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Urban Ag 
Thu Jul 23, 2009 at 13:39:55 PM PDT
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Talk about a cool employee benefit -- My company started an organic garden called the Dude Ranch at a co-worker's hobby farm (it was her idea). My co-workers and I got our hands dirty and planted seeds, and now we pull weeds and harvest produce to enjoy and share with food shelves. There's nothing like fresh green beans, spring greens and beets as perks.
With several clients in the sustainable agriculture and organic food industry, the garden is a perfect way for us to learn what our clients are going through and where our food really comes from, especially for many of us city folks who have never hoed a row.
We hope other businesses will use our model, not only as a unique workplace benefit, but also to teach about the health and societal benefits of eating fresh food and sustainable food production. Learn more at our garden blog: http://garden.modernstorytelle...
Check out this article about the Dude Ranch in the Minneapolis Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com/lif... and on Treehugger: http://www.treehugger.com/file...
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Mon Jul 20, 2009 at 03:46:56 AM PDT
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An article about community gardens in Flint, Michigan describes a situation that we in San Diego are more familiar with than we wish:
Growing the vegetables and flowers is the easy part. But just ask Meekins what the group went through to build a simple greenhouse with donated materials.
It's a three-year tale of permits, reviews, site plan requirements and endless rounds of meetings with the city Planning Commission...
It's not that Flint officials are opposed to residents growing their own food in backyards or on nearly 2,800 vacant residential lots within the city limits (a list that's still growing to the tune of about 500 vacant lots per year).
The problem is the laws on the books simply predate the city's new urban reality.
"The zoning ordinance hasn't been revised since 1968, when we were a booming industrial city and didn't have to think about agriculture as part of city planning," said Erin Caudell, a technical assistant for the urban agriculture collaborative and the outreach coordinator for the Ruth Mott Foundation's Applewood program.
The entire article is a fascinating and worthy read. I'm thrilled Flint is addressing this, and I wish San Diego would too. I don't know the extent of the difficulties in San Diego, but I know they exist. You can spend a lot of money on all of the necessary permits and whatnot before you even plant a seed. Regulations here are not intended for community gardens and that's why they are so unsuitable and difficult for them. The question is how do we fix the laws so that we can meet our needs?
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Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 00:49:31 AM PDT
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This is exciting! Jay Inslee of Washington just introduced HR 3225: The Community Gardens Act of 2009 "To help provide funds for community gardens, and for other purposes" and Doris Matsui of California introduced a resolution Supporting the goals and ideals of National Community Gardening Awareness Month. I've posted the resolution text below.
Best of all, Inslee's got a total of 18 co-sponsors for his bill, including:
Del. Madeleine Bordallo [D-GU]
Del. Donna Christensen [D-VI]
Del. Eleanor Norton [D-DC]
Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D-OR3]
Rep. André Carson [D-IN7]
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver [D-MO5]
Rep. John Conyers [D-MI14]
Rep. Donna Edwards [D-MD4]
Rep. Eliot Engel [D-NY17]
Rep. Raul Grijalva [D-AZ7]
Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D-OH9]
Rep. Barbara Lee [D-CA9]
Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D-NY14]
Rep. Doris Matsui [D-CA5]
Rep. James McGovern [D-MA3]
Rep. Dennis Moore [D-KS3]
Rep. James Moran [D-VA8]
Rep. Lynn Woolsey [D-CA6]
If you see your representative listed here, please thank them! If you don't, drop them a line and tell them you support these two measures and you'd like them to co-sponsor them!
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Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 11:24:29 AM PDT
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( - promoted by Jill Richardson)
Happy Summer Solstice! My favorite time of year is here. While Spring offers delicious wild foods in the guise of shoots and leaves, Summer's bounty is fleshier, sweeter and more flowery and colorful. At this time of year it gets increasingly difficult to keep up with the explosion of developing plants and ripening fruit. Food is everywhere, it's luscious and it's free. All you have to do is look around. (Above, Ripening Mulberries by wide eyed lib; mulberries are covered in depth in this diary.)
Those who have been following this series may notice some formating changes in this diary that I hope to include in all the diaries. The intro now features a list of the plants covered in each. I know this change has helped me a great deal when I need to reference a particular diary, and I hope it helps you as well. Eventually each diary will have a link to the previous diary and the next diary as well.
Covered: poor man's pepper, yarrow & Asiatic dayflower
Updated: burdock & field garlic
Previewed: black cherry & cornelian cherry
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Mon Jun 22, 2009 at 11:16:20 AM PDT
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 It's been raining here. And raining. And raining. And raining. All. Week. Long. And yesterday was no exception. If some of the leaves in my photos look extra shiny, that's why. (Right: Rock Cairn, Fahnestock State Park by wide eyed lib)
The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel features the song June Is Bustin' Out All Over. Here's the beginning:
March went out like a lion, / a-whippin' up the water in the bay, / then April cried and stepped aside, / and along came pretty little May.
May was full of promises, / but she didn't keep 'em quick enough for some. / And a crowd of doubtin' Thomases / was predictin' that the summer'd never come.
This year June is the one crying and stepping aside. I was hot and uncomfortable under my raincoat as I foraged, but the plants sure didn't mind the rain. They were bustin' out all over. Join me as I discuss a few of the tastier ones.
Covered: elder bush, lady's thumb, pineapple weed & sweet cherry
Updated: jewelweed, daylily & poison ivy
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Mon Jun 15, 2009 at 12:50:49 PM PDT
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( - promoted by Jill Richardson)
When I posted the first diary in this series on DailyKos, prodigalkat recommended The Forager's Harvest by Samuel Thayer. I regret not following up on that tip earlier. (Left: Ladybugs Mating on Milkweed by wide eyed lib)
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This book covers a relatively small number of plants (32) but does so in loving detail, featuring color photos and practical advice derived from years of foraging. The plants covered are for the most part widely available in the Eastern half of the U.S. and Canada. (Amazon has the table of contents, so take a look before buying.)
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It's unusual to find a foraging guide with plentiful color photos and a reasonable price tag, but The Forager's Harvest delivers. Highly recommended.
Covered: greenbrier, catmint & goutweed
Updated: sheep sorrel & common mallow
Previewed: blueberry
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Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 15:37:11 PM PDT
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 This weekend has been rough. I have 3 cats. Tig is the eldest at 13 and was rescued from a neighbor who stopped caring for him after she had a baby. He was 4 months old, and it was the middle of winter.
Tig was friendly with my cat Feral, but then he started following Feral inside our house and making a beeline for Feral's food. I asked the neighbor, who told me about her baby. I was horrified, and from then on he was my cat and I took him with me when we moved. (Right: Tig by wide eyed lib)
Seven years ago, Tig was diagnosed with feline diabetes. He'd been well-regulated on insulin, but yesterday at the vet's his blood sugar was 30 instead of 80. Blood sugar that low puts him at risk of entering a diabetic coma. The vet said to stop the injections, leave food out all day and keep a close eye on him.
Tig seems fine and is napping comfortably. We will return to the vet on Tuesday and re-evaluate insulin intake. It's possible that he might no longer need any, which is a good thing. For now we watch and wait.
Meanwhile, all around us edible plants grow, seemingly oblivious. But perhaps they simply know that the problems of people and cats don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. There's a lot we can learn from and about such calm and stable lifeforms, so let's get growing!
Covered: wild ginger, KY coffeetree & nettles
Updated: spicebush, ostrich fern & wood sorrel
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Thu Jun 04, 2009 at 08:53:20 AM PDT
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From yesterday's Jamestown, NY Post-Journal:
ALBANY - What has already been a bad year for farmers could get worse if a bill requiring mandatory overtime for farmworkers is approved by the state Legislature.
On Tuesday, the state Senate's Labor Committee voted in favor of a bill that would require mandatory payment of overtime to farmworkers, require farm employers to allow at least 24 consecutive hours of rest each week, provide for an eight-hour work day for farm laborers, makes unemployment insurance and workers compensation laws apply to farm workers, and requires farm worker injuries to be reported.
The bill has moved through committee in the Assembly, where a vote could be held this week. California is the only other state with such comprehensive labor rules for farms, according to the New York State Farm Bureau. Farmers say crops can only be picked during a short period of time, and having to pay overtime for the hours required during the harvest could make harvesting crops too expensive.
In addition to the specifics outlined above, at least one of these bills gives farm workers the right to organize.
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Mon Jun 01, 2009 at 09:56:23 AM PDT
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 Saturday's forage was my most productive to date. Here's the complete list of what I gathered, some of which I've covered in prior installments of the FFF series and some of which I'll cover today or in the coming weeks:
sassafras
catmint
burdock stems
clover flowers
lamb's quarters
stinging nettles
curly dock
Kentucky coffee beans
chickweed
garlic mustard
mugwort
It was like coming home with a CSA box. Only free.
In other news, the baby robins have hatched! They're well camouflaged, but 4 of them are huddled above (photo by wide eyed lib). Their exposed nest was worrisome, so seeing them alive and well was a relief.
In honor of Memorial Day last week, this diary is dedicated to my paternal grandfather who was stationed in Hawaii with the Navy during WWII. I was young when he died, but I'll never forget the Naval uniforms, the notes of Taps or the tidily folded flag handed to my Dad.
Covered: burdock, sassafras & lamb's quarters
Previewed: highbush cranberry, juneberry & mayapple
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Mon May 25, 2009 at 08:33:21 AM PDT
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( - promoted by JayinPortland)
 Every forager knows the advantages of having one place to forage. You learn the area well and know exactly where to look for all the plants. You witness those plants going through their life cycle-- from leaf to bud to flower to fruit to seed.
It can feel like shopping at your favorite grocery store; the one where you know that those yummy, cheesy crackers are on the right hand side of aisle 6, 2nd shelf.
But it's also nice to depart the familiar and explore new places. It might not be as productive in terms of the variety and quantity of food that you bring home, but it's infinitely satisfying to discover old friends in new places. (Left: George Washington Bridge by wide eyed lib)
Today I foraged along the Hudson River in a meadowed and thicketed area quite different from the wooded area I normally frequent. I was a little concerned that I might not find enough new plants for today's diary, but my fears were soon laid to rest.
Walk with me beside the mighty Hudson for a new crop of delicious edibles.
Covered: black locust & mulberries
Updated: dandelion, clover & plantain
Previewed: wineberries & hawthorn
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Mon May 18, 2009 at 13:08:05 PM PDT
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 Happy Belated Mother's Day to anyone who is or might someday become a Mom!
My Mother-in-law is currently at a rehab center recovering from a bad fall. She'll be fine but it was still scary. We brought her a New Zealand impatiens bursting with hot pink flowers for Mother's Day. When she's out, hopefully she'll be able to plant it in her garden. (Right: Robin's Nest by wide eyed lib)
I also came across a mother-to-be today. I first noticed this nest a couple of weeks ago. It had been hidden in a small tree amidst a thicket, but the park groundspeople cut back the thicket leaving the nest exposed. I assumed that the nest had been abandoned, but when I peeked in today, there were 4 bright blue eggs in it, so Mommy and Daddy robin were probably somewhere in the vicinity. I took a couple of photos and then tiptoed away. If all goes well, in about 5 weeks, there should be a clutch of little robins. By that time, the thicket will hopefully have grown back a bit. At least I hope so for their sakes!
Covered: wisteria, watercress & mullein
Updated: winter cress
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Thu May 14, 2009 at 11:40:20 AM PDT
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( - promoted by Jill Richardson)
 Every week I keep an eye on the weather for the coming weekend. For me, good foraging weather means a sunny to partially cloudy day in the mid-70s with little wind. (Windy days make closeup photography difficult, to say the least.) The weather for the preceding three days also plays a role; fungi hunting is best after rainy days, while berry hunting is aided by sunny days. (For a multitude of reasons, this series won't be covering fungi. To learn more about local mushrooms, go foraging with a local group.)
Alas, Saturday's forecast was for rain, followed by intermittent rain with a light chaser of rain. Today was supposed to be even wetter. So yesterday I dutifully packed an umbrella and a light raincoat. Not only did it not rain a single drop, but the only clouds that dotted the blue sky were the puffy cumulus kind. The 70 degree weather made me feel silly walking around with a raincoat tied around my waist all day. (Left: Waterfall in Central Park by wide eyed lib)
At least I found some delicious greens to munch on.
Covered: curly dock, mallow, ground ivy & fiddleheads
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Fri May 01, 2009 at 21:31:57 PM PDT
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LaDonna Redmond was the keynote speaker at this year's Cultivating Food Justice Conference in San Diego. When they announced that she'd be the keynote, I had no idea who she was. Or at least, I THOUGHT I had no idea who she was. But everyone was acting like she was someone important, so I figured I'd find out. And it struck me as odd that I'd somehow missed hearing about a major player in the world of sustainable food and food justice since I've been eating, sleeping, and breathing it for the past 3 years of my life.
Then last week, at a conference in San Jose, I ran into her. I knew it was her because we were all wearing name tags and hers said LaDonna Redmond. I managed to say a quick hello but then each of us got pulled in opposite directions. It was late, the beer was already flowing, and some guy was trying to get me to hook up with him (he failed, I should add... nothing against him, it's just that I'd rather not be the conference slut). So I didn't get to speak to her.
So tonight was the big keynote speech. And... it turns out I heard about LaDonna and her work back in 2006. Someone gave a speech at a conference I attended back then and told LaDonna's story. I just never knew the name of the person in that amazing story! As LaDonna spoke tonight, her story sounded very familiar. With every detail it sounded more and more like the story I heard in 2006. The pieces all fit together. I had finally found the amazing woman I'd been wondering about - and hoping to get more details on - for the past three years!
More below...
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Wed Apr 22, 2009 at 10:02:34 AM PDT
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 Happy Earth Day! My ongoing quest for free food continues. Last Saturday was a clear, crisp Spring day, perfect for being outdoors but also very, very windy.
Another week has gone by without my being able to find common or yellow wood sorrel. It should certainly be up by now in my local park, but maybe it heard I was coming. There another park nearby where I've found it in the past and hopefully I'll be able to get there sometime this week to collect and photograph it for next week. In the meantime, I have some other wonderful edibles to discuss. (Left: Natural Rock Well by Peter Coughlin)
Before you actually do any foraging, please review the first diary in the FFF series (if you haven't done so already), then lean forward in your best impression of a mime walking into the wind as we cross the barrier.
Covered: sheep sorrel, blue violet, mugwort & plantain
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Fri Apr 03, 2009 at 19:42:09 PM PDT
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Terrific news from Detroit! A man named John Hantz has announced plans for a new urban farm in Detroit using vacant land and abandoned property. Phase 1 of the plans involve using 70 acres in Detroit's lower east side to plant fruits and vegetables and to generate wind, geothermal, and biomass energy.
The project awaits approval by the city of Detroit. Following their approval, they plan to begin operating within six months.
Hat tip to Cookies in Heaven for sending this story my way.
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