NYT article: Urban Food Systems and Better Nutrition

There is an interesting article describing policy initiatives that aim to promote better nutrition by increasing access to local foods. Proposed policies would provide incentives for supermarkets and farmers' markets to locate in areas of need while restricting fast food restaurants. This policy would also require some public agencies to purchase a quantity of food from local sources.
This type of initiative is exactly the kind of systemic change I have been interested in for shaping a healthy, just and sustainable food system. While studying for my "first exam" this winter, I have gotten really into thinking about Kurt Lewin's notions of life-space and channels and gate-keepers (I wish I could say I had picked up on the relevance of this during my course last year...) and the consequences of how these issues shape the way people eat. It really all came together for me when one of my study-mates (thanks T!) said that Lewin was saying that if you want to change the way people eat you have to change the ways food gets to them. That just crystallized all my interests in food-system change in a single -forward sentence. Given this idea, I think that these policy initiatives are a great step and its about time that officials start thinking about shaping the food environment instead of the continual focus on individual lifestyle change.

Eating green in the white house

Well, as you may have noticed I'm not a very big Daily News reader, but this article looking at the new assistant white house chef discusses the focus on eating locally and sustainably. Its interesting to me that this spot light on local food not only is an effort to green wash the new administration (who selected Tom Vilsack, aka best friend of industry, for secretary of agriculture), it also highlights the way in which eating locally is good for the economy (which I agree with on the local scale). Its not a very good article all in all - sort of short and superficial, but it does show how the concept of local food is continuing to rise to new levels of prominence in the contemporary discourse.
Any thoughts?

NYT article: Regional food in VT

OK, so I have a little bit of an obsession with Vermont. I perhaps overly romanticize the New England ruggedness of the culture there, and maybe I'm just a sucker for the landscape, but here is a new thing for local food lovers to love - for real. It appears that there is a food renaissance taking place in VT, and these shining star restaurants feature local foods on the menu at their backwater venues. Its exciting to see that this movement can contribute to reviving (or creating) culinary culture in place both struggling with the depressed economy (I know we all are, but...) and not otherwise known for find cuisine. Read more about it here.

NYT article: Returning to the (small) farm

It seems like the interest in turning long suburbanized landscapes into productive landscapes continues to grow. Even out in Rockland county, which seemed very sub/ex urban on my last visit to Bear Mountain, seems to be rediscovering the value of small scale growing. This is more than just the continued interest in gardening, but growing for sale in places that have long since left their farming tradition behind in favor of luxury living outside of the city. It is really encouraging to see the activities described in this article. I feel like this movement comes from a good place; a place of awakening to the need to connect to our own production, to participate in fulfilling our communities needs without turning to the common convenience of industry to fulfill them like we have so much for the last several decades. I hope that this movement continues, and does not fizzle out like the previous "back to the land" movements of the 1960's. I guess time will tell... in the mean time, keep growing!

The meanings of local

There is an interesting article on the meanings of local food posted on the USA Today website. It explores the concept of local using the narrative perspective of a farmer. The farmer considers the various uses of the label local found in grocery stores near him and in the region and points out the multiple interpretations (40 miles, 100 miles, on up) that are used to brand produce and other products as local, obviously in an attempt to capitalize on the rising popularity of this food trend. I've been really hesitant to frame local food as a trend, but it has reached a tipping point where there is clearly a cache to labeling products "local" and it is being used regardless of the other meanings and values many engaged participants in the "movement" hold. This is particularly interesting to me as these are the themes emerging from my own research. There are a whole set of practices involved in the broader notion of local that I (we) have a hard time matching up with the Wal-Mart notion of local (which is their new strategy post-organic). I think its important to continue this dialogue in order for "local food" to maintain some meaning, value (use, exchange and otherwise) and integrity.

So lets keep talking about it! What does "local food" mean to you?

NYT Article: good enough to eat; so go on and eat it already...

This article discusses some of the healthiest foods that folks aren't eating. It caught my eye because number one on the list are beets, a veggie I struggle with myself, but am gladly taking the challenge. However, this was one of the main veggies left behind (along with lettuce?!)in the swap box yesterday at the CSA pickup. So for all of you that fear the mysteries of the beet - be adventurous! It'll pay off in both health and the expansion of your culinary palette :)

NYT article: Adapting to a changing economy

In this article appearing in the Times today we see a changing picture of Americans living in a recession and the way this down turn is affecting everyday life. I know several people who are still waiting for the other (chaotic and disastrous) shoe to drop, but I think its interesting that people are ready to make due and adapt. I am particularly interested in how this will impact the standard American diet. It seems that as meat consumption is going up in emerging economies like China, Americans are already starting to skip the red meat. This is an amazing opportunity for public health and food activists to support positive dietary changes and help folks trying to adapt to a more economical diet, that may in fact also be better for their health and the environment. The main challenge I see is getting folks to eat more whole grains and legumes and not just peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread.

NYT article: Oh bees

the mystery of the disappearing bees continues and is quite disconcerting. it seems that the reasons for the decline in bee populations are still only little understood. that's why this article
appears at a good time, with suggestions on plantings and tips to encourage bees in your area. take a look and get planting!

NYT article: Sex and Vegans...

Well it was quite a surprise to see two of my interests, food (about which I am obviously obsessed), and sex (which I am thinking a lot about these days since I am teaching a Human Sexuality class right now) come together in a New York Times article the other day. In the article "The Carrot some Vegans Deplore" Jesella describes the trend of using female sexuality to persuade people (particularly hamburger munching men) to consider going vegan/vegetarian. It strikes me as a pretty strange tactic, and almost desperate and contradictory in so many ways for a diet that is based, at least in part, on an ethical platform to use the objectification of women to manipulate or sell the idea veganism. I would love to hear other peoples thoughts on this!
Check out the full article.

NYT article: Mark Bittman discusses the problem of meat consumption

This article takes a closer look at the deeply unsustainable meat practices of industrial agriculture in the US. Again, a lot of this is not news to us, but I think its a significant move for Bittman (a much beloved food writer more known for his simple recipes than his politics) to shine the spotlight on this issue in such a mainstream media outlet.
Bottom line: the way the conventional meat industry grows meat is inhumane, and takes way more resources than we can environmentally afford or ethically justify. And we just don't need to eat so much of it.
The really scary part of the article was the brief mention of the possibility of growing and eating test tube meat not unlike what Joan Dye Gussow imagines in her book "Chicken Little, Tomato Sauce and Agriculture: Who Will Produce Tomorrow's Food?"
Check out the full article here.