{weekend reading} NATIONAL EDITION

{The Produce Project, Capital District Community Gardens, Troy, NY}

NEWS

The news from Japan keeps getting worse, two stories broke on Saturday about Japan’s food supply. The first, high levels of radioactivity found in the food supply 90 miles from troubled nuclear plant. Immediately following the announcement, fear spread that the “brand” of Japan’s food export, like seafood, would be tainted for years after this catastrophe.

Wanna know about the life of Californian farm worker’s children? Dr. Marion Nestle has a follow-up commentary.

Holy {blank} Batman: super interesting graph of 100 years of US meat-eating HIDDEN in the NYTIMES!!! Take a looksie… and the article to go with it is here.

Oh Iowa. Both the House & Senate approved a bill that would make filming animals inside of farms (think Humane Society’s undercover research on the abuses against mama & babies pigs) illegal while also making it a felony for people take jobs at a “farm” to do undercover work. WOW. AP article via HuffPost. In addition, read an excellent article, with some additional history on , on Food Safety News.

While we’re on meat production, The Pork Board retires “The Other White Meat” Slogan.

In his weekly OPINIONATOR blog post, Mark Bittman has A LOT to say on animal cruelty in meat production and as pets; and how the laws differ. He has more on his NYTIMES blog.

Last word for this week on meat production, a local farmer from Schoharie, NY: Bob Comis of Stoney Brook Farm has a GREAT PIECE in Grist this week: “Forget the Farmers Market- I Want to Sell My Pastured Beef at Price Chopper”. Why don’t I know more about this gentlemen and his humanely raised & slaughtered meats??? Ummmm… read an interview with him HERE and go to his blog/website for his more of his writing and find out how to get your hands on his product (by half or full animal only)… I’m loving what I’m reading!

First Lady Michelle Obama to write a book about the White House garden, she declined an advance the proceeds will go to an undisclosed charity. The blog also has information on Wednesday’s kitchen garden planting.

In reverse “green living” news: House Republicans end the compostable utensils & plates program at their cafeteria on Capital Hill.

Slow Food USA has the continuing story on the recent genetically engineered foods approvals.

Dr. Marion Nestle has some thoughts on a recent study & subsequent NYTimes article on Obesity and what seems to be a political divide in thinking & behavior.

Two towns in Maine vote for food sovereignty.

In the Netherlands, a project to ‘sell” insects as a form of sustenance is underway.

Michael Pollan has a great interview in The Globe & Mail regarding the new war on the food movement.

In a “Shame on You” news; a very local story based in Saratoga Springs, according to the NYTIMES: ” The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, based in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., just miles from the famous racetrack that annually hosts one of thoroughbred racing’s premier meets, for years has received millions in donations from some pillars of the industry. But over the past two years, according to the foundation’s financial disclosure documents, it has been operating at a deficit, and as a result has not reliably been paying the 25 farms it contracts with to oversee the retired horses.” This story is very sad, if you read it you will see that many retired houses have died from starvation at various centers across the country due to lack of funding. Shame. Although this story is NOT food related, its a VERY important local story. There is also an investigation by the NYS Attorney General.

In tainted meat news; a story has blown up in the past 48 hours over pig farmers in China using an illegal toxic additive added to feed. A commentary by Tom Philpott over at GRIST regarding the horrors in US pork production compared to China’s latest scandal are compared. Bottom line; US isn’t that great either when it come to meat.

Joan Gussow, a pioneer in the sustainable food movement; who was writing papers on climate change and the food systems DECADES before it gained popularity, had major flood damage to her MASSIVE Hudson River adjacent garden in 2010. A short 15 minute film has been made of its recovery.

An interesting article on Culinate regarding a recent TED Talk in NYC about angiogenic foods, food that can help fight cancer.

Finally, Upstate NY gets some “props” with a short article in NYTimes on maple syrup making and the open houses at various Sugarhouses across the state this weekend and next. Slideshow here.

UPDATE (Sunday moments after hitting the “publish” button): This just published: the sad & ironic tale of an example of the pros & cons of a global food system, “Quinoa’s Global Success Creates Quandry at Home”. Rich countries get to enjoy a “new”, “exciting” and extremely nutrious super grain, quinoa, driving the price and demand up so that the people of Bolvia can’t afford to buy their homeland’s staple (think corn & soybean in the US) and have started eating “cheap” packed foods instead. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

{Kitty Food, Kilpatrick Family Farm, Saratoga Farmers Market}

FOOD PROJECTS
Big “news” in DIY food projects was NYTimes’ DIY Cooking Handbook. The {NOT NOT NOT} extensive bibliography here.

One of my favorite food preservation blogs (along with Food in Jars, Local Kitchen, Tigress in a Pickle, Tigress in a Jam, Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking, What Julia Ate, and Hitchhiking to Heaven) Doris & Jilly Cooks wrote an excellent response to the very apparent *snarky* comments made throughout the handbook. If you read the response, make sure you read the comments…

The Table of Promise has a continuation on her “Adventures in Lard” series with Part Two. Genius.

Big Girls Small Kitchens have suggestions for grown-up theme dinner parties- FUN!

Marisa at Food In Jars has a quick project for your leftover zest from juicing lemons.

Food on the Food has a great “how to” in Knife Care 101.

{Target’s New Produce Section, Saratoga Springs, NY}ARK