Joe Dressner, the revered wine importer and veritable poster child for the “natural wine” movement in the United States, passed away recently, bringing a wash of sadness over the wine world, but also inciting a flurry of pointed discussions centered around natural wine—including what that designation really means, and whether natural wines actually taste better than “un-natural” or commercially produced wines.

I’m an ardent proponent of natural wines not because of the philosophical or environmental connotations that they carry, but because of what’s in the bottle. It’s as simple as that. Mr. Dressner was of the same persuasion.

Gimmicks and shticks are good for marketing, but in the end, the juice in the bottle speaks louder than any sort of larger validation. So what sets natural wines apart from their commercial or “un-natural” counterparts and what makes them taste better—or, shall we say—taste more interesting?

For starters, natural wines are made without pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, added sugars, artificial acids or commercial yeasts. Many natural wines are also bottled without shelf-life-prolonging sulfites and with very little or no oak at all. These are “hands-off” wines, wines that reveal their soul as directly as possible without being covered up by other stuff. These are what the wine geeks call terroir wines—made with as little human, chemical or technological intervention as possible in order to let the land and the fruit speak for themselves. Brilliant!

So let’s establish some basic definitions. Here’s a look at the differences between natural, organic and biodynamic wine.

Natural Wine

There is no formal certification body for natural wine and the term has no legal definition, but producers of natural wine say that the grapes used in natural winemaking should be grown either organically or biodynamically, and that they should be hand-harvested as opposed to machine-harvested.

Natural wines are fermented with native or wild yeasts that grow on the skins of grapes rather than commercially produced foreign yeasts, in keeping with the theory that the less you add to the wine, the better and more authentic it will taste. In addition, natural wines are typically unrefined and unfiltered, which may leave the wine a bit cloudy in appearance, and can contribute complexity to the wine’s mouthfeel or texture. Finally, natural winemaking prohibits the use of added sugar or acids to adjust a wine’s flavor profile or to correct a wine that was grown in less than optimal climatic conditions.

Organic Wine

Simply put, wines that are certified organic are made with grapes grown without the use of industrial pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or chemical fertilizers and are bottled without the use of added chemical preservatives or stabilizers such as sulfites.

It’s important to note, though, that sulfites are also a naturally occurring byproduct of the fermentation process, so most wines contain a minute trace of natural sulfites. There are wineries, however, that produce wines that contain zero parts per million of detectable sulfites and those can be considered sulfite-free by federal standards. Sulfites are permissible in wines that are certified organic as long as the total level is less than 10 parts per million.

There’s a separate category of wines made with organically grown grapes that do include the use of added sulfites in the bottling process (to ensure the wine’s longevity and prolong the wine’s shelf life). Such wines cannot be certified organic, but often include a disclaimer on the label that states that the grapes were grown organically.

Biodynamic Wine

Biodynamics goes beyond the exclusion of chemical sprays and artificial preservatives seen in organic production and takes an extremely holistic and sustainable approach to growing grapes. According to Rudolf Steiner, the founding father of biodynamics, the success of a vineyard depends on the interrelationship between the soil, plants, animals and other organisms on a farm. The grapes themselves are not necessarily front and center and don’t take precedence over the other components of a farm. By establishing this interdependency between the various elements on a farm, the farm becomes self-nourishing and self-contained, making foreign chemicals and artificial additives pretty much unnecessary.

Biodynamic agriculture relies on the use of natural composts, mineral “preparations,” and animal manure to nurture the vines, as opposed to using commercial fertilizers. Practitioners of biodynamic winemaking bury manure-filled cows’ horns among the vineyards and plant the vines according to the phases of the moon, in keeping with the astronomical calendar. Pretty wild!

…Read more, including what wines are organic/biodynamic/natural, at Menuism Blog.

Press Release (from March 28, 2012)

File Appeal in OSGATA vs. Monsanto

Battle over Farmers’ Rights Against Monsanto Continues to Brew

NEW YORK – March 28, 2012 – Today, in Federal District Court in Manhattan, family farmers filed their Notice of Appeal to Judge Naomi Buchwald’s February 24th ruling dismissing Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association et al v. Monsanto. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit will hear the farmers’ appeal, seeking to reinstate the case, which has received worldwide attention. The farmers are determined to move forward with their lawsuit challenging Monsanto’s patents on genetically engineered seed technologies in order to continue their pursuit of Declaratory Judgment Act court protection from Monsanto’s claims of patent infringement should their crops become contaminated by Monsanto’s seed.

“Farmers have the right to protect themselves from being falsely accused of patent infringement by Monsanto before they are contaminated by Monsanto’s transgenic seed,” said Dan Ravicher, Executive Director of the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT), a not-for-profit legal services organization based at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law that represents the plaintiffs. “Judge Buchwald erred by denying plaintiffs that right and they have now initiated the process of having her decision reversed.”

The original complaint in OSGATA et al v. Monsanto was filed on March 29, 2011. In July, Monsanto filed a motion to dismiss. Plaintiff lawyers at PUBPAT then filed a rebuttal brief on August 11, 2011. Judge Buchwald called for oral argument on the motion to dismiss, which was held in Manhattan on January 31, 2012. The judge’s dismissal ruling was issued February 24th and plaintiffs were given thirty days in which to file their Notice of Appeal.

“Farmers are under threat. Our right to farm the way we choose, and to grow pure organic seed and healthy food on our farms for our families and for our customers is under assault,” said Maine organic seed farmer Jim Gerritsen, President of lead Appellant OSGATA. “We are honor-bound to challenge an erroneous ruling which denies family farmers the protection the law says we deserve. We’re not asking for one penny from Monsanto. Ultimately, our fight is for justice and is waged to defend the right of the people to have access to good and safe food.”

The Plaintiff/Appellant group is comprised of individual family farmers, small and family-owned seed companies and agricultural organizations. They are all organic or committed to farming without using genetically engineered seeds, and have no desire to ever farm with Monsanto’s patented GMO technology. However, they are fearful that Monsanto seed will trespass onto their farms and that the resulting contamination of their crops will be viewed by Monsanto as illegal ‘possession’ resulting in patent infringement allegations. Monsanto’s harassment of family farmers is well known in farm country, the biotech seed and chemical giant has one of the most aggressive patent assertion agendas in U.S. history. Between 1997 and 2010, Monsanto admits to filing 144 lawsuits against America’s family farmers, while settling another 700 cases out of court for undisclosed amounts and imposing gag orders on farmers. The farmers’ fears were heightened when Monsanto refused to provide a legally binding covenant not to sue, signaling Monsanto’s intention to maintain their option to sue innocent family farmers in the future.

“America’s farmers deserve to be protected under the law from the unwanted genetic contamination of their crops by Monsanto’s flawed genetically engineered seed technology,” said David Murphy, founder and Executive Director of Food Democracy Now!, an Iowa-based national advocacy organization of more than 300,000 members. “These farmers have no desire to use Monsanto’s GMO seeds, yet they are forced into the untenable position of losing their right to farm in the manner in which they choose, face legal intimidation and the loss of economic livelihood, all because America’s legal system has failed to adequately protect them from the real threat of genetic trespass that is inherent as a result of Monsanto’s patented GMO seeds and the natural biological functions of cross pollination from wind, insects or animals.”

The Appellants in the suit represented by PUBPAT are: Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association; Organic Crop Improvement Association International, Inc. (OCIA); Food Democracy Now!; The Cornucopia Institute; Demeter Association, Inc.; Navdanya International; Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association; Northeast Organic Farming Association/Massachusetts Chapter, Inc.; Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont; Rural Vermont; Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association; Southeast Iowa Organic Association; Mendocino Organic Network (California); Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance; Canadian Organic Growers; Family Farmer Seed Cooperative; Sustainable Living Systems (Montana); Global Organic Alliance; Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund; Weston A. Price Foundation; Center for Food Safety; Beyond Pesticides; Northeast Organic Farming Association of Rhode Island; Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire; Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut; Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York; Western Organic Dairy Producers Alliance; Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (Wisconsin); Midwest Organic Dairy Producers Alliance; Florida Organic Growers; Peace River Organic Producers Association (Alberta and British Columbia); FEDCO Seeds, Inc. (Maine); Adaptive Seeds, LLC (Oregon); Sow True Seed (North Carolina); Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (Virginia); Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds (Saskatchewan); Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., LLC (Missouri); Comstock, Ferre & Co. LLC (Connecticut); Seedkeepers, LLC (California); Siskiyou Seeds (Oregon); Countryside Organics (Virginia); Cuatro Puertas (New Mexico); Seed We Need (Montana), Wild Garden Seed (Oregon); Alba Ranch (Kansas); Wild Plum Farm (Montana); Gratitude Gardens (Washington); Richard Everett Farm, LLC (Nebraska); Philadelphia Community Farm, Inc. (Wisconsin); Genesis Farm (New Jersey); Chispas Farms, LLC (New Mexico); Midheaven Farms (Minnesota); Koskan Farms (South Dakota); California Cloverleaf Farms; North Outback Farm (North Dakota); Taylor Farms, Inc. (Utah); Ron Gargasz Organic Farms (Pennsylvania); Abundant Acres (Missouri); T & D Willey Farms (California); Quinella Ranch (Saskatchewan); Nature’s Way Farm, Ltd. (Alberta); Levke and Peter Eggers Farm (Alberta); Frey Vineyards, Ltd. (California); Bryce Stephens (Kansas); Chuck Noble (South Dakota); LaRhea Pepper (Texas); Paul Romero (New Mexico); Donald Wright Patterson, Jr. (Virginia); Common Good Farm; LLC (Nebraska); American Buffalo Company (Nebraska; Full Moon Farm, Inc. (Vermont); Radiance Dairy (Iowa); Brian L. Wickert (Wisconsin); Bruce Drinkman (Wisconsin); and Murray Bast (Ontario).

 ***

About OSGATA: The Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association is a not-for-profit agricultural organization made up of organic farmers, seed growers, seed businesses and supporters. OSGATA is committed to developing and protecting organic seed and it’s growers in order to ensure the organic community has access to excellent quality organic seed free of contaminants and adapted to the diverse needs of local organic agriculture. www.osgata.org

Joe and Debbie Thomas began as a teacher and marketing executive, respectively. But today, they run a ten-acre organic farm in the east hills of Paso Robles, California. With more than 900 fruit and nut trees, a vineyard of Italian varietals, and beds of specialty greens, garlic, tomatoes and herbs, they began a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, sharing baskets of fresh produce weekly with their neighbors. A few years later, they opened Thomas Hill Organics, a market bistro and wine bar, where they serve seasonal, organic produce from the farm, wines from the Central Coast, and locally-sourced beef, poultry, and fish. As part of California Restaurant Month, I spoke with Debbie Thomas by phone about organic farming, eating local, and the challenges of running a farm, CSA, and restaurant all at once.

Neither you nor your husband come from a farming family. So how did the farm begin?

We both lived in Pasadena. I was commuting from Pasadena to west LA every day, and eventually, it kind of wears on you. We had been up to Paso Robles several times, and we loved it here. It’s just beautiful—rolling hills, like you’re in Italy, in the Tuscany area.

And finally one day, we just said, you know what, let’s just move! Well, actually, we said, let’s look for property. So we started looking for property, and we found a cute little house on top of a hill, located on ten acres… not that we were looking for ten acres. But the view was just breathtaking. So we said, all right, let’s buy it. We bought the house, but we knew we couldn’t move up there right away. Then I had an opportunity with Adidas to move up here and take over the Northern California region. So my husband said, all right, I’ll move…if I can farm. He’s always been into organics, and everything has to be fresh and local and that sort of thing. So we moved up here, he started planting away, and 900 fruit and nut trees later, we’re certified organic, and… that’s really how it happened.

You make it sound so easy. But there had to be growing pains. How did you transition into the farm life?

It’s so rewarding, but it’s one of those things… it’s back-breaking. Especially if you’re organic. We can’t use any sprays or pesticides or anything harmful. We can’t try to poison gophers, or any of that. It’s all hand labor. We had to build these wire baskets to put in the ground before we put the trees in… so we had to build 900 wire baskets. And then you have to hand-weed in the baskets. So it’s definitely a lot of work. But it’s so rewarding: when you pick fruit off the tree, and there’s no pesticides and nothing has been sprayed on them, it’s quite a treat. It really is. You just can’t go back.

It’s obviously important that you keep your farm organic. What do you wish everyone knew about organic produce?

It’s just that there’s nothing harmful on it. It’s good for you. Just the thought of the pesticides, and the poisons, and everything they spray… you’re eating that, you’re putting that in your body. With organic, you feel so much better, and people tell us you can really taste the difference. We don’t have children, but if I had children I wouldn’t want any of those pesticides or chemicals in them.

How did the farm evolve into the market bistro?

We started out doing a community-supported agriculture program, whereby all of our neighbors and friends would get a basket of what we were growing weekly. But it just got to be too much that we had. One of our neighbors mentioned, why don’t you open a restaurant? Now, my background is sales and marketing. So neither one of us had either been a farmer or a restaurateur. But silly me, I was like, how hard can it be? We love good food, we love good wine, you know it’s one of those things… we plan vacations around that. So we found this charming spot. We looked at it. Then, in the meantime, one of my major accounts for Adidas was talking about going bankrupt. And we started looking seriously at what we were going to do if this account closes. And it did. We had to kind of jump on it. Within two weeks we made a decision: We were opening the restaurant. And that’s what happened. We’ve been open three years now. We have an amazing chef; she loves to work with fresh produce and we do natural meats, and everything just tastes phenomenal, and people are really, really responding.

…Read more at Menuism Blog

Press Release: Ridicules Farmers’ Right to Grow Food Without Fear, Contamination and Economic Harm

On February 24, Judge Naomi Buchwald handed down her ruling on a motion to dismiss in the case of Organic Seed Growers and Trade Assn et al v. Monsanto after hearing oral argument on January 31st in Federal District Court in Manhattan. Her ruling to dismiss the case brought against Monsanto on behalf of organic farmers, seed growers and agricultural organizations representing farmers and citizens was met with great disappointment by the plaintiffs.

Plaintiff lead attorney Daniel Ravicher said, “While I have great respect for Judge Buchwald, her decision to deny farmers the right to seek legal protection from one of the world’s foremost patent bullies is gravely disappointing. Her belief that farmers are acting unreasonable when they stop growing certain crops to avoid being sued by Monsanto for patent infringement should their crops become contaminated maligns the intelligence and integrity of those farmers. Her failure to address the purpose of the Declaratory Judgment Act and her characterization of binding Supreme Court precedent that supports the farmers’ standing as ‘wholly inapposite’ constitute legal error. In sum, her opinion is flawed on both the facts and the law. Thankfully, the plaintiffs have the right to appeal to the Court of Appeals, which will review the matter without deference to her findings.”

Monsanto’s history of aggressive investigations and lawsuits brought against farmers in America have been a source of concern for organic and non-GMO farmers since Monsanto’s first lawsuit brought against a farmer in the mid-90′s. Since then, 144 farmers have had lawsuits brought against them by Monsanto for alleged violations of their patented seed technology. Monsanto has brought charges against more than 700 additional farmers who have settled out-of-court rather than face Monsanto’s belligerent litigious actions. Many of these farmers claim to not have had the intention to grow or save seeds that contain Monsanto’s patented genes. Seed drift and pollen drift from genetically engineered crops often contaminate neighboring fields. If Monsanto’s seed technology is found on a farmer’s land without contract they can be found liable for patent infringement.

“Family farmers need the protection of the court,” said Maine organic seed farmer Jim Gerritsen, President of lead plaintiff OSGATA. “We reject as naïve and undefendable the judge’s assertion that Monsanto’s vague public relations ‘commitment’ should be ‘a source of comfort’ to plaintiffs. The truth is we are under threat and we do not believe Monsanto. The truth is that American farmers and the American people do not believe Monsanto. Family farmers deserve our day in court and this flawed ruling will not deter us from continuing to seek justice.”

The plaintiffs brought this suit against Monsanto to seek judicial protection from such lawsuits and challenge the validity of Monsanto’s patents on seeds.

“As a citizen and property owner, I find the Order by the Federal Court to be obsequious to Monsanto,” said plaintiff organic farmer Bryce Stephens of Kansas. “The careless, inattentive, thoughtless and negligent advertisement Monsanto has published on their website to not exercise its patent rights for inadvertent trace contamination belies the fact that their policy is in reality a presumptuous admission of contamination by their vaunted product on my property, plants, seeds and animals.”

“Seeds are the memory of life,” said Isaura Anduluz of plaintiff Cuatro Puertas and the Arid Crop Seed Cache in New Mexico. “If planted and saved annually, cross pollination ensures the seeds continue to adapt. In the Southwest, selection over many, many generations has resulted in native drought tolerant corn. Now that a patented drought tolerant corn has been released how do we protect our seeds from contamination and our right to farm?”

A copy of Judge Buchwalds ruling is located here.

***

About OSGATA: The Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association is a not-for-profit agricultural organization made up of organic farmers, seed growers, seed businesses and supporters. OSGATA is committed to developing and protecting organic seed and it’s growers in order to ensure the organic community has access to excellent quality organic seed free of contaminants and adapted to the diverse needs of local organic agriculture. www.osgata.org

Press Release: 

Citizens Urged to Sign Petition of Support for Family Farmers

Supporters Urged to Attend Citizens Assembly on January 31

New York, New York – January, 16 2012 -  We wish to assemble free and peaceful citizens outside the Manhattan District court in an effort to present the important message to family farmers that millions of Americans stand behind them as they seek their day in court. In the past two decades, Monsanto’s seed monopoly has grown so powerful that they control the genetics of nearly 90% of five major commodity crops including corn, soybeans, cotton, canola and sugar beets. This has resulted in onerous costs to farmers through high technology patent fees for seeds as well as burdensome litigation costs in defending themselves against lawsuits asserted by Monsanto.

In many cases organic and conventional farmers are forced to stop growing certain crops in order to avoid genetic contamination and potential lawsuits. Between 1997 and April 2010, Monsanto filed 144 lawsuits against American farmers in at least 27 different states, for alleged infringement of its transgenic seed patents and/or breach of its license to those patents, while settling another 700 out of court for undisclosed amounts. As a result of these aggressive lawsuits, Monsanto has created an atmosphere of fear in rural America and driven dozens of farmers into bankruptcy.

The lawsuit OSGATA (Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association) et al vs. Monsanto was filed on behalf of 300,000 organic and non-GMO farmers and citizens to seek judicial relief in “protect[ing] themselves from ever being accused of infringing patents on transgenic (GMO) seed”. The judge has requested and agreed to hear oral argument in order to make a decision of whether or not to allow the farmers’ case to move forward in the courts after Monsanto filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

“We are family farmers and we are headed to court in New York City on January 31 to let the judge know that our survival as farmers depends on this lawsuit. We’re not asking Monsanto for one penny. We just want justice for our farmers and we want court protection from Monsanto.”

- Jim Gerritsen, OSGATA President and Wood Prairie Farm, ME

“I don’t think it’s fair that Monsanto should be able to sue my family for patent infringement because their transgenic seed trespasses onto our farm and contaminates and ruins our organic crop. We have had to abandon raising corn because we are afraid Monsanto wouldn’t control their genetic pollution and then they would come after us for patent infringment.  It’s not right.”

- Bryce Stephens, Stephen’s Land and Cattle Co.- Jennnings, KS

We are encouraging supporters of farmers’ rights to grow food without fear and intimidation to assemble outside the courtroom in a peaceful manner to support the farmers in their claims, recognizing that these injustices affect us all and that this case is deserving of the court’s time and attention on January 31, 2012.

Due to limited space, only a small number of individuals will be able to enter the courtroom and listen to the proceedings. We respectfully ask that farmers and plaintiffs in the case be given priority to hear this case in person as each plaintiff has traveled many miles and put a great deal on the line to be a part of this case.

In the spirit of peaceful assembly and respect for the courts, we request that you adhere to the following principles:

Principles for Citizens’ Assembly

1. Assemble outside the court in a show of support for family farmers and their right to grow food without the threat of intimidation, harassment or loss of income.
2. Assemble peacefully to present a positive message that America’s citizens stand behind family farmers and support their rights of legal protection under the Constitution.
3. Bring signs that portray messages of:
   • Hope
   • The positive impacts of sustainable and organic agriculture
   • Solutions to our current crisis in food, agriculture and society
   • Support for farmers who seek justice in the courts
4. Be respectful of court security requests and follow them faithfully.
5. Maintain a respectful distance from the court entry on Pearl Street, making sure not to block access for foot traffic or vehicles.
6. Maintain a tone of respect for the court and the sanctity of our legal process as the judge hears the merits of this important case.
7. Cell phones, cameras and tape recorders are prohibited inside the courthouse. Those who enter the courthouse must conform to court security protocols.
8. No signs, t-shirts with slogans or other disruptions, visual or otherwise, are appropriate or allowed in the courtroom.
9. No chanting or loud noises allowed outside the courthouse as all must maintain their conduct in ways that are respectful to the judicial process and in accordance with the seriousness of the case.
10. Please follow the instructions of designated assembly captains who will continue to update you as the events of the day unfold.

As advocates for farmers and supporters of a citizen-based democracy we greatly appreciate your support for family farmers and your agreement to act in accordance with these principles in order to guarantee farmers’ rights to grow food without fear and intimidation.

Location to Hear Plaintiffs and Attorney Comment After Hearing

Once oral arguments are heard in the court, farmers, plaintiffs and lead attorney Dan Ravicher of the Public Patent Foundation will be available for comments to supporters and the media, at the Southwest Corner on 500 Pearl Street, at Pearl Street and Cardinal Hayes Place.

For those planning on assembling at 9 am, Pearl Street has been recommended to gather respectfully and overflow can gather at Foley Square.

Link to Google Map http://bit.ly/NyDistrictCtPearlSt 

*If link does not work, Google: 45 Cardinal Hayes Place, New York, NY for location of assembly, which is the intersection of Pearl Street and Cardinal Hayes Place.

Click here to RSVP to attend the Citizen’s Assembly.

Click Here to Sign Our Petition Supporting Our Farmers 

About OSGATA: The Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association is a not-for-profit agricultural organization made up of organic farmers, seed growers, seed businesses and supporters. OSGATA is committed to developing and protecting organic seed and it’s growers in order to ensure the organic community has access to excellent quality organic seed free of contaminants and adapted to the diverse needs of local organic agriculture. www.osgata.org

Captain Richard Cook of The Local Catch with a Mahi Mahi

When I go to the farmers market, I expect to see lots of vegetables and some meat, and maybe some dairy or speciality items at the bigger ones.

As the local food scene has picked up momentum, though, I’ve started seeing some pretty interesting local food options. I thought I’d seen everything: a brick oven pizza stand, gastronomic cookies with flavors like black pepper, a grain supplier, and even a local wool seller. The Westport, CT market has become a one-stop shop rivaling the grocery stores, but all local.

But when I walked into the Westport Farmers Market this past November, however, I was taken by surprise to see a fishmonger selling locally caught seafood. I was interested to learn more about their story. After all, I’ve managed to get almost my entire diet locally, but the way seafood is normally handled makes it especially difficult to source locally, even for those living near a coastline.

Homegrown Fish

Local and seafood are not words that most people associate in their heads. Normally, fishing boats sell their catch to wholesalers, who then transport it to big auction sites, where it gets redistributed all across the world. Often, it ends up right back where it started, but much worse for wear in terms of freshness and quality. Obviously, this is ridiculous, but like so many practices in the food industry, it is designed to make as much money for the middlemen as possible.

There are viable fisheries near the New England shoreline, however, right next to the people that would be happy to buy fish.

Captain Richard Cook, founder of The Local Catch, saw a need for local seafood distribution and sought to fill it by providing a way to sell his catch to buyers in nearby states, close to where he caught it in the first place. The Local Catch provides a market for other Rhode Island fisherman as well, so they are trailblazing a whole new take on seafood: “While we at The Local Catch cannot significantly alter the amount of fuel needed to catch and land a fish, we can reduce the amount of fuel that is spent getting the fish to market – by marketing our catch locally, instead of selling it to wholesalers who ship it to other states and countries.”

Not Just Farming in Water

The logistics of a fishing operation are very different from those of a farm. For example, Sarah Shumann, an employee of The Local Catch, told me, “[We] Have to maintain a variety for the customers, or else we can’t make a go of it.” To solve this dilemma, Local Catch is actually a little like a fisherman’s co-op, bringing together catches from a number of boats along the East Coast.

Locally Caught Lobster

The Local Catch’s boat, the Sandra Lynn, generally doesn’t have the time to range very far for their fish, so they actually fish just off shore of Rhode Island, bringing in “lobster, crabs, flounder, striped bass, seabass, scup, tautog, and whatever happens to be in season.” They work with a variety of other boats to ensure a good variety for their customers. Captain Dean of the Oceana provides cod, monkifish, and bluefish; Captain Brian of the Ashley Ann provides, lobsters and crabs; Captain James of the James and Matthew provides groundfish, scallops, and squid; Captain Troy of the Debbie Sue and Captain Steve of the Margaret Holly provide squid, John Dory, swordfish, and lobsters. Partnerships with Salt Pond Oysters and Ocean State Shellfish Co-op help them provide oysters and clams, rounding out their selection far beyond what you’d expect from a single boat.

Of course, one of reasons most people eat local is the sustainability aspect, so how sustainable is local fishing compared to the conventional sources? Here again, fishing is a very different animal from land farming. explained that, “sustainability is determined by councils at the state level or the federal level.” There are strict limits placed on how many fish you can bring in, the kind of equipment you can use, and the areas you can go. The fishing boat has much less flexibility than the farmer. They just bring in what they can catch, as long as its within stewardship laws (for more information on the kinds and origins of fish you can buy to promote sustainable fishing, check out the Marine Stewardship Council’s website). That said, buying from local operations means that fuel usage is minimized and your are guaranteed the freshest possible seafood. Buying local also keeps business local, which is another good reason to buy local.

The Dying Fish Markets

When the Markets Fail, TLC delivers

Sarah noted that, for some reason, a lot of small fish markets have been folding in recent years. The Local Catch does the majority of their business in Providence, but noticed that the only place to get really good seafood was Whole Foods, and that was not necessarily local. “We saw this opening for local seafood and went for it.”

I, for one, am glad they did. I love seafood, and when I went local, it was the one thing I could never find at the market.

The Local Catch actually models themselves on many other local food providers: in addition to their market stalls and their direct relationship with restaurants, they even have a community-supported fishery (CSF) program where you can subscribe to receive fish shares, just like a CSA.

Of course, if you live any distance from a coast, you’re out of luck, but then again, going local meant giving up California strawberries, too (except for you lucky Californians), so that’s just par for the course for locavores. You eat what your land can provide, and are rewarded with fresher, tastier, more nutritious food that doesn’t leave a carbon footprint the size of a semi-truck.

Or, if you’re close enough, you eat what your ocean can provide, too.

To learn more abou The Local Catch, check out their website, or stop by one of the markets where they have a stall.

Reposted from 

In early December, my family spent a wonderful weekend in Charleston, South Carolina, a delightful culinary road trip that was a feast to our senses.

On Friday evening, after exploring the French Quarter neighborhood, we headed to Bowens Island Restaurant. Located in the marshlands, Bowens Island Restaurant serves the freshest seafood in Charleston. The oysters, shrimp, fish, and crabs that make up the menu are sourced from the river and creeks that surround the island. You can’t get more local than that! The highlight of the menu is all-you-can-eat oysters. Claiming a tray full of oysters involves a trip into the rickety, graffiti-covered basement where dinner is served by the resident oysterman, who shovels hot oysters out of a steaming vat and on to your waiting tray. Diners are offered buckets for tossing the oyster shells, which will then be recycled back into the underwater habitat for future generations of oysters.

On Saturday morning, we toured Boone Hall Plantation, first built in 1681. Re-established as a working farm in 1996, the plantation now operates a U-Pick farm, and grows strawberries, peaches, tomatoes, eggplants, grapes, and blueberries.

After touring the plantation house and property, we stopped by Boone Hall Farms for lunch. The market specializes in South Carolina produce, meats, and gourmet products. Items for sale include: tea from the Charleston Tea Plantation; Boone Hall produce, jams, and preserves; local seafood; and chicken from Ashley Farm.

That evening we headed to FIG for an early dinner. FIG (which stands for Food Is Good) is a local neighborhood restaurant in the heart of downtown Charleston. …

Read more at Charlotte Locavore.

Photo: Ha-Wee on flickr

The average wedding today is a monumental event, often costing tens of thousands of dollars. So it pretty much goes without saying that such a huge affair leaves a significant footprint both economically and ecologically. In recent years, many more couples have become more forward-thinking, taking into consideration the impact their lives have on the Earth. This thought process has led to a shift in wedding planning trends, incorporating more environmentally-friendly resources and using local, sustainable products.

An engaged couple has a seemingly never-ending list of things to do and choices to make when it comes to planning their perfect day. Having a green wedding helps to support local, small businesses while making a bold statement and helping to change the way people in your community think.

Keep your big day as socially responsible and eco-friendly as possible by having your wedding outdoors (if the climate and seasonal weather allow). Having an outdoor wedding eliminates the need for artificial lighting, generally saves money on venue costs, and reflects a couple’s love for nature. Chances are somewhere close to home holds a special place within your heart. If possible hold the ceremony and reception at the same location to cut down on car travel and rental costs. If you have a large number of friends and family members flying great distances, arrange for a shuttle or carpool.

Photo: ralph and jenny on flickr

One of the best and easiest ways to make your celebration a green one is to use environmentally-friendly, local wedding vendors. Decide what kind of cuisine you’d like and how you would like to serve it. It is often easier to go the buffet route rather than having a formal several course dinner. Search for local caterers that follow organic and sustainable business practices and try to choose dishes that incorporate local, in-season flavors. Be sure to ask what will be done with the leftover food after the reception. Some companies will donate leftovers to food pantries, while others compost instead.

Having a green wedding does not mean sparing indulgences. Whether you fancy delicious desserts or some top shelf scotch, remember it is your day after all. If possible, seek out local bakeries that use organic and fair-trade ingredients. Offer guests a unique mixed drink made with locally grown berries, citrus fruits, or herbs or some locally grown, organic wine. Forgo purchasing champagne for the toast and instead ask guests to toast using whatever they are already drinking.

Exotic flowers are often farmed using pesticides and are then packaged for travels across the world. Utilizing locally grown flowers will not only cut flower costs, but reduce the environmental impact as well. Provide wedding guests with a forever reminder of the great times they had at your wedding with a favor created from local products. Some great ideas I’ve seen include small glass pots filled with local honey, soy candles with dried herbs, and tree saplings.

Another way to let your green side show is by making a charitable donation instead of giving out wedding favors. Some couples take it a step further and calculate the carbon footprint made by each guest’s travels and then offsetting it through a donation to an organization that works to preserve wildlife and provide a greener world.

There are many ways in which a couple can incorporate environmentally-friendly practices into their wedding day and I’ve seen some great ideas in the past couple years. One fabulous (and exceedingly romantic) way to arrive at your ceremony is with a horse and carriage instead of a car. Reduce clutter when moving in together by inviting guests to take a gift instead of giving one. Having a green mindset does not mean one must go ‘all-out’, as each sustainable practice utilized is a step in the right direction.

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Andrea Boley is a writer with Storkie. She has been writing articles and blogging for the wedding industry over 10 years.

Photo: the yes man on flickr

Press Release: Judge to consider oral argument in lawsuit against Monsanto

NEW YORK – December 29, 2011 – In a development celebrated by the organic plaintiffs, Judge Naomi Buchwald announced yesterday that oral arguments on Monsanto’s motion to dismiss the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) et al v. Monsanto will be heard in federal district court January 31, 2012 in Manhattan. Judge Buchwald’s decision will establish if organic farmers are to see their day in court.

 The eighty-three family farmers, small and family owned seed businesses, and agricultural organizations comprising the organic plaintiff group represent over 300,000 individuals.  The landmark lawsuit, filed in March 2011, challenges the validity of Monsanto’s transgenic/GMO patents and seeks court protection for innocent family farmers who may become contaminated by Monsanto seed.

“We are grateful that Judge Buchwald has agreed to our request to hear oral argument on the motion,” said Jim Gerritsen, President of lead plaintiff OSGATA. “Last August we submitted our written rebuttal and it made clear that Monsanto’s motion was without merit. Our legal team, from the Public Patent Foundation, is looking forward to orally presenting our position.  The family farmers deserve their day in court. We are anxious that this case go to trial as soon as possible so that our innocent farmers may receive Court protection.”

OSGATA is a membership organization composed primarily of farmers and seed businesses. Their mission is to develop and protect the organic seed industry along with their growers. In an effort to raise funds, OSGATA has launched a “Farmers Travel Fund” enabling family farmers from the plaintiff group to attend the court proceedings and related events. See www.osgata.org.

Background information on the OSGATA v. Monsanto lawsuit may be found at www.osgata.org .

More information contact: press@osgata.org

About OSGATA: The Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association and lead plaintiff in this lawsuit is a not-for-profit agricultural organization that develops, protects, and promotes the organic seed trade and it’s growers, and assures that the organic community has access to excellent quality organic seed free of contaminants and adapted to the diverse needs of local organic agriculture. OSGATA’s membership is comprised of organic farmers, seed breeders, seed businesses, and affiliate organizations. www.osgata.org

Photo Credit: janoma.cl on Flickr

If you spend any time at all at farmers markets, you’ve probably noticed some people drooling over the grassfed meats, pastured eggs, and variety of vegetables but avoiding the local bakeries and dairies. You may have even seen them at the market in their workout clothes.

Who are these strange foodies, so enamored of their beef but unwilling to partake in the sweet joys of local apple pie?

They are Paleo-dieters, and they are becoming increasingly present in the local food movement, both as participants and supporters.

A (Very) Abridged History of the Paleo Diet

According to its supporters, the Paleo diet is older than recoreded history, since the point is to eat like paleolithic hunter gatherers, who ostensibly didn’t have access to cereal grains (not true) or dairy (probably true). Regardless of its historicity, Paleo definitely works to improve the health of everyone I’ve seen try it, so its basic tenets are valid.

The Paleo diet got its start with a book by Loren Cordain, The Paleo Diet, and has recently been touted for athletes by Rob Wolfe in his book, The Paleo Diet for Athletes. When it was adopted as the officially recommended diet of the intense functional fitness movement CrossFit, it gained a huge surge of momentum among people trying to lose weight or get in shape. The basic premise is that eating a diet like that of our paleolithic hunter-gatherer ancestors is the most appropriate for health and well-being, not to mention awesome athletic performance. CrossFit espouses paleo-eating as the best way to promote physical health, weight loss, and performance. Not all Paleo-dieters are CrossFitters, and not all CrossFitters follow a Paleo diet, but the overlap is significant.

But what does all this have to do with local food?

A surprisingly large amount actually. I actually got into local eating through my interest in Paleo, mainly because all the food qualities Paleo looks for are easiest to find in locally grown food. It is for this reason that we are starting to find more and more Paleo and CrossFit types in the local food scene.

I myself am both of those things: Paleo and CrossFit. I began my interest in local food looking for nutritionally dense vegetables and ethically raised meats in order to fuel my addiction to high intensity fitness and martial arts. I don’t believe it is the best diet for everyone, but it is the simplest and has proven itself effective for a range of goals, not the least of which has been consistent and rapid weight loss for many of the people I worked with as a trainer.

Principles of Paleo

So what is Paleo exactly?

It boils down to these simple rules: Eat lots of vegetables, plenty of meat, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar.

There are qualifications, and that’s where the local food connection comes in. In particular, meat needs to be as close to the wild ungulates our ancestors would have hunted, aka, grassfed and generally healthy and relaxed. In addition, vegetables are ideally in season and nutrient dense.

Where is the best place to find grassfed meats and in-season fruits and vegetables?

At a farmers market, of course!

Many in the Paleo movement are actively encouraging their peers to bump their devotion to healthy eating up a notch and start frequenting the market instead of the the Whole Foods for their grassfed meats. And we ought to welcome the attention and the support because Paleo-eating, as something you can do outside of a Whole Foods, is a touch more mainstream than local eating. Which means that support from them will help us locavores out a lot (they also like to buy meats, the most expensive local food item–a major boost for the local markets).

Many growing local food businesses are specifically targeting the Paleo community in their area as well, knowing that there is a strong demand for ethically raised, grassfed meat and nutritious veggies. Graze, who we interviewed a few month ago, is a good example, providing meals prepared according to Paleo principles.

What this means is that local food is no longer simply a community devoted to catering to those of us with really specific requirements about where our food comes from. Local has started to develop into its own market/economy/source of food, another tier of quality compared to the supermarkets and Organic. In the eyes of the rest of the population, there is conventional supermarket fare, then there is organic, and then there is local.

Just as a supermarket can cater to people looking for a variety of things in their food, so too can farmers markets provide the nutrition, the taste, the sustainability, and the quality.

Partners in Good Food

Personally, I never thought of local as a health food trend, though it is definitely healthy. To me, it has always been more of a lifestyle, and the community is more concerned with taste, quality, and sustainability than with waist sizes or VO2Max. While Paleo eaters definitely love good food too, the dominant trend is one of dealing with low energy, high weight, or poor performance.

But good food is good food, and it will support vibrant living in any human endeavor.

So we ought to do our best to welcome the Paleo crowd. I like to think of them as our less artsy, less rustic cousins in the larger family of Real-Food lovers. While environmental sustainability may not be their top priority, we can all relate to the need to sustain good health and an active lifestyle.

Of course, for some of us, there is no distinction between quality, taste, sustainability, and personal vibrant health. That’s what made the local connection so effortless for me when I was just starting out. The lines between local, conscientious eating are blurred with those of holistic exercise and love of the land. Every meal is an expression of that connection, just as every workout, every work of art, and every interaction is an expression of the food that enables us to perform at our best, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

If you’re interested in learning more about Paleo, check out this article I wrote for Whole9, a Paleo consultant, urging Paleo dieters to go local in their pursuit of health and fitness.