This area of food waste has drilled into me for months, perhaps years. The concept—truly something that can only happen in a “developed” country—bothers me: that waste could co-exist with food. I watched my mother for years empty the coffee grounds out the back door, and it took me until recently to figure out she [...]
I used to work with an evangelical vegan. He was radically concerned about farm animals. But he couldn’t see past the end of a chicken run in terms of the implications of anything he said.
His first line of argument I called “The Frances Moore Lappe”: we should plough up the pasture land in order to [...]
The Virgin Islands Sustainable Farms Institute (VISFI) was founded six years ago by Georgia native Ben Jones. It’s a place dedicated to building community and creating networks of sustainable agricultural projects, with a focus on nature awareness, permaculture and primitive skills. For those in search of some learning and adventure, VISFI offers internships on their [...]
Germany just recently joined a number of other European countries who have banned Monsanto GMO (Genetically Modified) corn from being grown in the country.
Monsanto corn has until now been the only GMO crop grown somewhat widely in Europe, the EU having been wary of GMO crops overall since their introduction to the global food market. [...]
If you’re an amateur of fine cheese and organic dairy products Tilamook county Oregon may seem a fine and familiar place.Unfortunately, when it comes to other types of local foods the pickings are extremely slim, so to speak.Despite a 10 month growing season and incredibly fertile soils there is not a single certified organic producer [...]
The United Nations proclaimed May 22nd as the International Day for Biodiversity to increase awareness and understanding of biodiversity issues. This years’ theme focuses on agriculture. Due to agricultural expansion, population growth, and misuse of agricultural technologies, our Earth’s biodiversity and natural resources are increasingly suffering dramatic consequences.
Agricultural development in tropical and sub-tropical regions [...]
WWOOF is not only the sound of a dog barking, but a worldwide organic farming work exchange. It stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, and links individuals who want to volunteer on farms with farmers who need volunteer help.
WWOOF organizations compile directories of farmers who would like to host “wwoofers”. One becomes a WWOOF [...]
Indigenous Permaculture provides free workshops about living in balance with the earth, based on ancient agricultural and community practices. In return for these free workshops, they ask only that participants do a project in their community for at least one or two years.
Topics included in the workshops are seed saving, garden strategies, planting and [...]
Who would have thought, paper made from elephant poop? Well it’s possible. Mr. Ellie Pooh paper is made from 75% elephant poop and 25% recycled rice paddy. It can be recycled just like other paper products, and can even be composted. It is environmentally friendly, colored with only non-toxic soil dyes and produced without the [...]
Organic Valley is a cooperative of independent family-farmers who treat their animals and land with respect, and are inspiring other conventional farmers to do the same. They use only pasture-based feeding, with no toxic pesticides, hormones or other chemicals that inevitably harm wildlife, humans and the earth. Organic Valley has cooperatives all over the [...]
