Green Food Tallahassee

MADE BY HAND - THE BEEKEEPER

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:18:00 +0000

Made by Hand is a short film series celebrating the people who make things by hand — sustainably, locally, and with a love for their craft.

Green Drinks and Organic Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:11:00 +0000

Wednesday, February 29th, beginning at 5:45 PM
5th Avenue Taproom, Manor Midtown
1122 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee

Guest Speaker: Claire Mitchell is the Sustainable Agriculture Programs Manager at North Florida Community College Green Industries Institute in Monticello. Claire teaches a monthly series of classes called Organic Gardening 101. (rescheduled from the original January Green Drinks' date.)

At Green Drinks, she will lead a hands-on presentation about the importance of local food and give an introduction to the Tallahassee food system in reference to area farms, markets and agriculture education. She will also talk about the programs and the future goals of Green Industries.

Sponsored by Sustainable Tallahassee the monthly meeting provides an opportunity to network with others in the community interested in sustainable issues, including alternative energy.

New location with bigger space!

FUNNEL REUSE AS A PLANTER

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:29:00 +0000

from Gardens in Unexpected Places

FOOD DESERTS

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:04:00 +0000

Residents of southwest Tallahassee live in a food desert according to the USDA. You can search the food desert locator to see where food deserts are located in your area.

A food desert is a neighborhood or community that has limited access to fresh, nutritious food. Currently, the Grower's Market is bringing fresh produce to Innovation Park off Lake Bradford Road, near the Census Tract areas designated as 'food deserts,' but not within walking distance.

As reported by the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the President, the use of new technology systems such as an on-site SNAP (formerly called Food Stamps) sign-up increases the likelihood of individuals' consumption of fresh produce at farmers markets. Currently, many farmers' and growers' markets in Florida accept the Electronic Benefit Card (EBT) for payment of all eligible food items.
Over the past five fiscal years, the number of farmers markets and direct marketing farmers authorized to accept SNAP has increased 360%. Between 2010 and 2011, SNAP use doubled (52%). According to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service Benefits Redemption Division, there were 2,445 farmers markets and individual direct marketing farmers authorized to accept SNAP, as of September 30th, 2011.
Beginning the month, the full House and Senate Agriculture Committees will begin consideration on the 2012 Farm Bill. This means there will be important opportunities for farmers market advocates to influence lawmakers to provide federal support for programs like the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), Specialty Crop Block Grants (SCBG), and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. The Farmer's Market Coalition has more information here.

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO EEHWW!

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000

Remember those late night really bad sci-fi movies with strange things growing in the evil scientist's lab?

The aim of the research of some Dutch scientists is to develop a more efficient way of producing meat than rearing animals.


Photo by the BBC

According to this news article from the BBC, Dutch scientists have used stem cells to create strips of muscle tissue with the aim of producing the first lab-grown hamburger later this year.

Accordingly, scientists say synthetic meat could reduce the environmental footprint of meat by up to 60%. And while we know that industrialized agriculture contributes on a “massive scale” to climate change, air pollution, land degradation, energy use, deforestation, and biodiversity declineand we are all for reducing our carbon footprint, there is plenty of proven evidence that this can be done successfully by eliminating or substantially reducing the amount of meat that humans consume.

Veggie burger, anyone?

***UPDATE***

Mother Jones magazine reports that Shrimp's carbon foot is ten times higher than beef's. An estimated 1.2 billion pounds of shrimp is imported annually, mainly from farms in Asia. Canadian journalist Taras Grescoe wrote about Asian shrimp operations in his book, Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood.

Mother Jones quotes from Grescoe's book: The simple fact is, if you’re eating cheap shrimp today, it almost certainly comes from a turbid, pesticide- and antibiotic-filled, virus-laden pond in the tropical climes of one of the world's poorest nations."

AIR PLANTS AS WALL DECOR

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:58:00 +0000

Yes, I would decorate a wall with living plants! These ingenious wall holders from Flora Grubb Gardens are attached to screws which go into the wall. A clever DIY could make her own.

Then, an even more creative invention could be a Vertical Succulent Garden on your patio wall! This detailed article, also from Flora Grubb details how to make it.

all photos by Flora Grubb

BAKETIVISM - People are more likely to listen to you if you have a tasty cupcake.

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:55:00 +0000

The art of combining activism and baking, a word most likely coined several year's ago by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, author of Culinary Activism: Becoming a Baketivist and Beyond, a presentation given in Chicaco in which she pointed out that people are more likely to listen to you if you have a tasty cupcake. She also showed that vegans can multitask to help people as well as animals by holding vegan bake sales to raise money for Haiti or having brunches/dinners to raise money for other charitable causes. This discredits the argument that many people employ saying vegans only care about animals, not people!

Are you a baketivist?

Explore more with Isa at her Post Punk Kitchen website, which includes recipes, her blog and a lively forum. I could eat this quarter pounder beet burger with a side of garlic curry fries right now!

LABELING OF GMO FOOD

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:23:00 +0000

I support the labeling of foods that have been genetically engineered and agree that “Americans should know what they’re buying.”

In the New York Times, Julia Moskin provided a concise summary of the issue, noting that the Just Label It nonprofit isn’t alone; rather, it’s “part of a debate that is coming to life around the country, in courtrooms and Occupy sites, in boardrooms and online, with new petitions, ballot initiatives and lawsuits from California to Maine.”

The debate is not new and has been going on for a number of years. When President Obama was running for office in 2007, he pledged to provide labeling of GMO modified food, however, the FDA has yet to act.

This Times article from last week also pointed out that according to the US Department of Agriculture, about 90% of all soybeans, corn, canola, and sugar beets raised in the US were grown from what scientists call transgenic seeds. It is estimated that most processed foods contain one or more of these transgenic ingredients. But, we would not know this as it never appears on the label.

Here's a link to the petition to the FDA from the Just Label It group. Other petitions are available at change.org and Food Democracy Now.

Doesn't labeling just seem logical?

SO EASY TO PRESERVE

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:01:00 +0000


photo by bittenword.com

Being at the local grower's markets this week and seeing all the fresh vegetables and fruit made me think about canning and our ability to preserve our garden's abundance for these chilly winter months.

The Leon County Extension Office is conducting a series of workshops on the basics of canning, in case we didn't learn this fine art as we were growing up. In month in February, March, April and May, staff from the Extension will be hosting a 'So Easy to Preserve' workshop for all novices.

The first class on February 27 and each subsequent class will teach up-to-date food preservation procedures that ensure safe canned, pickled, jellied, frozen and dried foods.

The fee is $20 fee per person and includes the book, So Easy to Preserve. Contact the Extension office to register or for more information: 850.606.5203. The February class is in the evening, from 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM and the remaining ones are from 8:30 - noon.

You will be ready for the next bountiful harvest from your garden of one of our nearby U-pick farms. In the meantime, check our Zach and Clay's blog The Bitten Word for inspiration on canning vast quantities of tomatoes.

IF IT'S THURSDAY, IT'S THE LAFAYETTE STREET GROWER'S MARKET

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:48:00 +0000

This week's Thursday afternoon Grower's Market on Lafayette Street in front of Video 21 and Craig's Coffee provided abundant choices of fresh, locally grown produce. The gentleman with the trailer selling locally raised beef and goat meat was explaining his process to several interested buyers, while I visited with a wonderful couple from Israel who were making falafel sandwiches. To say that the sandwich I received was stuffed would be stereotypically an understatement, but it was so much sandwich that it served me for two meals. We discussed the fact that, if any falafel sandwich I had ever had previously was served with a sour cream topping, then it was not true falafel sandwich! I also got to see pictures of their farm and of the hand constructed solar panels on their home.

I was skeptical, but bought a little vegan pie from a farmer who travels from Cairo, Georgia. The pie was plantain and coconut with no dairy. I thought I'd try it even though I'm not a fan of coconut. It was delicious and I wished that I had purchased two.

There was a wide variety of greens, including kale, tomatoes, citrus fruits, beautiful red peppers and much more. It was hard to believe that it was February. To me, there are few things better than getting to meet the people who grow the food I eat!

This grower's market was originally located by The Moon, but relocated to the parking lot by Video 21. There is plenty of parking in the lot on the side while it's open from 3:00 PM until dusk. Dropping by after work is easy.

VEGAN BENTO BOX? YES, PLEASE--

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:12:00 +0000

Pictures of vegan bento boxes at the Vegan Bento Flickr Page

Vegan-Bento, pictures and descriptions, not recipes

Vegan Bento, beautiful pictures for inspiration

SUSTAINABILITY AND THE WORDS WE USE

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:05:00 +0000

Sustainability as an idea is very important, but as a term, it’s vague and often misused.Civil Eats continues its dialogue about the importance of the words we use in The Lexicon of Sustainability. Douglas Gayeton and his wife, Laura, set out to document and share the roots of the sustainability movement in the US.

CHECK OUT THE NEW VEGAN LINKS PAGE

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:32:00 +0000

New links to vegan sites with recipes and information about eating and living vegan. Click on the tab at the top of the page.

BICYCLE FARM TOUR IN ATHENS GA

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:08:00 +0000

Every year, Athens Food Tours has organized a 35 mile (or more) tour of locally owned organic and sustainable farms of Georgia via bicycle! This year's tour is tentatively planned for April 21st and 22nd to coincide with Earth Day. The 35 mile bicycle ride tours four locally owned farms: Crystal Organic Farm(veggies), Godfrey Farms(happy chickens), Bee Factory(honey) and Johnston Dairy(milk). They even arrange bike rentals if needed. More information at Athens Food Tours.

photo via Bicycle Farm Tour Facebook 10/11

Is Tallahassee up for its own bicycle farm tour?

LISTING OF CSA'S - UPDATED

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:35:00 +0000

photo by Jenn Nemec

Our Man in Overalls has created a comprehensive listing of CSA's within 100 miles. You can find one near you to join at this link.

IS A VEGETARIAN DIET ACTUALLY CHEAPER?

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:20:00 +0000

According to the infographic below, eating vegan is about 30% less than a meat diet. Is this correct? Was organic/non-organic food considered in the calculations? These calculations by the website Learnvest seem to raise a lot of interesting questions, does giving up buying steak while purchasing organic fruits and vegatables result in this level of savings?

ON THE LOOKOUT FOR VEGAN RECIPES

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:03:00 +0000

Winter veggies are abundant at local grower's markets and I've been on the lookout for some new vegan recipes like these 15 featured over at the kitchn.

THE FEWER THE FEET, THE BETTER THE MEAT

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:15:00 +0000

Eating what stands on one leg is better than eating what stands on two legs. . .

More Food Rules from Michael Pollan, this time in audio excerpts from his book.

A WEEK OF FARMER'S MARKETS UPDATE

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:43:00 +0000

Kale, I wanted some fresh kale and headed to the grower's market at Lake Ella in Tallahassee.

Dr. Jennifer Taylor was there chatting with some of the local vendors. Her program is assisting small farmers in the area through the Small Farms program at the FAMU College of Engineering Sciences, Technology & Agriculture (CESTA)

She gave me an update on all the local grower's markets, reminding me that they are open all year round (rain or shine!) with fresh produce, honey, eggs and often baked goods. Check out the revised list in the right column and visit the ones nearest you for the very freshest produce one can find. Meet the grower's and feed your family healthy!

Speaking of baked goods, I met two great bakers, Bob of Bread and Jam where I scored the very last vegan baguette and Khalil, owner of Sweet Tooth Indulgence, who treated me to yummy vegan cranberry and walnut cookies. I also got one of the last bunches of kale - the growers said it was a popular item. Mixed with your favorite grain (cook some ahead to save time), garlic and fresh lime juice, kale makes a quick, lunch or dinner on a chilly day.

"I'M THE FESTIVE MOMENT WHEN YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES"

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:04:00 +0000

A newly illustrated edition of Michael Pollan's Food Rules is out:

PRIORITIZING ORGANIC FRUIT CHOICES?

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 22:15:00 +0000

According to the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides, apples now top the list, instead of peaches, as the #1 fruit to select as organic. Based on the pesticides found in each food, the list below recommends fruits and veggies to select from the organic aisle. 98 percent of conventional apples had pesticides. Interesting that cilantro (or as Jamie Oliver calls it: coriander) is now at #13. According to the USDA, tests found residue from 34 unapproved pesticides on cilantro and ninety-four percent of all the cilantro tested had some sort of pesticide residue on it (approved or unapproved). Another reason to maintain that window box herb garden through the cooler months! (The basil on my front porch did not survive the last 30 degree night.)

Here’s the most recent Dirty Dozen list:

Apples
Celery
Strawberries
Peaches
Spinach
Nectarines (imported)
Grapes (imported)
Sweet bell peppers
Potatoes
Blueberries (domestic)
Lettuce
Kale

The good news is that there is a bottom of the list, the 'Clean 15.' When the USDA tested these 15 fruits and vegetables, the least amount of pesticide residue was found on them. The EWG calculates that “consumers who choose five servings of fruits and vegetables a day from EWG's Clean 15 list rather than from the Dirty Dozen can lower the volume of pesticides they consume by 92 percent.” (AND, we can choose to eat organics from the list above).

Here is the list of the Clean 15.

Onions
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Avocado
Asparagus
Sweet peas
Mangoes
Eggplant
Cantaloupe (domestic)
Kiwi
Cabbage
Watermelon
Sweet potatoes
Grapefruit
Mushrooms

Read the entire report or download the guide at the Environmental Workgroup website.

COMPOSTING

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:09:00 +0000

Cooler weather and time to dream of an early spring garden. Have your compost ready:

Compost Instructions

Grow Compost

Composting with Worms

Veg Web

MAINLY VEGAN

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:17:00 +0000

Cooking vegan over the past few weeks results in realizing how much I depended on butter--dish a little dry? add butter! and cheese--almost everything goes better with cheese--cheese and a cracker as a snack, slice off a hunk of cheese to munch on.

Substituting extra virgin olive oil and nutritional yeast are very acceptable substitutes.

BREAD AND ROSES TALLAHASSEE FL

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:05:00 +0000

Are you a member?
Bread and Roses Food Coop
915 Railroad Avenue

Member owned, operated and managed. Start your new year with a lifetime membership.

FOOD INC.

noreply@blogger.com (GT) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:13:00 +0000

Read Tamar Adler's review of FOOD INC., at Mother Jones:

How does Big Food get away with this? Partly because we, the consumers, often reward it with our purchasing power. An incitement to change comes, strangely enough, from a vice president of the American Corn Growers Association, who explains, "People have got to start demanding good, wholesome food from us, and we'll deliver."