ideas + models
new england farmers - take this survey!
Survey on winter growing seeks input from vegetable farmers Are you growing or storing crops for sale during the winter months? Are you interested in expanding your farm’s winter harvest? Click here to take the online survey, and get connected with a network of winter growers and resources for year-round farming! This survey will inform […]
badass oregonians
removing concrete...by force of their own fingers. Depave.org. Depave promotes the removal of unnecessary pavement from urban areas to create community green spaces and mitigate stormwater runoff. Through partnerships and volunteers, Depave strives to overcome the social and environmental impacts of pavement with the use of action-oriented educational events, community stewardship, and advocacy to reconnect people with nature […]
joining the ranks - new food to bank on farmers
Five beginning farmers selected for training and mentorship project Bellingham, WA - A variety of new farmers are setting forth on their business ventures through the Food To Bank On project. Housed within the Sustainable Connections' Food & Farming Program, Food To Bank On connects sustainable farmers with less than three years of experience with […]
nyc foodworks report
On November 22nd, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn unveiled an 86 page, comprehensive plan that sets a bold vision for a more sustainable food system—a ground-to-garbage approach unprecedented in the history of our city. The plan, ‘FoodWorks’, provides a blueprint for addressing issues at every phase of the food system - from agricultural production, processing, […]
dairy equity
MOOMilk and Wayside Food Programs working to bring organic milk to those in need Two Maine groups dedicated to supplying high quality, nutritious food to Maine people have teamed up to make fresh organic Maine milk available to those who otherwise could not afford it. Maine’s Own Organic Milk Company has partnered with Wayside Food […]
MIT food + ag collaborative
they've got an interesting speaker series going on. The MIT Food and Agriculture Collaborative brings together students – and other MIT community members - to coordinate and support work in the areas of food and agriculture. Members are actively engaged in advocating for and supporting the development of a more sustainable food system on our […]
another great bike project to be noticing
The Reno Bike Project. The organization is built around the belief that the bicycle is the world’s greatest, most utilized mode of transportation and that every individual, regardless of age, gender, race, or class has a right to afford, maintain, and enjoy one.
farminars
A nifty idea out of Iowa - all of the "farminars" are archived, and useful no matter where you are. Practical Farmers of Iowa is excited to announce their fall lineup of online webinars, or “farminars.” Practical Farmers of Iowa has four farminars scheduled for this fall, beginning November 2. To register and participate in […]
michigan young farmers!
we love this group - the Michigan young farmer coalition. Here's a call out from them. The MYFC is gearing up to tour the west side of the Lower Mitten this November and December to meet & eat with young, new and beginning farmers and our supporters. We are in the preliminary stages of the […]
working villages
another great blog and project. http://www.workingvillages.org/blog/ Working Villages International is founded on the principle that all people deserve access to meaningful employment and a high quality of life. We believe that people don't want to be eternally dependent on others, but instead want a means of supporting themselves and their families with dignity. We provide […]
community facilities grants
Knowing about programs like this could turn some people on. There's potential here for farmer activists to work with rural communities (ideally their own) to develop projects that the USDA funds. A cannery or community value add kitchen facility, for example. http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/community-facilities-grants/
good things in the hudson valley
THE WORLD'S LARGEST SOLAR EVENTFREE TOUR OF 20,000 SQ. FT. CARBON NEUTRAL BUILDING , Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 at SunDog Solar/Kling Magnetics Buildings , 343 Route 295, Chatham NY THE NATIONAL SOLAR TOUR is the largest nonprofit solar event in the world. This 15th annual event, (coordinated by the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society (ASES) […]
national young farmers' coalition survey
NYFC has a survey to help understand the needs of young farmers in America. Take a few minutes to fill it out! Take the NYFC Survey
networking
Here's a great resource we just discovered! For your Nevada County greenhorns in CA. Living Lands Agrarian Network is a non-profit organization that offers training and mentorship to the next generation of farmers. Our unique model of cooperative farming integrates ecological education, community involvement, resource sharing, and celebration around the food we grow right here […]
waste not
www.thisisrubbish.org.uk food not bombs meets eat in - UK style. oh yes please!
irresistable fleet of food distributers~
What’s big and yellow, has three wheels, hauls a quarter ton and is poised to revolutionize small-load urban transport? Answer: the cargo tricycle! from the super cool new GRACE site ECOCENTRISM
yougurt for the hospitals
my first summer farm job was for the head of the swiss biodynamic association on his farm in the emmenthal, switzerland. Every week we delivered six cases of yougurt to the children's hospital. bing bang done.. and now noah and the crew at farm fresh rhode island are working in the same direction.. we all […]
some inspiring figures
David Wiswell over at Cate Farms up here in Washington County (VT) is a pretty cool cat, as is Brent Beidler in Randolf, VT who is one of a few area farmers who have converted their tractors to solar. Click HERE for a powerpoint of Brent's on building that Solar Tractor
look at all these neato techno-fixes to real world problems
MIT Global Challenge in many of these cases its real, developing world problems. but these are also problems faced in rural areas, in barns and agricultural outbuildings and in dealing with the various difficulties and limitations of a of diverse enterprise start-up farm. look, learn, adapt and adopt if you feel so inspired. the inventors […]
amazing, these hacker types
The Parts and Crafts Collective is a group of thinkers, teachers, and tinkerers in the Boston and New York areas who are interested in helping people build, think, create, succeed, fail, and learn. We run hands-on, creative arts, science, and engineering classes and workshops for kids and adults as well as a summer day program. […]
not sure if we made enough ruckus about this project
but I was reminded of it by some super Englishmen this past weekend [vodpod id=Video.3795931&w=425&h=350&fv=seed_name%3Dgreenstreets%26amp%3Bpresentation_id%3D184] http://www.landshare.net/ river cottage, a spawning ground for all sorts of wild ideas
breaking through concrete
The Breaking Through Concrete Tour (BTC Tour) will document the American urban farm movement. Despite hundreds of farm and garden projects taking hold in major cities, the urban farm remains a misunderstood and overlooked part of our food production system. We will bring to life the diverse projects that are, in distinct ways, transforming our […]
talk about associative marketing
those white barn farmers sure are dynamo. this plant sale is past already, but a good model for us. Our Plant Sale is here!!!!! May 22 & 23. Saturday and Sunday. 10am - 4pm. both days Looks like the weather is going to be beautiful!! We have been getting ready. […]
what's your fibershed?
We just learned about Rebecca Burgess-- author, educator, and textile artist who is the brains behind The Fibershed Project , a challenge to live for one year in clothes made from fibers that are solely sourced within a geographical region no larger than 150 miles from your home. Sound intriguing? Learn more here, and you can […]
northwest weather
This is a wonderful blog discussing NW weather. He has forecasts but also explains weather we've had & why it happens. Helpful for farmers! Cliff Mass Weather Blog (thanks Chandler!)
redirecting food wastes
Here is a smart project that is in competition for funding from Dell. To vote, click on "promote" on the project's page. Break it Down’s vision is to divert food wastes to local agricultural production to help feed the hungry. We are a triple-bottom line social enterprise which works to conserve natural resources by providing a […]
thrilling!
another school garden army: Food Corps In the Washington Post: Will work for food? Try Food Corps The problems with school food are well-established. There’s not enough money, not enough manpower and often not enough know-how to produce fresher, more healthful food. Now, a group of good-food advocates has a plan: Establish a national Food […]
check out the awesome e-commerce
Seth and Mica are superstars, grassfed superstars. They just launched an online store for their business, Open Space Meats in central California. Check them out and get inspired.
local yes!
from the Poughkeepsie Journal: Community supported agriculture farm adds restaurant members Two New Paltz restaurants — Karma Road and Mountain Brauhaus -— are community supported agriculture, or CSA, members of the Brook Farm Project, strengthening the ties between local restaurants and local agriculture. Brook Farm Project is a 70-acre nonprofit CSA farm on the grounds of […]
cool alternative currency scheme
The Clemson University Student Organic Farm would like to extend to you an opportunity to participate in a new program we have developed. We are calling it the Student Organic Farm Voucher Program. We are excited about this new voucher program, and we hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity. We cannot guarantee […]
amazing model
A tool box, or in their case a "bait box", for fisherman. NAMA (Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance) Bait Box