Sustainable Agriculture Archives - Page 4 of 7

Loco for Locals (cooperatives that is)

July 18, 2009 by David Mark Brown

Coop has just come closer to home for those in the SLC downtown area. And I, for one, feel it is a happy trend. Urban and fringe agricultural areas all over the U.S. have been seeing an increase in small artisan farming operations teaming up with each other to provide convenient store fronts to locals. Salt Lake City has now joined in the game.

Rico Locals has opened up on 800 S. and 500 E., SLC. The founding vendors include empanadas, cheese, beef, a goat dairy, eggs, lamb, and Rico Brand mexican stuffs. Not too shabby. And I have to say that I really hope this sort of Urban farming and cooperative trend takes off. I sometimes wake in a cold sweat thinking about small, artisan farms being gobbled up by large, industrialized tenant farming outfits. I just don’t think that anyone can care better for the sustainability of farm lands than a small generational farm supported by local customers and a local market.

Gardening Gobbledygook with Farmer Green

July 1, 2009 by David Mark Brown

american-gothic There are urban farmers, guerilla gardeners and tree-strip ripping going on like crazy all over the U.S. (or at least mention of it on the blogosphere). But is all of this edible green mayhem really helping us become more sustainable?

How many gardens out there end up being weed factories full of overripe and splitting produce, sipping on wasted water and allowing moisture to evaporate away into the ether? In other words, are most of us into gardening more in spirit than in actuality? And if so, do the spiritual benefits of readjusting our Chi with a spade in our hand really worth the waste of time, energy, soil nutrients and water?

Let’s look at some plus and minuses.

Cannabis Should be Eaten, not Smoked (Sheesh!)

June 6, 2009 by David Mark Brown

Although bland at first glance, hemp’s most important role may very well end up as a part of our diet. Hemp is a monster when it comes to proteins and essential fatty acids (EFA’s). These two things are the reason we should all be growing hemp in our backyard gardens. (Note to DEA: I don’t have hemp in my backyard garden. I don’t even garden, or have a yard. I promise.)

Many may disagree about whether the earth is in the midst of a food crisis or overall shortage. If we all played nice, mabye everyone could have enough (fat chance). We do know that in the U.S. we are losing farms, farmers and farm land. But, there is much less disagreement that we suffer globally from a food distribution crisis. Certainly portions of the earth surface lack sufficient food stuffs to feed the people that live there. And seeing how lack of vital resources like food can cause mayhem and destruction of life that ultimately reaches even us lazy Americans on our couches, we should probably care that others lack food. Enter hemp, stage right.