A propos of nothing in particular, here’s a digest of some April news regarding food ‘n farming. I post not to make any particular point, except, perhaps, that there aren’t too many hard-‘n-fast points to be made in this area (or, better, arena, since everywhere you turn in this debate someone’s ready to stick a pitchfork in your ass). There’s a lotta folks from along the political, sociocultural, and planting spectrum who seem fixated on  solutions that arise from ideologically-fixated positions, from biotech-will-solve-all-our-food-problems to only-100%-organic-locally-sourced will do, but man, if there’s one area where we need a lot less ideology and a lot more pragmatism, it’s in feeding ourselves. Me, I tend not to be overly religious about these matters–I don’t oppose GMOs on principle, I’m no wussy vegan, and I love the olive oil that comes from halfway around the world. But even I know that our current practices are currently unsustainable for more reasons than I’ll bother enumerating here–and that our current system of livestock production is a bloody goddamned disgrace. That’s enough for me to support a wholesale agricultural revolution

If anything, a cursory review  

…of one week’s news makes a few things plain: there are some–and I ordinarily hate this over-used label, but I think it applies–genuinely exciting innovations taking place (see the articles on Hardwick), balanced by developments of less pleasant nature (KFC); government can be powerful source for good (the Hmong initiative in MA) and an insidious corrosive force (Siddiqui appointment). Mostly, I’m left with this: the slogan, “you vote with your fork” is a solid one. But we need to add: we vote with our spades–so get off your ass and grab one–and we need to keep our bellies in mind when we vote at the polls, too.

One non-debatable point: our entire food system, from soil fertility to distribution to preparation to disposal, is wholly dependent on fossil fuels–and as you’ll see below, even the Pentagon has admitted that we’re running real short real real fast. One of the elements that I find most attractive about the GRP and our candidate for governor is that both share a serious desire to explore agricultural alternatives here in the Commonwealth. But while we need real expert guidance, this isn’t an area for top-down policy development, and I’d love to hear thoughts from everyone on this, whether you be a major-league conventional farmer, a small-time greenhouse organic-marijuana grower,  or someone who lives on locally-grown squash … or on Fluffernutters.

There’s a wealth of great sources out there these days. I’ll post up a list soon. For now, I’d suggest, as start, subscribing to the New! Improved! Alternet’s “Food” newsletter (sign up at top of page), and joining the Boston Localvores group on Facebook.

At the conclusion, a list of some upcoming related events in the area…

“Obama Gives Key Ag Post to Monsanto man”

While Mrs. Obama was planting an organic garden and urging children not to get obese, her wily husband was on the phone in the basement chain-smoking Marlboros and selling the Dept of Agriculture to the nefarious agents of Monsanto. God only knows what went down behind the scenes at the annual Easter Egg hunt on the WH lawn. In any case, I’ve been reading about Siddiqui for years–he’s a real piece of work  and no friend to organic farming. BTW, word to Michelle: he also advocated testing pesticides on children. Keep the SOB away from the Easter baskets.

“Massachusetts Local Food Cooperative: Exciting News Update! It’s Official!

“As of January 4, 2010, Massachusetts Local Food Cooperative is a bona fide corporation!”– now we can all enjoy fresh,sustainably grown food, so long as we live in one of those regions of Massachusetts where pretty much no one else does. Actually, this is good news, and if this model could be expanded to every county in the Commonwealth, damn, we’d really be onto something.

Study Says Overuse Threatens Gains From Modified Crops

Man, those scientists, and the things they can teach you. It turns out, the more you use chemicals to kill shit, the more resistance the shit builds up. So then you have to start using more toxic stuff. And more of it. Until, presumably, you’re out in the yard lobbing mortar shells fill with glycophosphate at jack-and-the- beanstalk tall crabgrass.

New Sandwich Replaces Bun With Chicken

The ingenuity of the modern America chef is surpassed nowhere on the planet. Americans crave their novelty, and who better to satisfy it than the meat-whizzes at the local fast food joint? Actually, have a look at this thing. It’s freaking disgusting. Who comes up with this shit? This is no way for an animal to end up. (“…two chicken filets taking the place of bread slices. In between are two pieces of bacon, melted slices of Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheese and a zesty sauce”).

Is Goat the New Cow? Why American Foodies and Environmentalists Are Reviving the Old-World Staple

“Goat is a great way for people to eat locally grown, humanely raised, tasty foods. And unlike the cattle industries, there aren’t any massive, industrialized goat farms.”  Coming soon to a restaurant near you: “New Sandwich Replaces Bun With Goat.”

Factory FoodPublished: April 3, 2010

“No country has embraced the movement toward commercialized, prepackaged food as much as the United States….Americans eat 31 percent more packaged food than fresh food, and they consume more packaged food per person than their counterparts in nearly all other countries.” That’s because we are roughly 34% busier than the rest of the damn world. We have a colonial empire to run. We don’t have time for dilly-dallying around the breakfast table. Who has time for pesto-drizzled manicotti when you’re busy bombing villages in Pakistan? We eat doing 85 down the freeway, we drink supersized coffees in styrofoam buckets while speculating on the yen on our iPhones, and we do it so that the rest of the world can sit around sipping their cappucinos on sun-streaked sidewalks. Somebody has to mind the store. Check out the chart.

Vermont Town Embraces Local Food Movement and Uniting Around Food to Save an Ailing Town.

This is must reading. I haven’t read the book yet, but these articles are–dare I say t?–inspiring. Thinking a road trip is in order.

How Marijuana Could Save California Agriculture

With legalization a  strong possibility come November, the writer argues that the incessant introduction of new breeds of killer bud (anybody sampled any Afghani #1 X White Widow lately?–no, me neither)not only make the herb Cali’s #1 crop, but also its most potentially environmentally sustainable. There are, no doubt, serious economic benefits. But you can’t eat the stuff. Well, yeah, actually, you can, but this is no solution to the central issue: ag as we know it  is unsustainable in California–and we all still gotta eat. See, too, Marijuana, Boom and Bust, in which Alexander Cockburn predicts that legalized weed could spell the end of the good times in Humboldt County.. Nothing is as simplistic as it sounds, and our ecologically interwoven agricultural system means that legalizing a product in a particular region … could put the same region out of business.

Massachusetts Hmong farmers included in USDA pilot project to extend the growing season while protecting the environment

Every now and then government gets it right. This is an illustration of the same. Good for immigrants, good for researchers, good for the soil, good for your belly. It’s a small grant. Multiply it times ten and we’re getting somewhere.

Green thumbs: Genetically engineered crops are more environmentally friendly than organic ones

“True environmentalists look at the facts, and those facts do not support the growth of organic farming as a way to feed the world.”  You may disagree with the interpretations drawn by this industry shill, but the arguments are worth considering. True, he leaves aside a few minor issues like, oh, biopiracy and international patent law granting one or two companies sole ownership of all the world’s seed…

How TV Superchef Jamie Oliver’s ‘Food Revolution’ Flunked Out

This cracked me up:

“The reality behind “Food Revolution” is that after the first two months of the new meals, children were overwhelmingly unhappy with the food, milk consumption plummeted and many students dropped out of the school lunch program, which one school official called `staggering.’ On top of that food costs were way over budget, the school district was saddled with other unmanageable expenses, and Jamie’s failure to meet nutritional guidelines had school officials worried they would lose federal funding and the state department of education would intervene.”  Details, details. Ratings were way high and the organic movement went ga-ga. Lotta people don’t want to hear the downside, but the reality of the ramifications of “going organic” isn’t always pretty and there’s nothing very utopian about the whole deal.

US military warns oil output may dip causing massive shortages by 2015

“Shortfall could reach 10m barrels a day, report says;  Cost of crude oil is predicted to top $100 a barrel.”  I find these stories far more frightening than I do climate catastrophe (good chance I’ll depart this world before that shit kicks in big-time). Once the every day price tops $100 a barrel, you’re looking an agricultural system that can no longer financially sustain itself. Now’s the time to get in some time at the local firing range, because you’re damn sure going to want to bring a Glock to the food riots at your local markets. (You think I’m joking?)

EVENTS

SlowFest in Boston

April 23 & 24

LOTS of local beers and local food. Slow Food movement Founder Carlo Petri will be there; also doing book signings and lectures at a few local joints over the weekend.

Brookwood Community Farm is co-sponsoring a workshop on backyard beekeeping hosted by the Wakefield Estate in Milton on Saturday, April 24 from 9-11am. For more information and to register, call 617-333-0924.

Another Economy is Possible: Introduction to the Solidarity Economy.

GreenPort Forum, Tuesday, April 20 at 7pm at the Central Square Library, 45 Pearl St, Cambridge.

Can we solve the current environmental crisis in an economy driven by profit and dependent on growth? Or must we rethink and transform economic institutions and their underlying values? In fact, we are already surrounded by a rich diversity of economic practices and institutions rooted in values of sharing, cooperation, sustainability, equality, subsidiarity/local-first, democracy, and justice. This “solidarity economy” is growing in every continent, often in response to the crises created by the dominant system.

In this interactive workshop, presenter Julie Matthaei, Professor of Economics at Wellesley College and co-founder of the U.S. Solidarity Economy Network (www.ussen.org) will introduce the solidarity economy framework, and related practices and institutions, with special focus on the emergence of sustainable technologies and lifestyles.

GreenCityGrowers Open-House/Party

Come check out our new space!There will be food, drinks, music, and the GCG team.

Our new space is located in the front right corner of 600 Windsor Place (directly across the street from Taza Chocolate right outside Union Sq).

Join us! Friday, April 16th from 7-10pm

600 Windsor Place, Somerville (GREEN CITY GROWERS are passionate and experienced organic farmers with a background in urban farming. Operating in the Boston area, we build, design, and maintain raised bed, year-round produce farms built specifically for your yard, rooftop, driveway, or deck. We also offer institution and business-sized farms, educational programs, restaurant farms, and consulting services.

Friday, April 9 – 5:00pm-9:00pm

Saturday, April 10 – 11:00am-7:00pm

Sunday, April 11 – 11:00am-5:00pm

KEYNOTE: Dr. James Hansen on Climate Change

Hynes Convention Center (900 Boylston St., Boston):

Saturday Time: 3:00pm | Location: Main Stage

Dr. James Hansen will discuss the themes presented in his first book, Storms of My Grandchildren.  Hansen argues that we no longer can accept the greenwash of politicians and world leaders. He will discuss how greater grassroots efforts must help mobilize the masses, even through acts of civil resistance, for the sake of our children and their children. The title of his book refers to his growing concerns about the world his grandchildren may inhabit if we do not do all in our power to address man-made pollution to the atmosphere.

Building a Sustainable SouthCoast:A Regional Conference on Sustainability

Addressing the Sustainability Issues facing Southeastern Massachusetts

April 27th, 2010, 8:30am-4:30pm

Bristol Community College-Fall River

Morning Session, 8:30am: Building Sustainable Communities;Keynote Speaker: Mark Sylvia,Director of the Green Communities Division, Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Mr. Sylvia will be speaking about what the Green Communities Act is, what municipalities can do, and its effects for the future of the Commonwealth.

Lunch Keynote Speaker: Richard Heinberg

Leading educator on Peak Oil and author of nine books including, The Party’s Over, Peak Everything, and the newly released Blackout. Heinberg will speak about Peak Oil and its ramifications for the SouthCoast.

Afternoon Session, 2:00pm: Building Sustainable Businesses

Panel Discussions:

Green Businesses

Buy Local Campaign

“Animal Farming Stinks: How the Livestock Industry is Harming the Planet”

SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2010

4 PM – Speaker/Seminar (FREE)

5:15 PM – Vegan Buffet / Social Dinner – let us get to know you!

Speaker Bio:

David Havelick is a graduate student at Harvard University, studying Environmental Management and Sustainability.  He also works full-time at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in the Epidemiology Department.  With research interests focused on “sustainable nutrition,” David is on a search for the best ways to grow nutritious food that have a minimal impact on the environment.  This has pushed him in the direction of a vegan lifestyle, one in which animal products are avoided due to their severe environmental impacts.  As a member of BVS’ Boston Vegetarian Food Festival Planning Committee, the Community Liaison to the Harvard Vegetarian Society, and the Green Team leader in the Epidemiology Department at HSPH, David is always looking for ways to reduce the impact of humans on the world around us.

“The Town that Food Saved,” a report from Hardwick VT on April 19 at 7 pm at the First Congregational Church, 251 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA.

Cheryl King Fischer, Executive Director of the New England Grassroots Environment Fund reports on a local agriculture success story, join us!

See also:

http://www.hardwickagriculture…

http://benhewitt.net/

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