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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

It's APRIL FOOD DAY

Today is April Food Day and it’s no joke.


More and more people in our country are going hungry because they have lost their jobs, their benefits have ended, they can’t find a job and have no place left to turn but to their local food bank. But the nation’s food banks are stretched to the limit because of the increased number of people needing their services.

You might think that none of your friends are going hungry, but I read a comment on a piece NPR did about a photography exhibit about hunger in America, and think it could apply to any one of us:
…a dear friend and community member crossed over. At his one year crossing remembrance, stories began to come out and I realized with great sorrow, our friend went hungry. I feel sad when I think of it, that our dear friend who gave so much and was so generous in spirit and friendship was hungry and we never knew that. How did we not make it our business to know how it was with him we loved so?
Please make a donation to Feeding America, or your local food bank, and count yourself as one of the lucky ones if you’re not going to bed hungry every night. Feeding America has set up a special URL for April Food Day so they can see how much we’ve donated.

If you’re a blogger, tweeter, facebooker or have an e-mail list, please share this address. Let me know if you’ve posted about April Food Day, and we will add you to the list of participants on the April Food Day site.

Thank you very much.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Story on NPR About Hunger

Interestingly, there was a story about hunger in America this afternoon on NPR. You can listen to it here.

Photographer Michael Nye has been documenting the faces and voices of hunger — those who are newly hungry, others who have experienced hunger all their lives, and some who have known it temporarily but unforgettably.

His new exhibition, "About Hunger & Resilience," is on display at San Antonio's Witte Museum.

April Food Day Details – Are you in?

April 1 is just two days away and we’re preparing for the second annual April Food Day blog event. This year, Chris Cox, Editor of Easy & Elegant Life, and I hope that people will post the link on twitter and facebook, and share the information with their friends and colleagues. April Food Day 2010

Feeding America has provided April Food Day with a special link that will track the giving, and so we will know what an impact it’s had.

Here are some facts to use in writing about April Food Day:

  • Feeding America is annually providing food to 37 million Americans, including 14 million children. This is an increase of 46 percent over 2006, when we were feeding 25 million Americans, including 9 million children, each year.
  • That means one in eight Americans now rely on Feeding America for food and groceries.
  • Feeding America's nationwide network of food banks is feeding 1 million more Americans each week than we did in 2006.
  • Thirty-six percent of the households served have at least one person working.
  • More than one-third of client households report having to choose between food and other basic necessities, such as rent, utilities and medical care.
  • The number of children the Feeding America network serves has increased by 50 percent since 2006.
  • Feeding America food banks provide food and groceries to 33,500 food pantries, 4,500 soup kitchens and 3,600 emergency shelters.
  • 68 percent of pantries, 42 percent of soup kitchens, and 15 percent of emergency shelters rely solely on volunteers and have no paid staff.
  • 55 percent, are faith-based agencies affiliated with churches, mosques, synagogues and other religious organizations; 33 percent are other types of non-profit organizations.

There are several important links to include:

Last but not least, please let either Chris or me know that you’ve posted about April Food Day, so that we can add you to our list of participants. We had about 150 bloggers last year and would love to double that in 2010!

Thanks for helping us make a difference!

Meg & Chris

One Organic Chicken: Thinking Thrifty, Thinking Sustainable

When I was a teenager, I became a vegetarian. I was also an avid foodie and cook. This meant that I learned how to cook as a vegetarian. When I moved into my own house, I cooked vegetarian meals. When I decided to reintegrate minimal amounts of meat into my diet, I still had no idea how to cook most meat.

To this day, I don’t know how to cook and carve a chicken. It’s a confession that shocks my British mother-in-law, but it’s a fact. My neighbors invited me over to dinner a couple of weeks ago, and they asked me to carve the chicken. I did, but it wasn’t pretty, not at all.

We purchase a limited amount of meat every week, generally one package of free range beef. I’ve had a hard time sourcing local free range and organic chickens, so we don’t eat all that much chicken. However, a conversation the other day may have steered me in the direction of a local farmer who raises chickens in an ethical and environmentally-friendly way, and I’m excited.

My beef is from far away, relatively speaking. Yes, it’s from within my province, but the province where I live is a fairly large area, and the beef is from way, way beyond any scope of 100 kilometers. There’s one local beef producer that I’d like to buy from and do upon occasion, but he requires a very large order and we really don’t want to eat and store that much meat.

The part of the conversation that excited me wasn’t necessarily about a source of chicken, however. The part that excited me was the reminder that a small chicken can feed a family for the week. You can have chicken one night, a meal with pieces of chicken another night, and then you can use the bones for soup. I like the idea of using the entire chicken. If I am going to eat meat, I want to be thrifty about it, and this is something that we don’t do in our beef consumption.

It looks like we may be entering into the world of cooking and carving whole chickens. It’s been twenty years since I learned how to cook, and it’s been a decade and a half of cooking for myself. My British mother-in-law would be pleased.

If you eat meat, do you purchase it with multiple and thrifty uses in mind?

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

I'm lame... but I'm married!

OK. So it's been almost a month since I've given you a post. I know, I suck. I've been busy! On Saturday the 20th, I became a Mrs. We had an all vegan wedding! It was not in New York; it was in New Orleans, my other home. You probably already know all of this. I'm just sayin'. This isn't my usual lameness. This is semi-valid lameness!

I'll be back home (the other home) in a few days, and then maybe I'll get my ass in gear and tell you about a few things: the beans I've been cooking, the three amazing restaurants I've eaten at down here, that little shindig of mine, et cetera. For now, my husband awaits... ;)

Monday, March 22, 2010

When is a Weed Not a Weed? Sustainable and Holistic Gardening

Last week I wrote about our concept of weeds. Weeds are plants that we don’t want. However, many of our weeds are quite useful plants. We may not want them in our farms and gardens, but many so-called weeds are not inherently bad. They’re just a little naughty and enjoy traipsing around where they’re not wanted.

Permaculture is a gardening concept that is about far more than gardening. It’s the idea that a gardener can create an ecological system that sustains itself, much like a forest would. Except that this ecological system is a garden. Many of those who practice permaculture approach weeds very differently than the average gardener.

In the permaculture method of gardening, you listen to your weeds. Weeds are telling you something. If your garden only grows weeds and your desired plants look sickly, those weeds are sending you a clear message. In fact, they’re being extremely useful and you should thank them. Perhaps they’re telling you that your soil is low on nutrients so that only tough plants can grow there. They might be telling you that you’re tilling the soil an awful lot and that all of the weed seeds are coming to the surface and growing with vigorous delight. They may also be telling you that the location of your garden is not ideal for the plants that you’re growing, and that your garden receives too little light, too much heat, or too much wind. Listen to the weeds. They have wisdom too.

Permaculture gardeners also work to create a diverse ecology in which weeds play only a small role. It’s not that the weeds are not in the garden, it’s just that they are surrounded by the vigorous growth of other plants. By creating a diverse garden with plant species suited to the conditions in which they grow, a gardener can develop a garden system that discourages weeds. By mulching and practicing low-till agriculture, a gardener can discourage weeds even more.

And after this, if there are still weeds, that’s all right. You use them. Use it and lose it. Permaculture’s approach towards weeds is one that I love, especially for those edibles that love to take over the garden, like borage, comfrey, dandelions, and mint. The ethic is this: plants that grow in abundance should be used in abundance. Use your dandelions and your comfrey and your borage and you will control their populations. Pick them and dig them and get angry with them, and they will spread their seeds and little pieces of themselves around the garden. Work with what’s there, and if you can’t figure out a way to use those plants that we may call invasive or weedy, look again.

The permaculture approach to weeds is much more than spray and run. It’s a holistic view of weeds that promotes the development of a healthy garden ecosystem.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Crop Mobs Lend a Helping Hand to Small Sustainable Farms

A lot of us, myself included, tend to hold a romanticized vision of farming. We imagine ourselves as farmers, working the land, in harmony with nature, fill our bellies and the bellies of our communities with beautiful, fresh food. In reality, it’s one thing to garden; it’s another to farm. Running a successful and profitable farm is tough work. You have to really love it to do it, and even then it’s still hard.

Which is why most farmers will never turn down a helping hand, and why those of us who are dreamy farmer wannabes, should offer one. There are lots of opportunities to do this, and it can be as simple and as informal as walking down to your local farm and pulling up some weeds. But there are also more organized ways of helping farmers farm, and they’re a bit more impactful.

Recently, National Public Radio and, subsequently, the New York Times, both featured a story on crop mobs. Crop mobs are usually composed of aspiring farmers, food activists, and community members who, with the assistance of blogs and Facebook, coordinate their efforts and “mob” a local farm. The mob descends upon the farm full of energy and with the intention of putting a big dent in the farm owner’s to-do list. Plant some trees? Lay a fence? Clear a field? Repair the barn? All of that is easily accomplished in a matter of hours by a group of 20 or more eager, and often knowledgeable, helpers. Crop mobs have been likened to a modern version of the barn raising, and the recent national exposure has incited similar organized movements all over the U.S.

If you can’t hook up with a crop mob in your area, you can still be a big help on your local farm. Becoming a CSA member at a nearby farm is a big help in and of itself because the money you pay at the beginning of the season enables the farmer to buy seeds and supplies. But at many farms you can also participate in CSA member work days, when community members who have a share are encouraged to come out to the farm and dig in and experience the work that goes in to the bag of food they receive each week. Many farms also offer work shares, for which the shareholder agrees to work a certain number of hours each week in exchange for a bag of seasonal veggies.

If you are really serious about learning more about farming, or just want to be a more integrated part of your favorite local farm, you might consider doing a farm apprenticeship. And apprenticeship is usually a full-time, full-season commitment that benefits both the farmer and the apprentice. The farmer gets an extra hand and the apprentice gains knowledge about all aspects of the farm. Apprenticeships usually provide a small stipend, or room and board, plus all the veggies you can eat.

Whichever way you are able to help, I encourage you to become more invested in your local farms, and to really get your hands dirty, in order to better appreciate all the hard work your farmers are putting in to providing their communities with good food.


What’s in a Weed? Pesticides and Rethinking Methods of Gardening

It’s nearly spring, and quite soon I will have many little weeds flourishing in my garden.

Some of my weeds will have cheery, fuzzy yellow faces. They will grow vigorously on my lawn if I let them. Their flowers are sweet and good for wine and fritters, their leaves are edible in salads, and their roots have healing properties. I’m talking about the dandelion, the beloved and despised weed that grows in our gardens.

What is a weed, and why do we dislike them so much? In essence, a weed is an unwanted plant. A rose can be a weed if you are attempting to grow corn. We tend to be rather brutal towards weeds. They assault our sensibilities, challenge our dominion over our gardens, and call for intense scrutiny followed up with a chemical assault. They aren’t necessarily dangerous, and they are often useful. Weeds are simply not useful in the way that we want them to be. They’re not the right plant, meaning the one that we planted.

Some weeds are plants that we plant, but they love it so much that they will eagerly invite themselves to stay everywhere in the garden. Mint, borage, and comfrey are a few of these. They’re ultimately useful, but boy, do they spread. Luckily, they can also ingratiate me into their good graces with their usefulness in teas, in salads, and in healing. I do watch where I place plants like these, because sometimes they outgrow their welcome. However, I like the permaculture concept of how to deal with overly useful plants: eat them, use them, use more of them until they are under control.

I’m not saying that there is no such thing as a weed. I am especially concerned about weeds when they move into areas that are not under intensive human control. Species like purple loosestrife bother me because they dominate wetlands. Many invasive species are notoriously hard to remove because they reproduce through vegetative reproduction. Often, the only option seems to be the use of pesticides. But the use of pesticides in our wetlands and on our crops scares me more than weeds do, because I know that pesticides wreak damage that is far beyond what I can see.

Plants are easy to see. They remind us easily about what we do and do not want in our gardens. On the other hand, pesticides are not so easy to see. At least their effects are not all that visible. They come in handy packages, are applied and then move into the soil, air, and water. They kill off soil life, embed themselves in the groundwater, and move into the food chains of animals, both wildlife and farm animals.

What’s in a weed? Our desire to control, particularly through chemical means.

Next week I’ll explore gardening and farming methods that see weeds a little differently.

What is a weed to you?


Thursday, March 11, 2010

Last Sunday I went to the Japanese Buddhist temple near my home.
I went because I wanted to learn more about Buddhism. Since it is, along with Shintoism, the main religion of Japan. I went also in the hopes of meeting new people, and perhaps learning more about Japan from them as well. What I didn’t expect was that God would be confirming my call to Japan.

But, as I sat in the temple, listening to a Japanese transliteration of Chinese texts, smelling the faint yet permeating smoke of the incense, I was struck with this deep longing to return to Japan. To hear the noises and breath in the smells. To visit with people and to share the gospel. And I remembered. This is why I was support raising, why I had spent almost two years doing something I don't think I do very well. Because at the end of it all, after all the calls and the fumblings and the missed letters and the discouragement, I was going to Japan to show people the love of Christ.

It’s been a difficult time for me, and with the state of things I know it might have been a difficult time for you too. But God is working, even in those times when things feel especially hopeless.
I’m only at 10% of monthly support and, after almost two years, it has been quite disheartening. But God has been working in me through this time, helping me learn one main thing. Trust.
Do I trust God enough to keep going, even when things seem impossible?
Do I trust God enough rely on him, even when I’m not sure of the outcome?
Yes, now more than ever,
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14



Tuesday, March 9, 2010

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn…and Edinburgh…and All Over!: The Rise of Sustainable Urban Orchards

There’s a kind of vertical farming bearing fruit in cities all over the world, and it’s a little more grounded than proposals for skyscraper greenhouses. I’m talking about the original vertical farm: the urban orchard. Many cities strive to incorporate green space and trees, and orchards provide a one-two punch when it comes to greening-up urban environments.

Over the past 20 years or so, urban orchards have been cropping up in empty lots, schoolyards, parks, and public sidewalks. Like urban gardens, urban orchards create an edible landscape and promote community. In successful scenarios, urban orchard organizations provide the plants and the expertise to local community-based organizations that eventually manage the fruit and nut trees. This passing of the baton is a sustainable model, extending knowledge of growing and maintaining fruit trees while drawing diverse groups of people to a shared purpose and sense of ownership.

Some of the most successful examples of urban orchards are within the U.S., in cities like Boston, L.A., Austin, and Philadelphia. But this is really a global trend. The success of a recent apple orchard pilot project in a low-income neighborhood in Edinburgh, Scotland has inspired the development of similar orchards throughout the city. An urban orchard project in Southern Australia manifests as a patchwork of households that each manage a few fruit trees in limited yard space and swap fruits through a cooperative. But orchards can also be part of a school garden project, providing cafeterias with fresh, ultra-local apples or peaches or whatever else happens to be native to or productive in a given region.

Orchards can help round out all kinds of urban food security and other community needs. I really can’t think of one reason why we shouldn’t opt to plant fruit and nut bearing trees and shrubs in public spaces, and I think all those rooftop bees that are so eager to pollinate would agree!

Monday, March 8, 2010

I Never Saw a Purple Cow: The Precautionary Principle and Transgenic GMO Foods

I am leery of genetically modified foods. Yes, I realize that GMO foods may have properties that allow them to resist diseases, thereby reducing the use of pesticides. I also realize that some of them may be engineered to survive during drought, heat, or other severe weather. Perhaps they deter pests. Yet they also deter me. I think that the attributes that are inherent in genetically-modified crops are also present in heritage breeds of seeds. These heritage seeds are adaptive to their environment, and long after those who discovered the heritage seed stain are gone, these seeds will continue to adapt or perish.

Not so with genetically-modified seeds. These seeds are designed to be a commodity, and they are designed to have constant human improvements, input, and modifications. People are meddling, adding, and subtracting. Without those people, will genetically-modified crops be vigorous and adaptive? I think not.

However, the thing that concerns me the most about genetic modification of our crops is not the creation of a need for intervention. It’s cross-species genetic modification. I’m quite please to let my beans meet other beans, get along, and make new beans that are both a little similar to and a little different from their parents. But how about a bean that falls in love with a potato or a strawberry in the lab and is engineered to make little bean babies, with a little gene of potato or strawberry added?

Some argue that genetic modification is just changing the way plants grow and thrive, just like creating a new plant or animal variety through breeding. These transgenic organisms are something that could never be achieved in nature or through selective breeding of plants. Yes, people have created new varieties of plants for many years by breeding for desired characteristics. And yes, some of these plants are weird: think of all of the oddball squash plants that you can create simply by cross-pollination. They’re still squash, though.

Transgenic crops have the potential for changing the landscape of plants and animals, and quickly. When it comes to environmental change, I am all in favor of the precautionary principle. Do we know how these crops and animals might change ecosystems? Do we know how the human body will respond to these plants and animals over time? No.

Would I be in favor of a transgenic crop that could replenish deserts, grow easily-accessible non-carbon fuel, or cure cancer? Perhaps. But I would also be cautious. The conditions that created the climate and health crises today were ones of uncontrolled enthusiasm for technologies and chemicals. While change can be transformative, it can transform in ways that we do not foresee. At every juncture, we must pause and consider: caution is required.

Tips Liburan Semi-backpacking

Cara kita melakukan sebuah perjalan adalah masalah selera. Sering kali, ikut paket tur liburan dari awal biasanya tidak customized, sehingga tidak sesuai dengan harapan. Untuk mencapai kepuasan maksimal, perlu ada effort ekstra agar liburan dapat sesuai selera sekaligus biaya yang dikeluarkan masih tetap ekonomis. Dalam hal ini, liburan semi-backpacking adalah jawabannya.
Menurut istilah saya, liburan semi-backpacking adalah tetap bepergian dengan budget dan keleluasaan sedikit di atas backpackers tapi dengan fasilitas dan kenyamanan ala turis biasa. Jelas ada kekurangannya (lebih repot, resiko nyasar-nyasar), tapi menurut saya mempersiapkan sendiri liburan itu sendiri sudah sebuah tantangan dan bagian dari perjalanan itu sendiri.


Akomodasi



· Dalam mempersiapkan akomodasi, ada tiga website yang menjadi panduan saya :
http://www.airasia.com/ – untuk mengecek harga tiket
http://www.agoda.web.id/ – untuk mencari hotel dan harganya
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ – untuk mencari review hotel, atraksi wisata, dan places to visit


· Pesan tiket jauh-jauh hari untuk mendapatkan harga economy promo. Kalau menjadi member airasia, biasanya suka ada pemberitahuan ketika sewaktu-waktu ada harga murah tiket pesawat.


· Karena saya termasuk orang yang sangat memperhatikan kenyamanan saat liburan, masalah penginapan menjadi hal yang penting. Sesuaikan hotel dengan kebutuhan. Dua keyword nya adalah fasilitas dan lokasi.


Ketika kita udah capek-capek seharian keliling, seharusnya kamar hotel berfasilitas layak agar bisa fully recharged dan siap untuk besok harinya (berAC dan ber air panas itu penting untuk kenyamanan istirahat). Jangan sampai karena niat irit-irit cari penginapan murah, tapi sampai akhirnya merusak mood liburan secara umum.


Secara umum, hotel bintang empat atau lima memiliki fasilitas hotel yang baik, tapi kurang within walkin distance kemana-mana (walaupun daerahnya pasti bagus). Sedangkan hotel backpackers memiliki fasilitas seadanya, tapi daerah di sekitar situ cukup ramai untuk mencari makanan jam berapapun (tapi pastikan juga bahwa daerah di sekitar itu aman). Jadi sekali lagi, sesuaikan dengan kebutuhan.




Lokasi Wisata


· Browsing sekilas tentang sejarah daerah yang akan kita kunjungi. Dengan mengetahui sepintas tentang latar belakang sosial dan budayanya, kita pun akan lebih meng-appreciate tempat tersebut. Selain itu, jadi sedikit bisa berkorelasi dengan budaya kita sendiri.


· Kalau perlu, rencanakan itinerary beserta back up plan nya dari jauh-jauh hari agar gak buang-buang waktu cari jalan kesana. Jangan lupa catat cara kesana (alamat atau rute bus yang mana) beserta jam tutup suatu tempat.


· Ikut tur lokal untuk beberapa lokasi yang memang agak jauh dari pusat kota atau terlalu repot untuk dijangkau sendiri.



Keuangan


· Bawa cash yang cukup (plus dana darurat) dan simpan dalam beberapa tempat terpisah.


· Dari awal, buat anggaran terpisah untuk penginapan, tiket tempat wisata, uang transportasi, makan, barang wajib yang mau dibeli. Kalau ada sisa, baru untuk belanja pribadi.


· Buat anggaran dan list orang-orang yang akan diberi oleh-oleh agar jangan ketinggalan. Ini hal yang cukup penting, karena namanya orang Indonesia (terutama buat cewek), mau gak mau oleh-oleh masih jadi tradisi.


· Kalau mepet, makan di convenient store (7 Eleven, Circle K) untuk menghemat uang. Murah meriah dan hemat waktu.


· Liburan harus di plan sehingga kita punya banyak waktu untuk nabung dari beberapa bulan sebelumnya. Daripada setiap weekend habis untuk ke kafe-kafe atau itu-itu aja atau belanja yang gak jelas, mending uangnya dialokasikan jelas buat traveling.



Lain-lain


· Kalau traveling, usahakan untuk mencicipi makanan lokal di pusat makanan biasa. Selain lebih murah dan unik, esensi perjalanannya pun lebih terasa. Apalagi melihat betapa hidupnya para pendudukan lokal mempersiapkan makanan dan. Untuk sementara, lupakan dulu gerai-gerai besar yang menyajikan makanan internasional.


· Jangan lupa catat alamat dan nomor telpon yang dapat dihubungi, rumah sakit terdekat, serta KBRI / Konsulat Indonesia di sana.


· Ketika bahasa lokal sulit dipahami, jangan lupa tulis alamat yang mau dituju dan peta sebagai petunjuk. Kalau masih sulit juga, guanakan bahasa tubuh dan isyarat. Yang penting modalnya, pede!


· Dokumentasi memang penting, tapi bukan yang utama (kecuali kalo emang niat mau hunting foto). Jangan sampai ribet dan kelamaan sendiri untuk memfoto tiap sudut yang ada. Berfoto secukupnya aja, sisanya nikmati perjalannnya.


Liburan emang bisa dibilang gak murah. Tapi menurut saya, untuk seumuran anak kuliah, itu sesuatu yang worth it banget. Pengalaman yang serba baru dan beda bisa jadi penyeimbang diantara hectic nya kehidupan kuliah. Entah itu cara suatu daerah menata pariwisatanya, melihat langsung kondisi infrastruktur daerah tersebut, atau mencari korelasi suasana daerah dengan kemajuan daerah tersebut. Selain itu, liburan juga bisa menjadi motivasi kita saat pusing-pusingnya belajar menjelang UAS. Ketika kembali liburan pun, kita bakal punya wawasan dan inspirasi baru untuk memulai kembali rutinitas yang berat.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

April Food Day 2010

We are gearing up for April Food Day 2010, and hope that you will join us in our fight against hunger in America.

We will be adding details on this year's campaign in a few days, and also providing a specific donation link to Feeding America, the national food bank.

Protect Farmland, Protect Sustainable Food

There’s no wiggle room here: farmers need farmland. I know, that’s not strictly true. Creative urban and vertical gardeners have proven that you don’t really need that much land to grow fresh vegetables. Nevertheless by and large the fact remains that farmers need access to land. This is a global issue. It is happening in the US just as it is happening in Mali or Nicaragua. And, not surprisingly, the people that often get squeezed off the land to make way for big development projects are small, traditional farmers. The loss of traditional and productive farmland is a multifaceted issue and can have disastrous affects on the environment as well as on communities and entire countries.

In many parts of the world, traditional small farmers use sustainable agricultural practices. They work with the land, and have developed farming techniques that are tailored to their specific environment. They don’t use heavy-duty pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Farmers are stewards of the land, a role that is often lost on land developers and big agriculture. Well-managed farmland helps preserve watersheds, control flooding, and protects groundwater, in addition to providing space for wildlife. Farmers work within the confines of preexisting natural systems and rows of plants are much better for the health for the health of the land than rows of houses or pavement.

The loss of farmland is also very disruptive to community health and structure. Not only does it mean the loss of local food sources, but it also means a loss of livelihood. In many places, farming is a way of life, rooted deeply in place and culture. The inability to maintain a traditional way of life is devastating for many communities. In the U.S., small farms play an important role in communities, though perhaps not as entirely vital as they do in more traditional farming areas around the world. Nevertheless, productive farmland means local jobs and businesses, and may also provide a place for recreation and educational activities.

The preservation of farmland for small farmers ought to be a priority for our local and national governments, as small sustainable farms are an important piece of food security, an increasingly worrisome issue. Many non-profit organizations recognize the importance of preserving land for farming and are devoted to protecting traditional, productive farmland all over the world. Farmland trusts or other types of land trusts often help new or expanding farmers to secure land as long as they comply with sustainable stewardship practices. Organizations with political voice and influence, like the international powerhouse La Via Campesina spread awareness about land loss and work towards change on the policy level. We need to reclaim land for farming, and specifically for farming that is healthy and sustainable for our land and our communities.

Eating Like Our Ancestors: Fresh, Raw and Sustainable Food

As we grunt along, happily enjoying our dinners, we all sound a little Paleolithic at times. The Paleolithic Diet is a raw food diet that has been growing in popularity. The idea behind the Paleo Diet is remarkably similar to that espoused in The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” Add the word “raw” to that sentence, and you have the diet that many of our ancestors might have eaten: fresh leaves and berries gathered from the bushes, nuts and seeds, complemented by preserved or foraged roots and animal products when we could get them.

People are omnivores. In some places in the world, like the Arctic, these omnivores have historically eaten a lot of raw meat. In other parts of the world, humans have eaten a diet that occasionally involved a lot of raw or dried meat. However, in general the human diet has relied on fresh, raw vegetables and fruit in the seasons when food is plentiful, accompanied by fresh or smoked meat and eggs when they were available. Some cultures also had systems of farming to grow grain crops in abundance, and some nomadic and herding people had animals that they would use for milk as well.

Eating like our ancestors means that we cook very little and preserve using root cellars, fermentation, and processes like yogurt-making that involve very small amounts of heat to process food. This keeps the micronutrients intact and the fiber still present in the food. Cooking like a caveman involves eating foods that are processed as little as possible. While people have always processed items like manioc into edibility, in most cases it is easiest to eat foods as they come. Eating fresh berries, leaves, and the occasional raw egg or milk product is part of the Paleolithic diet.

Is the Paleolithic Diet a sensible one for the body? Eating whole, unprocessed foods and living foods like sprouts is certainly a sensible nutritional choice. The Paleolithic Diet also reduces the amount of grains and animal products that many people eat. In wealthy countries where grains and animal products are found in cheap abundance, many people eat far too many carbohydrates that are often fried in processed animal or vegetable oils.

Is the Paleolithic Diet a sustainable one for the earth? It may reduce the consumption of animal products. Raw eggs, raw dairy, and raw meat may be less palatable or available to some and may become a smaller part of the diet. The focus on unprocessed, unpackaged, and uncooked fruits and vegetables is certainly a lower-impact choice. However, for northerners eating raw and vegetarian in the winter time, finding local food can be challenging, since many fresh fruits and vegetables are flown in from far away. Like other raw food diets, the Paleolithic Diet is a concept that holds the promise of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, but it can be a hard sell in these days of packaged and processed foods.