County Fare

Growing Power snapshots

Saturday, March 27th, 2010 | Food Activism, Organizations | 2 Comments

Trying out this photo gallery to see if I like it.

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Growing Power recap

Sunday, March 21st, 2010 | Food Activism, Health, Organizations | No Comments

The Growing Power workshop in Milwaukee, WI I have just finished was nothing short of amazing! A great and diverse crowd from such places as Washington State and D.C., Ohio, Long Island, Colorado, South Dakota, South Carolina and even as far away as Ghana and Mozambique! The Garden Girl herself, Patti Moreno, was there shooting an episode. All in all, it was an exhilarating experience teeming with talented amazing people, great ideas, projects and wonderful instruction on real world ways to begin agricultural projects.

Now I am exhausted. I’ll share a few photos that I snapped over the weekend soon.

Friends Neighbors Countrymen lend me your ear (or your farm beginnings info)

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 | County Fare Site, Food Activism, Food Writing, Health, Minnesota | No Comments

It may seem that this little food media experiment has bit the dust. I assure you it has not. In fact things are looking pretty exciting for the next year.

First, a little about the extended hiatus. Last summer as I excitedly worked my first real job in over three years at a reputable advertising agency here in Minneapolis my youngest daughter developed eczema as a result of some nasty FOOD ALLERGIES. At the same time the eldest daughter became violently ill with Lyme’s Disease. It took six weeks and five doctor visits to find this out. AND THEN I came down with shingles! Uber stress I guess. So I decided I was going to stay home for awhile and get things in order. Shingles and Lyme’s are treatable and were nipped in the butt within a couple of weeks. Food allergies on the other hand are a real nightmare. 9 months later we are still adjusting our family diet and have found an herbal remedy that has helped immensely with her aczema, at the recommendation of our acupuncturist. We still don’t get much sleep at night with the poor little girl, now 1yr, rolling around and itching at all hours; but things are greatly improved from the days when her skin literally bled day and night.

Instead of pursuing my working career at full steam I’ve opted to enroll in graduate school. Something I’ve always wanted but thought was a few years down the road, oh well. In hope that my wife could stay home with the kids we have been brainstorming ideas for extra income. A few have come and gone but one lingers nagging us on. Starting a small farm. After some research we have found that there is an abundance of help for people who wish to start farming. And get this, a lot of it is from the good ole USDA! WOW! Beginning farm loans! Business planning resources! Classes! Everywhere we look this is a positive for us, the planet, and profit. We are truly  amazed and are excitedly attempting to start a business plan. Tough with only a couple weary hours of production time available. We’ll get there.

So it seems this will be our contribution to County Fare. We will document as much of the process as possible and post it for the community as a resource. Hopefully it will be useful.

If anyone has relevant information please post it here. I’m currently looking for current accurate data regarding sales prices for berries and mushrooms (these are my lead crop contenders). I have a meeting with our local FSA person in a few days and hope to get some of this data for my region.

Sorry about the sloppy post and writing. What can you expect with an average of 4 hours of sleep for months. This ship will only get tighter as time goes on. I’m very much looking forward to it.

Dustin

VEGETARIAN’S NIGHTMARE

Friday, May 8th, 2009 | Food Activism, Food Writing, Organizations | No Comments

VEGETARIAN’S NIGHTMARE
by Baxter Black

a dissertation on plant’s rights

Ladies and diners I make you
A shameful, degrading confession.
A deed of disgrace in the name of good taste
Though I did it, I meant no aggression.
I had planted a garden last April
And lovingly sang it a ballad.
But later in June beneath a full moon
Forgive me, I wanted a salad!
So I slipped out and fondled a carrot
Caressing its feathery top.
With the force of a brute I tore out the root!
It whimpered and came with a pop!
Then laying my hand on a radish
I jerked and it left a small crater.
Then with the blade of my True Value spade
I exhumed a slumbering tater!
Celery I plucked, I twisted a squash!
Tomatoes were wincing in fear.
I choked the Romaine. It screamed out in pain,
Their anguish was filling my ears!
I finally came to the lettuce
As it cringed at the top of the row
With one wicked slice I beheaded it twice
As it writhed, I dealt a death blow.
I butchered the onions and parsley.
My hoe was all covered with gore.
I chopped and I whacked without looking back
Then I stealthily slipped in the door.

Read more at:

Baxter Black

Tags: baxter, black, cowboy, plant, poetry, rights

North America and Europe in the same boat

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 | Food Activism | No Comments

Tags: propietary, seed, serf

The Future of Food: Muy Importante!

Tuesday, December 9th, 2008 | Food Activism, Health, Minnesota, Organizations | No Comments

The Future of Food, a film by Deborah Coons Garcia and Lily Films, is an important look into the state of our current food supply. People sometimes ask me why I have taken the stand that locally produced agriculture is important. My replies are always shallow because I can’t sit down with them for the hours it takes to explain the depth of the issue. This film is an excellent resource for knowledge and does a great job of stringing together the pieces of the puzzle that are often hidden from us.

Visit the web site

Tags: film, food, future, Health

Brussel Sprouts mark the end of our CSA season

Sunday, October 26th, 2008 | Food Activism, Minnesota, Organizations | No Comments

October 26 is our last Community Supported Agricultural Delivery from the Women’s Environmental Institute in North Branch, MN.

For the past 19 weeks we have been shareholder in WEI with our dividend being picked up in a bushel box of produce at our local grocer every Sunday. All in all this has been a wonderful experience. Fresh sustainably farmed fruits and veggies from our neighbors has provided us with a steady supply of sustenance. Knowing that this food has been grown without the use of Johnny-come-lately chemical agriculture has helped to put our mind at ease about our food supply. And, last but not least, without our neighbors help we would never have known what brussel sprouts looked like while still on the stalk. Thanks WEI

If you would like to know more about WEI visit their web address: WEI

Search for Community Supported Agriculture near you: Local Harvest

Tags: CSA, farming, food, local, wei

Evidence keeps mounting against vegetable oils

Thursday, September 18th, 2008 | Food Activism, Health | No Comments

With all the conflicting information about nutrition available today how do we find what really is good for us? If we do some digging we can go back to studies done in the past that haven’t exactly gotten the attention they deserve. Natural News addresses the debate over oils and fats in their article “The Great Fat Debate – Why Virgin Coconut Oil Is Best” Give it a read. It’s much shorter than the Oiling of America article I cited in a previous post and does a good job of explaining some key concepts.

Natural News

Thanks to Tony one of County Fare’s new contributers for bringing this article to our attention.

Tags: fat, food, Health, nutrition, oils

Snail in the Park

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 | Food Activism, Minnesota | No Comments

Title: Snail in the Park
Location: Shepherd’s Way Farms
Description: Slow Food Minnesota’s First-of-Autumn Potluck
Sunday, September 21, 2 p.m., Shepherd’s Way Farms
8626 160th Street East, Nerstrand, MN

Tour this beautiful farm, enjoy a Slow potluck and hear Jodi Ohlsen Read and Steven Read talk about their life as shepherds and cheesemakers. Beverages and grilled lamb will be provided. Please bring a dish to share. Shepherd’s Way Farm is near Northfield, MN, less than an hour’s drive from the Twin Cities.
Reservations are required. $5 for members, $10 for non-members. Children ages 2 to 12, half price (2 and younger, free). You may reserve online using your credit card or PayPal account at slowfoodmn.org/events

Questions? (612) 362-9210.
Directions to Shepherd’s Way from Minneapolis:
1. 35 W South to Hwy. 19 East to Northfield. 2. Hwy 19 East (left) to Northfield. 3. Turn Right on Hwy. 3 (stoplight by Kwik Trip/Walgreens).
4. Left at next stoplight, Hwy. 246. 5. Follow Hwy. 246 as it turns right at next stop sign. 6. Follow Hwy. 246 past Middle School. 7. Right on County Road 30 (top of hill, sign also says Valley Grove). 8. Left at first stop sign. 9. Right at second stop sign (still County Road 30 but also called Ibson Street). 10. Follow winding Co. Rd. 30/Ibson to stop sign at top of hill. 11. Go Straight – now called only Ibson Street. 12. Follow Ibson as it turns sharply right, becoming 160th St E. 13. Farm is first on right. We will gather at the cheese shop/office, a small white building across from end of barn.

Start Time: 02:00
Date: 2008-09-21

Tags: convivia, events, food, slow

Slow Food on Campus

Thursday, September 11th, 2008 | Food Activism, Organizations | No Comments

Here’s a great blog I just found when I was renewing my student membership to Slow Food. Here’s who they say they are:

“Slow Food on Campus is a network of Campus Convivia, chapters of Slow Food USA run by college and university students across the country. These Campus Convivia are the living, breathing, working arm of Slow Food USA in the college community. By promoting food and food justice issues and by engaging their fellow students in the pleasures of the table and the garden, Campus Convivia aim to promote a slower, more just, and more harmonious rhythm of life on our nation’s college campuses.”

I am especially excited to see this movement spreading amongst university and college campuses. After all the future of our nation has often been molded in such places.

Slow Food On Campus

Tags: campus, convivia, food, slow