Blog

they have a strong beginning farmer focus and the keynote is our favorite farmer author, Kristin Kimball. View the conference website HERE and their beginning farmers resources HERE

funny to make electricity from sun, then grow plants with artificial lights... but it is cool to have a retrofit warehouse. Here's their website: The Plant And an ABC piece about the project is here:  http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources/lifestyle_community/green&id=8401176

Agriculture needs massive investment to avoid hunger, scientists warn Group of leading scientists urge investment in sustainable agriculture to solve hunger crisis and reduce global warming by Fiona Harvey for The Guardian Billions more investment is needed in agriculture and food distribution systems around the world in the next few years, if widespread hunger is […]

Plants, Earth and Cosmos A workshop for farmers, gardeners and others seeking a renewed relation to the land February 12-17 and/or February 19-24 Conducted by The Nature Institute and the Hawthorne Valley Farm Learning Center in partnership with the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association The Nature Institute and the Hawthorne Valley Farm Learning Center are […]

Check out the photos from the Farm Hack event last week!  Remember, you can always view photos of our events on our flickr page also visit Farm Hack

In oregon a hub of activity - CAT (Center for Appropriate Transport) is a non-profit organization committed to community involvement in manufacturing, using, and advocating sustainable modes of transportation. We likey.

michael pollan does it again, this time with delightful imagery by Maira Kalman to accompany his simple rules to eating well: http://michaelpollan.com/books/food-rules-illustrated-edition/

Center for Rural Affairs Objects to Farm Bill Proposal Lyons, NE - Today the Center for Rural Affairs announced their opposition to the farm bill agreement reached by the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to be submitted to the Super Committee - the House and Senate Joint Committee charged with reducing federal budget deficits. “The farm […]

'American Meat,' is the acclaimed new documentary that chronicles the grassroots revolution in sustainable meat production.  The film, an official selection of the recent Food Day 2011, stars legendary farmer Joel Salatin of Swoope, Va. and interviews farmers, food advocates and agronomists across the country.  There are two upcoming screenings: FREE at 7 p.m., Thurs., […]

 Lots of news on the blog these days http://www.gallup.com/poll/150689/Americans-Ability-Afford-Food-Nears-Three-Year-Low.aspx  most of it frustrating.

Some suggested reading from Nancy Ranney of the wonderful Ranney Ranch in New Mexico. Beginning with her talk at the 2010 Quivera Coalition Conference.  Thank you, Nancy! http://quiviracoalition.org/images/global/321-Working%2520with%2520carbon%2520on%2520the%2520Ranney%2520Ranch.pdf TIME article by Judith Schwartz:   http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,2016079,00.html New York Times article by Kim Severson:   http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/magazine/10cowshare.html# National Geographic blog by Bill Chameides:    http://www.greatenergychallengeblog.com/2010/11/thar-she-blows-wind-on-the-horizon-in-the-american-west/

With the Super Committee Failure, Advocates Look Toward the Farm Bill Yesterday, the chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction announced that the panel was unable to reach an agreement on a deficit reduction plan to cut $1.2 trillion from the federal budget over 10 years. In the past few weeks, both the Democrats and […]

UVM Extension New Farmer Project Building a Sustainable Business for Start-Up and Re-strategizing Farmers Don't delay!  Register now for the "Early Bird" registration price! A strong business plan is key to a successful start for farms, specialty food businesses and other agricultural enterprises. To help ag entrepreneurs get off on the right foot, the University […]

Farm Manager – Middletown, NY Area We are seeking a motivated individual with three to five years experience in vegetable/fruit production for a full time position re-establishing farmland outside of Middletown, NY.  Experience planting, growing and harvesting hops is a plus.  We anticipate starting with a one acre hop yard (adding an additional 5-10 acres […]

Blog readers will probably remember that their old barn, and a lot of food along with it, burned down last winter.   There's an excellent article about the project HERE  If you're in the area, tours will take place December 3rd. Craftsbury, VT – Saturday, December 3rd, 2011— Pete’s Greens will be hosting an open house […]

Patty Murray is the co-chair of the super committee and she is my senator. Dear Senator Patty Murray, As your constituent, I urge you to support a fair and balanced approach to food and agricultural spending in the deficit reduction bill. Farm conservation and environmental programs have already been cut deeply and should not be […]

Cornell University recently hosted a screening of our film, and have uploaded a video of the panel discussion that followed. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez0O4guDyp0] More on the event HERE

Future Farmers Look Ahead By Motoko Rich for the New York Times November 11, 2011 INDIANAPOLIS — Gamaliel Rizzo grew up in a brownstone apartment in Brooklyn and is studying to become a doctor. Still, he spent his high school years learning how to raise chinchillas, goats and alpaca and growing radishes, sunflowers and cilantro. […]

Another smart idea from the New Connecticut Farmers Alliance. The first farm tour is today!  More to come. The New Connecticut Farmers Alliance announces the beginning of its winter series of monthly farm tours with a visit to Sweet Acre Farm in Mansfield on Monday November 21.  New farmers Charlotte Ross and Jonathan Janeway returned […]

via the Center for Rural Affairs: Despite lots of action from folks like you who want farmers to have a fair shot to make a living from raising livestock, Congress this week blocked almost all of the livestock fairness rule, or “GIPSA rule,” from moving forward. This is not what democracy looks like. But we’re […]

HARDWORKING COUPLE (28F + 32M) SEEKS HOMESTEADING APPRENTICESHIP IN OR AROUND AMHERST MA SUMMER 2012 We want to know about the feasibility of living off the land. We grew up in rural CT and RI but have lived in NYC for the past 10 years! We are now hoping to leave NYC for good to […]

watch it here. from FSMS and Farmrun: Here marks our official release of the first episode in On the Anatomy of Thrift: Pork provender in the home kitchen., a multiple part series celebrating the abundance of traditional pork slaughter, butchery and cookery. This episode is on 'Side Butchery', the foundational art to ensuring all parts of the […]

2012 is Peter Dixon's 14th year of Cheesemaking Workshops near his home in Westminster, Vermont.  In our second year as Westminster Artisan Cheesemaking the lineup is better than ever! This year's series is comprised of two and three day workshops on the fundamentals of making and aging cheese and operating a small-scale, farmstead or artisanal cheese business. […]

This Is What Revolution Looks Like Tuesday 15 November 2011 by: Chris Hedges, Truthdig | Op-Ed Welcome to the revolution. Our elites have exposed their hand. They have nothing to offer. They can destroy but they cannot build. They can repress but they cannot lead. They can steal but they cannot share. They can talk but they […]

The Principles of Pastured Pork: Raising Hogs on Pasture: with Bruce Hennessey of Maple Wind Farm, coordinated by the UVM Extension New Farmer Project November 29, 2011, 7:00 pm Bruce Hennessey, with his partner, Beth Whiting operate Maple Wind Farm, a pasture-based diversified livestock, vegetable and maple syrup farm in Huntington, VT. The farm produces 100% grass […]

  December 2-4th at Libscomb University. Learn how Tennessee can grow its own food! A conference for anyone interested in local foods – students, gardeners, consumers and farmers.Tracks include: The Science of Organics, Backyard Gardening, and Food: The Best Medicine. Speakers include Hugh Lovel, Jeff Poppen, Shabari Bird and many others.Enjoy three wholesome feasts, all […]

a place to learn about millworks, caol, foundry, victorian paint technologies - www.blueoxmill.com

http://intothewoods.tv/feels-like-home/episode-41 Into the Woods is here with Michael “Griff” Griffith– a musician best known as Archers’ synth player– to help reflect what feels like a defining moment in the political identity of the echo boomer generation; us twentysomethings who came up between 9-11 and the bank meltdown of 2008.  

The Budget Visualizer is a web-based application that allows visual analysis of Farm Bill spending since 2009. Developed by the Center for a Livable Future in partnership with the Hive Group, the Budget Visualizer uses “treemap” technology, a method of displaying spending data as nested rectangles, which allows you to “see” the proportion of federal funding […]

a little documentary: http://honkfest.org/about/#video

Just Label It.org, a campaign for food labeling. But also a good place to get the latest data on contamination and gmo situations. Just down in New Mexico, I met some campaigners working on the GMO chile pepper issue. SACRED PLANT! From JustLabelIt.org: A recent study shows that 93% of Americans support mandatory labeling of […]

The Secret Farm Bill by Mark Bittman for the New York Times The Republican-manufactured budget crisis of this past summer — remember? — resulted in a “solution” that’s hijacking what little representative democratic process we have left. Equally sad is that the so-called supercommittee — charged with creating an outline for reducing the deficit by […]

POSITION POSTING: ESSEX FARM 2503 Rte 22, Essex, NY 19236 [email protected] Essex Farm in Essex, NY is seeking experienced and highly motivated farmers who want to joint a fast-paced and team-oriented organization. We are dedicated to providing a full diet, year round, for our CSA members. Applications are being accepted for the following positions: Dairy […]

Here's a note from Brooke Welles, a greenhorn searching for land and keeping a great blog about it. I've been keeping this blog (http://twoblueboots.blogspot.com/) almost every day since I left my comfortable job as a farm manager and embarked on the journey of finding a farm of my own.  It still feels every bit as […]

Step by Step, Row by Row:  How to Start Your Own Farm Dinner Business January 14 & 15, 2012 Cure Organic Farm, Boulder, Colorado This 2-day workshop is intended for cooks, chefs, artists and artisans, farmers, food lovers and anyone who feels inspired by seasonal, locally grown foods—and mobile kitchens. Meadow Lark Farm Dinners offer […]

Some of this is based on the National Young Farmers Coalition survey that many of you filled out.  Thank you!  Young Farmers Find Huge Obstacles to Getting Started By Isolde Raftery,  November 12, 2011 in the New York Times Emily Oakley, who had worked on an organic farm in California, moved with her husband, Mike […]

The Center for Land-Based Learning is thrilled to announce that the California Farm Academy is now accepting applications through December 9, 2011 for its inaugural session.  Classes are set to begin in mid-February, 2012 and run through early August. Get your application submitted early for preferred consideration, as space is limited. In partnership with the Center for […]

THE NATIONAL YOUNG FARMERS' COALITION: New Survey of 1,000 Young and Beginning Farmers Reveals What the Next Generation Needs Contact: Lindsey Lusher Shute, 917-318-1488, [email protected] TIVOLI, NY -- The National Young Farmer’s Coalition released a study today showing that the nation’s young and beginning farmers face tremendous barriers in starting a farming career. "Building a Future With Farmers: Challenges Faced by Young, […]

(Photo credit: Jahi Chikwendiu) Michael Pollan: On the Steve Jobs of agriculture Washington Post. November 4, 2011. By Tim CarmanMichael Pollan may have one of the hardest jobs in the country: trying to encourage Americans to eat better — or at least better understand the current food system and how it has led to a diet that’s slowly […]

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/colorado/explore/young-ranching-family-finds-home-on-the-prairie.xml http://www.idahosbounty.org/