CT Green Scene

Hysterical & Effective Video: John Oliver Tackles Food Waste

Thanks to Sustainable America for sending this video clip along to us!

 

Audubon Greenwich - Sustainable Food & Farm Expo 5/31/15

Audubon Greenwich will host the second annual Sustainable Food & Farm Expo on Sunday, May 31, from 10 am until 5 pm. This year’s Expo will showcase high quality food producers, retailers, a celebrity chef, and farmers who will teach guests how to prepare and enjoy a wide variety of local and sustainably grown foods, plus grow some of their own.

The public is invited to enjoy twenty food exhibitors and vendors plus talks, demonstrations, and tastings with a wide range of experts every thirty minutes. Fleisher’s Craft Butchery and Grass Rxoots will cater lunch, snacks, and beverages suitable for vegans, vegetarians, omnivores, locavores, and those with food allergies or adhering to an organic diet.

The Sustainable Food & Farm Expo is a production of Audubon Greenwich, the Fairfield Green Food Guide, and Strawberry and Sage aimed at educating the public about our rich and diverse sustainable food community. "Audubon is proud to host this exciting, family-friendly event. Organic farming practices, composting, and more wholesome approaches to eating will greatly reduce our burden on Earth's natural resources while enhancing our habitats, soils, and communities" says Jeff Cordulack, Audubon Greenwich's Events and Communications Manager.

Chef Silvia Baldini of Strawberry and Sage will share her passion for cooking in three different culinary demonstrations and tastings where locally sourced ingredients take center stage. “When you work with real food, it’s easy to be in the kitchen” says Baldini, Fairfield County’s first female Chopped Champion. “In fact, I believe that once you learn to cook with basic local ingredients, you’ll be able to improvise seasonally to prepare beautiful and tasty dishes to share with loved ones.”

Educational tastings were so popular last year that more were added to the May 31 event including organic, micro-lot, Guatemalan coffee with Shearwater Organic Coffee Roasters;  five local honeys with the American Honey Tasting Society, single varietal extra virgin olive oils with Olivette, and artisan cheeses with Greenwich Cheese Company. “We have curated a day chock full of special events so anyone with an appetite for new resources, fresh ideas, and a gastronomic adventure will leave feeling sated” says Analiese Paik, Founder of the Fairfield Green Food Guide. Guests are advised to pre-register for paid tastings online at brownpaperticket.com, event 1568464, since capacity is limited to fifty people per 30- minute event.

Fleisher's Craft Butchery, Fairfield County’s only whole animal butcher specializing in locally sourced, pastured-raised meats, will be doing a free butchery demonstration and talk at 12:30 pm. "The local food community in Connecticut is getting bigger, better and more focused on sustainability. We are proud of our leadership role in providing consumers with meat that’s not just better tasting, but better for our health, our farmers and the land we share” says Ryan Fibiger, CEO of Fleisher’s Craft Butchery.

No sustainable food event would be complete without a discussion about the loss of biodiversity in our agricultural system and efforts to slow and reverse it. “Slow Food’s Ark of Taste is a quest to restore the rich diversity and heritage of our food” says Mimi Edelman, farmer and owner of I&Me Farm and Chair of the Northeast/New England Slow Food Ark of Taste Committee. “I’ll be inviting Expo guests to participate in Slow Food’s efforts to preserve food culture and traditions of the Northeast/New England region that include livestock, poultry, fruits, grains, vegetables, added value products, herbs and wild edibles.”  

Event Highlights:

• Visit 20 exhibitors to learn about, sample, and purchase their sustainable food products and services.
• Choose from three demonstrations and tastings with a celebrity chef ($10 each).
• Attend free talks about growing heirloom vegetables and saving seeds, suburban homesteading, nutrient dense vegetable gardening, and food preservation.
• Attend paid talks ($10 each) with tastings including local honey, ultra-premium extra virgin olive oil, and artisan cheese.
• Attend a free butchery demo and sustainable meat talk.
• Attend a free micro-lot, organic coffee tasting and demonstration on mastering French press brewing.
• Enjoy organic juices, snacks and lunch items along with sandwiches prepared with pasture-raised meats.

The following businesses and organizations will be participating at the Sustainable Food & Farm Expo: Audubon Greenwich, Fairfield Green Food Guide, Strawberry and Sage, Slow Food Metro North, Slow Food USA, Fleisher’s Craft Butchery, Greenwich Cheese Company, Shearwater Organic Coffee Roasters, the American Honey Tasting Society, Olivette, Suburban Homesteading, Growing with Nature, Farmer Doug DeCandia, Pound Ridge Organics, The CT Farm Table Cookbook, Grass Rxoots, Paul’s Custom Pet Food, Greenwich Community Gardens, and Natural Awakenings.

The Sustainable Food & Farm Expo is open to the public from 10 am until 5 pm on Sunday, May 31, 2015. Snacks, beverages, and lunch are available for purchase on-site from Grass Rxoots and Fleisher’s Craft Butchery. General Admission tickets are $15 per person, $20 per couple, or $25 per family. Paid tastings are an additional $10 per person, per session and online reservations are strongly recommended as seating is limited to 50 guests per session. Visit fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com for a complete special events calendar. 

Register online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1568464. Event address: Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, CT 06831

About Audubon Greenwich:

The Audubon Greenwich mission is to engage and educate people to conserve, restore, and enjoy nature, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats. The Audubon Center in Greenwich is also home to Audubon Connecticut, the state office of the National Audubon Society. http://greenwich.audubon.org

About Fairfield Green Food Guide:

The Fairfield Green Food Guide is dedicated to providing Fairfield County consumers with local and sustainable food resources, news, and events. This award-winning website helps guide consumers to farmers’ markets, CSAs, farm stands, organic and farm-to-table restaurants, specialty food retailers, and farm and food events. Fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com.

About Strawberry and Sage:

Strawberry and Sage is a creative and consulting food group. Clients served include the Royal Scottish Society, Bank of America, Vista Caballo, JMcLaughlin, Ralph Lauren, Wheelock Maidique, the Rye Nature Center, The New Canaan Library, The Carriage Bar Arts Center and Elm restaurant. Strawberryandsage.com.

Learn to Cook Like a Locavore: Chef Demos at the WFM

Who: The Westport Farmers’ Market (WFM)

What: The Westport Farmers’ Market (WFM) wants you to fall in love with your kitchen again. While creating a thriving local hub for seasonal food, WFM has arranged for 19 of the top area chefs, mixologists, and butchers to do delicious, live recipe demonstrations featuring fresh, local foods found each week at the market.

Learn how to use locally grown and produced, seasonal ingredients found at the market to prepare fresh, easy meals for your family.  The season kicked off with the Staples High School Culinary Arts team, then Sugar & Olives “ramped” up the demo with their  pickled ramp recipe and tutorial, followed by a lesson in how to properly harvest ramps.

Hungry yet?

Attend these free events and receive recipe cards to prepare the featured dish at home using the same market ingredients.  Every chef demo will feature a local chef or food professional who supports the local food culture and the WFM. 

When: Each Thursday, June 19th-November 6th between 10:15 and 11:00 am

Where: 50 Imperial Ave. Westport, CT

Visit the Westport Farmer's Market every Thursday from 10:00 am-2:00 pm

Click here for the chef demo list and more information from Fairfield Green Food Guide. 

APRIL 22ND - EARTH DAY FUNDRAISER

Who: Foodshare

What: Foodshare, Central Connecticut’s regional food bank, is holding a fundraiser to raise money for the fight against hunger in Connecticut. There will be a "green" tour of Foodshare, as well as many opportunities to learn about, try, and buy leading local non toxic, organic and non-GMO personal care items, cosmetics, household cleaners and more. Enter for a chance to win the "Great Green Giveaway" and receive amazing discounts from eco-kids and Frey Vineyards in addition to some complementary packets of non-GMO seeds.

 

When: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 from 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

 

Where: Foodshare, 450 Woodland Avenue, Bloomfield, CT 06002

 

For more information about this event and to RSVP, which is kindly requested, email Jenn Chapin at thenontoxiclife.com, call her at (860) 817-8383 or visit this event on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thenontoxiclife and click on "Events."

March 9th - Sustainable Food & Farm Expo for Families

Who: Audubon Greenwich

What: Hundreds of guests eager to sample local, artisan and organic food, attend tasting workshops, and learn about homesteading are expected to flock to Audubon Greenwich’s Sustainable Food & Farm Expo. Eighteen exhibitors and vendors, including organic farmers, homesteading experts, artisan food producers, specialty food retailers, and organic restaurants, will be present to share their products and expertise with attendees.

When: March 9th 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Where: Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, CT 06831

General Admission tickets (includes exhibits, vendors, and five talks):

· $15 per person, $20 per couple, or $25 per family

· Tasting Workshops are an additional $10 per person, per session

Advance reservations highly recommended for all Tasting Workshops as capacity is limited. Send all RSVPs to Jeff Cordulack at [email protected] or 203-869-5272 x239. Please leave a best phone number so that Audubon can contact you back to process your payment and reserve your seat. 

CT NOFA 9th Annual Getting Started in Organic Farming Conference - January 18th

 

Who: The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut

What: CT NOFA's annual Getting Started in Organic Farming Conference provides information about agricultural practices, marketing, planning and management for those who are establishing a new form or are transitioning to organic production. Attendees have access to valuable support and resources as well as a unique opportunity to interact with knowledgeable experts and established farmers, and they can connect to other beginning farmers from their area. The 2014 lineup includes presentations from Patrick Horan of Waldingfield Farm, Marjorie Glover of Happy Family Farm, Kip Kolesinskas from the American Farmland Trust, Eero Ruutilla an Sustainable Agriculture Specialist for UCONN Cooperative Extension, Mark Rutkowski of Urban Oaks Farm, Erin Pirro of Farm Credit East, and CT NOFA Board Member Debra Sloane of Sloane Farm.

When: Saturday, January 18th 8AM - 3:30PM

Where: Goodwin College in East Hartford, CT

Lunch will be provided, as well as opportunities for attendees to network with one another. A limited number of scholarships are available to beginning farmers with less than 10 years of farming experience who would otherwise have difficulty attending. Registration for the conference is $40 for CT NOFA Members and students and $50 for Non-Members. To register, apply for a scholarship or for more information, visit[[http:ctnofa.org|ctnofa.org]] and click onGetting Started in Organic Farming Conference, or call the CT NOFA office at 203.308.2584.

Sustainability BaseCamp - Eco-Champions

by Ben Hastings

Earlier this month, the Burns & Hammond team had the opportunity to spend the weekend with 22 13 to 18 year olds from East Harlem, to conduct a Sustainability Base Camp field trip to various different sites in Boston! This was a truly fascinating experience, not only for the newly crowned Eco-Champions, but for myself and the organizers as well.

Our day began at The Food Project in Roxbury, MA, where we all got the opportunity to explore their multitude of lush, community gardens. This is where the kids could see a real revitalization that was made in a low income neighborhood. It was incredible to observe the high level of interest in some of their eyes as we walked through the neighborhood that had plentiful green gardens full of delicious vegetables scattered throughout a concrete jungle. Thanks to our gracious hosts at The Food Project, all of the burning questions asked were answered thoroughly, along with ideas for instituting similar projects in their own East Harlem community.

 

The next stop was a much needed lunch at Haley House, a non-profit, community based organization. Not only is Haley House a great spot to pick up a fresh, local meal, but the cafe strives to have a positive community impact by helping employees build new skills and safer neighborhoods. That being said, the food was secondary to the story we heard from the catering manager Jeremy, who is a significant part of the Haley House’s success. He spoke to the Eco-Champions about how his life on the street got him into jail, but he was able to turn his life around by helping his community any way he could. I think that this was important for the students to tune into because it was a real life example of a person who has a similar background, that ended up making it in the “green industry.”

Finally before we trekked back to the hotel for the night, we made a stop at the largest wind turbine testing facility in the nation! Thanks to Executive Director Rahul Yarala, the tour of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Wind Technology Testing Center included an overview of wind energy as a whole, the process by which wind turbines are constructed and an in depth look at the rigorous testing of the turbines they do in order to make sure they will be able to withstand any outdoor conditions. As someone who has always been interested in and studied alternative energy, being in the heart of a facility that is striving to be a leader in wind was amazing. It also seemed like an eye-opening experience for the students because it was a concrete example of what people are doing on a larger scale to become energy independent and sustainable.

 

The next day consisted of strolling through the Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts' Local Food Festival, where hundreds of vendors lined the streets of Boston selling bread, veggies, ice cream and so much more. The local food movement has really been taking off over the past few years, and this was a perfect example of how it has. These farms and stores of the Boston area graciously gave out delicious samples of their products, allowing everyone to try just about everything!

Unfortunately, this was the last stop on our trip. As the Burns & Hammond team said goodbyes to the Eco-Champions, I had expected to feel a bit of sadness as our time together was over. Instead, I felt a sense of relief that these students had the opportunity to go on a trip like this, and knew that this had really hit home for many of them. It might be wishful thinking to expect all 22 students to go on and eventually become green collared professionals, but hearing the questions they asked, and inspired thoughts about careers that came out of many were enough to make me to believe that this was a positive experience for all. This Sustainability Base Camp was just a building block that added to their environmental awareness, but one that provided a solid foundation due to its real life relatability for these Eco-Champions.

October 6th - 2013 Ambler Farm Day

Who: The Friends of Ambler Farm

What: The Friends of Ambler Farm have made it the farm’s mission to celebrate Wilton’s agrarian roots through active-learning programs, sustainable agriculture, responsible land stewardship, and historic preservation. Ambler Farm Day, an important fundraiser which helps sustain educational programming, is back for a 13th year! Bring the entire family to enjoy a fun-filled afternoon at Wilton’s community farm. 

 Activities include: 

• Apple Slingshot
• Bake + Pie Sale
• Garden Market/Farm Stand
• Farm Animals
• Make-Your-Own-Scarecrow
• Hay Rides
• Punkin’ Chucker
• Children’s Crafts and Games
• Hay Maze and Tumble
• Pumpkin Patch
• Live Music and Delicious Refreshments!

When: 12:00pm-4:00pm (Rain or shine)

Where: Ambler Farm 257 Hurlbutt Street, Wilton, CT. 

 

$20/family. $10/seniors. A free shuttle bus will run from Cannondale train station.

All proceeds will benefit the restoration of the historic Raymond-Ambler Farmhouse as well as ongoing educational programs.

The farm has their weekly stand at 257 Hurlbutt Street Saturdays through October from 9am-2pm. Their produce is also sold at the Wilton Chamber of Commerce Farmer’s Market at 224 Danbury Road from 12:30 – 5pm on Wednesdays through October.

CT NOFA's 31st Annual Winter Conference

2 March 2013

8:30 AM-5:00 PM

Registration Fee Depends on Status

Wilton High School

Wilton, CT

Join the Connecticut Northeast Organic Farming Association as they celebrate 31 years of growing better together! There will be over fifty vendors providing fresh local food, crafts, and books as well as a raffle that includes offerings such as a basket of gardening supplies. Lunch will be Included for an extra fee, but it is worth the price. During the lunch break, attendees have the opportunity to taste delicious local flavors concocted by chefs involved in Fairfield County's farm-to-restaurant program. The New Connecticut Farming alliance will also meet during this time to discuss news and share information. 

    Guests may select from a wide variety of workshops to attend. There is no need to register for your desired workshop, you may simply show up at the allotted classroom. A program will be handed out to you upon registration that looks exactly like the link provided above. Parents and families are welcome to participate in children's workshops as well. There will also be a screenings of the GMO documentary "Genetic Roulette" throughout the afternoon, where Elaine Titus of GMO Free CT and GMO Free Moms will be available to answer any questions. 

Schedule for the Day                                                               Registration Fees

8:30-9:30 : Registration (pre-register at this link)                  Non-Member:      $60
9:30-10:45: Workshop I                                                          Member:           $50
11:00-12:30: Opening announcements and Keynote               Student/Senior:    $35
12:30-2:00: Lunch                                                                  Children:           FREE
2:15: 3:30: Workshop II                                                      *Lunch is optional: an extra $15 for adults
3:45 to 5:00 ~ Workshop II                                                  and $8 for children

2013 Conference Program: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/2013%20WC%20programOPT.pdf

Register at: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/2013WC_registration.html

If you forget to register for lunch: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/winterconference_lunch_registration.html

For more Information: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/index.html

No Farm Bill a Bad Sign for Dairy Farmers

Legislative lapse of the farm bill may have catastrophic consequences for dairy farmers, particularly in the Northeast. See an excerpt from an editorial published on October 7th in The New York Times below.

A Gloomy Season for Dairy Farmers
Published: October 7, 2012

Last week began without a farm bill, a legislative lapse of shameful proportions. Since 1949, the bill has always been renewed, but not this year. Even so, most of the 2012 crop is still covered by loans, insurance programs and commodity supports until the end of the year — with one important exception.

That exception is dairy farmers. When the farm bill expired, so did the Milk Income Loss Contract Program, which pays dairy farmers when milk prices, which are always volatile, fall below a set level. The payment is also adjusted to the price of feed, which has been high, thanks to record corn prices, and will be much higher after this year’s nationwide drought.

The program was designed to help small dairy operations, the kind that are prevalent in the Northeast. Typically, in New York, the program can provide a farmer with as much as 10 percent of his income. For all too many farmers — caught between diminishing demand for milk, historically low milk prices and historically high grain prices — that is the difference between bare survival and certain insolvency.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Image courtesy of FarmBillFacts.org.

Something's Funky with the Farm Bill...

What do farms have to do with climate change? A whole lot. But if you're in the House or Senate, you're not even considering that. The current farm bill being tossed around Congress will accelerate global warming with more greenhouse gas emissions while making farms more vulnerable to those emissions. In a "meat-heavy" food system like ours with very little crop diversity and chemical feritilizers, we've set ourselves up for the kind of summer we had this year: hot and dry with low crop yield. Why not try the organic approach to farming? Nah, agribusiness wouldn't hear of it!

See the excerpt below from The New York Times about how the farm bill will actually affect the future.

Harvesting a Climate Disaster
By MARK HERTSGAARD
Published: September 12, 2012

The farm bill is not only the centerpiece of United States food and agriculture policy, it is also a de facto climate bill. And in this respect, both the Senate and House versions of the legislation are a disaster waiting to happen.

Consider, for a moment, the summer of 2012. For an agricultural superpower like the United States, it should have set off alarm bells. The hottest July on record and the worst drought in 50 years — both driven partly by global warming, scientists say — have parched soil and withered crops across the Farm Belt. Yet America’s lawmakers aren’t even remotely addressing the issue in a piece of legislation that will affect the climate profoundly for years to come.

The proposed farm bill — Senate- or House-style, take your pick — would make American agriculture’s climate problem worse, in two ways. Not only would the bill accelerate global warming by encouraging more greenhouse gas emissions, it would make the nation’s farms more vulnerable to the impacts of those emissions.

Indeed, instead of helping farmers take common-sense measures to limit their land’s vulnerability to extreme weather, the legislation would simply spend billions more on crop insurance — sticking taxpayers with the bill. “It’s like giving a homeowner cut-rate fire insurance but not requiring fire extinguishers,” said Jim Kleinschmit of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

To read more, click here.

Image courtesy of NCCCUSA.org.

Those Nasty GMOs

by Stephen Meno

It can be argued that Bill Gates is probably one of the smartest men alive. So, it’s a strange feeling for me to come out and say that Bill Gates is wrong. He, like many other people around the world, has been captivated by this fallacy that genetically modified organisms (GMO) will feed the world. And really he is not to blame. Multinational corporations, like Monsanto (in which, interestingly Bill Gates owns 500,000 shares), have been campaigning and misleading the public with this idea to maintain their image and ensure that they will reap countless dollars in profits.

The marketability of GMOs comes from their resistance to pesticides, which makes it easy to believe that they increase agricultural productivity greatly. But unfortunately, they are having the opposite effect at disastrous costs.

The Corn Empire

by Stephen Meno

The recent droughts and subsequent rise in corn prices should make us take a good, hard look at American agriculture. Through the Farm Bill and the Energy Policy Act, the government subsidizes corn production so it can be grown below cost. Unfortunately, cheap corn isn’t paying off. We’re inundated with facts about how this abundance of corn goes to junk food and industrialized meat production, resulting in skyrocketing rates of obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. And if this cheap corn is bad for our bodies, it sure can’t be great our environment.

By its nature, corn requires lots of nutrients to grow and is very draining on the soil. Instead of using natural fertilizers or letting fields go fallow, toxic fertilizers are used, which pollute water systems. And on top of that, pesticides are sprayed on these plants, again contaminating water supplies, and humans, especially the workers who harvest the plant. Undoubtedly, these chemicals are linked to the rising cancer rates in the country. 

Pesticides may be behind Colony Collapse Disorder

Since 2006, scientists have been baffled as to why we have had a massive decrease--in some cases as much as 90 percent--in our bee colonies. Called colony collapse disorder, a drop in bee production is nothing new. It has been chronicled for decades. But this recent affliction is much worse than previous ones, which is why so many in the bee industry have become alarmed.

Try this on for size: according to the journal Science, pesticides with a key ingredient of neonicotinoid may be directly responsible for the collapse. A study was done to show how bees reacted to the kind of pesticides found in the wild. A significant difference in the production as well as the number of queens was found in the pesticide group versus the hives that were not exposed.

Read an excerpt below from Mongabay.com that reported on it March 29th.

Smoking gun for bee collapse? popular pesticides
Jeremy Hace
mongabay.com
March 29, 2012

Commonly used pesticides may be a primary driver of the collapsing bee populations, finds two new studies inScience. The studies, one focused on honeybees and the other on bumblebees, found that even small doses of these pesticides, which target insect's central nervous system, impact bee behavior and, ultimately, their survival. The studies may have far-reaching repercussions for the regulation of agricultural chemicals, known as neonicotinoid insecticides, that have been in use since the 1990s.

Scientists first started recording alarming declines in bees in North America in 2006, including some bee producers losing up to 90 percent of their colonies. Similar declines occurred throughout Europe, and have also been recorded in Taiwan. Known as Colony Collapse Disorder, bee hives are found missing nearly all of their adult bees. While colony collapses have been recorded since the 19th Century, the current crisis has proven much worst than past ones.

A number of theories for the collapse have been posited, including disease, parasitic mites, habitat loss, and, of course, pesticides. Some researchers have suggested a combination of these factors. While pesticides has been an important target of studies for years, researchers have had proving that pesticides, which aren't immediately lethal, might still be harming bee colonies—until now.

Read more:http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0329-hance_beecollapse_pesticides.html#ixzz1qcwxGRGN

Image courtesy of Greensmiths.com. 

A Decade of Saving Connecticut Farmland: Connecticut Farmland Trust Looks Back and to the Future

By Chris Watts

A lot's happened over the past ten years. Republicans and Democrats swapped control in Washington and in Hartford. Wars started and ended. Housing and land prices went up and then crashed back down. The stock market went for a ride up and down and is now back up. It seems things are always changing. But for the last decade, one constant has been the efforts by the Connecticut Farmland Trust to save the dwindling number of farmland acres in the State of Connecticut.

The core of what would become the Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT) had its beginnings in 2001 when a group of concerned citizens got together, with the help of the Hartford Food System, to urge legislators to support the state’s fledgling farm preservation program. Through this effort the group discovered that while the State’s program worked well – some farms were not qualifying.

“What we found was that the state was able to preserving large tracts of land and larger farms, but smaller family farms were not qualifying under the formula,” says Gordon Gibson, an original board member of CFT and its first president. “These smaller farms are just as important and often were one of the few remaining working farms in a particular town, but there was no way to find funds to save them. Then some of us got the idea that maybe it was time for us to start our own land trust to help target these smaller parcels.”

That idea led to the incorporation of the Connecticut Farmland Trust on March 1, 2002. With just a board of directors and no permanent staff or office space, the group started to create the state’s only statewide land trust with the specific goal of saving the smaller working farms that would fall under the state’s radar.

Traditional Farming better for Biodiversity. Well, duh...

The Science and Development Network, a non-profit organization based in England and Wales, reported that research has shown traditional farming is crucial for keeping certain species alive. The research was conducted in developing countries as well as Europe.

It seems biodiversity is important to maintain the health and vitality of the land, the plants, birds and insects, as well as a host of other animals that feed off the land and call it their home. Industrial farming apparently harms the ecological bubble and depletes the natural habitats. Huh, go figure...

See the excerpt below.

Traditional farming 'can save threatened species'
Jan Piotrowski
22 December 2011 | EN

Traditional farming methods are crucial for protecting a number of threatened bird species in the developing world, including bustards, cranes, ibises and vultures, a study has found.

Livestock grazing and features associated with arable farming — such as hedgerows — create environmental conditions that certain birds currently depend on for food, shelter and breeding, the authors report.  

But as industrial farming methods eliminate these habitats, these species are threatened with extinction, said Hugh Wright, a researcher in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia, United Kingdom, and lead author of the study, published in Conservation Letters earlier this month (5 December).

Hiring local? Not so fast

If you think hiring local is the answer to all our unemployment woes, you're not alone. Farmers across the nation are looking to hire. Not cheap immigrant workers, mind you, but local people who are unemployed and hoping to make ends meet. The problem is, nobody wants to do the manual labor even if they are out of work.

For years, we've lost valuable farm land to overdevelopment. Now, we have the opportunity to return to the land. But unfortunately, we're not.

See the excerpt below from The New York Times.

Hiring Locally for Farm Work Is No Cure-All
By KIRK JOHNSON
Published: October 5, 2011

OLATHE, Colo. — How can there be a labor shortage when nearly one out of every 11 people in the nation are unemployed?

That’s the question John Harold asked himself last winter when he was trying to figure out how much help he would need to harvest the corn and onions on his 1,000-acre farm here in western Colorado.

The simple-sounding plan that resulted — hire more local people and fewer foreign workers — left Mr. Harold and others who took a similar path adrift in a predicament worthy of Kafka...

Big Crop Loss from Hurricane Irene

by Eileen Weber

If nothing else makes it clear how difficult and tenuous farming is, the after-effects of Hurricane Irene should be a wake-up call. With 10 inches of rain or more, thousands of acres of crops were lost to flooding in New York, New Jersey, Vermont, and western portions of Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The vegetable delivery from my own CSA, Stoneledge Farm in South Cairo, NY, has been shut down for the rest of the season. With some portions of their crops under as much as 10 feet of water, the FDA declared it—along with produce from a number of other farms—a food safety risk and inedible.

“As much as we would like to keep delivering, our farm will abide with the FDA, NYS Ag and Markets and Cornell Cooperative Extension recommendation not to harvest the produce,” Stoneledge Farm posted on their blog. “Our farm needs to start to clean up and get back on track for next season. At the height of the harvest season, it is a difficult decision.”

Avoiding GMOs

by Brittany Shutts

Alfalfa in animal feed, super salmon, and non-browning “arctic” apples have all recently joined the list of genetically modified foods to watch out for. Whereas in the EU a great deal of skepticism towards GMOs has resulted in product labeling and bans, the US has little regulation and few long-term studies. Thirteen years of genetically modified foods in US markets have proved that there are more risks than benefits.
   
A genetically modified organism, or GMO, is created by placing the genes of bacteria, viruses, and animals into plants – and recently salmon – so that they become resistant to herbicides or pests. The most significant GM foods are soybeans, corn, canola, and cotton. It is difficult to avoid GM soy and corn because they appear in so many packaged foods.

Beans, Greens, and Protein

by Brittany Shutts

Cutting back on the meat in your diet can take your palate on the road to new gastronomic adventures and help the environment as well. According to Worldwatch, livestock and their byproducts account for 50% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the world. Meat consumption in the United States, especially, is far from being sustainable. Studies show that the U.S. alone consumes almost 10 billion chickens, pigs, cows, and turkeys every year. The horrors of the livestock industry, the growth hormones, and the antibiotics are enough to kill even the heartiest appetite.
   
Going meatless just once a week will lower your risk of cancer, reduce your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, lower body weight, and prevent long-term weight gain. Eating beans and peas will increase your intake of other important minerals, such as protein, folate, zinc, iron, and magnesium. They contain less saturated fat and total fat.

CONNECTICUT FARM BUREAU ASSOCIATION HOSTS AGRICULTURAL PLANNING AND ZONING CONFEREnCE FOR MUNICIPAL LEADERS AND FARMERS

With a recent UCONN study showing Connecticut’s agricultural industry contributes over $3.5 billion dollars and 20,000 jobs to the state, the need for farmers and municipal leaders to work together has never been higher. A conference on March 31, 2011 organized by the Connecticut Farm Bureau Association will bring the groups together to discuss the fundamentals of municipal planning and zoning and help educate attendees on how they can work to support local agriculture.

“This is our second annual conference and those who attend will receive an overview of the fundamentals of planning and zoning and discuss effective strategies to encourage agricultural growth in municipalities,” says Joan Nichols, Government Relations Specialist at Connecticut Farm Bureau Association. "So much of Connecticut agriculture is impacted by local zoning regulations and decisions that it is critical producers understand how municipal zoning impacts their agricultural operation, and more importantly, what they can do to improve the local regulatory climate for agriculture in their communities.”

NIH links pesticides with parkinson's

According to yesterday's post on The Daily Green, the National Institute of Health has linked rotenone and parquat, two common pesticides in weed killers, with a higher likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease. While the chemicals are not usually found in household products, they are used on major crops like corn, soy, wheat, and potatoes.

See the excerpt below.

NIH: 2 Pesticides Linked to Parkinson's Disease
Those exposed to two common pesticides were far more likely to develop Parkinson's, according to a new authoritative study of possible causes of the disease.

By Dan Shapley

"Exposure to pesticides has been repeatedly linked to Parkinson's disease, and now the most authoritative voice on health research, the National Institute of Health, has highlighted the link.

In new research, the NIH said Parkinson's disease was 2.5 times more likely to develop in people who used rotenone or paraquat, neither of which are commonly used in households. Parkinson's disease is a a progressive degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. While both pesticides are used only by licensed pesticide applicators and Rotenone is used only to kill invasive fish, Paraquat is widely used on farms throughout the world..."

To read more, click here.

Image courtesy of ScienceMag.org.

The Organic Debate

by Susan Torres

These days, there are more health stores, organic markets, and natural products available to the average consumer. Many people question whether going organic is really all that beneficial or economical. A new study shows that it may very well be worthwhile. Your purchase power from the organic food aisle might just mean the difference between more nutritional food and an unhealthy meal for your family.

Researchers found that organic farms produced fruit that was more nutritious, flavorful, and had healthier, more diverse soil than conventional farms. The study focused on organic and conventional strawberry farms specifically in California because the state takes up 90 percent of the strawberry market in the United States. It compared 31 chemical and biological soil properties on 13 organic farms and 13 non-organic farms that used standard pesticides. Soil DNA, taste, nutrition, and quality were also examined, making this one of the most thorough and comprehensive studies of its kind.

Frankencorn in Italy

Trade between Europe and the United States has always been a little stiff when it has come to genetically modified food. The majority of Europeans are against the concept. But as in this article from today's New York Times, one man in Italy planted genetically modified corn. To say the Italians didn't take it well is an understatement. Below is an excerpt.

In the Fields of Italy, a Conflict Over Corn
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
Published: August 23, 2010

"Giorgio Fidenato declared war on the Italian government and environmental groups in April with a news conference and a YouTube video, which showed him poking six genetically modified corn seeds into Italian soil.

In fact, said Mr. Fidenato, 49, an agronomist, he planted two fields of genetically modified corn. But since “corn looks like corn,” as he put it, it took his opponents weeks to find his crop.

The seeds, known as MON810, are modified so that the corn produces a chemical that kills the larvae of the corn borer, a devastating pest. Yet while European Union rules allow this particular seed to be planted, Italy requires farmers to get special permission for any genetically modified, or G.M., crop — and the Agriculture Ministry never said yes.

...It is true that a small but growing number of European countries, including Spain, Portugal and Germany, now allow some cultivation of genetically modified crops. But only two genetically modified seeds (MON810 and the Amflora potato seed) out of dozens on the global market have made it through the European Commission’s laborious approval process, a prerequisite for use.

...Such foot-dragging reflects passionate public opposition to the crops in many parts of Europe, even as more than three-quarters of corn, soybeans and sugar beets in the United States are genetically modified. Though the science is at best inconclusive, there is a widespread conviction in Italy that genetically altered foods and crops pose dangers to human health and ecosystems."

To read more, click here.

Image courtesy of Grain.org.

Potato and Corn Festival Highlights Local Farms

by Abbie Walston

Searching for some entertainment and family fun with plenty of food? Look no further than the North Branford Potato and Corn Festival on August 6th through 8th at Augur Farm on Route 22. For the last ten years, it has been a community tradition. The town’s agrarian character will be on display alongside the midway, allowing visitors to learn more about local farms. Local restaurants, farms, and businesses will offer a wide variety of food, including baked potatoes with toppings and fresh, locally grown sweet corn.

A Farmer’s Market will be held on Saturday and Sunday, hosted by the North Branford Agriculture Commission. Farms throughout town will provide fresh, seasonal produce including sweet corn, tomatoes and peaches for you to take home and enjoy. This is a unique opportunity to sample the best North Branford farms have to offer without visiting each farm individually. Proceeds will be used by the Agriculture Commission to promote local farms throughout the coming year, including printing and distribution of the town’s Agriculture Brochure. Weather permitting, hayrides will be offered each afternoon providing fun for the whole family. And for a taste of the truly rural, the Cow Chip Raffle on Sunday offers a grand prize of $2500!

Going Local

by Abbie Walston, founder of the Farmer’s Daughter blog

Abigail Rose Walston is mother to Joshua, wife to Ed, an environmentalist, teacher, and blogger. She was raised on her family’s 300 year old farm in Connecticut, where she learned to love animals and nature. She holds both a BS and MS in Biology and Secondary Education, and has taught Biology, Environmental Science, Botany and Forensic Science at the high school level for the last eight years. She’s adjusting to her new role as a nursing mother who also works. She supports sustainable living, shops from local farms, cooks from scratch, gardens, reads, writes, and crafts in her spare time, and blogs about it on her web site.

As part of the 12th generation on my family’s tercentennial farm in North Branford, I’ve been a supporter of Connecticut agriculture since I was a child. Now as an adult, I source food as locally as I can, from growing a victory garden to visiting farms and farmer’s markets. My family’s farm still supplies a lot of our produce, and my husband’s family raises most of our meat. But don’t worry, you don’t have to live on a farm or have agricultural roots to enjoy seasonal, locally grown foods.

Eating locally is good for your family, the local economy and the environment.  One of the best things you can do to provide healthy food for your family and connect with your food and the seasons is to start a garden.  It may be mid-July, but it’s not too late! Here in Connecticut, you can harvest cold-weather crops as late as November without any additional equipment! I’ve had success with peas, spinach, lettuces, scallions and carrots when I planted them in late August, and you can also try parsnips, broccoli, kale or radishes.  If they have a chance to start growing when it’s still hot and the days are long, their growth will slow as the days get shorter and you’ll have a great fall garden!  For garden help, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is a wealth of information and advice, from identifying insects and testing soil to tips on varieties of tomatoes to grow. You can also visit the Connecticut Community Gardening Association to learn about community gardening, if you want to start a garden but don’t have the space.

Deadline Today for Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Week

Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Week, a new promotion initiated by the CT Department of Agriculture's Farm-to-Chef Program, will run Sunday, September 26, 2010, through Saturday, October 2, 2010. Open to all restaurants and foodservice businesses in the state, it invites participants to create and offer a separate Farm-to-Chef menu showcasing CT Grown ingredients and CT wines.

"While many Farm-to-Chef members source locally on a regular basis, we hope this special event will entice new restaurants and businesses to give CT Grown ingredients a try. Because it is only a one-week commitment, it is an easy way for chefs to try local farm products without feeling overwhelmed," said Linda Piotrowicz, Farm-to-Chef Program Manager.

Food Miles

by Courtney Dumais

Today, the agricultural industry looks nothing like it did fifty or one hundred years ago. The changes that have taken place have revolutionized farming and have transformed it into a scientifically manipulated, outsourced process.  According to Lester Brown’s Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, the world’s grain harvest has increased from 630 million tons in 1950 to 2 billion tons in 2008, with the help of science and a growing application of chemical fertilizers.

While each advancement made since the industrial age seems justified in attempting to address growing populations and increasing demands, consequences of the current system are evident in the environment and in human health. If valid, why have such developments contributed to environmental degradation and failed to adequately nourish the world? The current global food system produces enough food to feed the nearly 7 billion people living on the planet. However, World Hunger estimates that about one–sixth or a little over 1 billion people in the world are hungry or undernourished. There is a disconnect here and it is just one of the many mysteries of the current food system.

A significant portion of today’s American diet consists of foods grown or produced in other countries. Shifts in food production have transformed a once local and delicate process into the hands of a few large corporations. Most Americans fail to consider how pineapples, oranges, and asparagus arrive in their local grocery stores in the middle of winter in New England. We have grown complacent, accustomed to the availability of all types of produce regardless of the season. 

All in Favor, Say Goat

Goat farming. It seems to be contagious. According to The Hartford Courant yesterday, Suffield's Future Farmers of America set out to make a 40-foot bar of goat soap. It took 41 pounds of olive oil, 24 pounds of coconut oil, 14 poinds of palm oil, 12 pounds of lye, and 30 pounds of goat's milk with ice. To read more, click here.

In the Phllipines, goat farming is getting a boost from the country's Department of Agriculture. According to an article dated January 11, 2010 in the Phillipine Star, the animal provides enough protein from its milk and meat to choke a horse. Click here to read more.

Closer to home, we have one of many resident cheese mongers in New England. Laini Fondiller of the Lazy Lady Farm in Vermont makes goat cheese with such names as Tomme Delay, Barick Obama, and Fil-a-Buster. According to an article dated December 30, 2009 from The New York Times, Fondiller makes her cheese in the "French way" at her off-the-grid facility. When it comes to goat farming, she says goats are better than other animals. “They’re very nice little animals,” she was quoted as saying. “Cows don’t give a damn. Sheep can’t stand ya. Pigs? ‘Just feed me!’ And goats really do want to be around you.” Click here for the rest of the article.

If goat farming is something you've considered, take the amount of acreage you have and the kind of fencing you have installed. If nothing else, you can resort to The Invisible Fence. Some farmers report success using the collar system with their goat herd. Read this Q&A from KnoxNews.com in Knoxville, TN.

If goats farms are a nice place to visit but you wouldn't want to live there, consider agritourism. There is a growing number of farms in the Northeast that offer stay packages to learn how to farm. In this New York Times article dated August 25, 2009, Stony Creek Farm in Walton, NY, will help you learn how to bail hay, harvest a Brussels sprout or milk a goat. Click here to read more.

Who knew goats could be this popular?

Image courtesy of The New York Times.

Farming: The Ultimate Green Job

by Eileen Weber

“You have to leave the land better than when you found it,” said Fred Monahan, who runs Stone Gardens Farm in Shelton with his wife Stacia. The couple sustainably grow vegetables using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system. They raise cows and chickens. They compost and use their animal manure to enrich the soil. The land, originally a dairy farm until the mid 1990s, evolved to become the thriving farm it is now. “The economic downturn hasn’t affected us,” said Monahan.

But that’s not the case for a lot of farmers in Connecticut, particularly in the dairy industry. When a gallon of milk costs nearly twice to produce than its revenue, dairy farmers have been tightening their belts. And in some cases, they can’t tighten them enough. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), nineteen dairy farms in Connecticut sold off their animals last year. Once the farmland goes, it’s gone. 

Environmental Crisis: Human Population

by Kathryn E. Arion

Kathryn is a junior at Dartmouth College majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Anthropology. She is originally from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where her parents live and own a veterinary clinic. In her spare time, Kathryn likes to read fiction novels, run and weight-train at the gym, and snowboard. She is also a devoted sister of Epsilon Kappa Theta sorority at Dartmouth. Kathryn hopes to work after graduation with groups promoting conservation of biodiversity and protection of endangered species.
 
Human overpopulation seems to be a taboo subject, even in the field of environmental studies. The growth of society is seen as progress, a step in the right direction for mankind. The immense human population tends not to be viewed as an environmental problem; if other issues facing the planet were addressed, then the world population would not matter. But what if overpopulation is the underlying cause of environmental degradation?

Over two hundred years ago, Dr. Thomas Malthus, a British scholar from the late 18th to the early 19th century known for his analysis on societal improvements and population growth, predicted the issues of worldwide hunger that we are facing today. He wrote An Essay on the Principles of Population that stated while the human population can grow exponentially, agriculture and food supply could not keep up. In an article published on December 9, 2008, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations claimed that there were 963 million people going hungry. By June of 2009, that number had risen to over one billion.

Why, in the 21st century, in an age of rapidly growing technology, is a sixth of the world’s population starving? The answer is that, no matter what types of technology or innovations we create, there is just no way for our earth to sustain six billion people. There are simply not enough resources to feed everyone. Even if we tried to allocate resources to everyone, we would only further contribute to environmental degradation.

As Close to the Cow Without Milking It Yourself

by Eileen Weber

For those with a bovine sense of humor, here’s a cow joke for you: Why did the cow jump over the moon? The farmer had cold hands.

If you’re a dairy farmer, you’ve probably heard that one before. And there are enough dairy farmers in this state to get a chuckle out of it. In Connecticut, there is a $2 billion agriculture industry with dairy farmers a good percentage of it.

Some of those dairy farmers decided to go into business together. The Farmer’s Cow, based in Lebanon, has been spreading the word about the value of supporting your local dairy farmer.

Four years ago, six family-owned farms joined together to provide milk for parts of New York and Massachusetts and most of Connecticut. Between them, they milk 2,300 cows on nearly 7,000 acres of land. They’ve been so successful with milk they decided to try other products. They have half and half, eggs, and cider. In November, they launched their newest product: Heavy cream. With the holidays upon us, it’s just in the nick of time.

Some, however, have already sampled the heavy cream as a holiday treat. The Unquowa School in Fairfield got the jump on The Farmer’s Cow early on.

“Unquowa has been with us since Day One,” said Robin Chesmer, Managing Director at The Farmer’s Cow. “They buy our milk because they liked our concept.” Last month, the school made a Thanksgiving meal made in part by The Farmer’s Cow product.

But heavy cream is only one stop on their way to a world of lactose domination. The company is looking to include farm-fresh ice cream as part of their upcoming product line. With an April launch, they are planning for six flavors. Besides the usual kinds like chocolate and vanilla, they’re thinking a little outside the box with chocolate mint chip and cookies and cream.

Goats: Not Great Gardeners, But the Cheese Is Great

by James Simpkins

This past Sunday on route 2E about ten miles southeast of Hartford, I realized that I spend very little time in that part of the state. This was not exactly a revelation since I spend most of my time in Canton in the opposite corner, but it is rather beautiful out that way. However, I wasn’t just out for the colloquial “Sunday drive” (though I wouldn’t have minded); I was on a mission. For goat cheese. 

While attending a party in Simsbury at a colleague’s house, I met a Latin teacher named Mark. Though he insulted the French language (pronouncing it “badly spoken Latin”), which normally removes people from the Christmas card list, he quickly redeemed himself by sharing some of the goat cheese be had brought. There were four different kinds of fresh chevre on the plate—chive, herbes de Provence, black pepper, and dill—and all were delicious. When I inquired where he acquired such bon fromage, Mark further endeared himself to this gourmand when he said “we made them at our farm.”

The “we” Mark was speaking of includes his husband Paul, the main cheesemonger and their farm—already well-known to more local residents—is called Beltane Farm located in Lebanon, CT. Mark and Paul breed, raise, and milk their flock of Oberhasli and La Mancha goats twice a day to bring lucky Connecticut residents their fresh goat’s milk and cheeses. And from my own experience, the goats appear really happy to be there, too. And why shouldn’t they be?

Vegetarian What? (part II of at last II)

by James Simpkins

Last week I’m sure that there were more than a couple raised eyebrows or sighs of exasperation at my writing on the fake meat thing—and that’s fine. I actually didn’t realize I was so fired up about it until I read it again later. It’s funny how that works.

My personal truth about the whole fake meat topic is really “live and let live.” I don’t actually keep myself up at night worrying whether or not people should eat tofu shaped like a turkey. Honestly, though, I think it’s a little strange. Then again, if you saw the wildly un-hip sweatpants that I like to wear around the house, I should think to be understood at least as bizarre.

One of the comments on my previous article was by Julie Braun, of particular note as she mentioned something I don’t hear very often by folks trying to justify their weirdness. She pointed out the taste that she liked. Now here is the pickle that most of us are in: What costs the most in trying to eat (pick one) “green”, “organic”, “healthy”, “natural”, etc.—aside from perhaps succumbing to whim while shopping at Whole Foods Market—is loss of flavor. And meat tastes better than almost anything. Properly cooked meat is, gastronomically speaking, a much more pleasurable experience than most tofu, seitan (pronounced ‘say-tahn’) or tempeh I’ve ever had and you’ll waste your time trying to convince me otherwise. But, I regularly eat all of the meat substitutes listed above. I’ll get to why, later.

Meatless Mondays - Coming to a School Near You

by Heather Burns-DeMelo

I often wonder how old my son will have to get before his peers notice he's a vegetarian. He's in kindergarten, and so far, no one's the wiser that his "turkey sandwich" is made from spelt and soy-beans and his "hot dogs" are SmartDogs. It was no big deal last year when I could afford to send him to Waldorf, but this year we headed to, gulp, public schools.

Even so, I keep thinking that with a little luck (and global warming + overpopulation = not enough land for raising animals) being vegetarian will become the norm and he won't have to cope with being seen as different (doesn't every family have a bug relocation program?) Well, the Baltimore school system is one of the first to introduce Meatless Mondays, where they'll serve 80,000 kids up an all veggie menu. 

And they're not stopping there. From The Green Fork, "BCPS has teemed up with local farmers and distributors to provide students fresh, locally raised fruits, vegetables and milk. They’ve also introduced Great Kids Farm, a 33-acre teaching farm, home to chickens, goats and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Educators on the farm teach kids and adults how to produce home-grown fresh food, even in an urban setting."

I'm staying the course and letting the tides turn - and if they don't, he can go to therapy like nearly everyone else.

Cooking Through the Autumn Blues

by James Simpkins

If you’re anything like me, autumn is merely a signal that the bounty of garden love and affection is about to hibernate. Cooking in the fall climate is a little rough after summer’s spoils, but perhaps a little guidance for you fair-weather cooks out there could help you avoid despair.

1) Do NOT give up on local foods after the farmers’ markets close.

While most of the CT markets will board up in October, there are plenty of folks around who milk Mother Nature for all she’s worth, even through the “killing frost.” While you’re going to have to give up on the tomato plants (if you hadn’t composted them already), basil, cucumbers and peppers pretty soon, you can look forward to leeks, squashes, beets, and heartier greens like escarole and my favorite post-frost buddy, kale. Actually, there’s a great website I found here that you can bookmark for easy reference. Not only can it aid you amateur gardeners in harvesting as well as next spring’s plantings, but all you foodies can start scouring your region for those who already have it down pat. Turns out, it’s pretty much good sense—notice I didn’t say “common?”). Look at a Brussels sprout plant: Did you really think it was going to fold after just a couple of cold nights? Not a chance.

Camouflague Green: The Unknown Gardener

by: James Simpkins

I like to think of myself as someone who doesn’t miss much. Not about everything, mind you, but specifically around food related issues. Of course, this doesn’t mean there is no room for improvement. On the contrary, the more I look for foodishness around Connecticut, the more I find--the more I realize how much I’ve been missing. While this week was no exception to that rule, the folks I came across are birds of a different feather. Usually, when people talk about the players in food world they are recognizable entities like Whole Foods, ideas like fair trade or organic, and brand names like Kashi, Silk or Stonyfield Farms. Others are also well-known but reside outside the realm of mass distribution, like “farmers’ markets”, “sustainable and responsible agriculture”, and “compost.” This week, I added “The Unknown Gardener” to my list of those making a difference in American gastronomy thanks to two households near North Canton. As I’ve mentioned before, this summer I’ve been driving quite a bit and have found myself looking for short-cuts wherever I can find them. Heading north from Canton, Case Street cuts off some distance between route 179 and route 219 on the way towards Granby and the airport. This wasn’t a new discovery as I’ve driven this way many times during my tenure in the Farmington River Valley. What was new to me was a certain table with fresh cut flowers that I saw a few weeks back. At first I thought this was someone who was trying to make some money by selling unsuspecting drivers whatever they could pull out of their backyard. In some ways, I was right. When I stopped being cynical about it, I realized I was looking at the front line of sustainability, the effort of individuals homes----and driving right by. So I stopped.

What I saw were four gorgeous bouquets of cut flowers, protected from the heat by the (now charming) pink umbrella overhead and sitting in fresh water from which they were certainly drinking deep. These were not only generic “flowers”, but a lovely mixture of daisies and black-eyed susans and at least five other types of blooms that I don’t know (I’m not very knowledgeable about flowers). The result is in an almost wild aesthetic that brings to mind idyllic, windless, locust-filled meadows of summer that seem to delight in their efforts in growing under the still, even encouragement of the midday sun. And they are five dollars. I am nearly sick with appreciation.

What kind of person tends their flock of flowers throughout this strange Connecticut  summer then shares them with the rest of us for pennies on the effort? I don’t know. Somewhat romantically, I don’t want to. It is enough to stop the car, leave my money on the saw-horse table and look forward to the next time I drive by. My wait isn’t long. A mile later I see another umbrella---and more flowers. I pull over again, incredulous. This time, however, the scenery is not as beautiful, but more delicious. Underneath this second umbrella I found a pile of green peppers, as well as a half-dozen or so cucumbers both proffered for fifty cents each. I don’t care for green peppers, so I left the pile undisturbed. However, the dollar I had left in my wallet proved useful and I took two cucumbers for the road. Slicing them for dinner later that evening I found them as fresh and crisp as my imagination wanted them to be. The small, white thorns (that’s what the little bumps are) were still intact on the startlingly unwaxed skin—a perfect cucumber indeed. I put my dollar in the metal box on the table and yelled a quick “thank you” to the man working up near the house. He waved and said I was welcome.  I certainly felt that way…and for a dollar. I have spent thousands and not felt the wave of satisfaction that came from eating those two cucumbers that evening.   I started to think that I was supporting these folks by putting my six dollars in their respective pots. Thinking about them again, I realize it is quite the opposite. Gardeners who will sell their wares to the rest of us are supporting others, their bodies, their health and their families just by setting up a table and an umbrella and using the honor system. How many of us can say we do that…and on the honor system?! What I like thinking about this is that the individuals and families who set up these tables, these “Unknown Gardeners”, do not think about it like this at all. The poetry of the offerings demands that the proprietors owners simply be offering unused blooms and produce on the cheap, unaware of the gift they really are. Even if they are aware, I still hope they’re making a couple hundred tax-free dollars on the side. In any case, they can have my money, and my gratitude along with it.

Art of Bee Wrangling

by Melissa Waldron Lehner
Fertile Ground USA

Bees have been seein' red these days. Well, actually they can't see the color red, Ted Jones explains, they only see black. But they have been getting pretty ornery from all the rain here in Connecticut. While picking up some eggs, I had the pleasure of running into Ted, expert bee-wrangler, owner of Jones’ Apiaries in Farmington, Connecticut, and president of Connecticut Beekeepers who was at Hard Rain Farm in Burlington with his son to smoke out some bees. Hard Rain Farm rents 10 of his hives to pollinate the myriad of apples, kale, eggplant, herbs and other vegetables and fruits that grow on the 4 acres of well managed farmland.

Today, father and son were out to collect the honey. A thunderstorm had just come through and the sky was bluish-black. Tom eyed the sky and held out his hand for rain, not a welcome thing for bees. “Bees don’t like the rain too much, it’s best to stay away from them.” That’s why Ted was sending in his son to check on the hives. His son, dutifully suited up for what looked like a trip to the moon, had a long-nosed smoker by his side. The smoke apparently sedates the bees and reduces the chance of being stung. Ted explained that a bee’s behavior is triggered by pheromones, or rather, chemical signals which then elicit a response from the bee, a response like stinging for example. “Another thing is, you don’t ever want to go near a beehive with a banana, you know,” says Ted dryly, as if there was a punch line coming. The only punch line is for the poor sucker who peels one back while standing in front of a hive - even one lone bee can wreak havoc. Bananas have an aroma which set off the alarm response and can cause quite a stir of stingers directed at said banana holder. “It could be ugly,” he grimaced.

Only 10% of honeybees remain in the wild. Tom says his business has really picked up nowadays and he has hardly had a day off. “It used to be that you just dropped off the hives at the beginning of the season and then you come to pick them up at the end. But no more.” Now Ted needs to visit the hives every two to three weeks to make sure all is well. “Some get wiped out when farmers spray their crops with all those pesticides, others have been wiped out by disease.”

French Wine: Might Be Red or White, But Is It Green?

by Eileen Weber

My family and I just returned from a long-awaited two-week vacation in France. A few lovely days in Paris bookending a stay at a country house in the middle of the Champagne region was just what the doctor ordered. The house was surrounded by vineyards consisting of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay grapes. What could be more bucolic than the pure essence of “green” Europe?

That is, until I saw the pesticide spraying. They sprayed the fields using farming equipment reminiscent of Transformers, the alien robot toys manufactured by Hasbro. The U.S. may have Extreme Sports. But France, apparently, has Extreme Farming.

These tractors have wheels large enough that, if placed on their side, would seat a party of 12 comfortably for dinner. Add to that a tall compartment where the driver sits and these “arms” that fold up like stork wings when not in use. (These contraptions provide some extra fun when passing them on winding, hairpin turns. Just so you know, a few well-placed hand gestures can transcend any language barriers.)

But it isn’t just the tractors. One balmy evening, my family and I sat outside to eat dinner on the stone patio adjacent to the open kitchen. It was exactly what I had come to the French countryside for: a light, soft breeze, the dimming rays of sunlight, mussels in white wine sauce, a mesclun salad in a light vinaigrette with a crusty baguette and a bottle of bubbly to wash it all down.

All was well until a helicopter flew past and began to crop dust. With precision and skill, the pilot darted around the vines like a pollinating bee. So much for eating à la terrace. Bon appétit!

Europe has made great strides to be environmentally friendly—so much more so than the United States. Their efforts to Reduce-Reuse-Recycle have preceded us by several years. We are sadly lagging behind them in so many ways. Because of that, I was surprised to see such wide-spread pesticide use.

I’m not entirely sure what I expected, though. Perhaps a dark-haried man lovingly tending each neatly sown row of sun-drenched fruit, his beret cocked jauntily to one side. He’d whisper softly to the vines in rapid Français tweaking his Hercule Poirot mustache with nary a chemical in sight. But no, organic practices for these tender shoots were not readily apparent.

Obamas to Plant White House Vegetable Garden

March 19, 2009
The New York Times
By MARIAN BURROS
WASHINGTON — On Friday, Michelle Obama will begin digging up a patch of White House lawn to plant a vegetable garden, the first since Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden in World War II. There will be no beets (the president doesn’t like them) but arugula will make the cut.

While the organic garden will provide food for the first family’s meals and formal dinners, its most important role, Mrs. Obama said, will be to educate children about healthful, locally grown fruit and vegetables at time when obesity has become a national concern.

In an interview in her office, Mrs. Obama said, “My hope is that through children, they will begin to educate their families and that will, in turn, begin to educate our communities.”

Twenty-three fifth graders from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington will help her dig up the soil for the 1,100-square-foot plot in a spot visible to passers-by on E Street. (It’s just below the Obama girls’ swing set.) Students from the school, which has had a garden since 2001, will also help plant, harvest and cook the vegetables, berries and herbs.

NOFA: Cultivating an Organic Connecticut Conference

Join the conference to hear from two urban agriculture pioneers, Ian Marvey and Dan Ross, to learn more about what is going on in our state and how you can become involved!

When: Saturday, February 21, 2009
Where: Windsor High School, Windsor, CT
Time: 8:30am to 4:45pm
Register by 2/7/09 and save $5.00!

The conference will also feature a track of workshops focusing on strategies to close Connecticut's food gap with urban agriculture, small farms and gardens.  There will be a panel discussion on urban food systems, a workshop on exciting urban gardening initiatives, and a panel of young farmers who hope to dispel some myths about farming in Connecticut and reach a growing audience of young first-time farmers.

Other sessions during this conference will address "Edibles in the Landscape", "Is A Commercial Kitchen For You?", "Soil Compaction", and "City Chickens" to name a few.  For those interested in raising and preparing their own food there are workshops on bread making by Bantam Bread and cooking with winter vegetables by Jonathan Rapp.  For those more interested in sustainable living there are workshops on global warming solutions and making soaps and body butters with local ingredients.

Have You Heard of Hydroponics?

by Eileen Weber

I’m a sucker for a great looking tomato. Juicy red. Plump, yet taut to the touch. It just screams: “Eat me!”

Certainly, nothing beats fresh produce. But, some of what’s available in the supermarkets leaves a little bit to be desired. The tomatoes, in particular, are hard, barely ripened escapees from far away places.

But some of those little red beauties come from greenhouses that are relatively local and use an innovative method of growth. Tomatoes, lettuces, herbs and sometimes cucumbers are grown using hydroponics.

Hydroponics, from the Greek words meaning “water” and “labor”, is a method of growing plants, mainly fruits and vegetables, without soil. The plants are placed in trays or inserted into tubing over a container of water with a submergible pump. The pump circulates the water making traditional gardening methods unnecessary. Sometimes, a different medium such as clay pellets, sand, or peat is used to support the plant. But the water filtration is the key to growth.

“Hydroponics is a clean, above-ground, pesticide-free way of growing such a variety of plants,” said Christpoher Todd Blossom, founder of Hartford Fresh, Inc., at Hartford Farms. “It’s year-round cultivation. You can space plants as they grow and it’s 25 times as productive [as traditional gardening].”

Taking a Bite Out of the Environment

by Eileen Weber

On Sunday at the Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts at Sacred Heart Univerity. Mark Bittman, cookbook author and weekly columnist for the Dining section of The New York Times, spoke for a little over an hour about his new book, Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes, and the state of food in America.

Bittman, echoing some of the recent sentiments of Michael Pollan, Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley, discussed the way we manufacture food in this country affects our health and our environment. As noted in an earlier article on this web site, Pollan told NPR that the food system was responsible for about a third of the greenhouse gas emissions. During the lecture, Bittman repeated that same statement adding the fact that livestock production tops even transportation in how it affects the environment.

My Cup of (Green Organic) Tea

by Elizabeth G. Howard

I have a real problem with the perennially-peppy, "EVOO"-chugging hypocrite Rachel Ray, which might explain why I have never become a true convert to Dunkin Donuts coffee.

That doesn't mean I don't appreciate DD and their brilliant re-branding strategy that saved them from a deadly one-two punch of healthier eating and viral spread of the Starbucks experience.

However, whether you are clinging to your cup of Joe at the moment, or, like me, huddling around a mug of green tea, there is something about the hot beverage that instills true loyalty and keep us focused and motivated, especially in the mornings.

Bring It!

There's a bit of a problem with these delightful hot (or iced double-half-caf with a twist) drinks, naturally, as they are never going to be local for us Westerners.

Tea is grown primarily in India and China, and coffee beans, my friends, grow around the world like a belt -- at the equator, ideally with temperatures of 60-70F and rainfall of about six inches per month or more.

So, like almost everything green we do, we have to compromise. Here's some options:

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O Tannenbaum, O Local Tannenbaum

by Eileen Weber

For years, my family had an artificial Christmas tree. It was a bit on the small side so my dad always shoved a box underneath to give it some lift. Its branches were a little weak and sparse. It also leaned to one side not quite fitting in its stand.

But when the final ornament was placed, I was always amazed that my dad had transformed this plastic version of a Charlie Brown Christmas tree into something full and almost life-like. Almost.

It wasn’t until I got married that my husband and I started the tradition of going out to the Jones Family Farm in Shelton and cutting our own tree. Although, I must blame my first child for that. With my pregnancy overdue by nearly two weeks, I thought climbing a big hill and chopping my own tree would induce labor. It didn’t. But, we got one heck of a nice tree that year.

For many people, visiting a farm to cut your own tree is a family event. In a New York Times article from last December about the growing trend in tree farms, Jamie Jones, manager of the Jones Family Farms, said increasingly more customers were making the trek as a fun family outing. “If someone wants a cheap, easy tree, there are lots of places, supermarkets, chain stores. This is about tradition.”

Unfortunately, purchasing a fresh Christmas tree still falls short in the tree market. Many people believe that the artificial tree is more environmentally friendly because you can buy it once and reuse it year after year.

Artificial trees are typically made of plastic and some wood. The plastics are made of polyvinylchloride (PVC), the same material used on plumbing pipes, or polyethylene (PE). Trees made from these materials, or any other oil- and lead-based materials, cannot be recycled. When you’re finally done with your own artificial Charlie Brown Christmas tree, it ends up in a landfill taking forever to break down.

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, fresh trees, whether cut-your-own or balled, are actually more eco-friendly. They are the ultimate sustainable crop. For every one tree that gets cut down, more trees are planted to replace it.

At the Nantucket Historical Association, their two story Christmas tree was decorated with sustainable and natural items for an eco-friendly alternative. Dujardin Designs, a sustainable design firm with offices in Westport and Nantucket, decorated the tree. It was covered from top to bottom with artisan-made recycled paper ornaments embedded with wildflower seeds, LED lights that use 98% less electricity than conventional ones, fair trade recycled glass bead work, and real baby’s breath.

The tree was highlighted in their Festival of Trees event that began earlier this month. However, it is artificial because they cannot run the risk of any vermin or other pests that might come with a live tree inside the facility.

“One little girl thought she could plant the ornaments and get a tree by Christmas,” said Price Connors, a senior designer with Dujardin Designs. Connors said he was part of a three person team along with Trudy Dujardin, the company’s founder, and colleague Frank Fasanella to design the tree. He said the reaction was “very favorable” and many people commented on its “beauty and uniqueness”.

At Yale, the students at the Divinity School teamed up with the Forestry and Environmental Studies program to harvest a Christmas tree of their own for the second year in a row. The school has its own Christmas tree farm in northeastern Connecticut. The 12-foot tree is sustainable, locally grown, and organic.

If one of your last minute Christmas items is purchasing a tree, check out these local farms. Or go to localharvest.org and check out which farms are in your area.

Jones Family Farm, Shelton
Plasko’s Farm, Trumbull
Warrup’s Farm, Redding
Staehly Farms, East Haddam
Barberry Hill Farm, Madison

Photo courtesy of Dujardin Designs.

 

Hey, You Gonna Eat That?

Food waste composted into nutrient rich soil

By News Channel 8's Chris Velardi
Posted September 18, 2008
4:55 PM

Northford (WTNH) -- One company is collecting food waste and composting it into a nutrient rich soil to sell it to farmers around the state.

It's time for the weekly pick-up at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford. A truck is coming for a specific type of trash -- the 'food waste' from Choate's cafeteria.

"We measured it for a couple of meals and we said, okay, one meal was 170 pounds of food," Katrina Linthorst Homan, of Choate Rosemary Hall, said. "And what does that mean if it's all year long?"

It means the school throws out about a ton of food a week.

"For a lifetime, it's been trash," Andy Bozzuto, of Global Environmental Services, said. "But, to be quite honest with you, we could look at it as commodities in the mix -- that's all."

It is a commodity to Andy Bozzuto who's been in the trash business for 45 years.

His company -- Global Environmental Services -- picks up the food waste from schools like Choate, Yale University, and others. And, it takes it to a plant in New Milford where it's 'composted' -- turning the trash into a type of treasure.

It's becomes a nutrient-rich soil favored by organic farmers.

"Because of the food waste, that's composted and the process that they take to do it, it becomes high in nutrients," Bozzuto said.

So how does a guy who's been a lifelong trash hauler know so much about nutrient-rich soil? Why does he care so much? Well, it turns out that Bozzuto, and his brothers, also have a family farm.

Bozzuto says it's a better way of looking at trash -- recycling coming full-circle.

"We're pulling this food waste out of the waste stream. We're composting it into a product that's needed for the organic farming side of it," Bozzuto said. And, being a little more green in the process.

The New Milford company that composts the food waste is currently the only facility that is licensed to do that in Connecticut.