutritious kids’ meals, half-portions, farm-branded ingredients, gluten-free/food-allergy conscious meals and sustainable seafood. The chefs surveyed were members of the American Culinary Federation .
“No one has a better view of restaurant menu trends than the chefs of the nation’s nearly one million restaurants, and that is why we survey these culinary professionals on what hot, new trends we’ll see in the coming year,” said Dawn Sweeney, President of the Association. “The top trends this year – local sourcing, sustainability and nutrition – reflect wider societal trends and consumers’ growing interest in these issues. Many restaurants are sourcing some of their ingredients locally, and you often see chefs shopping at farmer’s markets to create a host of better-for-you options that today’s diners want.”
Michael Ty, president of the American Culinary Federation, agreed. “This is retro – it’s what we did in the past when chefs relied on local markets because we did not have the luxury of today’s transportation system. We are going back to our roots and the foundation of our craft that made it more pleasurable.”
Farm-to-Fork
The leading culinary theme revealed by the survey is sustainability, which is ranked as the third hottest trend. Whether applied to produce, meat, seafood or alcoholic beverages, the concepts of environmentally friendly practices and local sourcing – farm-to-fork – are appealing to both restaurant operators and consumers for several reasons, including freshness, minimal transportation, and supporting local communities and businesses.
Nutrition is another culinary theme that ranks high on the list of trends at number 15. Healthful options for children, produce, superfruits, bite-size and half portions, and food allergy conscious and gluten-free meals all rank in the top 20, illustrating that consumer interest in health and nutrition continues to grow and that restaurants are responding.
Other menu trends in the top 20 include farm-/estate-branded ingredients, regional ethnic cuisine, non-traditional fish (including barramundi and Arctic char), and newly fabricated cuts of meat (including Denver steak and pork flat iron). Simplicity as a culinary theme and smaller portions for a smaller price are also menu trends for 2010, reflecting the shift in consumer preferences toward value and comfort during the economic downturn.
Local Wine & Beer
When it comes to the drink menu, locally produced wine and beer is the fifth hottest trend on the What’s Hot in 2010 survey. Other alcohol items in the top 20 chef-rated menu trends include culinary/savory cocktails and artisan liquor.
Topping categories within the survey are: amuse bouche and mini-burgers/sliders in appetizers; quinoa and braised vegetables in side items/starches; ethnic-inspired and traditional ethnic items in breakfast/brunch; bite-size desserts and artisan/house-made ice cream in desserts; regional and fusion in ethnic cuisines; artisan cheeses and black garlic in ingredients; and specialty iced tea and organic coffee in nonalcoholic beverages.
In the preparation methods category, liquid nitrogen freezing/chilling was ranked as the number-one trend, followed by braising, sous vide, smoking and oil-poaching/confit.
Eco-Friendly Equipment
Also included in the survey were questions about kitchen and concept trends. The chefs rated environmentally friendly equipment as the top kitchen equipment trend, and the hottest restaurant concept in 2010 as restaurants with gardens.
When it comes to sources for trendy food and beverage ideas, the chefs ranked television, trade shows and independent restaurants as the best places to get inspired.
To view the entire press release on which this item was based, go to: National Restaurant Association
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Christmas Pine (photo by Scott Liddell, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Many American families have become concerned that the cutting down of so many pine trees every Christmas Season poses a danger to the environment. Some have opted for trees with the roots intact so that they can be replanted.
Our friends at American Farmland Trust have sent us a message explaining that Christmas trees can be farmed and enjoyed in an eco-friendly way:
Tis still the season for farming at 21,904 Christmas tree farms throughout the country. Christmas tree farms can help sequester carbon dioxide, prevent erosion, protect water and provide habitat for wildlife; for every tree cut down, two to three seedlings are planted. Some tree farms are taking extra steps by adopting integrated pest management or organic practices to reduce pesticide use and by planting buffers to prevent runoff. Christmas trees have always been cherished for their green branches, and the many environmental benefits of live trees give us another reason to praise “O Tannenbaum.”
Here’s what Dr. Patrick Moore, founder of Greenpeace has to say about the issue:
I often say that one way to protect the environment is to choose renewable materials and energy wherever possible. Artificial trees are made from non-renewable plastics and petroleum-based products. Although some people claim that these trees last a lifetime, most are thrown away within nine years – and remain in landfill sites for centuries… The growing and production, use of and disposal of real Christmas trees could not be more sustainable and continues a tradition of thousands of years of decorating trees in mid winter and providing a focal point for the community, customer or family during the festive season.
Still thinking of getting an artificial this year to help protect the environment? Think again! Great Britain's Pines and Needle Company cites a study from Holland by J.M. Hekhuis, that found, "Natural trees use ten times less basic materials to produce and five times less energy. Their CO2 emission is four times lower and all waste is reusable."
Happy Decorating!
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Can a meal be truly great without a dessert? "Maybe" was a reply that came up a few times during a small, informal poll. And then there was a welcome completion of the thought: "But why chance it?"
Our friend Robin sees no need to to take that chance and she has created a selection gourmet chocolate sauces capable of satisfying dessert lovers everywhere. Place a jar of her creation in a microwave oven for just 30 seconds and a warm sauce du jour is ready for service over a favorite treat. Iice cream, cheesecake, fresh fruit, or homemade pound cake will all do nicely.
Robin’s Chocolate Sauce is handcrafted in northern Maine from a family recipe using only the finest, freshest ingredients. She combines pure organic cocoa, organic cane sugar and organic vanilla with local farm-fresh dairy ingredients to create a dessert topping that is simple and sophisticated, exotic and homemade. No artificial ingredients, just pure decadent goodness.
What began as a holiday gift for friends and family has gained quite a reputation among sweet tooths, cocoa connoisseurs and grandkids throughout Maine. Robin made her first batch of “Original Recipe” organic chocolate sauce in a 12-gallon steam kettle in 2004. Since then, she, her husband, and their two sons have built up the family business to produce six distinct varieties. Robin processes the sauce patiently in small batches to produce a luscious, creamy texture and flavor.
Great Dessert for a Great Cause
Awareness of global environmental issues is at the heart of the business. Robin became conscious of the not-so-sweet realities of the chocolate trade by researching where and how her ingredients are grown and produced, and by whom. She is committed to using organic, shade grown and local or Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients whenever possible. These standards are crucial to maintaining a sustainable environment, protecting migratory birds and creating healthy communities—and your children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren will notice the sweet difference.
Robin Herself
Robin’s Chocolate Sauce is more than a delicious dessert topping. It’s a resource for the education, awareness and advocacy of the issues concerning communities and the environment both locally and globally. Every delicious spoonful of sauce is helping make a difference.
With every purchase of Robin’s Chocolate Sauce, you’re supporting the mission of the National Wildlife Federation to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future. What could be better than getting some delicious treats and supporting a great cause!
If you'd like to order some of Robin's sublime chocolate sauces go to any of the following:
Robin's Fair Trade™ Variety Pack
Robin's Original Chocolate Sauce
Tropical Dark Chocolate Sauce
Blueberry Chocolate Sauce
Ginger Pear Chocolate Sauce
Orange Spice Chocolate Sauce
Raspberry Chocolate Sauce
Robin's Original Chocolate Sauces
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Still Wild Coast in Costa Rica (photo courtesy of La Cuisinga Lodge)
Red snapper was long one of my favorite meals. The unique flavor always brings a fond memory of dining on it within a couple of hours of seeing it caught from a beach in Costa Rica with a simple rod and reel. I regarded it as a delicacy, but for the local residents it was a naturally plentiful seafood.
I gave up red snapper well over a year ago after reading that it was being seriously overfished, hoping it would some day return to abundance. Unfortunately, I just learned from the nonprofit Care2 that “…government assessments from 2008 show that the species is being overfished at eight times the sustainable level.” The population has dwindled to just 3% of its historic levels.
The good news is that the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is working on new rules that should enable red snapper to make a big comeback. Our friends at Care2 write, “In less than 10 years, the population of red snapper would skyrocket -- and with it, so could catches of the species. Scientific projections suggest that it could be as high as a 25-fold increase, from 78,000 pounds of fish in 2006 to nearly 2 million pounds by 2036.”
Regretfully, “The red snapper's not the only species at risk; the speckled hind, warsaw grouper, golden tilefish, snowy grouper, black grouper, black sea bass, gag, red grouper and vermilion snapper are all at risk.”
The time for environmental action is now, so Care2 is asking for some grassroots help. They are collecting signatures in support of changes to fishing rules so populations have time to replenish themselves. They need thousands of signatures by November 22nd in order to hand-deliver them to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council as part of a public comment period.
To learn more about the issue and add your signature in support of the rule changes go to: Save a Snapper
To view previous posts on the topic of Conservation scroll down after you go to: American Feast's Posts on Conservation
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Fresh Produce (photo by Scott M. Liddell, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Diets that very low in carbohydrates are often recommended for weight loss, but little is known about the long term effects on mental health. Recent research conducted in Australia found that despite similar weight loss from low carb and low fat diets, and rapid improvements in mood during the first eight weeks with both, over the long term the mood of those on low carb diets regressed to their original state. The positive effect on mood was maintained for those on low fat diets.
The results of the study were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. In the article’s introduction it was noted that “…the obesity epidemic has led to widespread interest in alternative dietary patterns for weight management, including very low-carbohydrate ‘ketogenic’ diets that are typically high in protein and fat (particularly saturated fat).”
Mood was assessed using three questionnaires that measure six separate aspects of mood, including tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility, vigor-activity, fatigue-inertia, and confusion-bewilderment. The scientists also looked into the effects of the two diets on cognitive functions, e.g. working memory and speed of processing, but “there was no statistically significant difference between groups.”
The researchers wrote,
Despite these results, it is important to note that mood state scores on average for both groups at baseline and throughout the study remained within the normal range for healthy adults. Consequently, the present findings are limited to healthy, obese, young to middle-aged adults with normal mood state and cannot be generalized to clinical populations.
What to Eat?
Dieticians tend to agree that if you want to slim down and then maintain the weight loss the empty calories from refined sugar and bleached flour are best kept to a minimum, but eating whole grain foods will improve your health.
Omnivores who work more vegetarian meals with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables into their regular diets will enjoy better health. Doing so on a large scale will reap environmental benefits as well and purchasing produce in season can keep costs down.
Fast food, Junk food, highly processed foods and sodas containing high fructose corn syrup are not recommended for good health or the health of the planet. When you combine a healthy diet with regular exercise it’s a near certainty that you will look and feel better.
To view the full text of the article in the Archives of Internal Medicine cited above go to: Long-term Effects of a Very Low-Carbohydrate Diet and a Low-Fat Diet on Mood and Cognitive Function
To view all the previous posts on weight control on the American Feast web site (just scroll down) go to: American Feast's Weight Control Archive
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Hannah Kaminsky's Vegan Cheesecake (Images courtesy of the Boston Vegetarian Society)
This year our friends at the Boston Vegetarian Society are delighted to expand the Annual Boston Vegetarian Food Festival to a two-day event! The Festival brings together an amazing array of vegetarian natural food providers, top national speakers and chefs, and educational exhibitors in a fun and welcoming environment.
The event couldn’t be more family-friendly, offering free admission, free food sampling, free speaker presentations, free parking, a T Subway stop just across the street, and activities for kids.
The 2009 Festival is on for Saturday, October 31st, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Sunday, November 1st during those same hours, at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center, 1350 Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts
The Festival offers the chance to talk directly to food producers, learn the newest items in the marketplace, get some cooking tips, taste free food samples, shop with special discounts, or simply learn what vegetarian foods are available and where you can find them.
Whether you are a longtime vegetarian or vegan, or someone simply wanting to add more healthy and delicious foods to your meal repertoire, or if you are just curious what it's all about, you will be very welcome! While your enjoying the fun you can also learn of ways to benefit the environment, help animals, and enhance your health and well being.
  
Sponsored by the Boston Vegetarian Society
The sponsoring organization, the Boston Vegetarian Society, is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization. The organization seeks to make a better world for people, animals, and the earth through advancing a healthful vegetarian diet and a compassionate ethic. It provides education, encouragement, and community support for vegetarians and for anyone wishing to learn more about a healthy, environmentally friendly and humane way of life.
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To visit the sponsoring organization's web site & get more information about the Festival go to: The Boston Vegetarian Society
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Food, Inc. lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing how our nation’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our environment. Food, Inc. reveals often shocking truths about what we eat, how it’s produced and who we have become as a nation.
The “powerful wake-up call for consumers,” (New York Times) Food, Inc., arrives on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on November 3rd. “Bracing, compassionate, witty and compelling,” (Time) Food, Inc. exposes the highly mechanized substructure that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of the government’s regulatory agencies, the USDA and the FDA. Using animation and graphics, Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker Robert Kenner reveals the shocking truth behind corporate ‘factory farms,’ which churn out genetically modified produce and meat from diseased animals, detrimentally impacting the lives of millions.
Profits Before People
Putting profit before the health and safety of Americans, companies have utilized scientific advancements to create bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop and insecticide-resistant soybean seeds. The unfortunate by-product of advancement results in the evolution of new, more resistant strains of the sometimes-deadly E. coli bacteria, which sickens over 73,000 Americans annually.
Featuring interviews with Stonyfield Farm’s Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms’ Joel Salatin, and investigative authors Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) and Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma), Food, Inc. is an eye-opening expose reminiscent of Super Size Me. Detailing how corporate food monopolies influence government regulations, the “smart and expertly shot” (Los Angeles Times) documentary also addresses the nation-wide epidemics of obesity and diabetes, which have drastically escalated over recent decades as a result of the lack of proper nutrition due to the consumption of poor quality food.
Ongoing Impact
Participant Media partnered with 20 nonprofit and social sector organizations to bring awareness to the film and the issues it addresses through a substantial cause marketing and social action campaign. The partnerships with groups including the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention will continue beyond the DVD’s release. Celebrities Kelly Preston, Alyssa Milano and Martin Sheen, among others created public service announcements on the issue and they will be included on the DVD.
Bonus Features
Additional bonus features include deleted scenes – 40 minutes of footage and segments not shown in theatres, “Nightline’s” interview with Chipotle’s CEO, and more. The film will be available for the suggested retail price of $26.98 and Blu-ray Disc for $34.98.
To view previous posts on the topic go to:
1. "King Corn" the Movie: We Are What We Eat
2. Fast Food Nation on DVD
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(Images courtesy of The Mast Farm Inn)
This luscious dessert recipe comes courtesy of our friends at The Mast Farm Inn, a world renowned mountain inn and restaurant in the Valle Crucis Historical District of Watauga County, North Carolina, where guests have been welcomed since the 1800s. Located in a serene rural valley surrounded by mountains, rivers and streams, the green Inn’s doings are truly a family affair. It is owned and managed by sisters Sandra Deschamps Siano and Danielle Deschamps, who are ably assisted by a host of family members.
The family runs the Inn by adhering to principles of sustainability and environmentally sound practices. The gourmet meals served at the Inn’s Simplicity restaurant are created with food as local, fresh, natural and organic as they can make it. In the growing season, the ingredients include produce from the Inn’s own organic garden. Pasture raised meats, free-range dairy and eggs are purchased as much as possible from local organic farmers and growers. Out of season the dining is still as natural and organic as they can make it, using ingredients that may come from further away, but still don’t include dangerous chemicals.
The History of Hummingbird Cake
Hummingbird Cake is such a lovely name that it makes you wonder its origin. It does seem plausible that it may have something to do with how sugary rich this cake is - just like the nectar that Hummingbirds love to feed on. Anyway, what we do know is that the recipe gained widespread popularity after it appeared in the February 1978 issue of Southern Living Magazine. We also know that the recipe was submitted by a Mrs. L. H. Wiggins of Greensboro North Carolina and consists of two layers of cake full of chopped pecans, crushed pineapple, and mashed bananas that are filled and frosted with a delicious cream cheese icing.
Ingredients & Shopping List
Cake
• 3 Cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Cups granulated sugar
• 1 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoons salt
• 2 Cups mashed ripe bananas
• 1 Cup drained crushed pineapple
• 1 1/4 Cups vegetable oil
• 3 Large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 Cup (4 ounces) finely chopped pecans
Icing
• 8 Ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter (at room temperature)
• 5 Cups confectioners' sugar sifted
• 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions & Process
Cake
1. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt set aside
2. Cream together the sugar and vegetable oil
3. Add one egg at a time
4. Add the vanilla
5. Then add the bananas, and the pineapple
6. Add in three parts the flour mixture
7. Grease three 9-inch pans and pour the cake mixture in each
8. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
Icing on the Cake
1. Cream the cream cheese and butter
2. Add the confectioners' sugar
3. Add the vanilla extract
What To Be Careful Of!
As soon as batter is ready put in oven right away
The Mast Farm Inn was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, as "one of the most complete and best preserved groups of nineteenth century farm buildings in western North Carolina."
To visit the Inn’s web site for more information go to: The Mast Farm Inn
If you know someone who likes to do his or her baking using the finest ingredients you can purchase a wonderful gift at: Bakers Bounty! Fancy Large Premium Black Walnuts & Native Pecan Halves
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D & E Farms in Franklinville, N.J. (photo by Emily Roesly , courtesy of morguefile.com)
Earlier this month Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the number of farmers markets in the U.S. increased by 13% from last year, a great illustration of just how many communities and consumers across the country are eagerly reaching out for fresh food and supporting their local farms. Farmers and consumers connected at 5,274 farmers markets this year, up from 4,685 in 2008.
“This growth in the number of farmers markets is a good indicator of just how important local farms and food are to people today,” says Julia Freedgood, managing director of American Farmland Trust’s Growing Local initiative.
As Julia Child once said, “You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.”
Ms. Freedgood went to say:
Farmers markets play a crucial role in bringing fresh food to areas where it’s not always available. And by getting to know the farmers who grow their food, people are able to better understand where their food comes from, something that is hard to do in most grocery stores. This relationship between farmer and consumer underscores the fact that food comes from farmland nearby, and how without that land there would be no food.
American Farmland Trust launched a national online contest this summer so consumers could vote for their favorite farmers markets. The contest illustrated several key concepts including AFT’s “No Farms No Food” message and the importance of farmers markets to local economies, access to healthy food, farmland protection and the environment.
“Not only does this mean the number of farmers markets has increased,” adds Stacy Miller, Executive Secretary of the Farmers Market Coalition, “but it also represents growth in the number of people participating in nutrition and food assistance programs, and the degree to which communities are building partnerships and connections that support local food systems and access to local food.”
Ms. Freedgood concludes, "As AFT enters our 30th anniversary it is important to reflect on past successes but also to look ahead at how to engage a new generation in understanding the importance of protecting farmland. Farmers markets are a great way to accomplish this.”
AFT’s national office is located in Washington, D.C. The phone number is 202-331-7300. To visit the organization’s web site go to: American Farmland Trust
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Alaskan Red King Crab (© Ngweikeong | Dreamstime.com)
If you’re not already part of a crew you probably won’t get to join Alaska’s crab fishermen on the Bering Sea for the 2009-2010 crab season. The harvest seasons for Alaska’s two largest crab fisheries opens today, October 15th, but there’s always next year.
Alaska red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) is the largest and one of the most impressive of all shellfish, prized for its sweet flavor and rich tender white body meat. This year’s harvest limits were set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The Alaska Bristol Bay king crab harvest is set at 16 million pounds, a drop from last year, but above the 10-year average.
Also announced were the Bering Sea tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) fishery with a harvest level of 1.35 million pounds, and the Saint Matthew Island blue king crab (Paralithodes platypus) fishery with 1.17 million pounds.
The harvest levels point to Alaska’s ongoing practice of managing all of its fisheries to ensure their long term health and sustainability. State and federal fisheries managers continually adjust harvest limits based on the most current available scientific data. This is one key element within Alaska’s model of sustainability.
The history of crab fisheries in Alaskan waters extends back to 1930. The harvest season for Alaska king crab typically ranges from October through November and again from January through March. Alaska snow crab is usually harvested from October through mid-February. This year's harvest should ensure that your favorite Alaskan crab will be available at your favorite seafood store or restaurant throughout the year.
"The Last Frontier" state is celebrating its 50th anniversary of statehood and Alaska's Constitution states that “fish…be utilized, developed, and maintained on the sustained yield principle.” This dedication to sustainable management has resulted in an ever-replenishing supply of wild seafood for markets around the world.
For more information and recipes go to: Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
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Our friend Serena Ingre at the National Resources Defense Council has just let us know that the Natural Resources Defense Council is now accepting nominations for its second annual Growing Green Awards. New this year, in addition to the previous award categories, is a “Water Steward” category just for 2010. Applications are due December 4, 2009 and a $10,000 prize will go to the winning green “Food Producer.”
Through these national awards NRDC will recognize extraordinary contributions that advance ecologically integrated farming practices, climate stewardship, water stewardship, farmland preservation, and social responsibility from farm to fork. Author and sustainable food activist Michael Pollan will again be on the selection panel, along with Chair Susan Clark, the Executive Director of the Columbia Foundation, A.G. Kawamura, California’s Secretary of Agriculture, and Nora Pouillon, founder of the nation’s first certified organic restaurant.
A Growing Green Award will be given to an outstanding individual in each of four categories including “Food Producer,” “Business Leader,” “Thought Leader,” and “Water Steward.” All winners will be widely celebrated through outreach to media and NRDC’s networks.
Growing Green Awards Criteria
In selecting from nominees the awards selection panel will consider the following criteria:
• Innovation in promoting ecologically-integrated food systems. This may include minimizing inputs of energy water and chemicals; reducing pollution and global warming gas emissions; use of on-farm polyculture; increasing natural resilience; and stewardship of biodiversity pollinators open space and land resources.
• Potential to achieve wide scale adoption implementation or behavioral change.
• Advancement of health safety and economic viability for farmers farmworkers and rural communities.
To visit the organization's web site & get more information go to: National Resources Defense Council
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Founder and CEO of Seattle’s Theo Chocolate, Joseph Whinney, witnessed the effects of unfair, unsustainable cocoa trading as a conservation volunteer in Central America. That experience led him to pioneer the manufacture and supply of organic chocolate products as the first individual to import organic cocoa beans into North America in 1994. Over a decade later, Theo is proud to be the first to roast organic cocoa beans and the first roaster of Fair Trade certified cocoa beans in the United States.
Food and Wine Magazine honored Theo with an Eco-Epicurean Award for making the world "a better — and more delicious — place." Theo also won "Outstanding Chocolate" at the NASFT Fancy Food Show in New York City.
Eco-entrepreneurs deserve kudos for the risks they take to start up companies that strive for sustainability. Joe Whinney of Theo Chocolate is among the most deserving, so it’s quite fitting that the popular environmental news site Grist named him one of its top 15 green business founders.
All of Theo’s ingredients are carefully selected to ensure they meet the company’s high standards for social and environmental responsibility. As true chocolate makers, they carefully steward cacao (cocoa beans) through the process of roasting, blending and conching in order to coax out the distinctive flavor imparted by each unique growing region. Theo’s production is guided by their passion for chocolate and their ultimate goal is to lead the industry with the excellence and integrity of their offerings.
The company is located in a beautiful, historic building in Seattle, Washington. They welcome visitors for tours of the chocolate factory at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, seven days a week, with additional tours at 10:00 am and 12:00 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The cost is just $6.00 per person. You can reserve a place on the tour by calling 206-632-5100. Tours last about 1 hour and include a thorough explanation of artisanal chocolate making and delicious samples! Theo’s factory is in the Fremont district of north Seattle at the intersection of Phinney Avenue North and 35th Avenue North.
If you’d like to purchase some of Theo’s award-winning gourmet chocolate click on any of the following:
Organic Chocolate from the Ivory Coast's Cacao - 74%
Theo Organic Chocolate Confections
Organic Chocolate from Ghana's Cacao - 84%
Organic Bread & Chocolate Bars
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A Healthy Pig (photo by vnyberg, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Giant agribusinesses like to claim that industrial farming produces an abundance of food at affordable prices, but once the costs of government subsidies, environmental devastation, and the impact on human health are factored in, industrial food is expensive indeed! And those costs are born by ordinary people through taxes and medical bills, while top executives from the world of big agribusiness live splendid lives of luxury.
The Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming is working to protect human health by eliminating the misuse of antibiotics and related drugs in food animals, joining the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, and countless others in an effort to improve public health.
At the Pew Charitable Trusts’ web site, the nonprofit organization explains:
To reform health care we need to reduce health care costs, and that includes reducing the drug-resistant diseases that cost our country billions. This means stopping the misuse of the antibiotics our families rely on. Many industrial farms routinely feed these drugs to chickens and livestock that aren't sick, which promotes the development of deadly antibiotic-resistant infections.
This past July, the New York Times published an article saying, “The Obama administration announced Monday that it would seek to ban many routine uses of antibiotics in farm animals in hopes of reducing the spread of dangerous bacteria in humans.”
The Times article reported that Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, principal deputy commissioner of food and drugs, told the House Rules Committee that feeding antibiotics to healthy chickens, pigs and cattle should cease, because the practice leads to the development of bacteria that are immune to many treatments.
To visit the Pew organization's web site, get more information, and/or get active, go to: The Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming
To read the New York Times article cited above go to: Administration Seeks to Restrict Antibiotics in Livestock
To view previous posts on the topic go to:
1. We Want to Know What's in Our Children's Milk!
2. Highest Quality, Healthiest Meat is Sustainably Produced
3. What is Sustainable Food?
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Organic Tomatoes (photo by Dmitri Jeltovski, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Here’s a nonprofit organization whose work is helping build a better world for all of us. As their web site explains:
Farm to School brings healthy food from local farms to school children nationwide. The program teaches students about the path from farm to fork, and instills healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime. At the same time, use of local produce in school meals and educational activities provides a new direct market for farmers in the area and mitigates environmental impacts of transporting food long distances.
More than 30 million children eat a school lunch five days a week, 180 days a year. If school lunch can taste great, and support the local community, it is a win-win for everyone.
To learn more about the terrific work they are doing & how you might help, go to: Farm to School
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Alice Waters (photo by David Liittschwager, courtesy of USF)
The University of San Francisco has just announced that legendary chef and restaurateur Alice Waters has been named the recipient of its 2009 California Prize for Service and the Common Good. The award recognizes significant service in pursuit of the common good for all members of society, and comes with a $10,000 purse and a handcrafted medal.
Alice Waters is a renowned chef and champion of food grown locally. She is credited with helping found the “slow food” movement that has revolutionized how we think about sustainable and organic agriculture. As owner of the legendary Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, her influence is felt across the country as she raises consciousness about how the food we choose affects our health and our planet.
The Edible Schoolyard & the School Lunch Initiative
Waters also created the Chez Panisse Foundation in 1996 to support educational programs that use food to nurture, educate, and empower youth. Through The Edible Schoolyard and the School Lunch Initiative, the Foundation envisions a public school curriculum that includes hands-on experiences in school kitchens, gardens, and lunchrooms, and provides healthy, freshly prepared meals as part of each school day.
“I am incredibly honored to receive this year's California Prize for Service the Common Good from the University of San Francisco,” Alice Waters said upon learning of the honor. “This award recognizes the work of the Chez Panisse Foundation and shows that the university supports a school curriculum that gives students the knowledge and values to build a humane and sustainable future.”
“Alice has championed an understanding that raising and preparing what we eat is both an ethical exercise and an acknowledgement that we share the earth's resources and hold it in trust for future generations,” said Stephen A. Privett, S.J., University President. “She has worked tirelessly to introduce school children to responsible food production and healthy eating, especially those in underserved communities.”
Waters will be honored Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at a dinner hosted on the USF campus. Proceeds from the dinner will directly benefit USF student programs—including internships and service learning projects at home and abroad.
About the University of San Francisco
Established in 1855, USF is the city’s oldest university and is consistently ranked as one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the country. The University of San Francisco is committed to being a premier Jesuit Catholic, urban university with a global perspective that educates leaders who will fashion a more humane and just world. With nearly 8,500 enrolled, the university offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional students the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as persons and professionals, and the values and sensitivity necessary to be men and women for others.
For more information about USF’s California Prize for Service and the Common Good, or for details about the dinner event on November 5th, please visit: USF California Service Prize
To purchase a Bestseller by Alice Waters go to: The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution
To view a previous post on the topic go to:
1. Getting Their Hands Dirty at School (The Edible Schoolyard)
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For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Soil-Saving Farming in Pennsylvania (photo by Scott Bauer, courtesy of USDA)
Our friends at the Food Alliance have sent us some great news for everyone who wants a healthier and more sustainable food system. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that Miles McEvoy has been hired to serve as Deputy Administrator of the National Organic Program (NOP). McEvoy assumes his position on October 1st.
"Miles McEvoy has worked in the field of organic agriculture for more than two decades and has a solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the organic community," Vilsack said.
Organically grown and marketed agricultural products are of key interest to the Obama Administration, and the NOP will be receiving increased funding and staffing in the new fiscal year.
Vilsack also announced that the NOP will become an independent program area within AMS because of the increased visibility and emphasis on organic agriculture throughout the farming community, evolving consumer preferences, and the enhanced need for governmental oversight of this widely expanded program.
For more than 20 years, McEvoy led the Washington State Department of Agriculture's (WSDA) Organic Food Program, one of the nation's first state organic certification programs. In 2001, he helped establish the WSDA Small Farm and Direct Marketing Program. From 1993 until 1995, McEvoy was the founding Director of The Food Alliance, a program that blends sustainable farming practices and social welfare components into an eco-label program.
McEvoy helped establish the National Association of State Organic Programs in 1998 and currently serves as its President. He also assisted the Montana Department of Agriculture to develop the state's organic certification program and has been helping the Oregon Department of Agriculture in developing its own organic certification program.
According to the USDA, NOP is responsible for regulating the fastest growing segment of U.S. agriculture, the organic industry. U.S. sales of organic foods have grown from $1 billion in 1990, when the Organic Foods Production Act established the NOP, to a projected $23.6 billion in 2009. Congress increased NOP funding to $2.6 million in FY08 and to $3.2 million in FY09, just a fraction of the billions in subsidies that go to giant agribusinesses.
To learn more about the efforts of the Food Alliance go to: Food Alliance
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For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Fresh Seafood (photo by Sister Rahel, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Can you create a savory seafood dinner for under $25? If you’re up to the challenge, here’s a chance to win a cash prize, get your recipe published, and support a great cause in one fell swoop.
Food & Water Watch is calling for all creative cooks to participate in this year's Get Cookin' contest: Frugal Fish! This time last year they asked for your best sustainable seafood recipes and then published the winners in their booklet, Fish & Tips.
This year’s contest recognizes our tough economic times, but they want to show “you can eat well and have fun, even when you're on a budget.” So they want you to show them your best sustainable seafood dinner for under $25.
Send in your most delicious seafood recipe that doesn't break the bank -- using, of course, sustainable seafood! Food & Water Watch has a Smart Seafood Guide to help you figure out which types of fish are good for you and our planet, so be sure to use the seafood cited in their Guide!
To see the best choices for creating memorable & sustainable dishes go to: Smart Seafood Guide
For full contest information and rules go to: Frugal Fish Recipe Contest Rules
To have a look at last year’s booklet with its tasty compilation of seafood recipes and useful tips go to: Fish & Tips
About Food & Water Watch
Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and by transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.
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The White House (photo by Dr. Steven L. Berg, courtesy of morguefile.com)
“We applaud the opening of the new White House farmers market and for the First Lady’s support of increasing opportunities for local farmers and community access to fresh, healthy, local food,” says Jon Scholl, President of American Farmland Trust. The White House Farmers Market opened yesterday, just outside the White House grounds on nearby Vermont Avenue, NW, in Washington, D.C.
“Farmers markets are a great way to bring local farms and communities together, and to help consumers understand that there’s no local food without local farmland,” added Scholl. “Our mission is to save America’s farm and ranch land, promote healthy farming practices, and support farms and farmers.”
“By opening this market, the White House has set the table if you will, for an important discussion. Protecting farmland for future agricultural use is of the utmost importance to every citizen in this country. And it is vital to maintaining the future viability of our farmers and rural communities,” added Scholl.
Julia Freedgood, managing director of AFT’s Growing Local initiative to promote strong local and regional food systems agrees. “In 1989, there were 1,890 farmers markets across the country. Today, there are about 4,900 markets, over a 250% increase in 20 years.”
Freedgood attributes the amazing rise of farmers markets to a number of factors. Among them, “…the public’s concern about how and where our food is raised. Today more than ever, consumers are demanding ‘food with a face’ that comes from a place – food choices that celebrate family farmers and special agricultural landscapes like the Chesapeake Bay watershed.”
To encourage the support of farmers markets and the economic and social role they play in the community and draw attention to the fact that farmers markets and local food ingredients cannot exist without the requisite farmland, AFT just held its first national online contest for people to vote for America’s Favorite Farmers Markets. Over 30,000 unique votes were cast with markets in Collingswood, NJ, Williamsburg, VA, and Davis, CA, earning the titles in their market size categories.
“Farmers markets provide public health benefits and economic development opportunities,” Freedgood says. The most recent USDA Census of Agriculture reported that nearly $1.2 billion stayed in local communities from direct to consumer sales—up 49% since 2002. “There is no question that farmers markets and farmland are a positive part of communities.”
“We’re excited to see the White House draw attention to agriculture in this way,” Scholl adds. “Whether providing healthy food, renewable energy or environmental services, agriculture is at the heart of solutions to our nation’s most pressing issues.”
American Farmland Trust is a national nonprofit organization working with communities and individuals to protect the land, plan for agriculture and keep the land healthy. As pne of the nation’s leading advocates for farm and ranch land conservation, AFT has ensured that more than a million acres stay bountiful and productive.
AFT’s national office is located in Washington, D.C. The phone number is 202-331-7300. To visit the organization’s web site go to: American Farmland Trust
To view previous posts on the topic go to:
1. AFT Announces the Winners of its Favorite Farmers Market Contest
2. "Boston Bounty Bucks" to Increase Spending on Locally Grown Food
3. Manhattan Borough President Urges NYC to "Buy Local"
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Organic Oranges (photo by Darnok, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Organic products have shifted from being a lifestyle choice for a small share of consumers to being consumed at least occasionally by a majority of Americans, according to a recent briefing from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The USDA says consumer demand for organic goods has shown double-digit growth for well over a decade and provided market opportunities for American farmers across a broad range of products. Organic food is now available in nearly 3 of 4 grocery stores and account for over 3% of total U.S. food sales, according to recent industry statistics. The USDA has found that:
• Organic food is sold to consumers through three main venues in the United States—natural food stores, conventional grocery stores, and direct-to-consumer markets.
• A typical organic consumer is difficult to pinpoint, but new research continues to shed light on consumer attitudes and purchasing behavior.
• Organic price premiums continue to remain high in many markets as the demand for organic products expands.
Providing American families with the option of enjoying food raised without pesticides has been one of the great achievements of the organic farmers movement. Growing demand for organic foods by consumers continues to be a promising trend for the American food system. Along with quests for more flavor and better nutritional value, the desire to avoid pesticides has been a key driver of the demand for organics.
There’s a long way to go to overcome decades of unhealthy practices driven by the industrial food system. By our count there have now been at least six studies establishing a link between pesticides and Parkinson disease. Another found evidence that pesticides made it more likely to develop cancer. Some researchers have theorized that the reason organic produce has a higher nutritional content than conventionally-grown food is due to pesticides inhibiting the production of nutrients in plants.
We can all play a part in creating a healthier and more sustainable food system by demanding that our food be raised without toxic pesticides. Our bodies, our planet, and our children will be the beneficiaries.
The nonprofit Environmental Working Group offers a guide you can carry in your wallet, "so when you're shopping you'll know which produce to buy organic, and which conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables are okay if organic isn't available.”
For a free download of the EWG’s guide go to: Shoppers Guide to Pesticides
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Wolffer Winery & Vineyards (Images courtesy of Wolffer Winery)
Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, New York is pleased to announce the official date of their annual Wölffer Estate Harvest Party: Sunday, October 11. One of the most anticipated events on the fall Hamptons' social calendar, guests of all ages are invited to partake in harvest fun, and share the bounty and beauty of the season at Wölffer Estate.
A sumptuous harvest lunch, with an emphasis on local ingredients, will be served and paired with award-winning Wölffer Estate wines. Enjoy the feast at the large family-style tables arranged on the lawn. Live music, performed by local artists, will add to the celebration. Adding to the excitement will be the final round of the horse jumping competition of the Wölffer Derby held by the Wölffer Estate Stables at the vineyard ring.
This year's Harvest Party festivities include grape picking and stomping, a petting zoo, and barrel rolling races. For additional family fun, the Harvest Party will also offer pony and hay rides, face painting, a fall arts and crafts station, and many new events.
Wölffer Estate Vineyard Annual Harvest Party
Sunday, October 11, 12:00 to 5:00 pm (Rain date: Monday, October 12)
$75 plus tax for adults, $35 plus tax for children 4 to 20, under 4 admitted free.
$65 plus tax for Wine Club Members - this year a special VIP area will be exclusive to wine club members and their guests.
Reservations required. Please call (631) 537-5106, ext. 11
New Wine Releases
Coinciding with the fall harvest, Wölffer Estate is also pleased to toast the release of the new "Christian's Cuvée" Merlot 2005, as well as several new vintages from the winery: Merlot 2007, Chardonnay 2007, and Cabernet Franc 2006. The wines are also available for purchase at the winery tasting room or online at www.wolffer.com.
About Wölffer Estate Vineyard
A leader in Long Island winemaking for over 20 years, Wölffer Estate Vineyard, a 55-acre winery located in Sagaponack, (The Hamptons), New York, is an American winery with a decidedly European character. Reflecting our terroir and the meticulous stewardship of winemaker Roman Roth, these former potato fields are the foundation for world-class wines. Similar in many respects to conditions in Bordeaux, the local Bridgehampton loam soil and favorable maritime influences provide a perfect host for grapevines. Wölffer Estate Vineyard proudly practices sustainable agriculture.
To learn more about Wölffer Winery and plan a visit there go to: Wolffer Winery
For more info on Long Island Wine Country go to: The Long Island Wine Council
To view a previous post on Wolffer's internationally acc;aimed Late Harvest Chardonnay go to:
Long Island Chardonnay Places 1st in International Wine Competition
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Windmills at Sunset (photo by Dan Tombs, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Missouri is nicknamed the “Show Me State" and droves of visitors want an up-close look at the twenty-seven wind turbines going strong on the Bluegrass Ridge Wind Farm in King City. As our friends at American Farmland Trust have pointed out, “Wind farms are just one way farmers are simultaneously helping to solve our energy needs while providing farms with a new source of income.”
“Busloads of senior citizens and school children from Kansas City and the surrounding area have already made trips to King City…a small town with only two restaurants,” according to an article in the High Plains Midwest AG Journal. The power generated by the wind turbines on the Bluegrass Ridge Wind Farm “is enough electricity for 20,000 average-size homes. The Journal reports that according to Gentry County Treasurer Linda Combs, the wind farm brought in $585,922 in additional tax dollars to be used for local schools and infrastructure improvements. The needed maintenance of the wind generators has created eleven full-time jobs. The article goes on to say that, “On the average, landowners receive $3,000 a year for each tower on their property.”
Interest from visitors traveling to see the wind turbines has been so high that a local group of residents has applied for a grant to build a wind farm education center.
If you’d like to read the article in the High Plains Midwest AG Journal cited above go to: Visitors center planned for Missouri wind farm
To view previous posts on the topic go to:
1. Texas Winds Are Reaping Energy & Jobs
2. Suburban Homeowners Turn to Wind Power
3. Greening the Rust Belt
4. An Ancient Idea
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A Napa Oak Overlooks Vines (image courtesy of Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group)
There's an excellent chance that your favorite Napa Valley winegrower is a member of the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group which was formed in 1995 to promote integrated pest management practices in Napa County, California. The mission of the Group is to identify and promote winegrowing practices that are economically viable, socially responsible and environmentally sound.
Specifically, the Group promotes viticultural land stewardship through educational outreach to:
• Optimize ecological stability and winegrape productivity and quality by understanding and emulating natural processes such as biodiversity, carbon and nutrient cycling, and plant-soil interactions.
• Reduce pesticide inputs through cultural practices, biological control, and use of alternative materials.
• Promote soil health through erosion control, reduced tillage, soil analysis, and the amendment of soils with cover crops and compost.
• Enhance returns on investment by promoting the value-added nature of sustainable winegrapes along with terroir and increased vineyard longevity.
The Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group is comprised of members representing Napa winegrape growers, vintners, and local government and educational organizations. The Group represents over 25,000 acres of farmed vineyard land and over 20,000 acres of un-farmed/wild land as of March 2007.
In a 5-part podcast interview, American Feast's Doug Ferber has a talk with the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group to learn more about their important work.
To listen to Part 1 click on: A Talk with the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group Part 1
To listen to Part 2 click on: A Talk with the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group Part 2
To listen to Part 3 click on:
A Talk with the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group Part 3
To listen to Part 4 click on:
A Talk with the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group Part 4
To listen to Part 5 click on:
A Talk with the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group Part 5
We've received more good news from our friends at American Farmland Trust. Wisconsin, one of America's great agricultural states, has joined a growing list of states that includes Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and Delaware, making major strides toward the preservation of farmland.
Wisconsin's new Working Lands Initiative will modernize the state's 30-year-old Farmland Preservation Program, develop a statewide Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements program, and create Agricultural Enterprise Areas to encourage agriculture in specific areas in each county. According to The New Berlin Land Conservancy, the state's agriculture officials believe the initiative "could go a long way toward ending the trend of 30,000 acres of working Wisconsin land being converted to other uses every year."
As our friend Bob Wagner at American Farmland Trust put it:
Approval for this initiative underscores the salient point that farms offer more than pastoral beauty—they are the backbone of regional economies and communities, provide food for our tables, and offer significant opportunity to protect our environment and natural resources.
Curbing sprawl and preserving more land capable of producing healthy food for generations to come...Bravo Wisconsin!
If you’d like to learn more about the efforts of AFT go to: American Farmland Trust: Saving the Land that Sustains Us
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(photo courtesy of Library of Congress)
An advocate for sustainable farming once said that when it comes to farming everything you're great-grandfather did was better. Today, a major challenge facing all of us who want to see a healthier and more sustainable food system is overcoming the predominance of factory farms across America.
Giant factory farms are the prime culprits when it comes to the unhealthy use of pesticides, herbicides, anitbiotics, and hormones. They foster inhumane conditions for animals and wreak environmental devastation. The government purchases their surplus production and much of that food ends up being served to children for school lunches.
The food they produce is making people sick and the vast majority of people find themselves on the hook for the medical costs that result. Enormous quantities of fossil fuels are burned to transport their products to population centers. Dealing with the pollution they cause incurs enomrmous costs for environmental cleanups. Who pays?
And if you love eating good food as much as we do, you already know that food from factory farms is quite bland when compared to food that is fresh and sustainably produced.
There's no quick and easy solution to the problem, but every small step forward takes us closer to a brighter future. We just received this message from our friends Sarah, Alex, Noelle and The Food Team at the nonprofit Food & Water Watch:
Small farmers across the country are struggling to make ends meet, yet the USDA is helping new factory farms come on line by encouraging banks to give them guaranteed loans. Family farm groups from across the country are calling on the USDA to stop backing new factory farms. Can you take action to stop new factory farms?
Factory farms have already forced out many small producers by lowering the price that farmers are paid for chickens and pigs. The tough economic times are hitting everyone hard and many farmers are losing their contracts. The USDA has bought up surplus pork, chicken and eggs for nutrition and school lunch programs to absorb some of the over-supply, but still, the agency continues to back loans for new factory farms.
To make matters worse, taxpayers pay for this bad policy twice - when the government buys up surplus production and again when low prices drive producers out of business and USDA pays for the defaulted loans.
Tell Secretary Vilsack it's time to cut off the factory farm industry. Sign a petition calling for USDA to impose a moratorium on guaranteed loans to build new factory farms.
To sign the petition go to: Food & Water Watch
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Since June 1, thousands of people have cast their vote through American Farmland Trust’s (AFT) America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest. AFT’s website lists and continually updates the top twenty vote getters in each of three categories at www.farmland.org.
The top 20 markets list holds lots of surprises including the fact that the current market with the most votes overall is in the “small” category meaning that the market has only 30 vendors or less. This is a true testament to what even a small farmers market means to the community.
According to one farmers market customer, shopping at their local market is the highlight of their week:
“It is just a lot of fun. Besides the wonderful vegetables, fruit and prepared foods, there is music, chef demonstrations and many other special events. I really like seeing the faces [of the people] who grow my food and getting to know them.”
So far this summer, thousands of individuals have voted for over 700 farmers markets representing just about every state in the country. But there is still time for more votes and for the top 20 markets to change! Farmers market consumers are encouraged to vote for their favorite markets (one vote per market) at the America’s Favorite Farmers Market website, www.farmland.org/vote - and to tell their friends.
American Farmland Trust has sponsored the nationwide contest to promote the value of farmers markets in communities, and to make the connection between fresh local foods and the local farms and farmland that supply them. Farmers markets play a critical role in keeping farmers on the land. America is losing two acres of farmland per minute because many farmers find it more profitable to sell their land for development. Keeping farms viable, by providing them with a venue where they can provide their much sought after products, is one of the best ways to save the land that sustains us.
“Farmers markets are more than a passing fancy, they're here to stay” says Jane Kirchner, AFT Senior Director of Marketing. “They are a connection point in communities-where customers can connect directly with the people who grow their food, and come together socially. I also think we all intrinsically like the idea of supporting our local businesses!”
In 2007, direct sales from farms to consumers totaled $1.2 billion, an increase of 49% from 2002. Much of that increase comes from America’s growing number of farmers markets – 4,685 in 2008, compared to 3,137 in 2002. In addition to supplying seasonal fresh fruits, vegetables and agricultural products, farmers markets help support public health and can drive economic development in communities.
At the end of the contest, the top market in each category will win a shipment of No Farms No Food ® totebags to distribute to the customers that made it happen!
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Fresh Halibut (© Enid Arvelo | Dreamstime.com)
Just over a week ago we reported that Damon Stainbrook, former Sous Chef of French Laundry, is working with a mercury certification program, Safe Harbor, to ensure the fish used in his delicious recipes meet strict standards for mercury content and are caught using only sustainable methods – verified through its traceability program.
Yesterday, The Dolce Group, a multi-restaurant and nightclub brand backed by a myriad of celebrity investors, announced adoption of Safe Harbor’s mercury certification program, which will ensure the highest quality, healthiest fish is served to guests dining at the ultra swanky Geisha House, Bella Cucina and Ketchup restaurants in Hollywood. A Safe Harbor logo on the menu will guarantee guests that the fish they order has been individually tested and meets stricter mercury standards than those set by the FDA.
"Our restaurants are known as LA’s hottest destination for the ultimate dining experience, including a reputation for quality service and food," said David Jarrett, VP, The Dolce Group. "Worrying about mercury isn’t part of that experience – Safe Harbor will help ensure our clientele enjoy themselves, knowing the fish they’re eating has been tested."
Safe Harbor’s certification testing and traceability program will allow The Dolce Group to vet critical information including each fish’s origin, method of catch and maximum mercury level. While some restaurants and retail outlets offer "low mercury" fish, this claim is based on use of species believed to be lower in mercury, rather than testing. Geisha House, Bella Cucina and Ketchup are among the first restaurants nationwide to serve fish individually tested for mercury.
"People are increasingly concerned about mercury – so much that many are avoiding seafood altogether," said Malcolm Wittenberg, CEO, Safe Harbor. "Our technology, however, eliminates cause for concern by certifying that the fish served meets our strict mercury certification standards. For seafood lovers, this is a sigh of relief."
The following item includes a link to help you find safe and sustainable seafood: A Guide to Safe & Guilt-Free Seafood
To learn more about Safe Harbor and its traceability program go to: Is Your Fish High in Mercury?
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Boston Skyline (©andrebrilliant, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Boston has joined a growing list of cities taking steps to promote the purchase of locally grown food with Boston Bounty Bucks, a program providing vouchers that double the value of food stamps at 14 of the city's roughly 22 farmers markets.
Atlanta, San Diego and Providence already have similar programs benefiting low-income shoppers and local farmers who sell their products in urban neighborhoods. The city efforts complement new federal policies in the 2008 Farm Bill to improve access to farm-fresh fruits and vegetables for seniors, children and low-income residents.
Local farmers will get a much-needed boost in revenue from an eco-friendly program that reduces the need to ship and truck food over great distances. Shoppers who purchase fresh, locally grown produce will avail themselves of the most flavorful and most nutritious food, something that can be a real challenge for low-income urban residents, according to studies conducted at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
According to the Bloomberg School's Department of Epidemiology, “Our findings show that participants who live in neighborhoods with low healthy food availability are at an increased risk of consuming a lower quality diet.”
Some of the communities examined were found to have no supermarkets within easy traveling distance, but plenty of fast food outlets serving processed foods high in calories and saturated fats. Even in some communities with nearby supermarkets “the availability of items like fresh fruits and vegetables, skim milk and whole wheat bread” in those stores was often found lacking.
"Place of residence plays a larger role in dietary health than previously estimated," said Manuel Franco, MD, PhD, lead author of the two studies.
If you’d like to read a Boston Globe article on the topic go to: Vouchers double value of food stamps at Boston farmers' markets
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Underwater Tuna (© Tamas | Dreamstime.com)
The thought of mercury in your seafood is enough to ruin anyone’s appetite.
That’s why Damon Stainbrook, former Sous Chef of French Laundry, is leading the way in a new “conscientious cooking” movement. He’s working with a mercury certification program, Safe Harbor, to ensure the fish used in his delicious recipes meet strict standards for mercury content and are caught using only sustainable methods – verified through its traceability program.
He’d like to share the following recipe and let people know that there is a way to create delicious, healthy and sustainable dinners.
Those in Northern California wishing to create this recipe with Safe Harbor-certified fish can do so at any local Andronico’s, DeLano’s, Woodlands Market, and The Fish Market. If these retailers aren’t nearby, those wishing to prepare the recipe should be careful if purchasing Bluefin, Albacore, and imported Bigeye/Yellowfin tuna caught by longline as they tend to have higher mercury levels and should not be consumed too often.
Ingredients for 4 Servings
• 4 Tuna steaks, 6 ounces each
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
Zucchini Pasta:
• 4 Cups julienne green and gold zucchini
• 2 Teaspoons kosher salt
Artichoke Sauce:
• 16 Ounces peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes
• 1 Medium yellow onion diced
• 3 Cloves garlic minced
• 1 Teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 Cup diced marinated baby artichokes
• 1 to 2 Teaspoons finely minced hot or mild chile pepper, or to taste
• ¼ Cup chopped fresh basil
• Black pepper to taste
Black Olive Tapenade:
• 1 Cup pitted Kalamata olives chopped (or olives of your liking)
• 1 Big garlic clove minced
• 1 Tablespoon capers
• ¼ Cup fresh basil leaves chopped
• ¼ Cup fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
• ½ Cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Combine all tapenade ingredients, tasting and adding salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let stand at room temperature before serving. Makes 1 ½ cups.
2. Julienne the zucchini into long thin pasta like shape. Toss with salt and let sit in colander for 15 minutes. Zucchini will soften to an al dente consistency.
3. To make the sauce, cook onion and garlic with salt over a low heat in a heavy bottom pot until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for thirty minutes. Add artichokes, chile pepper and basil and simmer another ten minutes. Add black pepper to taste and set sauce aside to cool.
4. Right before grilling the tuna toss the sauce and zucchini together in large bowl.
5. Pull tuna steaks out of fridge fifteen minutes before cooking which will help to keep the tuna from sticking to the grill (If using). Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper, then brush lightly with olive oil.
6. Lightly brush a grill rack, or broiler pan with a little oil. Grill tuna over coals medium high heat. Turn after about 2-3 minutes for rare tuna, 4 to 6 minutes for more medium to well done. Tuna should maintain a pink center, but will flake easily around edges.
7. To finish, twist equal portions of pasta onto four plates, top with grilled tuna and a tablespoon of tapenade.
If you'd like to purchase our favorite artisanal olive oil from Stella Cadente, click on: L'Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
To purchase Black Olive Tapenade from the Aaron Baum and his creative team at Hand to Mouth Edibles go to: Black Olive Tapenade
The following item includes a link to help you find safe and sustainable seafood: A Guide to Safe & Guilt-Free Seafood
To learn more about Safe Harbor and its traceability program go to: Is Your Fish High in Mercury?
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
Alexandre Family EcoDairy Farm, Crescent City, California (photo courtesy of Cornucopia Institute)
President Obama and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack are being urged to take immediate action to repair the USDA’s increasingly dysfunctional National Organic Program (NOP). Suspect imports of grains, nuts, and vegetables from China and other countries, questionable organic milk, beef, and eggs from giant factory farms, and a cozy relationship between USDA managers and corporate agribusiness lobbyists are said to be injuring the organic label's reputation.
Consumer demand for organic foods has skyrocketed in recent years, propelling organics into a $24 billion dollar a year business. That same hunger for organics has encouraged some large corporations, factory farms, and foreign producers to move into the U.S. organic business—but without allegedly upholding federal organic production standards.
The Cornucopia Institute, a national organic watchdog representing family farmers, has sent a formal letter and briefing paper to President Obama and Secretary Vilsack, specifically asking that they take “a very strong and proactive posture in turning around management at the National Organic Program (NOP),” which they described as being “Katrina-ed” by the Bush administration. Thousands of organic farmers and consumers have also contacted the President and USDA Secretary.
“The stewardship of the organic program at the USDA has been an absolute abomination,” said Mark A. Kastel, Cornucopia’s senior farm policy analyst. “It was not just management by neglect—it was an intentional monkeywrenching of the Department's oversight of the industry.”
In the last several years, audits prepared by the American National Standards Institute and the Inspector General's office have blasted the NOP for failing to ensure that independent certification agencies, which verify organic farming and production practices, are competent and properly performing their jobs.
Washington Post Reports on Investigation at USDA
According to a July 3rd Washington Post story, the USDA's Inspector General's office has widened an ongoing investigation and is looking at the Department's oversight of private certifiers. The Cornucopia Institute formally requested the Inspector General’s investigation after Bush administration officials failed to look into alleged improprieties by management at the organic program.
Among other grievances, the Department is accused of sidestepping protections and oversight implemented by Congress. According to the Post, 65 policy resolutions adopted by the National Organic Standards Board, the expert citizen advisory panel to the NOP, have never been reviewed or implemented since 2002.
“In addition to starving the National Organic Program for adequate funding, the political environment at the USDA has always been hostile to the organic industry,” said Kastel.
During the Bush administration, political appointees at the USDA had also significantly softened penalties for organic lawbreakers and overruled stiff enforcement actions recommended by career civil servants for factory farms that were found to be willfully violating federal organic standards. Other complaints detailing abuses on factory farms were quashed or went uninvestigated.
“If organic food production and eating had not caught on so well, we wouldn't see these scofflaws doing their thing,” observed Merrill Clark, a certified organic livestock farmer from Michigan and former member of the National Organic Standards Board. Clark added, “It’s time to change the culture at the USDA.”
The Cornucopia Institute launched a “Change@USDA” campaign earlier this year and is helping stakeholders in the organic community to unite for rehabilitation of the NOP. The farm group has helped coordinate many letters from industry stakeholders, letters to both Mr. Obama and Secretary Vilsack, from farmers, retailers, business executives and consumers, supporting a sweeping management shakeup at the National Organic Program.
Positive Change at USDA
One sign that the new administration at the USDA is taking the concerns of organic and sustainable farming interests to heart was the appointment by Secretary Vilsack of Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, a Tufts University assistant professor, as USDA Deputy Secretary. Merrigan helped write the original organic law adopted by Congress as an aide to its prime sponsor, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont.
“I cannot think of a more qualified public policy expert to take on this important role at what Abraham Lincoln referred to as the ‘people's department, ’” Kastel affirmed. The Cornucopia Institute, and many other farm organizations, lobbied hard for Merrigan's appointment. “I hope this is representative of President Obama and Secretary Vilsack subscribing to the old adage that ‘good government equals good politics,’” he added.
“The certified organic label belongs to the thousands of ethical organic family farmers, and their consumer allies and patrons, who have built the vibrant organic agricultural and food market,” said Peter Wiesner, General Manager at the Hungry Hollow Co-op in Chestnut Ridge, New York. “We need new management at the National Organic Program if we are to reclaim the organic label,” Wiesner said.
Family-Scale Organic Dairies Facing Crisis
As questions swirl around the handling of organics by the NOP, a true crisis is unfolding in the organic dairy sector. Ethical organic dairy farmers, and the co-ops and family-owned businesses they partner with for processing and marketing, are getting hammered by cheap, allegedly phony "organic" milk from giant factory farms and alleged predatory pricing by the $11 billion agribusiness behemoth, Dean Foods.
Dean Foods, owner of 50 different milk brands, including the nation’s leading organic dairy label, Horizon Organic, has heavily discounted their retail pricing, driving down market prices for all competitors. Dean/Horizon gets a large percentage of their milk from their Idaho industrial dairy, which has managed as many as 8,000 head of cattle, and from many other mega-farms they contract with. Just this week, it was announced that Dean Foods would come out with a "natural" version of Horizon milk products positioned as a new, lower-cost competitor to organic dairy.
"Natural milk is really conventional milk without bovine growth hormones, so Dean Foods’ introduction of Horizon “natural” dairy products is just plain profiteering at the expense of legitimate organic farmers,” said Will Fantle, research director at Cornucopia. “Unlike organics, there is no independent 3rd party verification of this claim, and “natural” fails to include other key organic practices, such as prohibitions against toxic agrichemicals, antibiotics and other drugs in livestock production, as well as unhealthy synthetic food additives in the final product,” added Fantle. Organic dairy production standards also require that the animals graze on pasture rather than being confined to feedlots on factory farms.
Meanwhile, the majority of the private-label, also called “store-brand,” milk (which is usually cheaper than branded organic milk) marketed by Wal-Mart, Costco, Safeway, Target, and other grocery chains comes from the controversial Aurora Dairy, operator of five giant factory farms in Texas and Colorado. The USDA found that Aurora had seriously violated the organic regulations but instead of decertifying the operation, as was recommended by career civil servants, the Bush Administration allowed them to continue in business.
In their research The Cornucopia Institute has stressed that although corporate marketers are large they are sad aberrations in the organic industry. "90% of all the namebrand organic dairy products reviewed in our survey were rated as excellent in terms of their adherence to both the letter and spirit of the organic law, stated the Cornucopia's Kastel. Their scorecard of 110 organic brands, for use by consumers or wholesale buyers, is available on their website.
Coverage of the slowdown in the organic dairy market was also poignantly featured in the pages of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on July 3rd, the same day the Post’s investigative report ran. The Dispatch’s story featured organic dairy farmers that were being squeezed out of business, allegedly, in part, because of a flood of milk from giant factory farms that had been allowed to operate illegally.
"I have invested my life in building this dairy farm,” said Kevin Poetker, a dairy producer from Waterloo, Missouri who has now lost his market for organic milk. "Now my entire livelihood and the financial future of my family is at risk."
Cornucopia Institute Calls for Action
"For many family-scale farmers, who face financial ruin, this is a legitimate emergency and we need the Obama administration to step in immediately,” appealed Cornucopia's Kastel.
Cornucopia is calling on the USDA to aggressively enforce federal organic regulations that would control abuses occurring in the organic dairy sector. Enforcement has been spotty, at best, at the USDA. A number of legal complaints filed by Cornucopia documenting alleged violations of organic law on industrial scale dairies, and other improprieties, were never investigated by the Department.
Farmers and other industry stakeholders can still make their personal appeal to president Obama and USDA secretary Vilsack by downloading a proxy-letter from the “action alerts” section of the Cornucopia Institute's website: www.cornucopia.org
To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook
(photo by Nesstor4u2, courtesy of morguefile.com)
A new wine company donates 20% of its net profits to organizations that help protect threatened animals around the world. Aptly named Endangered Wines, it has just launched four varietals of wines, a Merlot, a Chardonnay, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Sauvignon Blanc. The wines’ labels include stunning photographs of a Tiger, Elephant, Panda and Polar Bear.
The winemaker for Endangered Wines is a Frenchman named Phillipe Pla who is a well known for his skillful wine making throughout South America. The wines are produced and bottled in Chile and exported to the United States for sale to retailers and customers. The wines are reasonably priced at around $9.00 a bottle.
Endangered Wines has partnered with reputable nonprofit organizations including Save China’s Tigers, The International Elephant Foundation, Pandas International, and Polar Bears International. The work being done to protect threatened animals around the world will directly benefit from donations by the wine company.
Endangered Wines was founded by Scott Day who is the owner of the Caribbean Vineyards wine brands based in St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Scott is an avid animal lover and naturally blended his two passions to create a wine company with a good cause. The wine company is based in Wilmington, Delaware and currently negotiating with distributors across the United States to sell the wines.
Endangered Wines’ labels says it all with “Great Wines Working For a Greater Cause.”
You can find out more about the new wine company at their website: Endangered Wines
Passing Freighter (photo by Kenn Kiser, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Our friends Sarah, Alex, Noelle and the Food Team at Food & Water Watch have sent us the following message:
Dear Jeff,
We had a great victory last night as the Appropriations bill passed out of committee with the ban on Chinese chicken still in tact. Thanks to consumer activists like you who contacted your member of Congress, we've cleared the first hurdle in protecting American consumers from potentially contaminated chicken imports.
We know that big agriculture corporations like Smithfield, Tyson, and Cargill pulled out all the stops to pressure Congress to lift the ban, but thanks to continued consumer pressure on this issue, the committee kept the ban to prevent Chinese chicken from coming into the country.
We commend Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) for taking the lead on protecting U.S. consumers from a potentially dangerous food product. This is a great victory, but the fight isn't over yet. We'll be in contact soon to urge the full House and Senate to put consumer safety first by keeping the ban on Chinese chicken products.
In the mean time, please take action to ask your member of Congress to pass strong food safety standards for our domestic food (by clicking on):
Food & Water Watch
Thanks for taking action!
Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and by transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.
Our friends at the Food Alliance, a nonprofit organization that certifies farms, ranches and food handlers for sustainability, have just sent us this update:
Food Alliance has expanded its certification program for sustainable agriculture and food handling to include poultry and egg production. The new Food Alliance certification for poultry is available throughout North America to producers of chicken eggs as well as turkey and chicken meat.
The first company to earn Food Alliance certification for egg production and processing is Wilcox Family Farms, a fourth generation, family-run business headquartered in Roy, Washington with farms in Oregon and Washington. The company provides over 400,000 shell eggs (dozens) and 150,000 pounds of liquid eggs per week to grocery stores, bakeries and food service operations. The company’s organic shell eggs, organic liquid eggs, and cage-free brown eggs will now display the Food Alliance Certified label.
“My family’s company has a long history of working to protect the environment and benefit our community. Sustainability is a critical component of our business model,” says Andrew Wilcox, Director of Operations. “We look at certification as a way to be more transparent with our customers about how their food is produced. Food Alliance’s certification program is unique because they cover labor, animal welfare, and environmental issues. No other certification does all that. It really fits our values.”
To learn more about the organization's certifciation programs and other fine work go to: Food Alliance
Blue Marlin (© Diomedes66 | Dreamstime.com)
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., based in Rochester, N.Y., affirmed its commitment to selling sustainable seafood by becoming the first supermarket chain to endorse the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign (www.takemarlinoffthemenu.org) and refusing to sell marlin, sailfish and spearfish at its 72 stores located throughout New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and Maryland.
In recognition of Wegmans' commitment to not selling marlin, the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign, launched eight months ago by three leading marine conservation non-profits, wants consumers to know they can purchase seafood at their nearest Wegmans supermarket with the full knowledge that Wegmans is officially "Marlin Free."
The Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign was launched by the International Game Fish Association (www.igfa.org), the National Coalition for Marine Conservation (www.savethefish.org), and The Billfish Foundation (www.billfish.org).
As a leader in the supermarket industry, Wegmans urges other supermarket chains throughout the United States to follow its lead in not selling marlin, and helping to raise awareness among consumers that marlin populations are in serious danger due to overharvesting by commercial fishing fleets.
Supporting the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign is in keeping with Wegmans' reputation for innovation. Founded in 1916, Wegmans published its Sustainable Seafood Sourcing Philosophy, a policy that has been followed for many years and is promoted at all Wegmans stores, as well as on its website (www.wegmans.com). Wegmans also posts a chart of items sold in its stores that are certified sustainable and those which are not sold due to sustainability concerns.
"As an industry, we have a great deal of influence in what Americans eat," says Carl Salamone, vice president of seafood. "Every day, in supermarkets across the country, consumers ask seafood professionals what's great to eat. That's when we can point consumers to fish and seafood that is flavorful and good for our environment. Because when the marlin are gone, we all lose."
The ultimate goal of the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign is, through education and political advocacy, to end the commercial harvest, sale and importation of marlin, sailfish and spearfish in the United States, according to Jason Schratwieser, conservation director for the International Game Fish Association (IGFA).
"This is a huge step for our campaign because Wegmans is respected by consumers for its commitment to customer service," adds Ken Hinman, president of the National Coalition for Marine Conservation, located in the Washington D.C. area, "as well as throughout the supermarket industry for its innovation. We applaud Wegmans for stepping forward among its peers in the supermarket industry and coming out on the side of marlin and other billfish."
In addition to Wegmans, a growing number of restaurants support Take Marlin Off the Menu, including Wolfgang Puck Companies, which operate some of the most well known restaurants in the world.
The challenge facing the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign is drawing awareness to the plight of marlin and other billfish, says Ellen Peel, president of The Billfish Foundation. Unfortunately, many Americans are not aware that marlin have suffered a dramatic population decline. According to a national Harris Interactive consumer survey of 2,078 consumers conducted on February 25, 2009, and sponsored by the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign, 93 percent of American consumers were unaware that the populations of marlin have declined 80 percent from their peak several decades ago, before the advent of large-scale commercial fishing worldwide.
"However, according to our national consumer survey," Peel added, "when consumers become aware of the plight of billfish such as marlin, 78 percent of American consumers say they won't order or buy marlin. With this insight, we know that our job is to increase awareness of this issue and to persuade restaurants and seafood retailers to embrace our cause."
Marlin, sailfish, and spearfish are collectively called "billfish" because the long extension of their upper jawbone looks like a spear or bill. Marlin, the largest of the billfish species, have powerful muscular bodies, can weigh as much as a ton, and roam throughout the oceans feeding on smaller fish and keeping marine ecosystems in balance. As apex predators in the ocean, they serve the same role as lions, tigers and wolves on land.
About IGFA
The International Game Fish Association (www.igfa.org), based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping. Founded in 1939, the IGFA is internationally known for maintaining and publishing world records for saltwater and freshwater catches, and for maintaining the world's most comprehensive fishing hall of fame and museum.
About the National Coalition for Marine Conservation
The National Coalition for Marine Conservation (NCMC), based in Leesburg, Va., was founded in 1973 by conservation-minded anglers and is dedicated exclusively to conserving ocean fish and their environment. NCMC works to prevent overfishing, reduce fish bycatch and protect habitat for a wide variety of ocean fish. The group specializes in identifying problems and finding solutions; educating the public; developing proactive conservation strategies; and networking with like-minded fishing and environmental organizations. For more information about the NCMC, visit www.savethefish.org.
About The Billfish Foundation
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) is a science-based, non-profit organization dedicated to conserving and enhancing billfish populations worldwide, working through research, education and advocacy. TBF's comprehensive network of members and supporters includes anglers, captains, mates, tournament directors, clubs, and sportfishing businesses. TBF provides support to regional groups by contributing expertise in science, socio-economics, education and fisheries policy to help find solutions to billfish threats so fishing opportunities will remain available. For more information about TBF, visit www.billfish.org.
A Solar Roof at Fresh & Easy (PRNewsFoto/Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market)
We just learned about a very encouraging survey from an article published in Gourmet Retailer. The survey "...found that a product's "energy footprint" influences 77 percent [of] consumers' purchasing decisions, with 76 percent willing to pay more at the register for environmentally friendly products."
More surprisingly, the article states,
Green appeal carries over to the workplace, where 74 percent of U.S. employees believe organizations should take action to lead eco-friendly initiatives. The majority of these green-minded workers (64 percent) would be willing to support their organization's green initiatives at the cost of a smaller paycheck.
Aaron Franklin, project director at ORC Guideline, which conducted the survey, is quoted as saying, "The study's findings seem to debunk a common perception that people will go green as long as it doesn't cost them...In fact, in both the workplace and in the store, people seem to be willing to put their money where their values are."
If you'd like to read the article in Gourmet Retailer cited above go to: Study: Being Green More Valuable Than Price
Just recently Washington State University removed Michael Pollan’s ground-breaking book, Omnivore’s Dilemma from the school’s Common Reading Program, which is required reading for all incoming freshman. It seems the University had come under pressure from corporate agribusinesses unhappy with the book’s central theme: The time has come for a healthier and more sustainable food system.
School officials claimed the book was removed due to tough financial times, but 4,000 copies had already been purchased. We’re guessing WSU’s administration didn’t realize just how many people agree with Michael Pollan’s message and didn’t anticipate the firestorm of protest that ensued from concerned citizens across the country.
Within hours of the University’s announcement Food Democracy Now! sent out an alert and the president's office was flooded with calls. One alum had a talk with the school’s President Floyd and offered to pay for Michael Pollan to visit the campus, as well as pay for the full cost to cover the Common Reading Program. Within days the book was restored to the Program’s required reading list.
Thanks to all those folks who made their voices heard. Nice to see democracy in action!
For more info on Michael Pollan’s ground-breaking book go to: Omnivore’s Dilemma
For more info on Michael Pollan’s most recent bestseller go to: In Defense of Food
To learn more about the efforts being made by a fine organization working for a more sustainable future go to: Food Democracy Now!
Wonderful news just in from our friends at American Farmland Trust, “New York State’s Farmland Protection Program awarded $23 million to permanently protect almost 9,000 acres on 27 farms, bringing the total number of acres protected by the program to 72,668 acres.”
“We like to say, ‘No Farms, No Food’,” says American Farmland Trust’s New York Director David Haight. “If farmland is developed, we lose the opportunity to grow fresh, healthy foods here in New York. Protecting these farms strengthens New York’s food security and food system.”
This development comes on the heels of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent announcement of $2.6 million in matching funding available from the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program to protect farmland in New York.
Less sprawl and more land capable of producing healthy food for generations to come...Bravo!
If you’d like to learn more about the efforts of AFT go to: American Farmland Trust: Saving the Land that Sustains Us
Organic Oranges (photo by Darnok, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Even in tough economic times many parents are more concerned about the health hazards that pesticides and harmful preservatives pose to their children than they are about the cost of organic food. Their concern has led to remarkable growth in the sales of organic baby food.
According to a report published by the research firm RNCOS, World Organic Foods And Beverages Report (2006), organic food still accounts for only a tiny share of the overall baby food market, but soared about 21.6% to reach $116 million twelve months ending February 24, 2007 – after jumping almost 16.4% the previous year, according to the Nielsen Company. Overall, baby food sales grew by just 3.1%, reaching $3.7 billion during the same period.
As various studies have found that organically grown foods contain more nutrients in comparison to their conventional version, customers spent about $13.8 billion on organic food during 2005, an annual growth of about 20%.
The RNCOS report says the organic food market in the U.S. generated $15.9 billion in revenues during 2006, representing an annual growth rate of 16.61% for the five-year period spanning 2002-2006. the growth rate for the organic food market in the U.S. will slow, but will remain the highest revenue generator globally for the foreseeable future.
Sales of organic fruits and vegetables were the greatest contributor to the growth in sales. Total revenues generated by that segment reached $6.6 billion, almost 41.4% of the overall organic food market, in 2006.
If you’d like to view some of the previous posts on the topic click on any of the following:
1. We Want to Know What's in Our Children's Milk!
2. Just Say No to Pesticides
3.The Growth of Organic Food Sales is Starting to Slow
4. Guide to Pesticides in Fruits and Vegetables
5. American Families Turn to Organic Milk
6. Pesticides Lead to Parkinson Disease
7. New Evidence Says Organic is Healthier
8. Old World Scientists Agree: Organic Is Healthier
Brooklyn Bridge (photo by Seemann, courtesy of morguefile.com)
If last year’s Slow Food Nation in San Francisco was the Woodstock of the sustainable food movement, then last week’s Brooklyn Food Conference was a wonderfully successful local concert. The first-time event was expected to draw 2,000 participants, but approximately 3,000 showed up, according to spokesperson Alia Hanna.
A chief goal of the conference was to “Bring Brooklynites together to demand-and participate in creating-a vital, healthy, and just food system available to everyone,” according to the literature made available.
It wasn’t just Brooklynites who were there. Slow Food USA was one of more than 70 exhibitors, as was Sustainable Table, New York Farms, Equal Exchange, several environmental organizations, film makers, food artisans, and community organizers. There were dozens of workshops that seemed to cover every topic of interest to those who want a more sustainable food future for themselves and their children. All in all it was a terrific networking opportunity.
Keynote Speakers
Key-note speakers included well-known activist Dan Barber, executive chef and owner of Blue Hill Restaurant, and a leader of fair trade development and healthy food; Anna Lappé, co-founder of the Small Planet Institute and the author of Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen; Raj Patel of the University of California, Berkeley, and the author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System; as well as LaDonna Redmond, head of the Institute of Community Resource Development in Chicago.
“Never before have there been such compelling reasons to rethink our energy policy, our environmental policy, and our health care system – and we cannot make headway on any of these without addressing food,” said Dan Barber.
300 Volunteers Made it Happen
The conference was entirely volunteer driven – from event planning to fundraising and community outreach. A team of over 300 volunteers planned the conference for seven months More than 75 organizations, including non-profit and community organizations, schools, elected officials and local businesses were partners in this effort.
“We hope to change our food system on local, state and federal levels so that all people have access to healthy food, and to ensure consumers and workers are treated with fairness and justice,” said Nancy Romer, the conference’s General Coordinator. “This conference is the official beginning of our collective efforts.”
Co-Sponsors
Co-Sponsors for the conference included: The Park Slope Food Coop; Caribbean Women’s Health Association; World Hunger Year; Brooklyn Rescue Mission; and Brooklyn’s Bounty. The conference was generously hosted by the administrators, teachers, students, and parents of John Jay High School and P.S. 321.
The Conference was free to all, but we couldn’t help purchasing a copy of the Manhattan restaurant guide, Clean Plates N.Y.C. It was co-authored by nutritional consultant and wellness counselor Jared Koch, and restaurant reviewer Alex Van Buren. It’s the first time we’ve seen a guide that selected restaurants because they were among both the tastiest and the healthiest.
By increasing awareness and educating around food issues the organizers expected to establish a Brooklyn Food Coalition that will develop a Legislative Food Agenda. The Conference included a town hall event to give participants the opportunity to speak out on issues vital both locally and globally.
For more information, visit the official web site: Brooklyn Food Conference
Farm Windmill at Dawn (photo by Wally Irwin, courtesy of morguefile.com)
The three winners of the first-ever Growing Green Awards have been announced by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The winners are: Will Allen of Growing Power, Fedele Bauccio of Bon Appétit Management Company and James Harvie of Institute for a Sustainable Future, in the categories of Food Producer, Business Leader and Thought Leader, respectively. A $10,000 cash prize will be awarded to Will Allen for his achievements in sustainable food production.
“The extraordinary contributions of these individuals are making a difference for how people produce, consume and think about food and our natural environment,” said Michael Pollan, best-selling author of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and chair of the award selection panel. “We’re delighted that Will Allen, Fedele Bauccio and James Harvie are the winners of the first-ever Growing Green Awards.”
An independent panel of sustainable food experts selected the three winners from a pool of 140 impressive candidates that included diverse growers, entrepreneurs and business leaders across the country.
Will Allen of Growing Power
Will Allen, Founder and CEO of Growing Power, won in the Food Producer category for his innovative urban farm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that integrates year-round urban aquaculture and vegetable production. Waste from the fish is used to fertilize the plants, which in turn filter the water so it can be returned to the fish, both eliminating the need to add fertilizers or release polluted waste-water. The farm provides fresh fish, produce and jobs to an underserved community, in addition to training and outreach through on-farm classes and lectures.
“People should have access to healthy, affordable food regardless of their economic situation. Growing Power’s goal is to dismantle injustice and discrimination in the food system in order to build equitable and sustainable communities.” said Allen. “It is an honor to receive this award for the work that I love to do.”
Fedele Bauccio of Bon Appétit Management Company
Business Leader winner Fedele Bauccio, CEO and Founder of Bon Appétit Management Company, has been a pioneer in addressing the connection between food and climate change through Bon Appétit’s Low Carbon Diet initiative, which is on track to reduce its associated carbon emissions by 25% from 2007 to 2010. To get there, Bauccio has made sweeping changes to the menu at Bon Appétit’s 400 cafeterias nationwide, reducing foods with the largest global warming impacts (beef and air-transported ingredients), sourcing locally, and reducing food waste.
“Bon Appétit Management Company strives to change the way people view their food,” said Bauccio. “A decade ago, we created direct purchasing relationships with small family owned farms; today, we’re tackling food’s connection to climate change through the Low Carbon Diet initiative. I’m honored to be recognized by NRDC and the panel for our business initiatives.”
James Harvie of Health Care Without Harm
Thought Leader winner James Harvie, founding member of Health Care Without Harm, has helped catalyze a national campaign to encourage the inclusion of social and environmental awareness in hospital food service. To date, 240 hospitals around the country have signed the Health Food in Healthcare Pledge, which aims to support methods of food production and distribution that are better for public and environmental health.
“It is critical that we improve people’s health and our healthcare system through better agricultural polices that promote affordable, nutritious and sustainably produced food in hospitals and other healthcare institutions,” said James Harvie. “I’m honored to receive this award as I continue to work on this vital issue in supporting sustainable agriculture.”
Members of the selection panel include: Larry Bain, Founder of Nextcourse and Food from the Parks and Co-Founder of Let’s Be Frank; Fred Kirschenmann, Distinguished Fellow of the Leopold Center, and President of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture; and Karen Ross, President of the California Association of Winegrape Growers.
The winners will be honored at NRDC’s 2009 benefit, “Food for Thought,” an event that will also honor Michael Pollan for his contributions to the field of sustainable food. The event will take place at San Francisco’s California Academy of Sciences on May 9th.
Find out what's fresh in your state, get local food recipes from restaurants around the country, and take Natural Resources Defense Council's new local food widget with you at: NRDC's Food Miles Page
To read Michael Pollan’s blog and the articles and essays from some of the awards finalists and winners in NRDC’s OnEarth/Greenlight go to: Natural Resources Defense Council
Farm Fresh Produce (photo by Kevin Connors, courtesy of morguefile.com)
U.S. sales of organic products, both food and non-food, reached $24.6 billion by the end of 2008, growing an impressive 17.1% over 2007 sales despite tough economic times, according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA).
While the overall economy has been losing ground, sales of organic products reflect very strong growth during 2008. “Organic products represent value to consumers, who have shown continued resilience in seeking out these products,” said Christine Bushway, OTA’s Executive Director.
The OTA’s 2009 Organic Industry Survey, conducted by Lieberman Research Group, measured the growth of U.S. sales of organic foods and beverages as well as non-food categories such as organic fibers, personal care products and pet foods during 2008. Results show organic food sales grew in 2008 by 15.8% to reach $22.9 billion, while organic non-food sales grew by an astounding 39.4% to reach $1.6 billion. As a result, organic food sales now account for approximately 3.5% of all food product sales in the United States.
“This marks another milestone for the organic food market,” said Bushway.
With tough economic times, consumers have used various strategies in continuing to buy organic products. Because most venues now offer organic products, consumers have the opportunity to shop around. Increased use of coupons, the proliferation of private label brands, and value-positioned products offered by major organic brands all have contributed to increased sales.
The final report of the Organic Trade Association’s 2009 Organic Industry Survey is now available for purchase. Orders can be placed online at: OTA's 2009 Organic Industry Survey
Solar Panels (© Maxfx | Dreamstime.com)
Whole Foods Market recently contracted to add solar energy to more than 20 locations; including existing installations, solar will be brought to the rooftops of more than 30 of the Company's stores nationwide.
With an installation at its Berkeley, California store in 2002, the Company became the first retailer to introduce solar power as its primary lighting source. Including potential future rollout phases, Whole Foods Market hopes to have close to 70 total locations with rooftop solar panels, close to one-fourth of the Company's total number of stores.
"Whole Foods Market is thrilled to set the environmental bar even higher by pioneering the development and deployment of alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power," said Lee Matecko, Whole Foods Market Global Vice President of Construction and Store Development. "We are also reducing energy consumption in new and existing stores with some exciting innovative technologies that are making a real difference."
If you’d like to read the press release on which this item was based go to: Whole Foods Market Announces Alternative Energy Investment
Wheat & Sky (photo by Cheryl Rankin, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Nine finalists for the first-ever Growing Green Awards were announced today by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The awards recognize individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary contributions to sustainable food in advancing farming practices, climate and water stewardship, farmland preservation and social responsibility from farm to fork.
“While food is an essential part of our day-to-day lives, most Americans are unaware that climate change and our food system are inextricably linked,” said Michael Pollan, best-selling author of "The Omnivore’s Dilemma" and chair of the award selection panel. “The Growing Green Awards finalists are leaders and innovators whose sustainable food production, business and practices contribute to improving the health of people and the planet.”
The finalists’ achievements include ingenious on-farm practices to minimize reliance on chemical inputs, energy and water; ecologically integrated urban aquaculture; leadership in influencing large institutions to purchase more sustainable food; and outreach to help consumers better understand the relationship between food and environment.
“By recognizing the achievements of these individuals, we want to inspire other entrepreneurs and opinion leaders to follow their example,” said Jonathan Kaplan, Director of the Sustainable Agriculture Program at NRDC. “The Growing Green Awards are our way of saying thanks for their extraordinary contributions.”
NRDC received nearly 140 nominations from diverse growers, entrepreneurs and business leaders across the country. The nine finalists were selected in the categories of Food Producer, Business Leader, and Thought Leader. The winners will be announced in early May followed by an award ceremony on May 9.
Members of the selection panel include: Larry Bain, Founder of Nextcourse and Food from the Parks and Co-Founder of Let’s Be Frank; Fred Kirschenmann, Distinguished Fellow of the Leopold Center and President of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture; and Karen Ross, President of the California Association of Winegrape Growers.
Winners will celebrate at NRDC’s 2009 San Francisco benefit, Food for Thought, an event that will also honor Michael Pollan for his contributions to the field of sustainable food. The event will be held at the California Academy of Sciences on May 9. Following are the nine finalists:
Food Producer
Will Allen of Growing Power in Milwaukee, WI
Judith Redmond of Full Belly Farm in Guinda, CA
Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm in Swoope, VA
Business Leader
Fedele Bauccio of Bon Appétit Management Co. in Palo Alto, CA
Michael Rozyne of Red Tomato in Canton, MA
Thaleon Tremain of Pachamama Coffee Coop in Davis, CA
Thought Leader
Ann Cooper of Berkeley Unified School District in Berkeley, CA
James Harvie of Institute for a Sustainable Future in Duluth, MN
Sibella Kraus of Sustainable Agriculture Education (SAGE) in Berkeley, CA
Find out what's fresh in your state, get local food recipes from restaurants around the country, and take Natural Resources Defense Council's new local food widget with you at: NRDC's Food Miles Page
Read Michael Pollan's blog in GreenLight: A food revolution in the making from Victory Gardens to White House Lawn
Read Jonathan Kaplan's blog in Switchboard: NRDC's Growing Green Awards: An olive branch (organic of course) to agriculture
Spring Orchard (photo by clconroy, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Belt-tightening of family budgets is widely underway, but consumers are showing a willingness to purchase products perceived as promoting a healthier and more sustainable future despite their higher cost.
Though it represents a slowing of the double-digit growth of years past, Nielsen Company research indicates that the growth of organic food sales was 5.6% in December compared to the same month a year ago. According to Nielsen’s findings, sales at natural food stores reached $4.2 billion in 2008, an annual increase of 10.9%.
A survey by GlobeScan, commissioned by the non-profit Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International, found international support among consumers for companies they believe are dealing justly and ethically with producers in developing countries. Sales of products certified Fairtrade were up by 24% in Austria, by 40% in Denmark, by 57% in Finland, by 22% in France, by 75% in Sweden, by 43% in the United Kingdom and by 10% in the United States in 2008, when compared with 2007. The majority of consumers expect companies to actively support community development in developing countries.
A Harris Interactive poll found that of the 73% of consumers who purchase "green" products, about 67% are purchasing the same amount of green products, while 26% are buying more, and only 8% are buying less. The Harris poll asked adults how recent economic conditions had affected their purchasing of "green" products or services such as non-toxic or biodegradable cleaning products and restaurants that serve locally sourced food.
A Native American says a prayer & hands out tobacco as an offering of thanks to Nature (photo by Greg Peterson)
Eat well with the "food that grows on the water." Native Harvest Wild Rice grows naturally in the lakes of Northern Minnesota and is hand-harvested by Ojibwe communities on the White Earth Indian Reservation using traditional methods.
Unlike the genetically manipulated "wild rice" grown in paddies, this authentic wild rice is an important American heirloom crop and a central part of Anishinaabeg culture and tradition. Anishinaabeg is a self-description often used by people belonging to the indigenous Odawa, Ojibwe, and Algonkin peoples of North America, who share closely related Algonquian languages. Ojibwe communities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Canada, harvest and process wild rice in the tradition of their ancestors.
Manoomin, as the wild rice is known, is part of the Anishinaabeg migration stories and prophecies. It continues to define what it means to be Anishinaabeg. One definition of Anishnaabeg is Original-People. Another refers to ideas about the good people that are on the right path given to them by the Creator.
The campaign to protect the integrity of this authentic wild rice is an important aspect of the White Earth Land Recovery Project in Ponsford, Minnesota. The Project’s mission is to facilitate recovery of the original land base of the White Earth Indian Reservation, while preserving traditional practices of sound land stewardship, language fluency, community development, and the spiritual and cultural heritage of the people of White Earth.
Winona LaDuke is the organization’s Founder and Director. A graduate of Harvard and Antioch Universities, Ms. LaDuke received the Reebok Human Rights Award in 1989, with which, in part, she began the White Earth Land Recovery Project. The Project’s wild rice campaign is working to prevent the taking of the essence of the wild rice by the paddy rice industry, which would leave the Native Americans who have been the stewards of this resource for many centuries with nothing.
The campaign began in 2002, with the historic gathering that brought together traditional rice harvesters from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan to meet with members from the academic, scientific and non-profit communities. That meeting set the foundation for the ongoing struggle to protect the sacred wild rice from issues of bio-piracy, further genetic manipulation, patent struggles and labeling issues.
The four main components of the wild rice campaign are:
1) Protecting the intellectual property rights of the Anishinaabeg.
2) Opposing genetic modification and contamination of wild rice.
3) Promoting a fair trade for traditionally hand-harvested, natural lake wild rice.
4) Educating on the tradition and culture surrounding wild rice.
Manoomin
To purchase this authentic heirloom wild rice, hand-harvested by Ojibwe communities go to: Native Harvest Wild Rice: Sacred Manoomin
To view a wonderful recipe employing Sacred Manoomin go to: American Black Walnut & Wild Rice Pilaf
Brooklyn Bridge (photo by Seemann, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Food activists, local farmers, health advocates, academics, union leaders, elected officials, restaurateurs, and concerned citizens will gather on Saturday, May 2nd to discuss the changes and challenges in our global food economy and how it impacts our communities. Workshops and speeches will provide education and networking opportunities for individuals to get involved for improving our diet, health and environment.
Keynote Speakers
The Brooklyn Food Conference will have dozens of community groups and hundred of volunteers participating. Key-note speakers include well-known activists Dan Barber, executive chef and owner of Blue Hill Restaurant, and a leader of fair trade development and healthy food; Anna Lappé, co-founder of the Small Planet Institute and the author of Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen; Raj Patel of the University of California, Berkeley, and the author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System; as well as LaDonna Redmond, head of the Institute of Community Resource Development in Chicago.
“Never before have there been such compelling reasons to rethink our energy policy, our environmental policy, and our health care system – and we cannot make headway on any of these without addressing food,” said Dan Barber, who will speak at the opening plenary session.
The Brooklyn Food Conference aims to increase awareness and education around food issues and establish a Brooklyn Food Coalition that will develop a Legislative Food Agenda. A town hall event will give participants the opportunity to testify in front of the elected officials expected to attend.
300 Volunteers Make it Happen
The conference is entirely volunteer driven – from event planning to fund raising and community outreach. A team of over 300 volunteers has been planning the conference for 7 months, and 2,000 participants are expected to attend. More than 75 organizations, including non-profit and community organizations, schools, elected officials and local businesses are partners in this effort. There will be a full program of workshops and
activities for children.
“We hope to change our food system on local, state and federal levels so that all people have access to healthy food, and to ensure consumers and workers are treated with fairness and justice,” said Nancy Romer, the conference’s General Coordinator. “This conference is the official beginning of our collective efforts.”
Co-Sponsors
Co-Sponsors for the conference include: The Park Slope Food Coop; Caribbean Women’s Health Association; World Hunger Year; Brooklyn Rescue Mission; and Brooklyn’s Bounty. The conference is generously hosted by the administrators, teachers, students, and parents of John Jay High School and P.S. 321.
Who: The Brooklyn Food Conference is a project of the Brooklyn Food Coalition.
What: The Conference is a grassroots event for a just, secure, sustainable, healthy and delicious food system.
Where: P.S. 321 and at John Jay High School, 7th Avenue in Park Slope
The Conference is FREE and open to all!
To register and for more information, visit the official web site: Brooklyn Food Conference
"The 'First State' may be small in size, but it’s still a leader in farmland protection. Delaware has protected more acres of farmland per capita than any other state and just celebrated the protection of the state’s 500th farm." So we just learned from our friends at American Farmland Trust.
Such milestone's don't come easy. In the late 1800s the state had more than one million acres of farmland. By the 1990s, almost half of that farmland was gone, but the desire to preserve what remained resulted in the formation of the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation in 1991. Under the preservation program, landowners agree not to develop their lands for at least 10 years, using the land only for farming. In exchange, the state provides tax benefits, right-to-farm protection, and the option to sell a preservation easement, keeping the land permanently free from development.
American Farmland Trust’s President, Jon Scholl, commended the program in a letter to Delaware's Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee:
Protecting the most basic resource of agriculture—the land—from non-agricultural development ensures that our farms and farmland will continue to provide the bounty of food and fiber along with continuing to contribute to our environment, local communities, heritage and well-being for generations to come.
Less sprawl and more land capable of producing healthy food for generations to come...Bravo Delaware!
If you’d like to learn more about the efforts of AFT go to: American Farmland Trust: Saving the Land that Sustains Us
Detroit Skyline (© Icholakov | Dreamstime.com)
Planning is underway to create the world's largest urban farm on more than 70 acres of vacant lands and abandoned properties within the City of Detroit, announced John Hantz, CEO of Hantz Farms, LLC.
Michigan State University Adds Expertise
Hantz Farms is working directly with Michigan State University to add its expertise on agricultural and soil sciences and consulting with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a national leader in community-based food systems.
"Urban agriculture is an opportunity to provide an effective economic development program for the Detroit community," said Jeffrey D. Armstrong, Dean of the Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "This is a challenging and exciting opportunity."
"Detroit could be the nation's leading example of urban farming and become a destination for fresh, local and natural foods, and become a major part of the green movement," said Hantz, a Detroit resident. "Hantz Farms will transform this area into a viable, beautiful and sustainable area that will serve the community, increase the tax base, create jobs and greatly improve the quality of life in an area that has experienced a severe decline in population."
The plan is to grow natural, local, fresh and safe fruits and vegetables to help meet Michigan's increasing demand for locally grown produce. In addition to food and Christmas trees, the farm will harvest wind energy and utilize geothermal heat and biomass fuel from recycling compost.
"It makes great sense to utilize the blighted and abandoned land in the city to produce fresh, nutritious food for local consumers," said Rick Foster, vice president for programs at the Kellogg Foundation. "Urban development projects like this one not only create good food and connection to nature, but serve as an economic development anchor for others in the community."
Some Prefer Small Community Gardens
The developers believe that if the project is approved by Detroit city officials, work would begin immediately and the farm would be operating within six months. Some Detroiters would prefer to see vacant land used for small community gardens that would help bring neighborhoods together.
A brief survey of today’s store shelves will attest to the desire of American consumers to make eco-friendly purchases and marketers’ efforts to give them what they want. The trend covers almost all product categories, but producers of organic spirits remain a pretty elite group.
Crop Harvest Earth and Square One Organic Spirits have successfully crafted premium vodkas using organic grain harvested from healthy soil, free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. This month, boutique American vodka producer, Blue Ice Vodka, joined the select band of environmental producers with the launch of Blue Ice Organic Wheat Vodka. It is the brand’s first new vodka since 2001, when it introduced Blue Ice Vodka, distilled from Idaho Russet Potatoes and acclaimed for its smooth taste.
Complementing Blue Ice’s hallmark potato vodka, Blue Ice Organic Wheat Vodka continues the tradition of founder Jim Myerson’s commitment to producing premium spirits reflective of the quality and purity of Idaho’s natural resources. The new vodka is certified organic by the USDA, as Master Distiller Bill Scott uses no chemical additives of any kind.
A press release from the company says, “Blue Ice Organic Wheat Vodka features a harmonious blend of pristine Idaho water and locally harvested, certified organic winter wheat.” Giving the new vodka an exceptionally high rating for its taste, the Beverage Testing Institute described it as, “smooth, lively and lightly spicy.”
“In a crowded market inundated with fly-by-night brands…Blue Ice Vodka’s flagship potato vodka has parlayed into the birth of Blue Ice Organic Wheat Vodka, the next natural progression in this family-owned operation’s devotion to bottling exceptional American vodkas,” said Kevin Egan, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for 21st Century Spirits, owner of Blue Ice.
Seattle’s Field of Dreams (photo by Kristine Kisky, courtesy of morguefile.com)
You expect to see veggie dogs and veggie quesadillas on the menu of a casual vegetarian restaurant, but they’ll also be offered to fans at ballparks in Philly and Denver when opening day for baseball rolls around.
In a welcome sign of the times, the healthier food options are joined by further improvements on sustainable practices in the often staid world of big-time sports. Aramark, a service provider to 15 Major League stadiums, says in a recent press release that the company:
…continues to work with teams and its partners to implement environmentally friendly practices that promote the use of local ingredients, source from local farmers and suppliers, reduce waste, utilize biodegradable service ware, and encourage composting and recycling of bottles, cans, cardboard as well as frying oil. Within retail, many team stores will feature apparel made from organic and recycled cotton.
“We found that our most important fan groups are making very sophisticated dining choices outside the ballpark, so we continue to innovate to appeal to their tastes, at every price level, once inside the ballpark,” said Marc Bruno, president of Aramark Sports, Entertainment and Conventions.
Traditionalists looking forward to calorie-packed favorites while watching a game need not worry. Old favorites such as cheesesteaks, nachos, and Buffalo wings will be readily available. Dishes served up in “monster” portions for the especially ravenous will be easy to find.
If you’d like to read the fullpress release on which this item was based go to: Aramark Continues to Promote Environmentally Friendly Practices at Its Ballparks
U.S. Government Poster from World War II (courtesy of Library of Congress)
(Editors' Note: As our way of offering small thanks to all those who took the time to develop, dispense and sign petitions for the first vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt plamted a Victory Garden, we decided to republish the following item.)
Are Victory Gardens an idea whose time has come back? Could a quick history lesson lead to a better future?
During World War II Americans lived with rations of such necessities as tires, gasoline, sugar, and other foodstuffs. The US government encouraged ordinary people to create Victory Gardens; small plots of fruits and vegetables to stave off food shortages so more mass-produced food could be sent to feed the troops.
The people responded. Two million Americans created Victory Gardens in their backyards or communities. According to author Michael Pollan, "...during World War II, Victory Gardens supplied as much as 40% of the produce Americans ate."
Victory Gardens were more than a war time activity, they were a social phenomenon. Schools and families planted Victory Gardens together, often on communal land. Families caught up on news as they planted and harvested. Nutrition information was widely disseminated to help home cooks create balanced meals for their families. Our current obesity epidemic must have been unimaginable to those gardeners.
Today there are many gardens that are very much like the Victory Gardens of old. In backyards across America folks are growing their own produce, spices and herbs. They harvest fruits and vegetables that have been raised without pesticides and enjoy them when they are at the peak of their freshness and nutritional value. Adding home-grown fare to the fresh produce from a local farm stand or a farmers market gives gardeners the best of both worlds.
If you’d like to try your hand at growing some food of your own but don’t have your own backyard, you can join a community garden. In 2004, the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) estimated that there were already 18,000 community gardens across the USA and Canada. Urban community gardens can be found from South Central Los Angeles to the Bronx in New York City. If there’s no community garden near your home, think about organizing your neighbors to get one started.
Funded by federal grants, GreenThumb has been a program of the NYC Parks Department since 1995. The nonprofit organization has over 600 member gardens serving 20,000 city residents. New York University released a study of the effect of community gardens on nearby property values. The study of 636 community gardens in NYC showed a positive effect on sales prices of residential properties within a 1,000-foot radius of a community garden when compared to properties outside the 1,000-foot ring, but still in the same neighborhood. The effect was significant and increasing over time. The tax benefit to the city over a 20-year period was estimated at $647 million dollars or $1 million per garden. Who knows how much might be saved on medical costs by the healthier diet the gardens make possible.
Not all benefits are measured in dollars. Here’s what Karen Washington from the Garden of Hope in the Bronx had to say about her experience:
To grow your own food gives you a sort of power and it gives people dignity. You know exactly what you’re eating because you grew it. It’s good, it’s nourishing and you did this for yourself, your family and your community.
Victory Gardens could bring down the cost of food for American families and make organic poroduce more widely available. We could reduce America’s reliance on oil simply by keeping vegetable gardens and cutting down on the amount of food that has to be transported by truck. Victory Gardens would reduce the need for petroleum-based fertilizers on giant corporate farms. If you’re unhappy about where all the money Americans spend on oil and gasoline is going, then spread the word: Bring Back the Victory Gardens!
Our friend Eve Sibley has asked that you "Please consider signing and passing on the petition below urging our next leadership to reestablish the Victory Garden model in the United States. We have done it before, we can do it again."
Bring Back the Victory Gardens Petition
If you'd like to start a garden in your community or your backyard here's some info that should help:
American Community Gardening Association
Funding & Other Support for Community Gardens
Cooking from the Heart of the Garden
Midtown Manhattan (photo by Kevin Connors, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Our friends at American Farmland Trust tell us, “Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer and a coalition of food activists recently recommended that the City of New York adopt a wide-ranging plan for making healthy food available to its residents.”
Entitled Food in the Public Interest, the report notes, “There is currently a dearth of stores selling fresh fruits and vegetables in many of the city’s poor neighborhoods.”
It recommends designating a New York City “foodshed” with a radius of 200 miles that would give farmers increased access and incentives to sell at city markets. The Borough President and his allies also believe the city should encourage new development projects to include gardening in neighborhood development plans.
The number of Americans who are obese continues rising and now represents 30% of the population, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s a 100% increase from 25 years ago. American adults are now more likely to be obese than to be cigarette smokers. Studies have linked obesity to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, poor bone health, periodontal disease, and other health conditions. Some believe that obesity will soon overtake smoking as the leading cause of preventable death.
The Manhattan Borough President’s report says, “New York City is outpacing the nation in obesity and its related health issues. Both obesity and diabetes rates rose by 17% between 2002 and 2004 among city residents.”
The report goes on to explain,
The causes for this trend are generally oversimplified, often described as the result of changing lifestyles or overeating. The scope of the problem, however, is a great deal more complicated. Highly processed, fatty, and sugary foods are easily accessible, both by proximity and price, whereas fresh produce is not. This is particularly true in many low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
There is currently a dearth of stores selling fresh fruits and vegetables in many of the city’s poor neighborhoods. The Department of City Planning recently found that three-quarters of a million New Yorkers live in areas with limited access to fresh produce. Many of these same neighborhoods have an overabundance of fast food options: one in six restaurants in East and Central Harlem serves fast food compared to one in 25 on the more affluent Upper East Side. These unhealthy options often cost less calorie-to-calorie.
The report offers an extensive number of recommendations. Included in those recommendations are steps to alleviate hunger, improve upstate farmers’ access to the New York City food market, protect the environment, expand nutrition education campaigns, and stimulate job creation through small-scale food producers.
If you’d like to read the full report with all of its recommendations go to: Food in the Public Interest
Scenic Chicago (photo by Dave Cameron, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Chicago magazine has announced the recipients of its third annual Green Awards, honoring Chicagoans who are pioneering smart, new environmental ideas. Two of the organizations receiving awards have made remarkable use of sustainable food practices to help those in the City of Big Shoulders who face tough barriers to employment.
Growing Home
Harry Rhodes and Orrin Williams operate Growing Home, a nonprofit that uses organic farming to provide job training for hard-to-employ individuals. The organization harvested its first crop of vegetables from a ten-acre organic farm in LaSalle County in 2001. Since then, Harry Rhodes, 49, and Orrin Williams, 59, have graduated 130 trainees from their program. About 80% of them have been homeless at one time or another and about 90% have been incarcerated.
Growing Home now also operates an organic garden in Back of the Yards, and a year-round urban organic farm on the once deserted industrial lot in hardscrabble West Englewood. The fruits of the labor are sold at a seasonal Wood Street farm stand, through a booming home delivery program, at Green City Market in Lincoln Park, and at the Englewood Farmers Market, which Williams launched in 2008, with the help of students from Lindblom Math and Science Academy, his alma mater. In a neighborhood devoid of grocery stores and with little access to fresh produce, Williams sees the farmers market as the first small step in a string of green ventures that will bring new life and jobs to the area and become a model that others can use.
Sweet Beginnings
Employment Network is a not-for-profit agency that helps neighborhood residents find jobs. With a labor force in waiting, and a yard for beehives, Palms Barber began an urban apiary program called Sweet Beginnings. The business teaches ex-offenders to produce the Beeline brand of all-natural honey and honey-based skin care products, and, along the way, the workers attain job skills for permanent employment.
Beeline products leave a low carbon footprint, are made of natural ingredients, and can be purchased at several boutiques and Whole Foods stores in the Chicago area. Palms Barber hopes to soon distribute to more locations and open a bigger production facility. So far, Sweet Beginnings has been a success: Only three of the 108 employees that have graduated from the Sweet Beginnings program have returned to prison.
The winners were selected from more than 100 nominees suggested by readers, community leaders, and Chicago magazine staff. “We are delighted to honor such an illustrious group of individuals for our third annual Green Awards,” said Richard Babcock, editor of Chicago magazine.
Chicago magazine is a subsidiary of the Chicago Tribune Co., publisher of the award-winning Chicago Tribune newspaper.
To view profiles of all six of the individuals honored with Chicago magazine’s Green Awards in 2009, go to: Galvanized: Six Profiles in Green
Organic Produce (photo by Dmitri Jeltovski, courtesy of morguefile.com)
In the rapidly changing world of foods and their origins, most people know that products labeled “Organic” and “Natural” are good for them and the environment. But many people don’t know why. This is the premise of a new video series, Discovering Our Organic Planet - USA, produced by Wide World HD Productions, Seattle, WA.
The series is being created to bring the public up close and personal to develop a better understanding of organic and natural farming practices, foods and products that are produced in harmony with nature. Enthusiasm for the series has been extremely positive, but securing sponsorship funding from the organic community has proved to be a challenge for the producers.
“A better informed public will make smarter choices for the food they consume and for the environment we live in…,” said John Wehman, Producer for Discovering Our Organic Planet – USA in a press release, “…and we believe that one of the best ways to reach a larger audience is to create an intriguing and entertaining documentary series that will explain the basics of organics so all can understand.”
As an independent production company, creating a documentary series of this scale is a massive undertaking. “It’s definitely a challenge, but well worth the adventure.” states Wehman. “The support for our series, from the organic and natural food community has been tremendous. But raising funds to cover production costs has been a constant frustration for us.”
Discovering Our Organic Planet – USA, a not-for-profit project, is being funded solely by tax-deductible sponsorship contributions from companies, farms and organizations active in the organic community, philanthropic foundations, and individual contributions.
If you’d like to learn more about the documentary series or make a tax-deductible contribution go to: Discovering Our Organic Planet - USA
You can also contact John Wehman, the Producer, via email: DiscoveringOurOrganicPlanet@comcast.net, or call him 206-427-4978
View from Historic Fort Baker (Image courtesy of Institute at the Golden Gate)
An extraordinary gathering of environmentalists, Nobel Laureates, CEOs, philanthropists, venture capitalists, scientists, social entrepreneurs, youth activists and other leaders in their fields will come together at the gateway to the Pacific Rim April 2-3, 2009. Their focus: to “turn the tide” toward environmental action by working with other high-impact individuals to develop creative solutions to today’s most immediate environmental problems.
Turning the Tide marks the first signature program of the Institute at the Golden Gate. The Institute is a program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, in partnership with the National Park Service, dedicated to advancing environmental preservation and global sustainability. Although the Institute at the Golden Gate has been hosting, co-sponsoring, and assisting with lectures, conferences, and other environmental events since it began operation in mid-2008, Turning the Tide is the first program that fully expresses its fundamental mission to “Connect, Collaborate, Inspire and Act” on behalf of the environment.
“A new era of commitment to the environment has begun,” noted Greg Moore, executive director of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. “President Barack Obama has called on risk-takers, innovators and doers to work collectively to ‘roll back the specter of a warming planet.’ The Institute’s mission is to bring together some of the most creative leaders in their fields to share ideas and work together to meet our environmental challenges head-on. Our national park setting speaks to the environmental values and action we hope to advance.”
To learn more about the event go to: Institute at the Golden Gate
Losing family farms not only means losing an important part of our heritage; it means losing our finest source of food. The National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) provides a voice for grassroots groups on farm, food, and trade issues to ensure fair prices for family farmers, safe and healthy food, and vibrant, environmentally sound rural communities here and around the world.
According to the nonprofit organization's web site:
The National Family Farm Coalition represents family farm and rural groups whose members face the challenge of the deepening economic recession in rural communities. The NFFC was founded in 1986.
The combination of our member groups' grassroots strength and NFFC's experience working on the national level enables us to play a unique role in securing a sustainable, economically just, healthy, safe and secure food and farm system. Additional power comes from collaborative work with a carefully built network of domestic and international organizations that share similar goals.
NFFC chooses its projects based on the potential to empower family farmers by reducing the corporate control of agriculture and promoting a more socially just farm and food policy.
Learn more about the efforts of the NFFC by clicking here: National Family Farm Coalition
Free Grazing Cows (photo by Emily Roesly, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Eager foodies have been visiting local farms and paying handsomely to dine on gourmet meals prepared by chefs enthusiastic about making creations with farm fresh ingredients for some time. But those collaborations between forward-thinking chefs and farmers are just one aspect of a movement that is changing the way people across the country think about food.
Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, and many other restaurants, have long recognized the wisdom of buying direct from local farmers. The freshest food is the most flavorful and the most nutritious. And we need to support our family farmers or risk losing them.
Our friend, Chef Jessica Marotta of Campania Restaurant in Fairlawn, New Jersey, tells us:
We are very supportive of local farmers and sustainable foods. We have an amazing partnership with Farm's View in Wayne, N.J., a family farm that dates back to 1894. From April to October we use only the best local produce…we can't wait for winter to be over and done with so we can get back to picking.
When Jessica says “picking” she doesn’t mean selecting items from shelves, she means getting out in the fields and hand-harvesting the best ingredients she can find for Campania's diners.
Founding Farmers Restaurant Washington D.C. is unique in that it was developed with an investment from a collective of American family farmers. They “believe that everyone benefits by all of us knowing more about the source of our food and its journey from seed to harvest to table.”
Those are three fine restaurants located in well populated areas. Now we read in the New York Times that Justus and Camille Eklof, have transformed his family’s 1950s drugstore into Justus Drugstore: A Restaurant in Smithville, Missouri, a rural community of 5,000. The back of the menu “…lists 25 local purveyors, intended to open people’s eyes to the links a restaurant can have to its area.”
The Times quotes Justus as saying of his meat cuts from nearby Paradise Locker Meats, a small plant that works with Heritage Foods U.S.A. to supply top restaurants with heirloom meats, “What’s being served at Momofuku and Spotted Pig is what I’m serving. I’m just here at the source.”
If you’d like to read the New York Times article cited above go to: Table to Farm
To learn more about some of those mentioned in this post, here are some links in alphabetical order:
Campania Restaurant
Chez Panisse
Farm’s View Farm
Founding Farmers Restaurant
Justus Drugstore: A Restaurant
Colorado Farmer with Non-GM Sugar Beet (photo by Arthur Rothstein, ca. 1939, courtesy of Library of Congress)
American Feast and Organic Valley have joined more than 70 companies in pledging not to use or sell genetically modified beet sugar. The companies believe there has been insufficient study of the long term effects of genetically modified crops on human health and the environment.
The companies have signed a registry sponsored by a dozen food safety and environmental organizations. One reason for establishing the registry is the absence of mandatory labeling for genetically modified foods. The sponsoring organizations believe consumers should be given a choice as to whether or not they want to eat genetically modified food.
Food Navigator has quoted Jeffrey Smith, director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, “We need to avoid the all-too-common situation of finding out a product is harmful after it has been approved and widely distributed. Requiring that GM foods be labeled is the only protection consumers have if they want to avoid eating GM foods.”
The sugar beets were genetically modified to be resistant to a herbicide, making it easier to kill weeds without destroying the sugar beet plants. Opponents fear the genetically modified plants will cross-pollinate with related crops such as chard and table beets, needlessly affecting non-GM foods and food ingredients.
Tom Stearns, president of High Mowing Organic Seeds, told Food Navigator, “Overseas markets have already rejected other GM products, so the economic future of many of our nation’s farmers is being needlessly risked.”
To see a list of the companies that have signed the registry go to: Non-GM Beet Sugar Registry
If you’d like to read the Food Navigator article cited above go to: Food companies pledge to avoid GM beet sugar
To view previous posts on the topic go to any of the following:
1. Study: Genetic Modification Reduces Crop Yields
2. Global Debate Over Genetically Modified Food
3. Judge Halts Planting of a Genetically Modified Crop
Fresh Food & Fine Design (photo by Mary R. Vogt, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Good economic news has been less plentiful than we’d like of late, but we just got some very encouraging news from our friends at American Farmland Trust:
According to the new 2007 Census of Agriculture, direct farm-to-consumer food sales at farm stands and farmers markets rose 49 percent, and sales of organic foods were significant. These statistics are two of many in the new census that give a comprehensive look at what constitutes U.S. agriculture today. Such market growth offers producers fresh opportunities to stay economically viable, a key factor in helping our farmers keep their land in agriculture.
This not just good news for farmers. More and more folks are getting to know the farmers who grow their food, and that is great news for everyone who wants a healthier and more sustainable food system. Buying from a local farmer means you’re getting the freshest, best-tasting and most nutritious food available. The sharp rise in the number of people who want that experience means slow food thinking is becoming increasingly pervasive. As it does, ever more folks will have access to food that is "Good, Clean and Fair."
If you’d like to learn more about the efforts of AFT go to: American Farmland Trust: Saving the Land that Sustains Us
Fresh Strawberries (photo by Ken Hammond, courtesy of USDA)
The Sunshine State may have gotten a later start than some of the country’s other urban centers, but The News-Press reports, “So-called urban farms are sprouting around Southwest Florida, cultivating a colorful cornucopia of produce and changing the agricultural landscape.”
According to the article:
After years of farmland being eaten up by development, small growers are turning the tables by nurturing specialty, hydroponic or organic produce on little plots of land. Their crops appeal to consumers who want to know where and how their peas and carrots are grown at a time when food poisoning scares continue.
Denise Muir of Rabbit Run Farm in Buckingham is a former chef and financial adviser. She is now “harvesting hydroponic greens and strawberries” as well as “selling patty-pan squash, golden beets and purple carrots.” Despite working six-day weeks, Ms. Muir remains enthusiastic about the progress she’s making on just half an acre of land. The News-Press quotes her as saying, “I thought I would have to market to chefs but found the community to be so excited. It's all word of mouth."
If you’d like to read The News-Press article cited above go to: Urban farms catch on in Lee County
Pacific Sunset (photo by Lisa Welbourn)
Making an eco-friendly investment in your home can save money on taxes, reduce utility bills over the long term, and increase the value of your home. Those are the benefits to the homeowner, but since that investment also makes for a cleaner, safer and more secure environment for every citizen, we wanted to provide some information for interested homeowners.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy web site:
Consumers who install solar electric systems can receive a 30% tax credit for systems placed in service from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2016; the previous tax credit cap of $2,000 no longer applies. In addition, consumers who install small wind systems can receive a tax credit up to $4,000. Geothermal heat pumps also qualify for tax credits up to $2,000.
For more detail on tax incentives on federal tax incentives go to: U.S. Department of Energy Tax Breaks
The California Solar Energy Industries Association is a non-profit business association supporting the widespread adoption of solar thermal and photovoltaic systems by educating consumers and supporting solar legislation.
The State of California has put in place a range of financial incentives that substantially reduce the costs of solar energy systems. For CAL SEIA's info on the incentives click here: California Energy Rebates
Soil-Saving Farming in Pennsylvania (photo by Scott Bauer, courtesy of USDA)
A message just in from our friends at American Farmland Trust is good news for those who want a healthier and more sustainable food system for America. Here's what they had to tell us:
Last year, 10 Pennsylvania farmers took on American Farmland Trust’s Best Management Program Challenge to grow their crops on their fields using less nitrogen fertilizer than the recommended levels. The results of their year long experiment are good news for the environment and the wallet.
In 2008, these farmers reduced a total of 24,658 pounds of nitrogen that otherwise would have been applied to their fields. Not only did these farmers remove thousands of pounds of nitrogen that could have ended up clouding the Chesapeake, they did it at a fraction of the cost of other nitrogen removal strategies—at only $2.74 per pound versus the up to $8-9 per pound it is estimated it could cost tax payers to remove the nutrient through other means.
It isn’t just farmers that can make a difference; you can do your part too! Whether you live in the Mid-Atlantic or in the plains of North Dakota, water always makes its way downhill.
To find out what you can do and take a challenge of your own, go to: The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Nitrogen Calculator
We received a message from our friends at American Farmland Trust saying that the proposed budget for New York State from Governor Paterson calls for cuts of almost 40% to the state’s environmental and agricultural programs.
According to the AFT’s message:
These agricultural programs in the Environmental Protection Fund support a farm and food industry that annually contributes more than $23 billion to New York’s economy, while producing fresh, healthy foods, beautiful landscapes and a cleaner environment.
There are solutions, rather than simply cutting these programs that are important to all New Yorkers. The Legislature and Governor could adopt the Bigger Better Bottle Bill that would expand nickel deposits to noncarbonated beverages. An expanded Bottle Bill could generate more than $200 million annually and help grow environmental funding over the long-term in New York.
The governor's proposal also includes a measure to replace the traditional source of EPF funding—the real estate transfer tax (RETT)—with bottle bill revenues. This approach will jeopardize a stable source of environmental funding: the RETT must be preserved to meet increasing environmental needs across New York.
The need to curb spending in the face of declining revenues is understandable, but this is also a time when public spending is needed to provide economic stimulus. A fare share of public spending should go to programs designed to produce a healthier, more sustainable food system, for all of us here now and for generations to come.
If you’d like to make your voice heard on this environmental issue go to: American Farmland Trust
Fresh Carrots & Coriander (photo by Scott Liddell, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Families across America remain concerned about the threat pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics pose to their health, but tough economic times are making many hesitant to pay premium prices for organic food.
The desire to feed their families the most healthful fare has combined with concerns about the effect of large-scale factory farming on the environment to make organics a $20 billion business in the U.S. According to some sources the annual rate of growth over past years has been an astonishing 24% or more, but an Associated Press article published by Yahoo! says the growth rate is likely to slip to 18% over the next several years.
According to the AP article:
Market research firm NPD Group said the number of people who reported buying organic products fell 4 percent in August, compared with a year earlier. While more than one in five surveyed in the latest figures available from NPD purchased organic products, the August data represented the first customer losses for the sector since February 2006 -- a decline that is expected to accelerate in the months ahead.
It is lamentable when people are faced with a choice between buying the healthiest food for their kids and staying within the family budget. Still, there are plenty of businesses that would envy the growth of sustainable food sales. That should be good news for family farmers and a healthier and more sustainable food system.
If you’d like to read the Associated Press article cited above go to: Appetite for organic food wilts as economy suffers
Our friends at American Farmland Trust have sent us the following message:
According to policy experts, the Obama transition team is finalizing decisions about top posts overseeing the environment. The Secretary of the Interior pick is expected to come out within the next few days. With the fulfillment of this post, which oversees the management of huge swaths of key land across the nation, now is the time to act and tell the transition team about the importance of supporting good stewardship practices on our farm and ranch land. While the environment is top of mind, vote for your 2009 priorities if you haven't already, or invite your friends and family to join us in putting together our farm and food priorities for the Obama administration. 2,600 people have already voted, providing over 10,000 votes for top priorities in 2009.
If you'd like to voice opinion on some vital farm & food issues go to: Priorities for the Environment 2009
  
Alaskan Smoked Salmon, Maine's Wild Blueberry Gift Basket & Organic Maple Syrup
The indigenous specialty foods available from AmericanFeast.com are true gifts from nature, and terrific for giving to discriminating foodies, slow food cooking enthusiasts, socially-conscious loved ones, or anyone concerned about the health of the environment.
Sacred Manoomin
Authentic wild rice, known as Manoomin and "the food that grows on water" to Minnesota's Native American Ojibwe communities, is hand-harvested from pristine lakes on the White Earth Indian Reservation, as it has been for centuries, using traditional methods. Unlike the genetically modified "wild rice" grown in paddies, truly wild rice delivers a deep, rich flavor cherished by chefs and devoted foodies. Manoomin is a central aspect of Ojibwe culture and tradition, a part of the proceeds benefit the White Earth Land Recovery Project, which works to protect the integrity of this important heirloom food.
Healthful Native Berries
The Wild Blueberry holds a special place in Maine's history, one that goes back centuries to Native Americans. They were the first to use the tiny blue berries, both fresh and dried, for their flavor, their nutrition and their healing qualities. Unlike the larger cultivated blueberries usually sold in supermarkets, Wild Blueberries are tiny and really are wild, having crept over Maine's rocky land naturally. AmericanFeast.com offers its guests the opportunity to order Maine's Wild Blueberry Pie , or any of a wonderful assortment of great Wild Blueberry gift baskets.
Cranberries were first used by Native Americans, who discovered the wild berry's versatility as a food, fabric dye, and healing agent. Later, American whalers and mariners carried cranberries on their voyages to prevent scurvy. American Feast offers an all-natural Cranberry Sauce made from a Colonial recipe, Cranberry Apple Chutney, Cranberry Pepper Jelly spiced with medium hot chilies from the American Southwest, and several more delicious cranberry products, all prepared in one of New England’s most creative kitchens.
Sweet Maple Syrup
The first people to make maple syrup were the Native Americans of the Northeast who called their delicious syrup, "sinzibukwud," which means, "sweet buds." The Native Americans used it as a flavoring for breads, stews, teas, and vegetables, including cranberries. We are all forever in their debt for teaching their trade to French and English settlers. American Feast offers 100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup in beautifully decorated bottles. The syrup is Grade A Light Amber, the lightest of the USDA’s classifications, with the mild and delicate flavor preferred by knowing maple syrup connoisseurs.
The American Eastern Black Walnut: The "Ultimate Nut"
Gathered in America’s heartland, the American Eastern Black Walnut is known to some as “the Ultimate Nut.” These walnuts are perfect for creating baked delights, and when added to salads or entrées, they turn everyday dishes into exciting signature creations with a rich, robust flavor. "Pecan" is a Native American word from the Algonquin language, covering "all nuts requiring a stone to crack.” Creative bakers love the sweet tasting Native American Pecan because it is marvelous for any number of recipes. American Feast offers both of these American wonder nuts in a single package, the Bakers Bounty! Fancy Large Premium Black Walnuts & Native Pecan Halves.
Harvested from the Sea
If it is indigenous gourmet seafood you crave, the company offers the freshest Paddlefish Caviar from the waters of Tennessee and Salmon Roe Caviar from Alaska. The company’s Alaskan Smoked Wild Sockeye Salmon has exceptionally rich flavor, reddish color, and firm texture, prepared and smoked according to Alaskan tradition.
Do you love the fabulous bounty from the sea that makes the Maine such a special place? At AmericanFeast.com you can order Fresh Lobsters from Maine, fully prepared Cundy's Harbor Lobster Stew, Christmas Cove Lobster Cakes, and Nubble Light Lobster Wellington, all from sustainably harvested lobsters.
Out of the Bayou
Whether you are a Cajun away from home, or just someone who loves uniquely Cajun food, American Feast’s Crawfish Etouffee is perfect for you. Crawfish make their homes in the banks of Louisiana‘s bayous, resemble tiny lobsters, and turn up in an astonishing variety of local dishes. Crawfish Etouffee is one of the most delicious!
If none of the above strikes your fancy, there are over 200 exceptional specialty foods available at the American Feast website that will give you a real taste of America.
American Feast offers some of America's finest specialty foods, and informative and entertaining content. It combines those elements with advocacy for a healthier and more sustainable food system.
Theo Chocolate 's Fair Trade, Organic Chocolates
How sweet it is! 50% sales growth decline in 2008 is still 9% gain over 2007 gourmet chocolate sales. A new market research report just released by Packaged Facts, "Premium Chocolate in the U.S.: Mass, Gourmet, Prestige and Super Premium," explains how this market is thriving despite grim economic times.
It seems that Americans, while scaling down consumerism generally, are permitting themselves indulgence in life’s “little” pleasures. Sales of upscale chocolates are expected to advance at a rate more than fives times that for chocolate overall by 2012. The market figures suggest that chocolate makers will be wise to go gourmet and to go green.
An good example of of the new breed of America's artisanal chocolate makers is Theo Chocolate. Theo's ingredients are carefully selected to ensure they meet the company’s high standards for social and environmental responsibility. Food and Wine Magazine honored Theo with an Eco-Epicurean Award for making the world "a better — and more delicious — place." Theo also won "Outstanding Chocolate" at the NASFT Fancy Food Show in New York City.
If you’d like to purchase some of Theo Chocolate’s Fair Trade, award-winning gourmet chocolate, click on any of the following:
Organic Chocolate from the Ivory Coast's Cacao - 74%
Theo Organic Chocolate Confections
Organic Chocolate from Ghana's Cacao - 84%
Organic Bread & Chocolate Bars
Catfish Filet (photo by Dawn M. Turner, courtesy of morguefile.com)
The National Organic Standards Board has voted to allow fish to be labeled as organic when up to 25% of the feed is non-organic. The Board advises the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The vote marks a sharp contrast with the labeling standard for all organic meats. The feed for meat must be 100% organic in order to be legally labeled as organic.
An article in USA Today says there are three main objections from environmentalists and organic food advocates to the vote by the National Organic Standards Board:
• Fish labeled as organic could be fed food up to 25% non organic food, even though all other livestock labeled as organic can only eat organic feed.
• Fishmeal used to feed farmed fish labeled as organic could be made from wild-caught fish, some of which can have high levels of mercury and PCBs.
• Open net cages could be used to raise fish labeled as organic. Critics say such cages can flush drugs, disease and parasites directly into the ocean, which can harm wild fish and other marine life.
Urvashi Rangan, PhD, Senior Scientist and Policy Analyst at Consumers Union is quoted in a press release as stating,
It’s a disservice to the organic program and to consumers that the NOSB is ready to undermine the organic marketplace which relies on a higher bar for environmental health practices being met. Fish labeled as ‘organic’ that are not fed 100 percent organic feed, come from polluting open net cage systems, or that are contaminated with mercury or PCBs any measurable level, fall significantly short of consumer expectations.
The controversial decision will now go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has the authority to issue a final ruling.
If you’d like to read the USA Today article cited above go to: Organic fish decision is controversial
To sign a petition objecting to the vote by the National Organic Standards Board go to:
Organic Consumers Association Petition
Along the Dead River a Native American guide says a prayer & hands out tobacco as an offering of thanks to nature (photo by Greg Peterson)
Written by Greg Peterson
Teenagers, an American Indian guide and volunteers recently held the fourth annual planting of wild rice in a project aimed at restoring the once abundant grain to northern Michigan. The groundbreaking Manoomin Project has teamed hundreds of at-risk teens with American Indian guides. Together, they’ve planted over a ton of wild rice since the summer of 2004.
Wild rice disappeared from Michigan over a century ago and is a vital part of Native American ceremonies and traditions. Manoomin means wild rice in Ojibwa. “You are the first ones to bring wild rice back to the area,” the teens were told by American Indian guide Dave Anthony of Marquette, Michigan. Centuries ago, American Indians moving inland from the east coast settled around the Great Lakes.
“We were told at one of the stopping points that we would find food that grows on water and that is what we call Manoomin. It’s the wild rice you are planting,” Anthony said.
“This is very, very significant - this is a gift from the Creator,” said Anthony, who attends Northern Michigan University and belongs to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa (Ottawa) Indians based in Harbor Springs, Michigan. “Wild rice is the original North American grain and is very nutritious.”
Manoomin is a difficult crop to plant; conditions must be ideal. Besides facing the hurdle of a late planting, the wild rice is a favorite food of geese and other wildlife. Still, the seeds that reach maturity through the harsher weather will be more likely to thrive in future years.
Manoomin Project volunteer Tom Reed of Marquette said the at-risk youth volunteer to plant and study wild rice "in lieu of community service." The teens are taught respect for themselves, nature and American Indian customs while planting wild rice at seven remote lakes and streams in Marquette and Alger counties.
"This is about educating the kids and not about punishment," said Reed.
“We had a good time planting wild rice,” Native American Don Chosa said of his work with the teens. He said some teens arrived angry because it was something they had to do, but they started to enjoy it and by the time they were done with one year of planting wild rice they were willing to come on a volunteer basis the following years.
“They learn how to plant, harvest and cook wild rice and they learn how to take water samples,” said Chosa. “A lot of them hadn’t been outside very much - so for them it was a good experience because it was miles and miles of hiking and mountain climbing.”
The project is sponsored by the Superior Watershed Partnership and the Cedar Tree Institute, non-profits based in Marquette; and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC).
KBIC elder Glenn Bressette of Harvey met with a group of at-risk teens and explained how he had similar problems when he was a youth but overcame issues like scrapes with police, and drinking alcohol, an addiction that was exacerbated by “a lot of prejudice in Marquette.”
The Manoomin Project falls under the umbrella of the Earth Keeper Initiative, a faith-based coalition of adults, university students, and the leaders of 9 faith communities with 140 churches and temples. It was founded by Rev. Jon Magnuson. Recently, the Earth Keepers/Cedar Tree Institute were declared one of the 15 hardest-working faith-based non-profits in America by the Acton Institute and World Magazine. It was the the second year in a row they received that honor.
The Earth Keepers hold an annual Earth Keeper Clean Sweep that has collected 370 tons of household poisons and other waste turned in by 15,000 Upper Peninsular residents across northern Michigan on the past three Earth Days.
To learn more about The Manoomin Project go to: The Cedar Tree Institute
To view videos of Earth Keeper activities go to:
1. Manoomin Project Music Video
2. YooperNewsman
To purchase wild rice hand-harvested by Ojibwe communities on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Minnesota go to: Native Harvest Wild Rice: Sacred Manoomin
Fishing Boats at Sunset (photo by Michelle Kwajafa, courtesy of morguefile.com)
It’s become clear to foodies who love wild fish that a lot of wild seafood that was once widely available and affordable, including cod, salmon and striped bass, have become much tougher to find. There’s plenty of farmed seafood, but much of it lacks the rich flavor of the wild versions and industrialized fish farming can pose environmental and health risks, and deplete wild fish stocks used to feed farmed fish.
The good news is that something can be done about it and some action is already taking place. According to a fine article by Mark Bittman in the New York Times:
…with monitoring systems that reduce bycatch by as much as 60 percent and regulations providing fishermen with a stake in protecting the wild resource, it is happening. One regulatory scheme, known as “catch shares,” allows fishermen to own shares in a fishery — that is, the right to catch a certain percentage of a scientifically determined sustainable harvest. Fishermen can buy or sell shares, but the number of fish caught in a given year is fixed.
Mr Bittman explains that not all fish farming is bad, “China alone accounts for an estimated 70 percent of the world’s aquaculture — where it is small in scale, focuses on herbivorous fish and is not only sustainable but environmentally sound.”
The bad news is that if steps are not taken to protect ocean fisheries, which are already being harvested at their maximum levels, wild fish stocks may be depleted entirely by 2048.
If you’d like to read the New York Times article cited above go to: A Seafood Snob Ponders the Future of Fish
Free Grazing Cows (photo by Emily Roesly, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Farsighted chefs were some of the first to embrace the use of local, seasonal foods as essential to the menus they offered their guests. That movement has been flourishing for years and spread throughout the country.
According to an article in USA Today, it is becoming increasingly common for chefs and farmers to work together to plan a growing season to produce ingredients desired by chefs, including “pesticide-free produce and hormone-free meat.”
High fuel prices have made turning to local farmers for produce that would otherwise have to be shipped in from afar an economical and eco-friendly choice. It also allows the chef to serve the produce when it is at its peak freshness, most flavorful, and most nutritious.
Kevin McCarthy, the chef at Lake Placid Lodge in New York, likes that the money he spends on local produce goes into his local economy. The USA Today article quotes him as saying, "We're driving down streets that are paved because the money stays in the community."
If you’d like to read the USA Today article cited above go to: Chefs, local farmers sow partnerships
100% Pure Organic Cotton Apron (photo by Rick Tango)
These sturdily attractive American Feast Cooking Aprons come in the naturally beautiful coloring of 100% pure organic cotton with embroidery done in navy blue organic thread.
Organically grown cotton is a beneficial, caring choice - for you & our planet. Conventionally-grown cotton occupies only 3% of the world's farmland, but uses 25% of the world's chemical pesticides. Most pesticides were originally developed as toxic nerve agents during World War II; so it's no wonder they have been linked to Parkinson's disease & many cancers.
American Feast had these aprons made with the most eco-friendly organic cotton we could find. And we wanted our aprons made in accordance with strict Fair Trade practices. To get what we wanted we worked with Hae Now, a family business with an office in the beautiful San Francisco Bay area. The folks at Hae Now take pride in their clothing & it shows! Premium stitching, classic styling & superior quality make an attractive, durable product that has a lower eco-impact over its lifespan. They recognize that quality & durability are also measures of environmental friendliness!
Hae Now goes to extraordinary lengths to deliver clothing both eco-friendly & labor friendly. Hae Now's eco-friendly practices have been certified by Skal of the Netherlands. The company's Fair Trade practices have been recognized by Oxfam-Benelux & Amnesty International. We're also pleased to report that they use the most eco-friendly transportation mode: the ocean-liner!
If you'd like to purchase an organic apron for yourself or as a sustainable gift for someone special go to: 100% Organic Cotton Cooking Apron
Wheat & Sky (photo by Cheryl Rankin, courtesy of morguefile.com)
For years the U.S. has enjoyed the world’s cheapest food and borne the world's the highest medical costs. Now, rising prices for food and fuel, along with environmental concerns, are making America's need for a healthier and more sustainable food system ever more urgent
This past weekend the New York Times devoted its Sunday magazine section to the subject of food. It included an excellent piece from author Michael Pollan. Here’s part of what he wrote about the current state of affairs:
Whenever farmers clear land for crops and till the soil, large quantities of carbon are released into the air. But the 20th-century industrialization of agriculture has increased the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the food system by an order of magnitude; chemical fertilizers (made from natural gas), pesticides (made from petroleum), farm machinery, modern food processing and packaging and transportation have together transformed a system that in 1940 produced 2.3 calories of food energy for every calorie of fossil-fuel energy it used into one that now takes 10 calories of fossil-fuel energy to produce a single calorie of modern supermarket food.
Mr. Pollan points out that the situation is all the more absurd since “...every calorie we eat is ultimately the product of photosynthesis — a process based on making food energy from sunshine. There is hope and possibility in that simple fact.”
The article is a call to action for the next President of the United States. The days of cheap food in America may have come to an end as fuel prices have soared and made industrial farming far less cost efficient. Regardless of whether the industrial system can bring back inexpensive food, its intensive use of fossil fuels pose a threat to the health of people and the planet. Pollan also writes that food is a national security issue. A country that must import much of its food is “…not only at the mercy of global commodity markets but of other governments as well.”
Mr.Pollan lays out some long term policy goals for bringing about much needed change, including “…a transition to a new solar-food economy” and “well-designed polyculture systems” explained in some detail.
If you’d like to read the New York Times article cited above go to: Farmer in Chief
If you'd like to purchase one of Michael Pollan's excellent books exploring the American food system go to:
1. "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan
2. "Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" by Michael Pollan
Fresh & Easy Solar Roof. (PRNewsFoto/Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market)
Grocer's 500,000 sq ft, $13 million solar installation proves its value
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has announced the solar panel installation at its California distribution center is providing nearly three quarters of the facility's energy. In a time of rising energy costs, solar power is helping ease the grocer's energy bills, and helping keep Fresh & Easy's prices affordable.
At 500,000 square feet, the solar panel installation is the size of five football fields and is considered to be one of the largest roof-mounted solar installations in North America. The installation was a $13 million investment for the company. Since March, the solar panels have provided enough energy to power over 300 typical homes, 4,200 televisions or 10,000 light bulbs for a year.
“We try to be thoughtful in how we operate as a busine |
