Can small-scale farming in the modern age really generate enough income for the average family to make an honest living? For Jean-Martin Fortier and his wife, Maude-Hélène Desroches, it does. The Canadian couple grows beets, broccoli, salad greens, carrots, and various other types of produce…
By Catherine J. Frompovich The food industry is extremely innovative at reducing waste products and salvaging any last bit of animal tissue aka meat. Transglutaminase is an animal-blood enzyme used as “meat glue” to create a prime filet steak, which many cooks and eaters can’t…
By Tess Pennington There are many different types of emergencies that can have long-term repercussions on our way of life. One of those impacts is on our food system. Due to our aging infrastructure and roadways, emergencies can stall the delivery of goods, leaving a…
By Joe Jarvis Two years ago I moved to Florida from Massachusetts. When people found out I was moving, they would often immediately remark, “Get ready for the brutal heat and humidity!” It was their first instinct to bring up any possible negative about moving…
By Heather Callaghan, Editor A Slovenian and an Australian sip a Coca-Cola at the same time, although worlds apart. The latter enjoys a typical formula. But the former’s is exploding with elevated sugar content and fructo-glucose. The Coke in Prague might dance a more muted jig on the taste…
By Michael Maharrey Maine Gov. Paul LePage has called for a special emergency session of the legislature to roll back a food sovereignty bill he signed into law earlier this year, after the federal government threatened to take over meat and poultry inspection in the…
By Alex Pietrowski A growing amount of anger and outrage against Monsanto has culminated in a number class action lawsuits being filed against the agrochemcial giant. At issue now are the devastating effects of dicamba, a potent herbicide formulated for genetically modified seed. The product has…
By Heather Callaghan, Editor States like Oregon, California, Texas, Montana and Iowa just simultaneously nuked the ability to have seed laws. Claws of Big Ag found puppeteering legislators. With little to no fanfare at all, the states passed “seed preemption laws” that essentially shut down public discourse on seeds…
Programs to Help Aspiring Farmers Bring Vision to Fruition If you’ve ever fantasized about becoming a farmer, you’re certainly not alone. Many of us idealize what it might be like to live off the land, working in concert with nature to grow food that will…
As Millennials age and replace the Baby Boomers as the food industry’s main consumers, a new American diet that rejects processed foods is becoming increasingly popular and shifting the current supply chain. At present, only 15 percent of U.S. farmable land is devoted to growing…
By Justin Rhodes Do seeds carry a story – can they connect us to our past? At Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa, it ALL started with two seeds. Now, they collect and exchanges 30,000 varieties! Hear how it all got started and be inspired to save…
Op-Ed by Joe Jarvis Good food plus interesting people is a recipe for happiness. As humans evolved, we lived in tight-knit self-sufficient communities. Nomadic hunter-gatherers spent their time foraging, hunting, eating, and playing together. It’s tempting to romanticize those days, but they came with some pretty harsh…
By Brandon Turbeville Over the past few decades, Americans may well have become the most heavily propagandized people on the face of the earth. This propaganda push reached a fever pitch after 9/11 and has intensified with each passing year, with Americans becoming more and more…
By Heather Callaghan, Editor Let’s say you like to eat chicken and you’re all right with that. You’ve heard about arsenic in chicken feed and chicken imported to China and back again, but you’re still amenable to that. Chances are you probably wouldn’t be OK with why U.S. factory…
By Justin Gardner Maine has taken a bold step toward freedom, becoming the first state in the U.S. to enact a ‘food sovereignty’ law giving communities power to regulate their local food economy. The bill, titled An Act To Recognize Local Control Regarding Food and…
By Heather Callaghan, Editor A new report has shocked the UK who apparently did not know that they have just witnessed the reverse of a British invasion. That is to say, they awoke to realize that US-style factory farms now dot the shires and any idyllic semblances of…
By Heather Callaghan, Editor The concepts of Little Free Pantries and Blessing Boxes are finally starting to blossom across the country. That’s good news for those who like to lend a helping hand – and great news for those who need it. Similar to “Free Libraries,” the concept is…
By Mike Maharrey Last month, Maine Gov. Paul LePage signed a bill into law that gives local governments the authority to enact ordinances regulating local food distribution without state interference. The new law not only takes a big step forward for food sovereignty and local…
By Brandon Turbeville ICARDA (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas) is one of 15 important international agricultural research centers. It is also the host of a seed bank which contains 150,000 samples in its temperature-controlled seed vaults. Based in the Syrian town of…
By Organic & Healthy A lawyer for Duarte Nursery said the case is important because it could set a precedent requiring other farmers to obtain costly, time-consuming permits just to plow their fields. “The case is the first time that we’re aware of that says…
