Learning Farming

This is clearly fits into our Growing the Growers agenda, of trying to keep small scale agriculture alive and exciting. The California Farm Academy consists of a nine-month training program that meets part-time in the early evenings and on weekends, followed by a farm business incubator component.

Holy Gotham Greens Batman!

I’ve got a negative ‘thing’ about hydroponic vegetable growing. Why bother? is the first question. What’s wrong with good, organic dirt?

Previewing Pollan

Alice Waters, Mario Batali and writer /cook Samin Nosrat pretty much nail how important Michael Pollan’s argument in his book COOKED is, that we have been civilised by cooking and then somehow forgot how to do it. And why you might like his book (and it’s not about TV cooking shows).

The new age butchers

Butchers who care about their sources of meat and how they relate to customers demanding sustainability and quality, have been revitalising the butchers shops. While supermarkets pride themselves with buying top quality, talking to a butcher can’t be beaten. And it’s becoming a profession for younger people, as this great short video from Thrash Labs in San Francisco clearly shows.

Seeds of Freedom

This is a full 30 min doco made by the African Biodivesrsity network and the Gaia Foundation. It’s narrated by Jeremy Irons and stars may of our food heroes like Dr Vandana Shiva, and makes a compelling case for not ‘helping’ underdeveloped nations by introducing GM seeds and large scale industrial agriculture. Continue Reading →