And When You're With the Flowers Morning After Morning

~ Cal - i - forn - i - a  ~

Damn, Life has a funny way of working out when you least expect it. How's it go? Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans...

How cliche. How true!

An application two months ago. A phone call tonight. Between the span of those two events, a person can fall in love, become happy in the cold, begin making future plans for a northeastern summer with weddings, vacations on the Cape, city farm jobs, and even sign up for a 12 month home delivery magazine subscription.

So there's this farm. In California. Live Power Community Farm. And they're pretty remarkable. A family friend recommended I check them out after his daughter spent some overnight time with her elementary school. And yeah, what a place. The name probably gives away some of the special details: the focus on animal power to plow fields. Little if any, fossil fuels, please. And there's definitely some solar power hanging around. Not to mention animals! And some school related stuff with little kiddies coming around for visits.

The apprenticeship starts in March. But I've been given an allowance and can arrive in April. It ends? In December. Nine whole months. But don't get me started on the fact that they supply food to over 160 families in Medicino county *and* the Bay Area. Also, that Gloria, who I spoke with on the phone this evening, had the most calming tone - she sounded tired, defeated (from working, I'd imagine) and stable, warm, stern and forgiving all at the same time.

And then of course there's this: a beautiful interview with both Gloria and Stephen, her husband, the two speaking freely, and clearly comfortably without preaching, about why they love what they do.

I've three weeks to decide. Three. Seems like plenty of time?

Superfluous Blogging and the IFPRI

~ World ~

All fun and whimsy blogging aside, there is as a matter of fact, a reason that I'm keeping tabs on food - food interests among other people, and food interests of myself; a long term goal related to agriculture, travel, food, policy (perhaps?) and the tasty politics, *is* in formulation. Vague still, but in progress: farming, fighting pesticides, caged animal feeding operations, (CAFO's), hormone raised cattle, genetic engineering (GE crops), in combination with World Travel (!); plus a side of marketing skills that were somehow gleaned during those hefty-price-tag college years of mastering an undergrad degree in business management and design. 

All those simmering ideas in the brain cauldron are totally waiting for the 'ah ha!' moment.

And one just happened.

And it seems worth sharing - a piece of the puzzle in this boggling blog whose one central food theme  lacks the specific and minute. 

Thus far.

So,  just now, I was reading this (thanks, dad for your email services!), another acute and articulate (of course) nytimes perspective about the...well, obvious issues (still) surrounding the structure - or lack there of - of agriculture farming in India.

And while reading that, this - the International Food Policy Research Institute - popped on my radar. In one of those other moments in which for the hundredth time, a name, a place, or idea is put smack in your face, but only now, in this final repititious stage does the insignia stick, I saw the potential of the IFPRI. 

For my future!

Yay! Goals!

What lies ahead  - maybe research only. Maybe inspiration solely, Maybe itching-in-your-skin, want-to-be-a-part-of-it-feeling, simply. Time will tell.

But amen to some direction and the ability to forgo another dose of stammering next time some one asks the gun loaded question: 

So, What Do You Want To Do?

C L O V E R on Wheels (Food That's Ready to Go! Literally.)

~ Boston & Cambridge, MA ~

In Boston, I live a block from China Town, a skip to the dredges that is the Financial District, and a hop to the Train Station Food Court. The food options are numerous, but hardly vary. Ask a neighbor where to get some lunch around here, and you'll be directed to the nearest Hogie. I love the vegetable steamed dumplings in China Town, but... their doughy weight leaves me craving some food with crunch (or nutrition!)

SO yay for Clover! the Food Lab on wheels. Originating at MIT, with a restaurant also in Harvard Square, the slightly anonymous, if unthreatening white meal on wheels is plunked in front of the Federal Reserve Bank of Massachusetts...yeah, the Financial District, but a nice treat to the 'hood. (Okay, so there's also one located in SoWa (?!), which I just learned, is the Industrial section of Bean Town, south of Washington Street. Go figure).

As for the MENU du jour... well there's nothing posted on the Clover website. But the chick pea fritter was tre bien, they also feature a bbq seitan; I think I remember an eggplant fritter on there as well... Vegetarian!; breakfast, of course with muffins, turnovers and the necessary breakfast burrito. Plus, some rockin coffee for you caffeine lovers out there who could use a good Pour Over in the A.M to get your morning off right.

And! Ask the fine lads and ladies behind the counter about where Clover sources their produce? Local farms. 

Gold Star, Clover. Gold Star.

C L O V E R   F O O D   L A B

Patriotism Be Knockin Atchya Door

~ Valley Center, CA ~

Helping Soldiers Trade Their Swords For Plows

photo credits - nytimes

Be you an Independent, a Democrat, a Republican or the Campaign Manager for Jon Stewart, our food - produce, meat and dairy, to be exact - where we get it, how it's produced, and the Farmers behind your next Salad, Burger, or late-nite Milk and Cookie snack, is a concern we can all pay attention to!

* Read on ! * 

 photo credits - nytimes

"...Sgt. Matt Holzmann, 33, a Marine at Camp Pendleton who spent seven months in Afganistan. He did counterinsurgency work and tried to introduce aquaponics, a self-replenishing agricultural system, to rural villages. 

His zeal for aquaponics led him to the farming class. "It's a national security issue," he said the other day outside a garage-turned-classroom filled with boxes of Dr. Earth Kelp Meal. "The more responsibly we use water and energy, the greater it is for our country..."

 photo credits: nytimes

- Mentioned in This Article:

* Archi's Acres
* Aquaponics (An Answer to Sustainable Farming)
* Earth Day
* Food Security
* Dr. Earth Kelp Meal (!?)

 photo credits - nytimes

MORE C o l o r! & *fleurs*

~ Bloomtown, USA ~

i want to see the flowers, please

Sprouting Spring Craving

~ The Ranunculus ~

All food considered, not much to write in the throws of a Northeastern winter.
 SO.... this instead

A Food Manifesto for the Future

~ Ny Times  ~

"For decades, Americans believed that we had the world’s healthiest and safest diet. We worried little about this diet’s effect on the environment or on the lives of the animals (or even the workers) it relies upon. Nor did we worry about its ability to endure — that is, its sustainability.
That didn’t mean all was well. And we’ve come to recognize that our diet is unhealthful and unsafe. Many food production workers labor in difficult, even deplorable, conditions, and animals are produced as if they were widgets. It would be hard to devise a more wasteful, damaging, unsustainable system..." read more