Planet Veggie Garden

Bill Moyers recently interviewed Michael Pollan. The conversation primarily focused on Governments role in how and what we eat as well as some suggestions for the Obama administration.
Pollan called food the “Shadow Issue” as it influences our health, climate change, energy security and environmental pollution.
We tend to only think of food in an isolated way. 
You [...]

The US presidential elections happened on 4.November. Here in California we had proposition on the ballot titled “Standards for Confining Farm Animals”.
The proposition passed (63% in favor) enacting the “Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act”
What does the law prohibit?Simply it prohibits confining farm animals in a way that does not allow them to freely turn [...]

What produces more yield – organic farming or industrialized farming?…
5 acre farms or 5,000 acre farms?
I’d venture to say most folks believe industrialized and large farms are capable of higher yields through greater technology and efficiency.
I’ve read a number of sources that argue organic farming can now produce yields equal to “chemical” farming. This in [...]

The political season is coming to an apex with elections two weeks away.
There’s a proposition on the California ballot – Prop. 2 – that regulates how animals are treated… mostly how they’re confined.
It’s not getting much attention in these financially challenging times, but it did make Oprah. Oprah featured an expose by investigative reporter Lisa [...]

There was a great article in the New York Times a week and a half ago from Michael Pollan: Farmer in Chief.
It’s an open letter to the next President with some specific food policy recommendations.
I’s a long article, but a very good read. Highly recommended.
Food is cheap in America – relatively speaking. Well actually, [...]

For the most part we take dirt for granted. We even speak of it disparagingly… dumb as dirt, old as dirt.And if you’re not a farmer, you generally take water for granted. We’ll leave that discussion for another day.
Today let’s talk dirt.Not celebrity dirt. But that amazing substance that’s simultaneously composed of rotting decaying material [...]

…no, no…not for the trendiest new beverage but a method to save seeds from this season’s most prized tomatoes…Or if you happened to pick up a delicious heirloom from the farmer’s market.
What better way to move towards sustainable gardening than to save your own seeds. Another plus is that as you save seeds from the [...]

Slow Food Nation ‘08 San Francisco City Hall

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A beautiful sunny day, we arrived via BART for the first day of the Slow Food Nation ‘08 Celebration to tour the Victory Gardens in front of San Francisco City Hall.

Surreal View of City Hall Through the Victory Garden

 
It seemed almost surreal to see what was once a [...]

The FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) passed regulation last week allowing fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce to be irradiated.
Food irradiation involves zapping the food with ionizing radiation. The radiation damages the DNA of micro-organisms such as E. coli and salmonella and kills them. Hence, no more food-born illness issue.
The FDA has been allowing [...]

Slow Food Nation ’08 is coming to town this weekend – August 29th to September 1st. Just what is Slow Food? (from slowfoodusa.org):
Slow Food USA is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating the food traditions of North America through programs and activities dedicated to Taste Education, Defending Biodiversity and Building [...]