Past Common Sense: Agrarian Justice
An idea over two centuries old. Still seems like a pretty good idea. What can we take from our past to help secure our future? Agrarian Justice by Thomas Paine 1795 To preserve the benefits of what is called civilized life, and to remedy at the same time the evil which it has produced, ought […]
The Fire Next time is Now: Thoughts from the Environmental Front
originally published by the Texas Observer online in 2011 by Robert Jensen The fire next time is now: Environmental historian Angus Wright’s call for a planetary patriotism Angus Wright has a way of saying things we may not want to hear in a way that’s hard to ignore. An example: During a meeting of […]
Food Ethics Roundtable 6/19 at NYU
Whose Responsibility? Marketing and the Ethics of Big Food Date: Thursday, June 19, 2014 Time: 6:00-7:30 pm (reception from 6:00-6:30) Venue: Grand Hall at NYU Kimmel Center, 60 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012 Is there anything inherently wrong with the way snack foods are developed and marketed? How much responsibility should rest on […]
Conventional Idaho Farm Survives, Seeing Changing Market
From the Idaho Stateman by Audrey Dutton Three generations of farmers will spend this summer working the 400 acres of soil known as Sunny View Farms, on the outer edge of Caldwell. The Freeman family grows everything from sugar beets and onions to wheat and seeds that other farmers rely on to grow their own […]
Farm Leasing Workshop in New York June 26th
American Farmland Trust is planning a Farm Leasing Workshop in Saratoga County. They’ll have a panel discussing a variety of important considerations of leasing agricultural land including legal considerations, elements of a good lease and negotiating techniques. Learn more at http://newyork.farmland.org/ and pre-register by June 20th.
Featured Resource: Farm to Table Topic Room
A New Resource from SARE: Farm to Table: Building Local and Regional Food Systems. This topic room was created to provide information for farmers, ranchers, ag professionals, community organizers and others who are striving to reconfigure the nation’s food system so more value stays in food-producing communities. Dig deeper to find educational resources on the […]
Grass, Soil, Hope: New Book About Taking Care of the Land
New book by Courtney White, published by Chelsea Green Where people are fighting climate change and growing food with pasture cropping, permaculture, wetland restoration, rooftop farms, biodiesel, beer, and sweaty dancing. This book tackles an increasingly crucial question: What can we do about the seemingly intractable challenges confronting all of humanity today, including climate change, […]
Nature as a Capitalist Commodity?
from The Land An Ecosystem at your Service Environmental strategists are redefining nature as a capitalist commodity. Sian Sullivan explains the latest thinking from those pushing for the global enclosure of local commons. What are “Ecosystem Services”? At first hearing, they sound like a firm of consultants who help you repair your ailing ecosystem. In […]
Massachusetts Farm Sold to Big Developers, Ends Up Forever Farmland
from the Boston Globe In West Bridgewater, farming in perpetuity By Rich Fahey Spring arrived late in West Bridgewater. Then came the heavy rains of April and May. The cold, wet soil has made planting more difficult, leading to some unusually long work days for Lynn and Pete Reading, owners of C&C Reading Farm. “We […]
Land Reform in Reverse: What Land Grabs are doing to Small Farms
from the Inter Press Service ‘Land reform in reverse’ – land grabs are increasing world hunger Stephen Leahy 3rd June 2014 Small farmers are losing out as the world’s farmland is becoming concentrated in ever fewer hands – and food security is suffering as a consequence. If we do nothing to reverse this trend, writes […]