- A new Oregon State University study looks at the obstacles faced by rural Oregonians, many of whom are newly poor, in accessing better food. Quite a few interesting points in the study re: the social stigma considerations affecting families who are no longer actually middle class, but continue to feel they must put up appearances (reluctance to accept government assistance, new computers and cars over good food, etc...). The findings obviously apply to many American families these days, not just those in Benton County.
- Willamette Week takes us for a look around Salt, Fire and Time, our city's first Community Supported Kitchen, here in Southeast Portland.
- An infamous migrant farmworkers' camp in Washington County, Oregon, now under new ownership, will soon be reformed into a community for impoverished farmers to be able to live off of their own plots via sales of their produce through an on-site farm store.
- As Jill would say, file this one under "duh": the state of Indiana's "ambitious welfare privatization efforts" are failing, this time regarding massive delays in decisions on food stamp applications by the private vendor contracted to do same. Gee, you mean private companies whose only concerns are profit aren't better equipped to handle public services than government? Who'da thunk it!
- In case you missed it, check out RiaD's diary from yesterday on the new FDA oyster guidelines, which are causing a stir in Louisiana.
- The New York Times brings us a piece on fresh hop ales, which are still in season for a few more weeks and can be found mostly in the Pacific Northwest and in the Northeast. I had a Victory (Downington, PA) fresh hop ale when I was back in NJ the other week, but I forgot to take notes on it. Crap! Not to worry though, I'm gonna bring back my old Drinking Oregon series for a spin next week sometime, to do a round-up on the Portland-area wet hops I've had here over the past month or so. Here's another couple of pieces on this year's Hop Harvest.
- Here's a piece on the algal bloom which is stripping sea birds of their waterproofing, and washing up thousands of them, dead or just barely alive, on Oregon and Washington beaches.
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