October 2009 Archives

Heads up to fans of Michael Pollan: PBS has created a documentary based on his book The Botany of Desire. It airs tonight on PBS, at 7pm on APTV (Alabama Public) or WSRE (Pensacola).

Featuring Michael Pollan and based on his best-selling book, this special takes viewers on an eye-opening exploration of the human relationship with the plant world - seen from the plants' point of view. Narrated by Frances McDormand, the program shows how four familiar species - the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato - evolved to satisfy our yearnings for sweetness, beauty, intoxication and control.

You can watch previews and additional footage at the PBS Video Portal. Sometimes they also make the entire program available after it airs, but it isn't clear to me if that will be the case with this show.

The New York Times is publishing an excellent series about "the worsening pollution in America's waters and regulators' response," Toxic Waters. I listened to journalist Charles Duhigg on Fresh Air, and it's a fascinating and frightening interview. The bottom line is that there has simply not been enforcement of the regulations written to protect our water, with the result that pollution is rampant and goes unpunished. As with many things, it's a matter of sheer scale and violations getting lost in bureaucracy. Because of the explosion of chemical technology in the last thirty years, many substances are not even tested for, nor are the potential dangers fully known. As Duhigg says, ultimately water safety is a local issue, and it's up to us to demand clean, safe water in our communities.

You can download a copy of the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS) water quality report for 2008, and preceding years, at their web site.

The current Room for Debate column at the New York Times is Rethinking Laundry in the 21st Century, and explores the importance of changing our laundry habits in light of energy conservation. We've added a clothesline to our back yard and have found that it does make a noticeable difference in our electric bill. We have "balanced billing," and whereas usually our bill would go up in the summer, this year it actually stayed flat.

The latest digital edition of Orion reminded me that this Saturday is 350.org's International Day of Climate Action, a worldwide call to spur international cooperation on an effective climate change treaty.

If you're not familiar with the number 350, that's the number, in parts per million, that NASA scientist Dr. James Hansen proposed to be a "safe" level of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, in order to avoid runaway climate change. The science is explained on the 350.org web site. The goal of the organization is to create an international push for a climate change treaty that will aim to bring CO2 levels back down to 350. The next UN climate conference is coming up in Copenhagen in December, and 350.org is helping people worldwide stage and publicize events to demonstrate that there is broad public support for these goals.

There are two events scheduled for Saturday in Fairhope (concerts), so you might want to check those out at the web site if you're able to attend.

WHAT: Local Food Production Initiative general membership meeting
WHEN: Monday, October 19 at 6:30pm
WHERE: Windmill Market, 85 North Bancroft Street at the corner of Equality Street, in Fairhope

TOPIC: Architects Mac and Gina Walcott, designers and owners of the Windmill Market, will present “An Overview of the Green Ideas and Community Garden at Windmill Market.” Everyone is welcome.

There will also be an update on progress made so far in establishing a community garden and a youth garden in Fairhope. For additional information contact Elaine Snyder-Conn at 251.990.4751 or Ed Lawrence at edfairhope@bellsouth.net.

I've been disturbed to note that in the last week I have twice seen the hammerhead flatworm, a land planarian which parasitizes earthworms. It's an invasive species, originally from southeast Asia. The first one I found was actually in the process of parasitizing an earthworm, and I had to look it up online to figure out what it was (photos here). I hope this doesn't mean that I suddenly have an invasion of these things. My garden has enough problems already! According to the article I found, the only way to destroy them is by direct application of salt, vinegar, or citrus oil. Parasites are definitely on my top five list of things that give me the heebie-jeebies. Yuck.

WHAT: Mobile Botanical Gardens Fall Plant Sale
WHEN: Thursday, October 15, 4-8pm; Friday and Saturday, October 16-17, 9am-4pm; Sunday, October 18, 11am-4pm
WHERE: Mobile Botanical Gardens, 5151 Museum Drive, Mobile AL
COST: $20 for the opening night party and sale on Thursday; all subsequent days are free

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Gardeners of all sorts - including kitchen gardeners - will want to visit the Mobile Botanical Gardens' Fall Plant Sale. The opening night party includes food and drinks, as well as a chance to be first to get your hands on all those plants. The sale continues with free admission Friday through Sunday. More information and a plant list (pending availability) is at the Botanical Gardens web site.

Edibles include vegetables and herbs, fruit and nut trees, bananas, berries, and grapes. I was volunteering there today and they had lots of blueberries. You'll find varieties you can't get elsewhere, and plants selected specifically for their suitability to this region.

Even if you don't go to buy, or to buy very much, it's great fun to just stroll the grounds and look at the wonderful variety of plants. I love watching the butterflies flit around the impromptu flower garden that's been set up on the tables, and after last night's rain there were frogs singing while we worked. For best selection you'll want to go early; the herbs and vegetables sell out quickly.

With a little planning, and the luck of some new foods in the local market, as well as better availability of some products this year, I think we have greater variety in our diet this time around. Our menu in the past week has included:

Omelettes with Market Tomatoes, Sweet Home Farm Cheese, and Fresh Herbs on a bed of Arugula; Shrimp Stock Risotto; Grilled Vegetables and Shrimp; Simple Ratatouille; Skirt Steak Fajitas with Irvington Cattle Company Beef, Market Vegetables, and Rice; Corn and Lima Bean Ragout; Beef Stir Fry; and tonight's meal, Shrimp PoBoys on Whole Wheat Baguettes, Fried Okra, and Sauteed Peppers and Onions. Occasionally I enjoy a bottle of Southern Pecan beer, from Lazy Magnolia brewery in Kiln, MS.

There's only one problem with fried okra. Well, make that two problems. First, like frying anything, it's a pain, which always dissuades me from wanting to make it; and second, it's so good there's never enough.

Here is our rice, which I ordered from Falcon Rice Mill in Crowley Louisiana. It may not be within my radius, but at least it's from a neighboring state.

Here are my market purchases from week two:

Clockwise, from back left: tomatoes, eggplant, sweet potatoes (orange and white), lima beans (also known as butter beans), yellow squash, red bell peppers, chevre, satsumas, and cucumbers (center). The satsumas have been great this year, and earlier than last year. My daughter ate about six of them within the first 24 hours.

Competition was fierce at last week's market. I began marketing at 8:05, only to watch as the last carton of eggs was sold to the previous customer, and all the green onions too. I must resolve to get there earlier this week.

Thanks to my brother-in-law for this link to video of architect and author Carolyn Steel (Hungry City) speaking at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference, July 2009. In this 18-minute talk she gives an overview of the historical relationship between cities and agriculture and the changes technology has wrought. She says, "We live in a world shaped by food and that if we realize that we can use food as a really powerful tool - conceptual tool, design tool - to shape the world differently."

From Culinate comes this handy list of sustainable food resources online where you can learn more about your food. Included are many that I read and reference regularly, and some I'll be adding to the rolls. Here's the list only (the article explains what resources you can find, and gives some additional links):

• The American Farmland Trust
• The Ethicurean
• Food coverage from Grist
• Eat Well Guide
• Journalist Samuel Fromartz's Chews Wise
• Nutrition expert Marion Nestle's Food Politics
• Slow Food USA, its blog, and a related blog that grew out of last year's Slow Food Nation event, Civil Eats
• Barry Estabrook's column Politics of the Plate at Gourmet.com
• The dining section of various newspapers, including The New York Times, The Oregonian, The Washington Post, and The San Francisco Chronicle
• Parke Wilde's U.S. Food Policy

October has been a busy month so far for the USDA, with pleasing results for sustainable agriculture advocates.

The organization has launched the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food program, "'which centers on building buzz around local and regional food systems and "spurring economic opportunity'" (read more at Samuel Fromartz's Chews Wise). "In the months to come, cross-cutting efforts at USDA will seek to use existing USDA programs to break down structural barriers that have inhibited local food systems from thriving," including, as Fromartz summarizes,

loosening rules on interstate meat commerce, to help smaller processors, and making grants on rural economic initiatives, making it easier for institutions like schools to buy locally, offering grants to improve community food security, [and] emphasizing direct marketing, with the launch of the White House farmers' market, and farmers' markets grants on Thursday.

Slow Food USA has more on the new initiatives.

Fromartz also discusses the raft of grants available to farmers, non-profits, and other members of local and small regional food systems, and provides a roundup of reactions from local food advocates.

There's another blurb and a couple of links on the USDA's grant initiatives on the NYTimes Bitten blog.

At the beginning of October, the National Organic Program's new Deputy Administrator began work; he's Miles McEvoy, who (among other things) led the Washington State Department of Agriculture's (WSDA) Organic Food Program for 20 years.

The White House Farmers Market launched last Thursday, October 1 to much fanfare.

The fall farmers market at Cathedral Square opened last weekend.

WHERE & WHEN

Market on the Square
Cathedral Square in downtown Mobile
Saturdays, 8am - 12:00pm
October 3 - November 21? (I'm not sure about the end date)

PRODUCTS

Seasonally available produce such as tomatoes, eggplant, turnip greens, sweet potatoes, satsumas, peppers, pecans, honey, seafood; flowers, plants; baked goods; and crafts.

Here is what $40 will buy you, below (clockwise from back left: blueberry jelly, eggplant, tomatoes, satsumas, pecans, eggs, okra, turnips, yellow squash, red bell peppers, persimmons, goat cheese, Muscadine grapes, and sweet potatoes [center])

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

These markets are producer-only markets, meaning that the vendors must personally grow or produce the items that they sell. Resale of items purchased by the vendor is not allowed.

The markets participate in the state's Farmers Market Nutrition Programs, which distribute coupons to low-income senior citizens, women, and children. Visit the program web site for more information and eligibility requirements. NEW this year: vouchers for seniors will be applicable to honey.

Web site: City of Mobile Neighborhood and Community Services

At Culinate, links to three articles about overfishing and aquaculture.

Slow Food USA is extending their pay what you can afford program until October 15. One donor offered to match any additional dollars they can raise during this period.

NON-MEMBER SURCHARGE SUSPENDED THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR

Beginning September 1st, Ever'man will be suspending the 15% nonmember surcharge through the end of the year. This 120-day trial period allows the customer to learn about the benefits of membership rathsion at the register.

OCTOBER IS National Co-op month

BREAD BASKET PROGRAM

"We selected the top selling items in basic categories and drastically reduced our margins which in turn lowered the prices. [This program was]...developed to support our customer's basic nutritional needs. Look for a 'basket' tag located next to the items below that are guaranteed to be at a price that's easy on the budget."

Alvarado Street Organic Whole Wheat Bread
Organic Valley Organic Cheddar Cheese
Bulk Organic Kidney Beans
Knudsen Unfiltered Organic Apple Juice
7th Generation Baby Diapers
Organic Valley Organic Milk
Organic Baby, Healthy Times, & Earth's Best jarred baby food
Bulk Organic Medium Brown Rice

My brother-in-law sent me this link to a piece in The New Republic by Daniel Pauly, a marine ecologist who questions the current definition of any sustainable fishery, comparing the "management" of fisheries to this point in history to a Madoff-like Ponzi scheme. He writes, "eating a tuna roll at a sushi restaurant should be considered no more environmentally benign than driving a Hummer or harpooning a manatee," and dismisses the consumer eating guides distributed by organizations such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium as useless because they are frequently contradictory, and that consumer pressure on retail is essentially only lateral...the fisheries themselves feel no consequences. He believes the only real change can come from government regulation. Sobering and thought-provoking.

In the New York Times this week, there's a sobering article about the risks of eating ground beef, or in other words, the failure of our food safety system. At the Times' Well blog, there's also a list of the top ten common food poisoning risks. The safest ground beef would be made from whole cuts of meat from a single source, in contrast to what often makes up commercially prepared ground beef: a mixture of low grade cuts, trimmings, and filler from multiple locations, even trimmings treated with ammonia to kill bacteria.

While facilities will vary, it's arguable that it's much easier to keep an eye on food safety issues at smaller facilities that move at a slower pace, making another point in the case for eating locally produced meat processed at small local facilities. For some insight into the workings of a small scale slaughterhouse, see this guest post at Samuel Fromartz's Chews Wise (yes, it's frank).

My husband rolled his eyes and sighed the sigh of great suffering when I announced October had come again, no doubt remembering our Long Month of Sweet Potatoes from 2008. However, I've changed some exemptions this year and am trying to be more flexible, particularly while we're still scrambling to get certain of our local foods. Although some people might find a month of eating locally - in our area - to be too restrictive, I consider it an exercise in creativity. Admittedly it's a stunt, but I find its value to be in reminding me to eat seasonally, and to expand my horizons from my habitual foods. It's also an opportunity to make use of one of my recent birthday gifts, a copy of Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. I am not vegetarian (and neither is Bittman), but it's a wonderful resource for cooking meatless meals. Our menu so far has included fare like:

Sliced Tomatoes and Sweet Home Farm Swiss on Whole Wheat Bread; Caulifower* Roman Style with Marinated Fresh Tomatoes on Whole Wheat Bread and Chickpea* Hummus; Market Vegetable Stir Fry over Rice

10/4 LUNCH: Fried Egg on Whole Wheat Bread* and Baked Indiana Apples*; DINNER: Market Vegetable Soft Tacos with Eggplant, Tomatoes, Red Bell Pepper, Onion*, and Garlic on Corn Tortillas*, and Rice

10/5 LUNCH: Whole Wheat Bread* with Henrietta's Chevre and Fresh Herbs, and a Satsuma; DINNER: Market Vegetable Saute of Red Bell Peppers, Yellow Squash, and Onion*, Whole Wheat Boule*, White Beans*, and Sweet Home Farm's Jubilee Cheese

• Items are on the exemptions list, either as exemptions or in the form of gifts. All bread is homemade.