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  • The water wars: California’s salmon vs. agribiz interests

    I’ve been selling fish for 30 years, and I’m pleased that my store, the Monterey Fish Market, has a reputation for exceptionally fresh and sustainably sourced seafood. We’re lucky in that our customers support us in our mission to provide the best possible product that doesn’t contribute to the destruction of our wild fisheries. I’m […]

  • New study says school food may make kids fatter

    A new study from the University of Michigan finds that kids who eat the food served in schools are more likely to be overweight or obese than peers who bring lunch from home, and also are more likely to suffer from high levels of “bad” cholesterol. The study, which examined the eating habits of some 1,300 […]

  • 12 things you should never put in your mouth [SLIDESHOW]

    You cannot imagine the stuff that passes for food.  Lucky for you, we have found ample photographic evidence.  You may not want to view this on a full stomach.

  • Websites that connect would-be farmers to land are blooming

    A new website called the Midwest Farm Connection aims to connect new farmers with established farmland owners, and to the resources they need to get a sustainable operation up and running — from small-business advice to lists of possible funding sources. Farmers can also post classifieds with equipment for sale and internship opportunities. A project […]

  • 500 Words for Change in America

    Folks across the country know something is wrong.  There’s just something about the system we’ve created over several decades that is inherently flawed. Some blame the government, others big banks, still others blame political parties, but all agree that there’s something that’s just not quite working the way it should.  People are losing homes, jobs, […]

  • Tasting five organic French roasts leads to buzzkill

    Photos: Jason Houston To say that I love coffee is a big, fat lie. I need coffee in a chemically dependent way. Its effect upon me is essentially the reverse of those faces-of-meth photos. There are two things that can really screw up a good coffee buzz (OK, three if you count skim milk). First […]

  • What’s driving our favorite fruit into decline?

    The Calville Blanc d’Hiver, an heirloom variety dating from 15th-century France, will not be showing up in your supermarket, nor will the others in the slideshow below. Photo: Michaela/The Gardener’s EdenYou’ve heard the hackneyed phrase “as American as apple pie.” But America is not taking care of the apples — or the orchard-keepers — that […]

  • Blowin’ in the wind: The true meaning of ‘ag unity’

    Of the 50 or so food and farm conferences I’ve attended in the last several years, the Drake Forum for America’s New Farmers: Policy Innovations & Opportunities held March 4-5 in Washington, D.C., rises to the top. Actual farmers — not just commodity crop growers but innovative “agripreneurs” like Xe Susane Moua from Minnesota and […]

  • Demolishing density in Detroit

    Photo: Fast Company So it’s come to this: Unable to provide basic services for all of his constituents, Detroit mayor Dave Bing is drafting plans starve his city down to a manageable size. Using proprietary data and a survey released by Data Driven Detroit, Bing and his staff will pick “winners and losers” amongst the […]

  • Getting back to our green roots with potlikker soup

    Collard greens, pork stock, and corn dumplings soak in the rich broth of history.  (Photos by April McGreger) Recently I was one of more than 1,000 Southern farmers, chefs, and co-producers attending the Georgia Organics Conference in Athens, Ga. The theme of the conference was “Reclaiming Agriculture,” with the spotlight on “culture.” The keynote speaker, […]