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Any Canadian Greenhorns out there?  This would be a valuable experience. The Canadian Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust is accepting applications for their 2010 program. Applications are due by June 1, 2009 and forms can be downloaded from the Nuffield Canada website at http://www.nuffield.ca/ApplicationForm.htm Nuffield Farming Scholarships are awarded to enthusiastic individuals, between the ages of […]

The NYC Food Project We are a group of food justice and urban agriculture activists working to ensure that people of all walks of life have access to fresh, nutritious, and environmentally-sound food. as part of this mission, we run a CSA (community supported agriculture group) in the Lower East Side, and are pursuing several […]

Some light reading for a drizzly day... Seriously people. BUY MILK! not sodapop Young Dairy Farmers Worry About Future - Brattleboro Reformer, May 8 bootstrap optimism. but only to a point. we need to change the structures ( POLITICAL! EDUCATIONAL! CULTURAL! ECONOMIC!) that govern the American food system. Stubbornness and Optimism Drive Many Farmers - […]

Check out this punky direct action garden celebration from Time's Up! With the Rude Mechanical Orchestra, a 300-piece radical marching band and dance troupe. "Stop! Plant! Grow!" [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZLBkkw1890&feature=related]

Another side of the young farmers scene... Future Farmers of America - Founded in 1928, the Future Farmers of America brought together students, teachers and agribusiness to solidify support for agricultural education. In Kansas City's Baltimore Hotel, 33 young farmboys charted a course for the future. They could not have foreseen how the organization would […]

Remember the 1918 flu? Well here is the 1913 apprenticeship scheme. globalization, down under baby! http://www.safarmapprentices.net/farmers/

This is a big deal. Organic Farming Research Foundation Hails Historic USDA Plan To Aid Farmers and Ranchers with Organic Transition Santa Cruz, CA Background: The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service today announced plans to provide $50 million in 2009 to help farmers and ranchers throughout the country transition to organic production systems. The funds […]

Imagine. the man who predicted the shopocalypse. in office! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Pl2UA_Rp0]

wow! government enters new media... SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education) Outreach is pleased to announce a unique partnership with the online television series Cooking Up a Story to produce a series of videos highlighting SARE grantees and sustainable production and marketing practices. The two year project will produce a series of "how-to" technical videos […]

The 5th GMO-Free Regions Conference just concluded in Europe.  Here is the final declaration of the participants of "Food and Democracy.  For more information, visit http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/food-democracy-april-2009/programme.html Final Declaration : GMO Moratorium: The way forward for Europe The participants of the 5th European Conference of GMO-Free Regions "Food and Democracy" call for an EU-wide moratorium on […]

It's a worldwide trend - young folks getting back to the land.  This time, in a government-sanctioned program. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/business/global/16farmer.html?emc=eta1 excerpt: YOKOSHIBAHIKARI, Japan - A motley group of unlikely farmers descended on the countryside here one recent Sunday, fresh towels around their necks, shiny boots on their feet. "This is harder than it looks," said Tatsunori […]

This is good follow-up on that controversial op-ed piece in the New York Times... http://food.theatlantic.com/the-food-channel/free-range-pork-really-riskier.php Curator's note: Like pretty much every advocate of sustainable agriculture, including our own Bill and Nicolette Hahn Niman, I took immediate and sharp notice of James McWilliams's New York Times op-ed suggesting that pigs raised in the very epitome of […]

Rodale Institute's Compost powers USDA's organic People's Garden (despite Chemical Ag's concerns) WASHINGTON, D.C. - About the time that Chemical Ag spokespeople were chiding Michelle Obama for promoting home-grown organic food with her White House garden, compost from the Rodale Institute farm was landing on a new organic garden right in front of U.S. Department […]

This is important work from the Oakland Institute. Important for the future of sustainable farming in Africa and around the world. Oakland, CA: Concurrent with the release of a printed report, Voices From Africa: African Farmers & Environmentalists Speak Out Against Against a New Green Revolution in Africa, the Oakland Institute has launched Voices from […]

Get used to it folks. The rules are changing and the loopholes which allowed wealthy people and corporations to give 'tax free' to non profit organizations are closing up. It seems like social activism will have to learn another model of accounting. And some of us are probably going to go work for the government. […]

Here's a re-post from Daily Finance, with some promising, happy thoughts. Pollan, Waters influencing food politics more than we know sarah gilbert Mar 22nd 2009 at 6:00PM Filed under: Economy Blame Tom Vilsack's grandchild, blame Sasha and Malia Obama, blame 30 million American children. Blame them for this: food politics are changing mightily, and the […]

This via California FarmLink Dear California FarmLink Clients and Friends, I'm writing to you today to ask for your support in securing funding for the Beginning Farmer Individual Development Account (IDA) Pilot Program. This program would enable beginning farmers and ranchers to open an Individual Development Account (matched savings account) in order to save for […]

News from the Farmer-Veteran Coalition: Dear Friends, I am sending this e-mail to you because you know me and you know my commitment to a sustainable food and farming system. Recently, I accepted the position of Deputy Director for the Farmer Veteran Coalition, a nascent non-profit with amazing potential to address some of our country's […]

A New Report From the Oakland Institute Issues a Challenge to Western-led Plans for a Genetically Engineered Revolution in African Agriculture Voices From Africa: African Farmers & Environmentalists Speak Out Against a New Green Revolution in Africa Oakland, CA: A new report from the Oakland Institute, Voices from Africa: African Farmers & Environmentalists Speak Out […]

As so often happens, this comes to us via comfood. And is worth re-posting.   Ray Offenheiser Oxfam America sent via e-mail February 8, 2009 Dear Ray, I started writing this letter in response to the panel lineup that Oxfam is co-sponsoring this month at the Asia Society, "The Global Food Crisis: Time for Another […]

Yes. We agree with this. Family farmers. ...and the family of farmers that includes: city farmers farmworkers young farmers aspiring farmers we are the team of agricultural conspirators who are launching our small businesses around the country-- carving out new territory and growing strong soil in the hills, and in the laser-land valleys of the […]

Check out this video from Organic Consumers: "What is the National Animal Identification System & Why It Should Be Rejected" http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16869.cfm And read Severine's Letter to Dolly the Sheep - "Dear Dolly, with regards, from Severine" full text below

For a while we've been mentioning that the reliable data on young farmers was not yet in. Well, it's here!

It's cool when libertarians are down with raw milk. That make sense in the new America. This is announcement comes from The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, a great resource and cause. http://www.ftcldf.org/news/news-01feb2009.htm Ron Paul Introduces Bill to End Interstate Raw Milk Ban On January 28 Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) introduced HR 778, a […]

Re-Post from The Ethicurean http://www.ethicurean.com/2009/01/06/health-care/ For healthy food and soil, we need affordable health care for farmers By Steph Larsen When we talk about local food, it means more than just proximity to a farm. We associate supporting "local food" with supporting specific values - such as family ownership, local control, small scale, environmental stewardship, […]

Or wherever you are. Inaugural Eating Starts on the Road to D.C. With the Obamas' much-discussed habit of healthy eating, this week foodies from all over the nation will travel to D.C. to munch up sustainable goodies at two green inaugural balls and revel in the election of our svelte, tech-savvy, 44th president.

Here's a reminder of why we need to be more conscious of what "green" fuels really mean - Here, it means deforestation, wildlife habitat loss, and the destruction of local livelihoods. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.  The video discusses palm oil in Indonesia. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3i7VAjx9p0 More info at http://www.paneco.ch/aktuelles-n111-sD.html (you […]

There's so much information on the web, so many webpages and widgets to distract or engage us...Here's something that we think is worth your time - The Oakland Institute. The Greenhorns heartily recommends their site for food politics news and briefings, and much more. Right now, there's a great policy brief on the Food Crisis […]

Yes We Can influence Obama's choices for Ag Secretary, and other appointments in the USDA! In the last week there has been much exciting talk of potential people Obama could or should choose for Secretary of Agriculture. So how do we take action? Chrys Ostrander of Chrysalis Farm at Tolstoy compiled an amazing list of […]

Excited about our new president-elect? Come celebrate with the Greenhorns at our farm in upstate New York! We're having a cheese melt to celebrate change, an "Obama Melt", if you will.  It's a chance to gather together to celebrate the election of a progressive president, one who says exciting things like ""America's farmers are America's […]

We at the Greenhorns have some sayings. Vote with your fork: as a person faced with the decision of what to eat (hopefully) 3 times a day, you have the power to vote with your fork: consume locally grown veggies, peruse your local farmers market and eat what is in season. Think about where your […]

encourage young farmers to attend. Throw in your stake! The 2008 Farm Bill has made available $18 million in fiscal year 2009 to fund a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) through a competitive grants process administered by CSREES. Stakeholder input for the FY 2009 funding cycle will continue through November 14, 2008. The Request […]

The cost of basic food staples is skyrocketing around the globe. Billions of people who live on less than $2 a day are sliding into hunger and despair. Now more than ever, international entities and national governments must shift their agricultural policies toward sustainability, hunger prevention, and economic justice for farmers and farmworkers. Below, we […]

from www.michaelpollan.com Greetings. I haven't been in touch for a while, and some of you have written asking for an an update on the 2008 Farm Bill.   After many, many months of wrangling, the bill was just passed by Congress, overriding a veto by the President. In my view, it is not a very good bill-- it preserves more […]

Severine emails with the USDA's National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS), about her missing census mail survey and related protocols. Severine: How do you address the under reporting of certain farming demographics, such as nomadic and young famers? NASS: Thank you for contacting the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Although the statistical methodology for the 2007 Census is somewhat different […]

Sadly we were unable to attend Planet Diversity and the international protest in defense of Seeds! in Germany last week.  However, you can read all about it, and watch youtube of the protest theatrics and the biopiracy awards.  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gDzI45mI34&hl=en] Remember, the biggest crimes of this generation aren't even illegal yet.

For those of you who have been following the farm bill for months, or if you've just noticed how contentious and complicated it is, here is a good list (see policy platform below) of the programs developed that have direct bearing on our capacity as a nation to feed ourselves proper, healthy food.  When you […]

We urge those of you who haven't yet called your representatives about the farm bill to take a look at the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition website and call the numbers on the site--we need to seal up the dealio with 15 million for beginning farmer funding (see this action alert to get started). Maybe, or maybe we […]

Taro, one of the earliest cultivations, is threatened by the tsunami of GMO research in Hawaii- which is the world headquarters of genetic research in agriculture. Until recently Hawaii was a major exporter of cane sugar, pineapples and other tropical fruits to the mainland and Japan, as well as large-scale cattle raising industry. These agricultural […]

by Miranda July I'd like to think all the people who follow my work are radical, political firecrackers. But those of you who are don't need any encouragement from me. Instead I will focus my efforts on the demographic who, like me in 1996, feels completely disconnected from life, nevermind their country. I'm hoping that […]