What's the future of food in your Life?
Apr 27th, 2009 | By karenpresents | Category: UncategorizedThis weeks Ethicurean Chew on This site featured a story about North Market. I hope I lifted the right part for you to get there and read it. Here goes.
Nourishing Ohio’s downtowns, through community-food partnerships
by Guest @ 12:40 pm on April 25th, 2009.
North Market in Columbus, Ohio. Creative Commons/Flickr photo by TheeErin.
The Organic Consumers Association also has a number of timely articles this week about the state of food in the country on a daily basis. Read these sites when ever you can. Stay informed. Support the movement.
I think it’s wonderful that farmers markets are blossoming all over. I just picked up the list of 20 or so local farmers in the Sarasota, Fl area that have CSA’s, their own farm stands and/or set up at nearby markets. The one nearest where I’m visiting boasts a 325 member CSA for $600 a year from their 55 acre farm. Plans for next year aim for 400. That doesn’t include the walk-up trade and restaurant marketing they do. You do the math. Why any urban planning group wouldn’t include these figures in a comprehensive plan is beyond me. I’ve seen many. Madison Co, Ohio; Charlotte Co, Fl; Columbus MORPSE and the city of Columbus have all done or are doing one. Lets talk about the economic impact of small farms not baseball stadiums like the lecture I went to at New College in Florida yesterday. I went to a conference called Power of the Imagination.
Where many different forums were offered concerning low income housing, gentrification, destruction of the Everglades by housing, cattle ranching, sugar production and the Rights of Indigenous People. When does it all come together for a real comprehensive plan. I found my calling to speak for food issues as it relates to everything; And hope to continue speaking on these issues till a real dialogue begins among the people who can actually make changes that help the poorest and disadvantaged amongst us. Which is pretty much every one now.
Go plant your garden now. And buy a local bag of salad greens for the Gipper. Otherwise, 3 Strikes and your out.
Hey Karen….grrrreat idea.
Took a journey into the city of Ft Myers and found empty shelves. The financial crisis left a credit crunch in last August-September and shelves were almost empty in the country village where I live. The Natural food store, Ada’s, one of 4 in the area, had bare shelves and closed!
Is this a sign of the times? Guess what! Dehydrating what you grow, along with canning, freezing and however else you choose to save your precious food is YOUR SUSTAINABILITY.
Gardening in containers is so much fun! Just started with small herbs! Basil, so good with beef. Opps…don’t mean to offend vegans,,,but it is great with tomatoes too. Parley, can be juiced, for great vitamins and minerals…or just chew it fresh. Let the herbs be for your meat (paraphrase quote!) In your fancy downtown planning with raised garden (container) boxes that house the green trees and flowers, talk to your city commissioners and the oversight committes to open us their consciousness that planning for the future is planting for the future. Jobs for our youth can be the task of caring for these wonderful planters. Anyone on community service can serve and learn at the same time. Community is people working together…economically, politically for the greater good of the entire community, rather that a cool, flowerful spot for shoppers to walk. Another thought. Just think if the stores shelves are empty…have a little potato with your herbs…cook a little split pea soup and remember to add your herbs. Go to your cupboard and take out your chickpeas and add a little water for sprouts. and remember to plant in season….and with containers, season is all year long! Good Green Eating!