Landmark Study Underscores Wide-Ranging Benefits of Pesticide-Free Farming

From The Guardian:

“The research was peer-reviewed and is published in a respected scientific journal, the British Journal of Nutrition.

The results are based on an analysis of 343 peer-reviewed studies from around the world – more than ever before – which examine differences between organic and conventional fruit, vegetables and cereals.

“The crucially important thing about this research is that it shatters the myth that how we farm does not affect the quality of the food we eat,” said Helen Browning, chief executive of Soil Association, which campaigns for organic farming.

UK sales of organic food, which is often considerably more expensive than non-organic, are recovering after a slump during the economic crisis.

Plants produce many of their antioxidant compounds to fight back against pest attacks, so the higher levels in organic crops may result from their lack of protection by chemical sprays. But the scientists say other reasons may be important, such as organic varieties being bred for toughness and not being overfed with artificial fertilisers.

Leifert and his colleagues conclude that many antioxidants “have previously been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases and certain cancers”. But they also note that no long-term studies showing health benefits from a broad organic diet have yet been conducted.

The researchers found much higher levels of cadmium, a toxic metal, in conventional crops. Pesticide residues were found on conventional crops four times more often than on organic food. The research was funded by the EU and an organic farming charity.

The research is certain to be criticised: the inclusion of so many studies in the analysis could mean poor quality work skews the results, although the team did “sensitivity analyses” and found that excluding weaker work did not significantly change the outcome.”

link to report at Cambridge Journals

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/11/organic-food-more-antioxidants-study

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Frugality, active lifestyles and pursuit of knowledge make people happier

Hmmm, sounds like a few things that markets could measure and share with their community:

“Another path to well-being is thrift, which means conserving resources as well as money, Tatzel noted. Frugal people are happier with life in general, according to a 2014 study. That may be because avoiding the negative consequences of spending too much and going into debt is one way to avoid unhappiness, she said.

People enjoy doing things more than having things, with other studies finding that people realize more lasting happiness by changing their activities than by changing their material circumstances. “Experiences live on in memory, are incomparable, often shared with others and don’t have to be resource intensive,” said Tatzel.

She described other research that has found that people are more likely to be happy by cultivating personal talents and relationships more than money and fame, and by having an independent sense of self that results in not caring much what others think of their possessions.”
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20140811/Study-of-quality-of-life-provides-answers-to-what-really-brings-happiness-to-consumers.aspx

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Southeast could become an overdeveloped ‘megalopolis’ in the next half century

Researchers estimate that urbanization will increase 190 percent, resulting in a continuous string of development similar to the northeast corridor, according to the article. As a result, 15 percent of agricultural land, 12 percent of grasslands and 10 percent of forests will be lost, the article reports.

“The upshot is that . . . climate change isn’t the only story in the Southeast,” Terando said. “There are large-scale human impacts on our environment . . . the way we develop.”

Numerous species of animals would be left with no habitat. The loss of woodlands that soak up rainfall would leave local waters more vulnerable to the storm-water runoff that washes nutrient pollution from lawns and motor oils from roads, in addition to increased garbage.”

Southeast could become an overdeveloped ‘megalopolis’ in the next half century – The Washington Post.

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Michel Nischan

Great interview with Michel Nischan, founder of Wholesome Wave and long time Farm To Table chef. He tells Louisiana Eats host Poppy Tooker about how and why he created his public role.
http://wwno.org/post/tradition-begs-evolution-changing-federal-policy-reviving-local-customs” title=”Interview withMichel Nischan by Poppy Tooker”

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Rebels With A Cause

Just saw this documentary-I found it fascinating, fairly reported and with a charming manner. I highly recommend it for any ecological or civic leader. The story of the formation of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust is also included and should be inspiring to farming advocates across the country. I might recommend setting up screenings in your market space on a Saturday night!

REBELS WITH A CAUSE is the story of a regional California effort that grew into an astonishing system of fourteen National Seashores — the result of garden clubs, ranchers, farmers, conservationists, politicians from both parties, widows, and volunteers working together through compromise and negotiation, with the American public coming up as the winner.

http://rebelsdocumentary.org

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10 Things I Hate: Chris Hastings

From Food Republic:

Life is filled with wonderful things and terrible things. During interviews, however, we pretty much only get to hear about the wonderful things. Ten Things I Hate is a chance for people in the food world to get things off their chest. We ask them what they hate, they give us a list. Next up: Birmingham chef Chris Hastings.

10 Things I Hate: Chris Hastings | Food Republic.

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Request for Makers, Hackers and Healers

Growing Power Inc and Growing Food and Justice for All Initiative (GFJI).

Growing Power’s Urban and Small Farms Conference Committee is excited to announce a request for Makers, Hackers and Healers. As part of Growing Food and Justice for All Initiative’s (GFJI) strategic work in reconnecting Food, Culture and Spirit, we are creating a ‘Marketplace’ for skill sharing in a variety of formats.

We also hope that healers who practice Reiki, energy work and other traditional practices offer opportunities to share their craft and practices.

This years conference theme “Building a Fair Food Economy to Grow Healthy People” will truly be activated in the Makers Marketplace. The space will cultivate the spirit of sharing, arts and culture.

We are looking for people to curate hands on learning and sharing activities

1) 90 minute workshop demos- (offered concurrently with conference workshop breakout sessions) to provide in depth opportunities for learning/sharing and making within the conference format.

2) 20 minute demos- (offered in the Maker Marketplace through out the conference) to provide quick learning experiences, information sharing, recipe demos and tastings. You may opt for multiple demo times to highlight your work

3) Three Hour long maker or tech skill share intensive- (Sunday, 11/9 from 1pm to 4pm) this is an opportunity to share your craft, skill or trade and for participants to have the opportunity to learn from presenters in a longer format. We also hope seed savers, artisanal food makers, permaculturistas, policy initiators and activist/makers use this time to broaden and strengthen our movement. Please designate the maximum number of people that you can accommodate and a materials cost if applicable.

Healing arts and culture sharing space in this “Market Place” will be made available through out the conference for people to grow, share, and heal.

Interested?

Apply using our Google Form here

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7 Things You Need To Know About The Toxin That’s Poisoned Ohio’s Drinking Water

link to article.

“Experts say one of the biggest reasons for the severity of this algal bloom is excess phosphorus runoff from urban and industrial agricultural lands, as well as from waste water from sewage treatment plants. NOAA notes that this increased runoff into the lake is largely due to poor farming practices, such as high use of fertilizers and presence of livestock near water supplies. Pesticides also impact the blooms, NOAA says.”

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An Introduction to MarketLink: Are you eligible to receive a free SNAP/EBT system for your market?

Farmers Market Coalition and Wholesome Wave are co-hosting a FREE webinar:

Wednesday August 13, 2014 3:00pm-4:30pm EST

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) launched MarketLink, a website that provides farmers markets and direct-marketing farmers with a one-stop-shop to become an authorized SNAP vendor and take advantage of USDA funding to obtain free or low-cost equipment and wireless services. Up to $4 million in grants for SNAP/EBT technology solutions will be available through this program for eligible markets through September 30, 2014. The quickly approaching deadline means that eligible farmers and market managers are making this important decision right now. Wholesome Wave and Farmers Market Coalition are co-hosting this free webinar to address your unanswered questions about MarketLink. Through this webinar, you will:
understand the USDA’s funding stream for enhanced SNAP benefits at markets
learn who is eligible to access USDA funding through MarketLink
learn about MarketLink, an iPhone-based EBT system that taps into $4 million in USDA funding to help new markets become SNAP/EBT accessible
hear an on-the-ground perspective on applying through MarketLink and implementing EBT
Panelists:

Rogelio Carrasco of the USDA’s Food And Nutrition Service will present an overview of the USDA’s funding for improved access to SNAP benefits at markets and the history of Marketlink
Amy Crone of NAFMNP and the Maryland Farmers Market Association will present the MarketLink program and provide an in-depth description of eligibility and application process
Sara Berney, Executive Director of Wholesome Wave Georgia, will discuss her experience applying for funds through MarketLink and recommendations for others

To register to for this webinar, please click here.

Please contact Liz at FMC at liz@farmersmarketcoalition.org, with any questions on the webinar.

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Counterfeit Money at Our Markets

Here is a great post from Brian F. Moyer, Program Assistant Penn State Extension – Lehigh County:

There are many reasons we chose to sell our products at farmers markets. Some of these may include helping the public understand where there food comes from and who produces it. Another might be to capture more of the “food dollar” to keep our farms viable so the last thing we might be expecting is for someone at our markets to hand us a counterfeit bill.

Recently I received an email from a market manager who told me that their market was hit for about $600 in counterfeit $100 dollar bills. I proceeded to get the word out to as many contacts as I have so other markets in the region would be aware. What I got back surprised me. I heard from managers and vendors throughout the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast that this has happened to their markets. So, what are we to do?

Markets are very busy places and we do our best to take care of the customer as fast as we can so how are we supposed to do that AND check the money they hand us to make sure the currency is legitimate? Farmers markets are also supposed to build community so there is also a level of trust that is broken when something like this occurs. How can we as a community use that trust to strengthen our markets and prevent these types of incidents from occurring?

The market manager who contacted me said that the counterfeit bills that the vendors received were bleached five dollar bills that were reprinted to look like one hundred dollar bills so the water marks were intact and they could pass the pen test so it was very difficult for a vendor to detect even if they were being vigilant. The U.S. Secret Service is the agency responsible for investigating counterfeit currency. The following is from the U.S. Secret Services’ website http://www.secretservice.gov on some things you can look for when receiving paper currency.

How To Detect Counterfeit Money

The public has a role in maintaining the integrity of U.S. currency. You can help guard against the threat from counterfeiters by becoming more familiar with United States currency.

Look at the money you receive. Compare a suspect note with a genuine note of the same denomination and series, paying attention to the quality of printing and paper characteristics. Look for differences, not similarities.

Portrait

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The genuine portrait appears lifelike and stands out distinctly from the background. The counterfeit portrait is usually lifeless and flat. Details merge into the background which is often too dark or mottled.

Federal Reserve and Treasury Seals

On a genuine bill, the saw-tooth points of the Federal Reserve and Treasury seals are clear, distinct, and sharp. The counterfeit seals may have uneven, blunt, or broken saw-tooth points.

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Border

The fine lines in the border of a genuine bill are clear and unbroken. On the counterfeit, the lines in the outer margin and scrollwork may be blurred and indistinct.

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Genuine serial numbers have a distinctive style and are evenly spaced. The serial numbers are printed in the same ink color as the Treasury Seal. On a counterfeit, the serial numbers may differ in color or shade of ink from the Treasury seal. The numbers may not be uniformly spaced or aligned.

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Paper

Genuine currency paper has tiny red and blue fibers embedded throughout.
Often counterfeiters try to simulate these fibers by printing tiny red and blue
lines on their paper. Close inspection reveals, however, that on the counterfeit note the lines are printed on the surface, not embedded in the paper. It is illegal to reproduce the distinctive paper used in the manufacturing of United States currency.

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Since markets usually have a focus on community, perhaps we can have a discussion as a community on how we can prevent incidents like this from occurring. Some markets have local banks as sponsors. What role can they play in helping to protect the market? What about the local law enforcement? Can we train our volunteers to help vendors with checking the money they are receiving? What message can we send that lets anyone who comes to the market know that there is zero tolerance for this type of activity?

This is perhaps a larger problem that could be affecting the surrounding small businesses and not just the market so it will take more than just the managers and vendors to prevent these types of incidents.
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Burt minus the bees

The NYT reminds us that the documentary about the founder of Burt’s Bees who lives a pretty simple life in Maine these days is available for
download.

“When a cadre of screaming fans in fake beards and bee costumes greet Burt at a Taiwan airport, it’s impossible not to marvel at his strange existence.” – Abby Garnett, Village Voice, Jun 3, 2014

“I’ve got 40 acres. And it’s good and sufficient and it takes good care of me. There’s no noise. There’s no children screaming. There’s no people getting up at 5 o’clock in the morning and trying to start their car and raising hell. Everybody has their own idea of what a good place to be is, and this is mine.”

NYT article

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Restaurant Day

Restaurant Day enthusiasts sell food that they have prepared themselves in locations as creative as the fare they serve up – in parks, on street corners, in courtyards, or in their kitchens. The foodfest takes place roughly every three months. It offers anyone the opportunity to set up a restaurant, coffee shop or bar, for just one day, without having to apply for official permits – as long as alcohol is not on the drinks list.

Facts

Restaurant Day is the world’s biggest food carnival and happens worldwide four times a year. All together 9600+ one-day restaurants by estimated 38 500+ restaurateurs have catered for estimated 1 060 000+ customers in the past Restaurant Days.

21 May 2011: 45 restaurants, 13 cities
18 August 2011: 190 restaurants, 30+ cities, 4 countries
19 November 2011: 287 restaurants, 40+ cities, 2 countries
4 February 2012: 304 restaurants, 50+ cities, 12 countries
19 May 2012: 711 restaurants, 90+ cities, 19 countries
19 August 2012: 784 restaurants, 100+ cities, 17 countries
17 November 2012: 702 restaurants, 130+ cities, 25 countries
17 February 2013: 629 restaurants, 130+ cities, 31 countries
18 May 2013: 1701 restaurants, 200+ cities, 30 countries
18 August 2013: 1683 restaurants, 220 cities, 35 countries
16 November 2013: 1383 restaurants, 190 cities, 31 countries
16 February 2014: 1210 restaurants, 27 countries
One-day restaurants have so far popped up in 56 different countries including Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, USA and Uzbekistan.
Please note that all restaurants with a clearly commercial, political or religious aim, or restaurants linked to existing commercial brands, or advertising a commercial space or a business, will be removed from the service.

Restaurant Day Map

http://yle.fi/uutiset/restaurant_day_celebrates_finlands_growing_culinary_diversity/6648419

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The Zero Marginal Cost Society: The Internet of Things, the Collaborative Commons, and the Eclipse of Capitalism -Review

The Zero Marginal Cost Society: The Internet of Things, the Collaborative Commons, and the Eclipse of CapitalismThe Zero Marginal Cost Society: The Internet of Things, the Collaborative Commons, and the Eclipse of Capitalism by Jeremy Rifkin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

First, I agree with other reviews that suggest author Rifkin often has a “Gatling” approach to supplying facts and theories, and a tendency to offer the same theory over and over in his writing which can be tiresome after a bit-all true.
Even so, his contribution here that pure capitalism is in a transition to a hybrid economy made up of part capitalism and part collaborative commons is valid and worthwhile enough to pick this up.
He reminds us that the feudal system transitioned to the market economy starting in the ninth century and then with The Great Enclosure Movement of the 16th-19th centuries, built a legal system that protected private property just as the Industrial Revolution began in earnest. Now, he predicts that another shift is happening: capitalism has begun to share the global stage with one that uses collaborative data, has free or almost free goods and services available (because the cost of producing more goods is zero online) and allows for more efficient (or sufficient) use of natural systems.
How businesses will make profit in this future economy is certainly undecided and just as economists from Keynes to Marx wondered about it too. In other words, there are some scary unplanned moments ahead.
It’s also important to discuss how the collection of data (which is almost always used as a negative in popular media) has allowed the emergence of shared information for distribution systems, food production, human health, social revolutions and of course communication and is allowing for more interdisciplinary scholarship and maybe most importantly a reduction in ecological impact.

All of this should be interesting to anyone who hears the argument against the collaborative commons almost daily. My experience is that people’s concern is based on the legal implications of (in Rifkin’s words) how we are “moving from exclusive ownership to conditional rights.” His statement that “markets are giving way to networks and ownership is less important than access” is beguiling language for any community activist and as a farmers market partisan, I already believe in the power of the commons and see every week how informal relationships can build a new economy. I also regularly see fear and mistrust of this type of collaborative production or virtual distribution as many believe it impairs adding or improving necessary infrastructure. I might argue that we need to reduce our dependence on that as our main economic driver in municipal or civic systems anyway.
Do I worry about loss of privacy from all of this new activity? Some, but less so from my neighbors and fellow citizens who are bound by networks of social capital or because of the lack of shared networks with me, I am warned against sharing information or goods. Anyway, these virtual networks are less important than my existing (more important) physical networks and maybe that is one of the lessons of community food systems too.

Rifkin’s theory is that this will not be a total eclipse, but only a partial one and will allow for more diverse relationships and systems in other sectors while still retaining some capitalist characteristics when valid, like maybe in local food production. It may also reduce the possibility of monopolies or at least reduce their length, since technological innovation is harder to stifle in collaborative systems.
As for Rifkin himself, I like his quirky way on these subjects, but he should never be your only theorist on economic systems. If you are interested in reading someone who expands his thinking and has long embraced the need to address the ecological impacts of modern life, you need to read this.

View all my reviews

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Swamp Savior: Can a 72-Year-Old Inventor Rescue The Sinking Bayou?

Louisianians like this are my heroes:

“Pierce, however, would argue that swamp ingenuity is nothing new…
‘It’s in my nature to invent things,” say Pierce, a white eyebrow raised playfully as he explains that he’s never had any formal training as an engineer. “It runs through my blood.”

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