tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14841382691340597012024-02-21T20:05:39.722-08:00NxtBloomNxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-81029022581464646222011-08-29T19:36:00.000-07:002011-08-29T19:36:40.475-07:00Popham<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPptXv9qDufDqcdqcPUHxH8qu5cpHpPm_IGnLjfLcEeH8jQX7vJAYXz0B5FKaSeOeQeZ0aBLHd_oUtBy4BgcYByqJAxFh5oEE33JzAJfJczCweKQePcvn_yU9PDfP4EXX35lWsMc9SVp9J/s320/DSC08235.JPG" width="320" /></div><br />
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</div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-83229214346580457482011-08-25T12:21:00.000-07:002011-08-25T12:21:40.336-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.meetyourfarmer.org/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2dKu6D592YWPEeDSrqcY7v2EqZBo86XYGPGDq2WU2RuvBzPt3qoCOKqUbx22TT25v72Vo1EhcrX1Xjk3EjOemGcWX5jRWoNfb8-68bWpGYwVMv6AZL_V-cAC7gynCcMIk5xsbqMneLp_/s1600/t300-Meet-Your-Farmer-DVD-cover_LR.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/12223236?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400"></iframe><a href="http://vimeo.com/12223236"></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/12223236">Meet Your Farmer - Chase Farm</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/pullstart">Pull-Start Pictures</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div></div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-73870341902803826962011-06-07T21:11:00.000-07:002011-06-07T21:57:01.593-07:00Harvesting to Summer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So much happens on this farm – but there's also a simple and daily repetition that makes us all feel like nothing is actually changing…Feeding the same animals, performing the same tasks: cultivating, hoeing, raking, watering and transplanting, and cooking our meals. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDDlXXWRsfd79QEtjh6qhkpH5P22TWASI5og5YYN9-tvdsSmSgp40hCurLeCH-qZvwvv1m8KTG0-lTIwqylhK6HtwbhFXr8nIg1wNMieU8WIAxAfxuls55GY07jZZeqCZfK8jtNF1ZMxG/s1600/01harvest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDDlXXWRsfd79QEtjh6qhkpH5P22TWASI5og5YYN9-tvdsSmSgp40hCurLeCH-qZvwvv1m8KTG0-lTIwqylhK6HtwbhFXr8nIg1wNMieU8WIAxAfxuls55GY07jZZeqCZfK8jtNF1ZMxG/s320/01harvest.JPG" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div>And in this routine, we’ve got Harvest. Two days a week we spend our mornings cutting, clipping, washing, sorting, packing, and stacking vegetables. The farm van is packed, and on Tuesdays Gloria drives the produce to a drop off site in Mendocino County where the farm's CSA members come to pick up the goods. On Fridays Steven shuttles down to SF to do the same with members who live there. At the farm, a table is set up for local share holders who stop by to select their portions from a row of public baskets…<br />
<br />
This farm does not attend a farmers market - they believe that setting a price on their food diminishes its true value and moves the consumer away from understanding where the food really comes from. <br />
<br />
Yeah, this philosophy is fundamental to a biodynamic farm which happens to perform purely on manual labor, no subsidies and absolutely no pesticieds - organic or not. Additionally, as a biodynamic farm, there is no finanical investment in any product foreign to the farm (with the exception of hand tools, seeds and the work horses!) that could help increase the production of the vegetables - this means no peet moss, no pre fertilized soils, nor sprays to ward off bugs, weeds or mildew. And no fossil fuel operated machines to till the land or harvest the crop. All this creates a cyclical micro environment in which everything produced is reused and everything used comes from what was once a part of the farm - animal product, turned soil, bolted vegetables from the previous season...everything is resourced for the next growing period. This is a beautiful way to maintain a healthy balance with the land being tilled and the food being consumed - something a lot of us around the world could begin to re learn. Yet more time on maual labor and general preparation for growing equates to a smaller (more precious?) yield but not necessarily lower operating costs. <br />
<br />
Yes, I'm learning a lot about the fundamental techniques of growing food - but the share-holding audience we serve is Small, Privileged and Secluded.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMNzAbJMpPyLDLpmyQcs5npX8XtaSTeqCJ0Gx3d9xqSc0FkUZJ4tjXgY6S5JSC2-uNSX3rLtLXNDg1PlFFNZc6E_C0FY0QHrRst-hd4NkU0L7ehoCHKoIvtWl9AthBW3sZbImxgLrUp27/s1600/04harvest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMNzAbJMpPyLDLpmyQcs5npX8XtaSTeqCJ0Gx3d9xqSc0FkUZJ4tjXgY6S5JSC2-uNSX3rLtLXNDg1PlFFNZc6E_C0FY0QHrRst-hd4NkU0L7ehoCHKoIvtWl9AthBW3sZbImxgLrUp27/s320/04harvest.JPG" t8="true" width="240px" /></a></div><strong>But...</strong><br />
<strong>What's in season?</strong><br />
lettuce<br />
radishes<br />
spinach<br />
mustard greens<br />
pak choy (think bak choy)<br />
<a href="http://www.burpee.com/organic-gardening/organic-mustard/mustard-mizuna-organic-prod002256.html?catId=2302&trail=">mizuna</a><br />
<a href="http://tomatoseedseast.co.cc/organic-komatsuna-seed-450-mg/">komatsuma</a><br />
<a href="https://www.highmowingseeds.com/organic-seeds-tat-soi.html">tat soi </a><br />
beet thinnings<br />
cress<br />
<a href="http://www.cookthink.com/reference/2667/What_is_escarole">escarole</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6otsnv51YWc7zrkItT2xFa_yrreid6wkYdwf0OaGFGHRg240a8hmaDgdWwYEx6S6iABUJICwBcnZfOHvBmAv4D__0mV0kfTfJzcxOccqxH2HuDqVnjhrzn6tdeHEi2T1uTNmP26BUL-Ew/s1600/03harvest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6otsnv51YWc7zrkItT2xFa_yrreid6wkYdwf0OaGFGHRg240a8hmaDgdWwYEx6S6iABUJICwBcnZfOHvBmAv4D__0mV0kfTfJzcxOccqxH2HuDqVnjhrzn6tdeHEi2T1uTNmP26BUL-Ew/s320/03harvest.JPG" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkTGC_5R6ZenKYLqmbrOGpQqJ8Ca8eiQyVj5V00qL1_8O4ESHyAPLHxHqTVGXP2GcJ0dH3YAX1wXLLHqOvGbLl3o9aHr2ujt0xX1xl1rDTWi-EIb2ZE0ISpcz-rL-RpDPTKW1uQCFnQ4V/s1600/02harvest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkTGC_5R6ZenKYLqmbrOGpQqJ8Ca8eiQyVj5V00qL1_8O4ESHyAPLHxHqTVGXP2GcJ0dH3YAX1wXLLHqOvGbLl3o9aHr2ujt0xX1xl1rDTWi-EIb2ZE0ISpcz-rL-RpDPTKW1uQCFnQ4V/s320/02harvest.JPG" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div>Oh, and we totally sheared some sheep a couple days ago. No electric razors on this farm - the shears are hand operated and cut right through the wool.<br />
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</div></div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-16865708355266037382011-05-03T21:24:00.000-07:002011-05-03T21:24:35.174-07:00Welcome to The Valley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So. <br />
Likely, there's one picture too many, included below. But i couldn't help it. I also broke the promise of animal pictures - because I've only snagged 2 so far. <br />
Next time.<br />
I miss home, but my new one isn't so bad! Enjoy the shots;) xo<br />
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Also! I went to a rodeo this week - woot woot!<br />
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And, Steven gave us the chance to try driving his plow. The sharp metal cutter weighs just under 200 lbs and is pulled behind two Belgium work horses, named Laura and Pete. With Steven holding the reins, and one of us at a time holding the heavy wooden handles, we circled one plot several times, each round turning up soil and cutting a 2ft trough into the ground. We broke a sweat, felt dizzy and sick and then watched as Steven, a 60 year + man took his turn without loosing a breath. He's been doing this for over 30 years, while men behind him have performed the same technique for hundreds. Impressed.<br />
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</div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-52225855964278382152011-04-17T19:18:00.000-07:002011-04-19T20:46:40.616-07:00Hot Buttered Rum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I actually have no idea what to write! I've only been here four and half full days and apparently that's not enough to process the transition.</span></div><div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I did get thrown directly and immediately into the working-mix waking at 630 Wednesday morning the day after the previous evening arrival. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">From 630am to 7ish, we drink as much morning caffeine as we can, work till 830 - developing the compost piles; apprentices with assigned chores feed the animals, or bring them to pasture. Breakfast runs till 10, then work again in the greenhouse transplanting seedlings, sowing seeds for new seedlings, or in the fields mulching the already planted vegetables to support water retention during the dry summer, and suppress the feisty weeds. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">With a pre established schedule, an assigned apprentice will break at 1130 to begin preparing lunch for 1pm. Back out to work at 2… Assigned apprentice breaks at 530 to begin preparing dinner (a rotation between lunch and dinner with breakfast prepared as an 'everyone pitches in' affair) to eat at 7. By the time we've eaten, had a beer or two, washed the dishes and maybe played a hand of cards, it's bed by 10!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The small town of just over 1,000 counted residents - the 14 Indian tribes aren't included in this total, which would bring the number closer to 3,000) has the basics: library, town meeting hall, IGA grocery store, coffee shop, Trading Post for used clothing…. And an abundance of open valley land surrounded by a sprawling spread of mountains, tops of which are heavily dusted in snow.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Our half work-day Saturdays are a blessing without disguise - afternoon naps happen without trying, and staying up late on a Saturday night was impossible, even after we'd made it into town to see a screening of Godzilla (not to be confused with King Kong).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Did i mention the Apprentices? They are truly AMAZING. Matt, Kim and Becca are welcoming, good hearted, funny, kind, hard working and totally dedicated to farming and the homesteading life (Matt and Kim are featured in the photos, Becca will be captured soon enough:)) and are introducing me to some good blue grass tunes and reminding me that i need to re-learn the skill of playing a musical instrument. The Decaters, Steve and Gloria who own and operate the farm are busy each day, and finding time to get to know one another will be a work in progress.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And Yes! There are the obligatory pigs, sheep, lambs, cows and work horses, plus two domesticated cats, and two dogs - my favorite is Sophie a bundle of love and seeker of attention. The barn animals are Adorable (!) and when I've got my camera on hand during a sunny day, will be sure to catch some photos and post.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">till then… hope you're all well xo</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">to prove it Does snow in california!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">look close to find more snow!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL5W3Snk6yuIzekfgZXn4w2UBYmkep_6OWy_HK1IxSQDQHQzgZEqRwe9ko4YqgyMVBwpXkfcgEGx48pHGIO8HY4y8ikz4AFiokPu1MgCIl3lLOaA6W_8mTtOGUqxxpw0WS3NDy0bdTfHE/s1600/_04_AfterSnowHasMelted_DSC07760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL5W3Snk6yuIzekfgZXn4w2UBYmkep_6OWy_HK1IxSQDQHQzgZEqRwe9ko4YqgyMVBwpXkfcgEGx48pHGIO8HY4y8ikz4AFiokPu1MgCIl3lLOaA6W_8mTtOGUqxxpw0WS3NDy0bdTfHE/s320/_04_AfterSnowHasMelted_DSC07760.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8SaLHjzd-iLb529r76LV_Lf_1pN-2E4jRSAX-KECBnjnIZr0RBANITlyrB8Ee4vd6Xmk5-17H8n2711Sw24AdAxFKhR6gojI6cMM3XYSnnfRq28IGRQjEv8oTIYCc1CC_VRtTDu7rRXv/s1600/_08_RoomInMadness_DSC07753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8SaLHjzd-iLb529r76LV_Lf_1pN-2E4jRSAX-KECBnjnIZr0RBANITlyrB8Ee4vd6Xmk5-17H8n2711Sw24AdAxFKhR6gojI6cMM3XYSnnfRq28IGRQjEv8oTIYCc1CC_VRtTDu7rRXv/s320/_08_RoomInMadness_DSC07753.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bedroom before</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjPsdxvnE1rFMrWI2MrKDvzGgmn9fkLL7sjzqSxtPNYgCf8sWHhVO16ZwUsv7dK2CJINvtsoZEYj7eh8uwyUYzitNAOMjq41lrx4OMJCPYkNWIoOTvd101vGAiNrBBpocV4ysIbagyTfq/s1600/_09_RoomInProgress_DSC07773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjPsdxvnE1rFMrWI2MrKDvzGgmn9fkLL7sjzqSxtPNYgCf8sWHhVO16ZwUsv7dK2CJINvtsoZEYj7eh8uwyUYzitNAOMjq41lrx4OMJCPYkNWIoOTvd101vGAiNrBBpocV4ysIbagyTfq/s320/_09_RoomInProgress_DSC07773.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bedroom after:) work in major progress</td></tr>
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</div></div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-23514143387525057142011-03-09T07:48:00.000-08:002011-03-09T07:48:05.981-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">~ Israel, apparently (the platoon) ~</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsnTVSXZqL4rrQDQJQBERrFLtmzlIl9ff46PVBB8-YgAq14dZcg6Jh-a3ssvZfblIBiFCJIqPsUQSi8fi7SqPdOm8NL8YQH3oIsSBKgykW548LkOG87eaYpQSmFy64SZ16KsrDUCzHrh2/s1600/2011-03-09womanCleaningToilet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsnTVSXZqL4rrQDQJQBERrFLtmzlIl9ff46PVBB8-YgAq14dZcg6Jh-a3ssvZfblIBiFCJIqPsUQSi8fi7SqPdOm8NL8YQH3oIsSBKgykW548LkOG87eaYpQSmFy64SZ16KsrDUCzHrh2/s320/2011-03-09womanCleaningToilet.png" width="271" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think it's a combination of two things: one the internet has surfaced, blossomed, exploded and fire-worked, since I was a teenager in high school. Two, I've simply ahem, aged. The result: stumbling upon some pretty amazing teenagers who express themselves in extremely creative and articulate ways. Awesome kids have existed forever, but growing up, the seclusion of my small town didn't necessarily foster that kind of voice - that I am aware. Nor did we have the chance to explore kid's activities in Japan, or Israel or England because the window of internet wasn't yet prominent. Nor was there a place to foster ideas through blogs, music sharing etc... not to mention the access to <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/">Al Jeezera English</a>. Old thoughts by now, but still something to think about...</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And this has nothing to do with plants, ps.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last night, I read a letter to the editor of <a href="http://www.good.is/">Good magazine</a>, by an 18 year-old, who simply nailed in 100 words or less, the state of our generation's distress in relation to the big question: So, what do you want to do? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Dear GOOD,</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>I am an 18-year-old high school graduate who was accepted to several top-rated universities Instead, I decided to move to Israel and enlist in the Israeli Army (though I have no Israeli ancestry and don't even speak Hebrew). Why? Because I was so disheartened by the prospect of completing a degree or several degrees and then working at McDonald's. I am quite disappointed that my attitude toward work isn't in line with what GOOD is projecting in the Work issue.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Much of the Work Issue suggests that we find work that matches out interests, pays us well, and makes us happy. While this is a great dream, might it not be more important to find work that makes us step out of our comfort zone, pays enough to support us, and makes us happy to go to bed each evening, tired? I think it is the downfall of America that we are raised to believe that we are also owed. Why don't more Americans pursue a skill in addition to an education? What is so bad about getting your hands dirty? Where is the harm in doing something that you don't particularly enjoy so that you can make ends meet? Of doing something that you do enjoy instead of being pressured to get a liber-arts degree that you cannot use? America is one of very few countries where this sort of talk is heard. And we, the socially aware, who perceive ourselves as the world-changers and philanthropists, don't even find ourselves a little bit spoiled?</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Tomorrow, I am going to wake up at 4:30 in the morning to clean a bathroom. the toilets will be overflowing and mud will be caked on the walls. I don't think anyone wants to clean bathrooms, but I do what I have to do so that my platoon can eat breakfast on time. What is to terrible about doing work that means that I will eat breakfast on time?</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b>Elyse Weissberger</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Kibbutz Kinneret, Israel</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>(previously from Los Angeles, California</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirT8bSeFiHGP-JfLXiH51WnSHRSmVMjtVITBe4loDONwl60JXfU3si79G6ylUrWOqyaytgZI2GOuQhrkAeNCRB9-sNUcWIgP3OCIGPCIQcqAuWXFbqO9HoU46edTVCWVONBElrw9sYPAgx/s1600/2011-03-09_israelWomenSoldiers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirT8bSeFiHGP-JfLXiH51WnSHRSmVMjtVITBe4loDONwl60JXfU3si79G6ylUrWOqyaytgZI2GOuQhrkAeNCRB9-sNUcWIgP3OCIGPCIQcqAuWXFbqO9HoU46edTVCWVONBElrw9sYPAgx/s320/2011-03-09_israelWomenSoldiers.png" width="281" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div></div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-64077808552471501452011-02-21T17:55:00.000-08:002011-02-21T17:55:21.634-08:00And When You're With the Flowers Morning After Morning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">~ Cal - i - forn - i - a ~</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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...</div><div style="text-align: justify;">How cliche. How true!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So there's this farm. In California. <a href="http://www.livepower.org/">Live Power Community Farm</a>. 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And then of course there's <a href="http://ukiahcommunityblog.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/visiting-stephen-and-gloria-decater-live-power-community-farm-covelo-northern-california/">this:</a> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've three weeks to decide. Three. Seems like plenty of time?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div></div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-62444562489382089292011-02-12T18:33:00.000-08:002011-02-12T18:38:03.342-08:00Superfluous Blogging and the IFPRI<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">~ World ~</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhle0EZdNK2qDgemlWSLoGugxOolKvbNdGwvjGdUXVWMHZ6uZpY59VmV7TQpyCZ9SS1okSs8XM6ETyPXkV1X6J6BmbZoM4t71wy2C4vbPBoLu8AOctAotNFY6JadvUd0CsFFe7sLAgt4vyY/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhle0EZdNK2qDgemlWSLoGugxOolKvbNdGwvjGdUXVWMHZ6uZpY59VmV7TQpyCZ9SS1okSs8XM6ETyPXkV1X6J6BmbZoM4t71wy2C4vbPBoLu8AOctAotNFY6JadvUd0CsFFe7sLAgt4vyY/s320/Picture+1.png" width="94" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All those simmering ideas in the brain cauldron are totally waiting for the 'ah ha!' moment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And one just happened.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And it seems worth sharing - a piece of the puzzle in this boggling blog whose one central food theme lacks the specific and minute. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thus far.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, just now, I was reading <i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/business/global/12food.html?src=busln">this</a></i> (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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And while reading <i>that,</i> <i><a href="http://www.ifpri.org/">this</a> - </i>the <i>International Food Policy Research Institute - </i>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. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">For my future!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yay! Goals!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But amen to some direction and the ability to forgo another dose of stammering next time some one asks the gun loaded question: </div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, What Do You Want To Do?</div></div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-34820964518101527502011-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:002011-02-09T16:49:37.872-08:00C L O V E R on Wheels (Food That's Ready to Go! Literally.)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">~ Boston & Cambridge, MA ~<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cloverfoodlab.com/"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghta6hobgnpFO-aqy_ShFoDEZxGGGoeqrBmlJ0P0YGvtAnGRM39sryDYMOOUTzJ6sWM3jeElxvcMi6zeFVXHDpKU9UShXGeNEXkHBs6s9jtQUvo4CH9ItynskeFYXLxfibvXvDxLbqNFcZ/s320/2011-02-09_CLOVER_scrnshot.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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!)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://www.cloverfoodlab.com/?page_id=2248">one located in SoWa</a> (?!), which I just learned, is the Industrial section of Bean Town, south of Washington Street. Go figure).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://www.cloverfoodlab.com/?p=2409">Pour Over</a> in the A.M to get your morning off right.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And! Ask the fine lads and ladies behind the counter about where Clover sources their produce? Local farms. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gold Star, Clover. Gold Star.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cloverfoodlab.com/?cat=26">C L O V E R F O O D L A B</a></div><br />
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</div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-69912068910486616582011-02-08T19:49:00.000-08:002011-02-11T11:20:34.966-08:00Patriotism Be Knockin Atchya Door<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">~ Valley Center, CA ~<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/us/06vets.html">Helping Soldiers Trade Their Swords For Plows </a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFVj6wxYnzrDUuGAcAGpaayjWMv1Ypynek-2iPY3ALZnn4dijPfHHE_fOMcF6_6_LRMeRczywvwf4l2sVbcOJsXlqtZeG-N70rZQy9I3voZ9hZ35wlLxslOXJ1SoS8ka1AkxGeH5cutKw/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-08+at+10.36.20+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFVj6wxYnzrDUuGAcAGpaayjWMv1Ypynek-2iPY3ALZnn4dijPfHHE_fOMcF6_6_LRMeRczywvwf4l2sVbcOJsXlqtZeG-N70rZQy9I3voZ9hZ35wlLxslOXJ1SoS8ka1AkxGeH5cutKw/s320/Screen+shot+2011-02-08+at+10.36.20+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo credits - nytimes</span></div><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">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!</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">* Read on ! </span><span style="font-size: small;">*</span></span><b> </b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_K5CUsjhCRtpc_HOeOgDk3qpr6F-bDoeNx4-Cp4ECVDqAsUejhuh5JcVLT0R5GEjdrlcMorvAkN_mmUBh1QrGMg139RUSPFnAFCisn1UW14ucKKFo0GXuh9MFZUV43suGm0Rh3nXnL26/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-08+at+10.36.24+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_K5CUsjhCRtpc_HOeOgDk3qpr6F-bDoeNx4-Cp4ECVDqAsUejhuh5JcVLT0R5GEjdrlcMorvAkN_mmUBh1QrGMg139RUSPFnAFCisn1UW14ucKKFo0GXuh9MFZUV43suGm0Rh3nXnL26/s320/Screen+shot+2011-02-08+at+10.36.24+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo credits - nytimes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/us/06vets.html"><b>"...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.</b></a><b> </b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/us/06vets.html?_r=1"><b>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..."</b></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5vCJfxSuPxXxpC_NLixXhK3pFFk8AOp-7tp-hbb1tvhJBwzyKSbeInPrug5Afz3P3tvaQ-mkkufUlabo64QTNGXwlHsJR3z1eBPmKaLGchXI1VWeDjAID0LQYX7oDqyFYqlSRIjYGsQQ/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-08+at+10.36.39+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5vCJfxSuPxXxpC_NLixXhK3pFFk8AOp-7tp-hbb1tvhJBwzyKSbeInPrug5Afz3P3tvaQ-mkkufUlabo64QTNGXwlHsJR3z1eBPmKaLGchXI1VWeDjAID0LQYX7oDqyFYqlSRIjYGsQQ/s320/Screen+shot+2011-02-08+at+10.36.39+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo credits: nytimes</span></div><br />
- Mentioned in This Article:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.archisacres.com/Archis_Acres/Welcome.html">* Archi's Acres</a><br />
<a href="http://www.localphilosophy.com/blog/index.php/tag/aquaponics/">* Aquaponics (<i>An </i>Answer to Sustainable Farming)</a><br />
<a href="http://www.earthday.org/">* Earth Day</a><br />
<a href="http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story028/en/">* Food Security</a><br />
<a href="http://www.therockpile.com/yard/organic-fertilizer/dr-earth/">* Dr. Earth Kelp Meal (!?)</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjd1CJy0aXZ_-J42vbgSfuU0J5cNF3hDMh2vSovXqKmQEtpd2c0xy8j_-NfX4xyYRGONWP-wsIXiDyBfWfs9mFBEyCoURJ6v6rHL8VpEahNIqCs7XsnY3oe1dnnYI5gkSD7nSwUrbxXZaQ/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-08+at+10.36.31+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjd1CJy0aXZ_-J42vbgSfuU0J5cNF3hDMh2vSovXqKmQEtpd2c0xy8j_-NfX4xyYRGONWP-wsIXiDyBfWfs9mFBEyCoURJ6v6rHL8VpEahNIqCs7XsnY3oe1dnnYI5gkSD7nSwUrbxXZaQ/s320/Screen+shot+2011-02-08+at+10.36.31+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo credits - nytimes</span></div><br />
</div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-40254416248464945332011-02-06T08:25:00.000-08:002011-02-06T08:25:11.275-08:00MORE C o l o r! & *fleurs*<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">~ Bloomtown, USA ~<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ITj0xeZ_GQyLd3NCkSJCQKAZjCeNrH-jMaES1YwJo6UjintAvLJD8eGodWWQXwlNUF2nkMhELHt7WBsZQNZh1tY8IZ2SyEN2mCXc4JV0j8m-0Zlqc4WVfrcakpsdgABlKmLYsYifmNKx/s1600/redCOLOR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ITj0xeZ_GQyLd3NCkSJCQKAZjCeNrH-jMaES1YwJo6UjintAvLJD8eGodWWQXwlNUF2nkMhELHt7WBsZQNZh1tY8IZ2SyEN2mCXc4JV0j8m-0Zlqc4WVfrcakpsdgABlKmLYsYifmNKx/s320/redCOLOR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQdR0JpQxk1g6VybxVR0nQCBZDEl8brUoQIgkSJlWNCVm5EUlWcSx6USCwOI-uLj_RAtHlA05rsCpOy9ZshDpScxngFwE-FLB-gx58A7SDi13BY5-boRzm3OUWaLOBmN996KoGqJdwkT6/s1600/blootownscreenshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQdR0JpQxk1g6VybxVR0nQCBZDEl8brUoQIgkSJlWNCVm5EUlWcSx6USCwOI-uLj_RAtHlA05rsCpOy9ZshDpScxngFwE-FLB-gx58A7SDi13BY5-boRzm3OUWaLOBmN996KoGqJdwkT6/s320/blootownscreenshot.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bloom-magazine.eu/librairie/Bloom09/Bloom09.html">i want to see the flowers, please</a></div></div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-12725736028011703112011-02-04T19:32:00.000-08:002011-02-04T19:47:04.463-08:00Sprouting Spring Craving<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><i>~ The Ranunculus ~</i></span><br />
<br />
All food considered, not much to write in the throws of a Northeastern winter.<br />
SO.... this instead<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6P0Gq4E9oHp9ShxJNlSUAOoJUI-5FjbDVzi6pZewzL9HSL_UYNJjoRfjN-_xaELdhqSCxY-ieV3WovxbsFPcegb2JwW92QSbAuHoPYhE144WwKg8lEVHPnysyUP2ylM8Lil3g40QyDuYD/s1600/ranunculus_lemon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6P0Gq4E9oHp9ShxJNlSUAOoJUI-5FjbDVzi6pZewzL9HSL_UYNJjoRfjN-_xaELdhqSCxY-ieV3WovxbsFPcegb2JwW92QSbAuHoPYhE144WwKg8lEVHPnysyUP2ylM8Lil3g40QyDuYD/s320/ranunculus_lemon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3n4JeRpSndsT9wjUR_IQRxlduyvf3nHEJyiPrTwyu6t9C-q-4R79Q7qyx7uIQ7C4c-gXWuXJ6ySWIqN0UJTSX2Tmt61sz_ZxjE2A3yTYpzy-qyapbP2eXrhax7jUhBViLxyNDSdoHe9wh/s1600/ranunculus_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3n4JeRpSndsT9wjUR_IQRxlduyvf3nHEJyiPrTwyu6t9C-q-4R79Q7qyx7uIQ7C4c-gXWuXJ6ySWIqN0UJTSX2Tmt61sz_ZxjE2A3yTYpzy-qyapbP2eXrhax7jUhBViLxyNDSdoHe9wh/s320/ranunculus_poster.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MxrLf7pgtXH8bGe1CcA9rgymMz_s2jOyCh9-lJfzpzERPj4PKF9qhzJmZmyay0pBR4NaQ5MGUnpJJ7OpTWBwaknsTUlKpRwuIdTn5G8wINQbH8gfpF_rumG6RhyphenhyphenFmQFIkLjeaAT-0kve/s1600/ranunc_fleur_1sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MxrLf7pgtXH8bGe1CcA9rgymMz_s2jOyCh9-lJfzpzERPj4PKF9qhzJmZmyay0pBR4NaQ5MGUnpJJ7OpTWBwaknsTUlKpRwuIdTn5G8wINQbH8gfpF_rumG6RhyphenhyphenFmQFIkLjeaAT-0kve/s1600/ranunc_fleur_1sm.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PsJ1mt-EmWYjAEAetdw9KGIej9fmvqwidVF0T7f-tbzwxKvekxLKVYYcYNgpXrJHqVH5L0JfPadPgPtzSlklu5AFHUrEeqVaJUOgkUAfBjVW5lDySeeAf3O7vKfQ5jwxY6XkmuJuG4U2/s1600/ranunculus_secundus.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PsJ1mt-EmWYjAEAetdw9KGIej9fmvqwidVF0T7f-tbzwxKvekxLKVYYcYNgpXrJHqVH5L0JfPadPgPtzSlklu5AFHUrEeqVaJUOgkUAfBjVW5lDySeeAf3O7vKfQ5jwxY6XkmuJuG4U2/s320/ranunculus_secundus.png" width="174" /></a></div><br />
</div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-56153626058293297452011-02-02T07:25:00.000-08:002011-02-02T07:27:39.819-08:00A Food Manifesto for the Future<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">~ Ny Times ~<br />
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"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.<br />
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..." <a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/a-food-manifesto-for-the-future/"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">read more</span></em></a><br />
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</div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-11345629517107904932011-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:002011-01-17T12:50:49.401-08:00NOMADS~ The Fast Lane Somewhere between Cameroon and Senegal, West Africa ~<br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">We're taking a break from our regularly scheduled farm programing - for those of you out there possibly tuning in - to feature some incredibly awesome and ballsy guys traveling by motorcycle across West Africa.</div><br />
Meet:<br />
<a href="http://www.pulaku.com/about-2">C h r i s t o p h</a> (former peace corps volunteer and photographer) & <a href="http://www.pulaku.com/about-2">G u i d a </a> (Fulani Beninese Native and College Student Extraordinaire)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.pulaku.com/about-2/christoph-and-guida"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1yiD0ySYH8icq227DORkgYRJ547tNg8r6hG1eH5eeUgBLhZjoN3Yg7W57dir0UJyXf-7MJOKslwRnQjyOVqPtVRowzN7d2eBMh3JnDh8oJnbSDpJjililhJJvo0QeuVXdrIRzEuHb1Nw/s320/christophandguida.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Watch them, monitor them, cheer them on as they begin <a href="http://www.pulaku.com/about-2/travel-details">their journey</a> in a northern Beninese town, heading east to Cameroon, only to wind their way back across multiple countries to land in Senegal, stopping all along the way to document and commune with West Africa's diminishing, yet graceful, nomadic cattle herders, the Fulani.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="http://www.pulaku.com/about-2/travel-details"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0q0TYaXr3bXGC6j5QeWxUAvFztN8U5k1osAKz8ZKiJAT5x7xsnVxUodDnRy4I9xqdK89K791c8QAQFWbRUB83kiW0KoP1JMiBc3ZGSIHdjKCiHlJ2xK3yDZEd9IG_FVyVOD8DE3AmZk1e/s320/christoph_RouteMap.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Meet:<br />
<a href="http://www.pulaku.com/about-2/who-are-the-fulani">T h e F u l a n i</a> ~ also known as the Puel (pronounced <i>pull)</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZDZNfkGKPUz8IOG6NznPRDgPO2nl89xtksREU7i8lCexRArfdAxgJDTr3amhh3pwDldcJN7YcbvRhL0-4BMsJnaESAStH8zkE7mI8a27fhs3WRJLzYp2BHBc4E8qBTFe2ut_aWYYNdh8/s1600/christoph_womansheadshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZDZNfkGKPUz8IOG6NznPRDgPO2nl89xtksREU7i8lCexRArfdAxgJDTr3amhh3pwDldcJN7YcbvRhL0-4BMsJnaESAStH8zkE7mI8a27fhs3WRJLzYp2BHBc4E8qBTFe2ut_aWYYNdh8/s320/christoph_womansheadshot.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_bQxYfH1aIP4fK2qKZezy5qaaBiLAPQOctqh3K8GSiI5VNvDwj9jcP7kC0Y46vhuHbnw3_6pE__DkvRzsAwNg3elOtYHTURrP3oWkF5SeQ3WmOeYBpIBT9Y0Ey7iOy2H5YygX6UHVo8P/s1600/christoph_mensheadshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_bQxYfH1aIP4fK2qKZezy5qaaBiLAPQOctqh3K8GSiI5VNvDwj9jcP7kC0Y46vhuHbnw3_6pE__DkvRzsAwNg3elOtYHTURrP3oWkF5SeQ3WmOeYBpIBT9Y0Ey7iOy2H5YygX6UHVo8P/s320/christoph_mensheadshot.png" width="319" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOatpjsF4vjCGjVxUPpWhwKDB8Obm7Tw9obOowwXx31lAJsximXkCQJIpWAt3Bc-CNDbeGP2DmhyphenhyphenB5-ylmJLGWFanLazpLkMrfOPak9xq8Y_qaC59yD8lGvm6mrkSCn5miRcqEkKnMlnJP/s1600/christoph_herder_beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOatpjsF4vjCGjVxUPpWhwKDB8Obm7Tw9obOowwXx31lAJsximXkCQJIpWAt3Bc-CNDbeGP2DmhyphenhyphenB5-ylmJLGWFanLazpLkMrfOPak9xq8Y_qaC59yD8lGvm6mrkSCn5miRcqEkKnMlnJP/s320/christoph_herder_beach.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWxrgSNpVFG50_CsWXFf6l2iU6nopgbYbICrP8u_Hqn760XPBNp0D6aZCri4ZiOkZDA3AcIAV_AWEnLwJ_EktISCdTmJXhItDPaJwum6EJ5gnG5TVU_PAaz79sPvie9-2ezv3CsB72n_d/s1600/christoph_womencarrycalabash.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWxrgSNpVFG50_CsWXFf6l2iU6nopgbYbICrP8u_Hqn760XPBNp0D6aZCri4ZiOkZDA3AcIAV_AWEnLwJ_EktISCdTmJXhItDPaJwum6EJ5gnG5TVU_PAaz79sPvie9-2ezv3CsB72n_d/s320/christoph_womencarrycalabash.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: xx-small;">all photos by Christoph Herby</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://quietgriot.com/">Learn</a> and Watch More:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="265" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/13765242" width="400"></iframe></div><a href="http://vimeo.com/13765242">Pulaku: the Fulani photo project</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user3319290">Christoph Herby</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">S U P P O R T!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Last but not least, if you like what you see, and think this is an amazing trek, support Christoph and Guida as they move forward. You can <a href="http://www.pulaku.com/supporters">order some stunning prints</a> already featured on the website, or check in as they progress and post new photos - choosing your print a few months down the road when a particular photo catches your eye. All frames are hand made in Benin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-66859372957862611742011-01-16T16:45:00.000-08:002011-01-17T07:42:54.244-08:00<div style="text-align: justify;">~ 'Merca ~ </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemC_-epkl6zDHq4vtMmvrUQI7nFMkk_ATciTH_bAF7i9HB4uUJMmQ9tZ2wXz6U7B54esqf2gV9eOazCwKY6oTzvIc4ARpo_W8AAXUxeeP5iN-tzpJObNdxREuPDoPqOdU6MnKR9wk08TW/s1600/Farming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemC_-epkl6zDHq4vtMmvrUQI7nFMkk_ATciTH_bAF7i9HB4uUJMmQ9tZ2wXz6U7B54esqf2gV9eOazCwKY6oTzvIc4ARpo_W8AAXUxeeP5iN-tzpJObNdxREuPDoPqOdU6MnKR9wk08TW/s1600/Farming.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Subsidies go where the money is - where money talks. And in most cases, those subsidies support more corn - which in our unfortunate capital-driven economy, is the prime product receiving a large turn-over due to corporations like Coca Cola and Perdue, to name a few, which use it as a cheap by-product to either pump up The Soda, or feed The Chickens, and also have the cash to pay high priced lobbyists in Washington. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And yes, produce from outside the US <i>is</i> cheaper (to the immediate dollars in the wallets of our pockets, but not to the dollars of our taxes as we pay for the petrol needed for exorbitant transportation costs). Our tastes Are extravagant, as we continue learning about new sugar items from the Amazon, or new teas from the Himalayas. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Some people ask what comes first: the chicken or the egg (no pun intended). I.e do we slim down our demand for expensive imported products and high fructose products, and therefore show gov't why $$ must go to the production of local produce (this for example, means fewer if no bananas in the winter!); or does gov't need to *miraculously* stop promoting corn subsidies to in turn curb our population's addiction to manufactured sugars, and corn fed cattle?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Um, the former.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So as we adjust our eating habits...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>'Here's An Easy One...'</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Vows by Congressional Republicans to slash billions from the federal budget at a time when joblessness is high and the economy needs stimulus are reckless. But here is one big-ticket saving that all members of Congress should get behind: cutting the billions of dollars in farm subsidies that distort food prices, encourage over farming and inflate the price of land... <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/opinion/16sun3.html">more</a><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-9224999732346847352011-01-11T09:55:00.000-08:002011-01-11T10:44:49.980-08:00I Don't Eat Meat...? Unless I Know Where It's Come From...?~ Boston ~<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvXG3BuIeMjTnAbcvQu52mncMxDx6oR1rPlnYF8b7Iu2c7lq7-DzdaxpGme8CoZEB7prNu-sSivn6ojIxagF1PlluSkqT6ckzEB3BsLrS67J0qaKyKENZAVFSw-wbW1n31OF1CC9LXXj6/s1600/alca-luftal-chicken-original-67193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvXG3BuIeMjTnAbcvQu52mncMxDx6oR1rPlnYF8b7Iu2c7lq7-DzdaxpGme8CoZEB7prNu-sSivn6ojIxagF1PlluSkqT6ckzEB3BsLrS67J0qaKyKENZAVFSw-wbW1n31OF1CC9LXXj6/s320/alca-luftal-chicken-original-67193.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I didn't eat meat for a year before I left for Africa. I ate an apple sausage burger one day and got sick. So were dozens of other people across the country. I didn't dive into an investigation. I just called it quits. I was looking for an excuse to cut meet - beef particularly - out of my diet (probably because I thought it was trendy), and I took it.<br />
<br />
Then I moved to a place where the lamb or goat in your stew is butchered next door, and raised in the yard out back. I was comfortable with that. I knew exactly where my food was coming from. In fact, I'd likely peddled by the butcher on my bike that very day as he'd prepared the meat.<br />
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Now I'm back Here. And it's been far more difficult explaining to people why I'm...selective about what animal I decide to put into my body (I don't pick and choose my fish!! The elimination or weening away from that food source/sushi will come in due time).<br />
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"Oh, you're <i>still</i> doing that?" my dad asked quizzically the other night after he'd pulled out pre-pared chicken breasts for dinner, while I passively searched the package label for place of origin/the words' free-range'.<br />
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Not too long ago I'd shared a story about eating venison meatloaf. My boyfriend's friend had shot the deer in Maine, where the populations of deer are over abundant, and hunting is an activity of respect by man with animal, for a source of game.<br />
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No wonder my poor father was confused.<br />
<br />
But hadn't I explained already? Pasture fed, free - range, local, hormone free. Did I need to mention the decentralization of our food economy, too?<br />
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Some say I'm nit-picking. But then I find information about other people who are most definitely doing the same thing, and I feel reassured:<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/m6yQHrqpqQ0?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/m6yQHrqpqQ0?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<br />
http://bostonlocalvores.org/about<br />
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And:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/11322649" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/11322649">Know Your Roots: Eat Local</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/eatlocal">Scott and Sara</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-25727986080054623632011-01-10T17:48:00.000-08:002011-01-10T20:20:09.382-08:00And the Finest Entertainment She Ever Did Know<div style="text-align: justify;">~ Somewhere on the Fast Lane Between Boston and Portland ~</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkiEhTBacAA2VriAkuan4oETwg-MhPnKleSApTpSb5EK6SP4E4Nf9-YuFZGAinEI3VZEL2Rsn1iHNiC1IsDn_CQchB_WSYuzTK8pO5LrdhyphenhyphenkxUpmUBXCN_qmFmp2p1Tcz_kvElkLKA1M52/s1600/tomatoes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkiEhTBacAA2VriAkuan4oETwg-MhPnKleSApTpSb5EK6SP4E4Nf9-YuFZGAinEI3VZEL2Rsn1iHNiC1IsDn_CQchB_WSYuzTK8pO5LrdhyphenhyphenkxUpmUBXCN_qmFmp2p1Tcz_kvElkLKA1M52/s320/tomatoes.jpg" width="320" /></a> I'm no longer sure who exactly I'm writing this blog for, besides myself. And that is something I never thought I'd do. Besides my loyal parents and a friend who clicks on the page every once in a while, there's no one out there really tuning in. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Just the same, my pursuit to work in the agro and farming world, surrounded by the bounties of fresh and Tasty food, has not subsided. Among several hiccups along the way, I've set aside the notion of driving and living across country, and begun preparing myself for the possibility of remaining for some time longer in the North East. Should the opportunity arrive, I will stay. And the drive continues - to grow some food. <br />
<br />
To start, the inclement weather (though predictable) of the Northeast hardly fosters outdoor growing activities. No real surprise there. But I began snooping around volunteer opportunities with local community organizations - those that foster CSA's and/or help promote farmer's markets, among other things. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Also, I haven't shut up about the potential of winter greenhouses, and ask at every chance I get, if someone knows someone, who knows someone, who ....<br />
<br />
Until finally my work has paid off.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One, <a href="http://www.cultivatingcommunity.org/">Cultivating Communities</a> of Portland, ME responded after the holidays had duly passed, offering a range of *stuff* to do as winter work: marketing for their CSA campaign, compost pickups and general photo managing on their websites.<br />
<br />
I'll do it.<br />
<br />
Plus, I'd love to push CSA's. I convinced my mother of their value, I don't see why I can't convince others, too.<br />
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Two, I finally learned of someone who knows someone, who knows someone, who operates winter greenhouses - growing tomatoes and distributing them to jail inmates in order to offer the real taste of real food.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I may not have a paying position, but at least I'm keeping myself occupied.<br />
<br />
And if I can't find fresh local food at every moment, I figure cooking breakfast for dinner - oatmeal, please - will have to be the satisfying twist of the day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhVgWHEgpdCaWoiTocvzd_g2alAc7333FDON2VqhUVy_cJbGT9JZy3jM1Xxu79VBtieX0fWMeT2oVGWBdJNYbwaroZmpM-hiw5ZHdxM5vyz6NeekSSfvVBKdDrBLlA00Vq2HvaQTUGh3z/s1600/oatmeal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhVgWHEgpdCaWoiTocvzd_g2alAc7333FDON2VqhUVy_cJbGT9JZy3jM1Xxu79VBtieX0fWMeT2oVGWBdJNYbwaroZmpM-hiw5ZHdxM5vyz6NeekSSfvVBKdDrBLlA00Vq2HvaQTUGh3z/s320/oatmeal.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oatmeal, with sesame seeds, some sunflower seeds, too, raisins and dried blueberries, and definitely some New Hampshire maple syrup. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm reading <a href="http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/">Barbara Kingsolver's <i>Animal, Vegetable, Miracle</i></a> (am I alone when she's unfortunately reminiscent of the English Teacher You Hoped to Never Have?). I know her family's strict one-year rules to eat only local food (grown at their home or by close community farmers) would banish my meal from their oak table.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Mange on. Bon app.</div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-76410559998536650872010-12-29T12:07:00.000-08:002011-01-09T19:54:39.243-08:00Books to Inspire~ Oakland, California & Tennessee ~<br />
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I'll be the fisrt to admit I'm a little slow on the uptake. I've been in a foreign land for two years, the after affects of which I fondly and aptly named the African Hangover. This means I know little about the latest pop culture, or CNN news, and get excited when I hear a song that is New to me. So I'll anxiously ask the nearest friend, "Have you heard this yet?!", and then feel slightly crest fallen when I see their expression and await their reply as this person figures out how to tell me nicely, if not politely that the song has been out for over a year: "Uh, yeah...Must have come out when... er... you were... away." <br />
<br />
So that means these two books were published when I was across a large ocean. And due to the game of catch up as a result of my own personal recession, one publication currently carries the hipster/trendy label even while human interest in agriculture precede us by thousands of years.<br />
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And Novella Carpenter (her last name prescribes her activities, I think) wrote 'The Education of an Urban Farmer'. A happy, but often sassy exploration of a woman's successful, but also sometimes frustrating efforts to grow her own vegetables, and foster her own animals - for the kill. The title implies the location: all her agrarian activities took place not only in a city setting, but in her backyard. Localvorians be pleased, Vegetarians proceed with caution. :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrWFBikflxbOfBM7Dr4FiyisUQFyQzzgoV26ITVDZ3FoSucpaR5R8aVJC0u6YO2rzUkr2bhO8d7WQwlwV5FSFG-EKsUtfNtuvDBuzjHIRhXHKa2YOnCRcyTCl2r7agwItGjrm5g8pHNSc/s320/EducationOffarmcity.jpg" width="212" /> And before I had a chance to get my hands on this urban farming tale, I was lucky to be loaned yet another eye opener. Different prose, slightly different objectives, former New York City resident and policy maker, gone community Tennessee gardener and earth monger Sandor Ellix Katz offers concrete facts and impertinent doses of information with a soft and teaching kind of tone. I liked it. A lot. Especially all the fun antidotes about America's underground food movements, and the eclectic recipes that made me want to begin experimenting with cooking ideas at 2 in the morning - the hours I often found myself reading the pages.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0_ZmFQAkr23LmEa3EtlURPLbURYSgH5hRIytqv2cc894Lza4ZDInSYdw87_14bBDwA6HxtwHl_FE3QZXGEoLkuHLGT7wtEzDXtDjoCASTb2w0ckInxwfbEpIVInk06QFZ4lrwipGCovn/s1600/MicrowaveKatzCover-790381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0_ZmFQAkr23LmEa3EtlURPLbURYSgH5hRIytqv2cc894Lza4ZDInSYdw87_14bBDwA6HxtwHl_FE3QZXGEoLkuHLGT7wtEzDXtDjoCASTb2w0ckInxwfbEpIVInk06QFZ4lrwipGCovn/s320/MicrowaveKatzCover-790381.jpg" width="213" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This book, a bit more than Carpenter's, gave me a hefty gulp of energizing, and an antsy taste of activism. Make seed saving an act of Patriotism! Break the law by consuming raw milk! Participate in the trade and barter of unpasteurized cheese!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Yes, please. And Read on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-35253302733182156762010-12-28T16:50:00.001-08:002010-12-28T16:58:45.673-08:00The Back of Our Car~ Road Trip 101 ~<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPtdCPQEqzowpt8_bzl5sRM34vNvskurXV7rBdx5DNpNJr_6VbOrJanY6AYoLMhPqU2bMgBKMTs2YbZ4ysUROiM56MYhXB3vWrysxULnwFI-NmFAiodKtgx_Gesw6FBt0plyN-gM2fzTx/s1600/karina_heartbed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPtdCPQEqzowpt8_bzl5sRM34vNvskurXV7rBdx5DNpNJr_6VbOrJanY6AYoLMhPqU2bMgBKMTs2YbZ4ysUROiM56MYhXB3vWrysxULnwFI-NmFAiodKtgx_Gesw6FBt0plyN-gM2fzTx/s320/karina_heartbed.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://sweethomestyle.tumblr.com/">photo creds</a></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Holidays are almost behind us and letting out a sigh of relief is near. Though eating, drinking and being merry with loved ones was remarkable and memorable, I'm happy to begin hashing out a future Road Trip.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The initial ideas have only begun to formulate: We'll depart in April or May, (maybe even March???), stop at <a href="http://www.wwoofusa.org/">Wwoofing farms </a>en route to learn/explore, and see the bigs skies of Montana or Wyoming, because...we can.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">But what car? Which States? How many days/weeks of driving? Land in California or Washington State? </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Either way, can the back of the truck bed look like this? </span></div></div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-3286844016578044072010-12-15T15:38:00.000-08:002010-12-15T19:40:51.204-08:00Paradigm Shift -> Exist in Numbers<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4deHA4yIjtKGbRix_HP3VSx23a3Hg8ldt0UiyH2mJ-2_vtytStEoBCsMWFEnhp8XO_5OSyldMYWO5bkLOwETbQSHezE8MD9lzQwms6OrMouXL7_vk8zc-izb4g1k9wHUsc7xiJnEfRnNs/s1600/144_artworkimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4deHA4yIjtKGbRix_HP3VSx23a3Hg8ldt0UiyH2mJ-2_vtytStEoBCsMWFEnhp8XO_5OSyldMYWO5bkLOwETbQSHezE8MD9lzQwms6OrMouXL7_vk8zc-izb4g1k9wHUsc7xiJnEfRnNs/s320/144_artworkimage.jpg" width="239" /></a> The idea of traveling 'cross country is nothing new, and has most certainly existed in the minds of many for ... averylongtime.<br />
<br />
I know <i>my</i> own fantasies began a long time ago, because the foggy remnants of mixed tapes - not ipods nor car cd players - are melanged into the initial light bulb idea that popped into my head probably around the time I got my license at 16.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But this current trek across numerous boarders, towards the zephyr winds of Washington state and California, finally appears to be moving forward with a purpose: to visit young (like ourselves) and burgeoning farmers and homesteaders (who we'd like to emulate) as we create a wake there yonder on US soil.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YeO6VXGuH1tUkb6NVWiPYfCFV6Sj87gTRrMiFFOi8Zbuy0SnFLGYxZpVuG9bHkkiqEPVsdOrohtUR4nX-IxnB2YRE3BsOR0K2n-o5znoeQK8WNaHOU561_4V2R5Nk3NFw11WVzoTHYvu/s1600/bigbanghomestead_metro+persimmon.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
So speaking of young farmers that have yet to be met, I just read the <a href="http://www.berkana.org/articles/lifecycle.htm">a great article</a> on the rewards of today's networking cycles, people-connections, and social relationships. I was reminded how well all those ideas apply to this current pursuit and I'm eager to pick the brain of the author, a Bostonian neighbor and budding informant, Debbie Frieze. She and a co-author write about the means by which naturally occurring networking cycles have begun to flow.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. The actions of self-interested people seek like minded individuals or groups, with the purpose of enhancing personal work. (check!/work in progress)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. *Others* in the same field are discovered, and the partnership of like-minded individuals who understand the empowerment of group activities and initiatives merge to create the development of communities. Such group oriented influences can ultimately place these communities in a position of leadership in a local or global spectrum. (Yes, please.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. The spreading of ideas and influences takes place as the groups exist like pioneers, making new practices and beliefs a standard or norm throughout other populations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiO6UsaPkots61GUJU29uc8b2zOiSEQWVN5ufHxGdCGWNY_YT2gB4_Hx0zPUL9gPra_QzTK6u4MgcW4afsc0sut_LWeR15zCTz1iSJmOaRvWCjyXy4SL4vBG9lfFiDs2okyDYr5p_5TfJZ/s1600/paradignshift_183_artworkimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiO6UsaPkots61GUJU29uc8b2zOiSEQWVN5ufHxGdCGWNY_YT2gB4_Hx0zPUL9gPra_QzTK6u4MgcW4afsc0sut_LWeR15zCTz1iSJmOaRvWCjyXy4SL4vBG9lfFiDs2okyDYr5p_5TfJZ/s320/paradignshift_183_artworkimage.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhjFAKlPxI4cxcxCRCrPqWV1YGRdhZcwAMGvdth8G5Ni9hQYocKNymCuco5H30NJJ5FoO5BcsAjsG6QMHUtv-IQOI6IboLrWyzXVhzrROt-PCCGRruP6tbRJc22je99l7fiB1EdibcrlF/s1600/paradigm+shift_1690_artworkimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhjFAKlPxI4cxcxCRCrPqWV1YGRdhZcwAMGvdth8G5Ni9hQYocKNymCuco5H30NJJ5FoO5BcsAjsG6QMHUtv-IQOI6IboLrWyzXVhzrROt-PCCGRruP6tbRJc22je99l7fiB1EdibcrlF/s320/paradigm+shift_1690_artworkimage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And that's what I'm after: like-minded individuals who care about sharing ideas, information and generating some change in the food we are provided, in the way we create it and the way we share it with others. <br />
On ward! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-89274145113294394202010-12-14T09:33:00.000-08:002010-12-14T13:58:47.716-08:00Trying to Remain PatientWhile the World Evolves.<div style="text-align: justify;">- Senegal/Global -</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrBBfZ1xrLXi3_hEPO3G716NGnpmnjwkOqHNJ1RwCCnqUJgb6zPnUtpzCKgWdg_1VJwTCzNQ4Bs1p9Ree1u4suxyAoz_AJ8UykRbNFnyJ325FEbdMgt5sz39nJU0MVOvoyRQltSfydRM4/s1600/urbanfarming_senegal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrBBfZ1xrLXi3_hEPO3G716NGnpmnjwkOqHNJ1RwCCnqUJgb6zPnUtpzCKgWdg_1VJwTCzNQ4Bs1p9Ree1u4suxyAoz_AJ8UykRbNFnyJ325FEbdMgt5sz39nJU0MVOvoyRQltSfydRM4/s1600/urbanfarming_senegal.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's been an interesting two and a half months since returning from the Peace Corps. Not that anything particularly exciting has happend, infact just the opposite, and it's that unexpected inverse of events that has gotten me in a state of...well. Shock.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Returning from an incredibly foreign <a href="http://nxtbloom.blogspot.com/p/benin-of-west-africa-pc.html">country</a>, and living in a small village where cans of tomato paste, sardines, pasta, rice and onions were typically the plate du jour, I've since found this growing fascination with food. Plus, I worked in gardens over there in Africa, so I was introduced, and happily welcomed those unbelievable and reassuring moments of pulling carrots from the ground, cutting heads of cabbage from their stubby stalks, and watching my green beans grow plump; always a reminder to myself and the people around, that growing food was one of the most miraculous events we could possibly perform in an otherwise barren area. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">SO. Now back in the United States living in the Northeast, it's incredibly frustrating (and yes, also very inspiring!) to read about <a href="http://natashabowens.wordpress.com/">amazing and wonderful urban farming pursuits</a>, around the country and all over the world - like this women above featured in a <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?Reportid=91361">UN article</a> concerning the development of urban farming as an initiative to help poor and underdeveloped parts of the globe create food safety and sovereignty - but to also meet dead end job opportunities in a time of Cold winter, little greenhouse access, and ultimately a standstill in the farming realm at this time of year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I know - What did I expect???</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, that's why I plan to move to the west coast in the spring - where the greens are a'plenty and the movements and activism are shaking in their rubber work boots.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime, what is one to do? Met with obstacle after obstacle, and boring day after boring day, it's a wonder more people don't crazy around here!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So reading about the UN's initiatives has certainly revived an otherwise gloomy day, and provided *some* hope that not only is the world interested in making food more available and potentially healthier (no pesticides, please!), but that perhaps one can *pay rent* while taking part.</div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-20753374420879518412010-12-11T13:32:00.000-08:002010-12-11T13:33:20.552-08:00F A R M S C H O O L - NY, NY -<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHOrZofQRVVBVKsO5xRKZqDARXIkgbHplpoyN2Cn2L8-CXLOsv6uvCJVQ_KQ1jM_2VLlqpthf848Y9cF_vyRdbtV0P5TgP0WDNx7BGJ4z008qZT2NqPfe5DONIExCMTOlcpfUuo8ecc87/s1600/beetsveggies_prod_9393_12506_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHOrZofQRVVBVKsO5xRKZqDARXIkgbHplpoyN2Cn2L8-CXLOsv6uvCJVQ_KQ1jM_2VLlqpthf848Y9cF_vyRdbtV0P5TgP0WDNx7BGJ4z008qZT2NqPfe5DONIExCMTOlcpfUuo8ecc87/s1600/beetsveggies_prod_9393_12506_l.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Yes! <a href="http://www.justfood.org/farmschoolnyc/program">Take classes</a> - at night and the weekends, if you so please - to learn <i>more </i>about Urban Ag. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Get certified via a 2 year program, or take individual classes. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Get schooled for 1 week, or 6. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Pretty sweet, right? </div>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-62384296652019949082010-12-10T07:24:00.000-08:002010-12-10T07:27:04.471-08:00A Polymath- Japan/Asia/The World -<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://organic.com.au/people/masanobufukuoka/"><i>Masanabu Fukuoka</i></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>February 2nd 1913 - August 16th 2008</i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i> </i> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBlj5CWdxcWP4qfDCatkQx9Y7hrxpMXCQv5KqLk1Ciqlt8pHgDi1uGIyyCCjTGW3LNGYfIjQHoyaBk6AM_Gk3FrIyESabCFNh333DyQnsu_z5Ejkn8gvjWC0T3UdJIfTa2VZ8iXgR7TAX/s1600/masanobu_fukuoka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBlj5CWdxcWP4qfDCatkQx9Y7hrxpMXCQv5KqLk1Ciqlt8pHgDi1uGIyyCCjTGW3LNGYfIjQHoyaBk6AM_Gk3FrIyESabCFNh333DyQnsu_z5Ejkn8gvjWC0T3UdJIfTa2VZ8iXgR7TAX/s1600/masanobu_fukuoka.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<i>Farmer</i><br />
<i>Philosopher</i><br />
<i>Writer</i><br />
<i>Educator</i><br />
<i>Scientist </i><br />
<i>Poet</i><br />
<i> </i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">"Most of the work of farming is created by tampering with nature, which causes negative side effects. Very few agriculture practices are even necessary, just scattering seed, spreading straw on the soil and harvesting."</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigREdRSWRMVbxpnRPY73XDHQkHK0Z8siMBH2U6szC2g4F-FSQfkOxxIG4DHMwSh_EZw5DCOcbaBOcsfcRkDCMHUyY5nOzmn0Die6yYbRB1x1RnpRiYBdA-6bO-zG9x19kG0hFJZLoJEVTw/s1600/M_Fukuoka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigREdRSWRMVbxpnRPY73XDHQkHK0Z8siMBH2U6szC2g4F-FSQfkOxxIG4DHMwSh_EZw5DCOcbaBOcsfcRkDCMHUyY5nOzmn0Die6yYbRB1x1RnpRiYBdA-6bO-zG9x19kG0hFJZLoJEVTw/s1600/M_Fukuoka.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
His books:<br />
<a href="http://www.onestrawrevolution.net/"><span style="font-style: normal;">The One Straw Revolution</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.vedicbooks.net/the-natural-way-of-farming-p-12392.html"><span style="font-style: normal;">The Natural Way of Farming</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.vedicbooks.net/the-road-back-to-nature-p-12403.html"><span style="font-style: normal;">The Road Back to Nature </span></a>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-25453417092101247572010-12-07T08:05:00.000-08:002010-12-09T06:06:14.050-08:00Do Ya Dig IT ?- NY, NY -<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0srVP-d9VBLvc9ID2zsS7HoGMvhXxSAweoVqzjbGg0U0lCVTV2CkCZsskkdjOBkXfh5vo_w2zpDFFve9cfvVrhskzrjMy57Rrwu5sWrrv0W802oXUcCx-PCX_IZJWTeIxGphNH1E09yEA/s1600/greengorllia_Liz+Christy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0srVP-d9VBLvc9ID2zsS7HoGMvhXxSAweoVqzjbGg0U0lCVTV2CkCZsskkdjOBkXfh5vo_w2zpDFFve9cfvVrhskzrjMy57Rrwu5sWrrv0W802oXUcCx-PCX_IZJWTeIxGphNH1E09yEA/s1600/greengorllia_Liz+Christy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Via Lizchristygarden.org</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Liz Cristy, artist, environmentalist and gardener activist lived in the Lower East Side in the 1960's and 70's, promoting long lasting and healthy community green spaces in New York City. In 73' when she gathered several friends and community participants to clean out a vacant lot on the corner of Bowery and Houston, the <a href="http://www.greenguerillas.org/">Green Gorillas</a> were born, and so continued as the members proliferated other city owned lots initiating the community gardening movement in the City.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_IoTFfA6jwkZ6Z87EbD0Nntx5OfB9jBEoazwnHL1_F9y7ZrCtiiXR4r1KpbR3kTX6bpGTZQC-peG8eftho8oPXAIORbcnKlkng-CLI5LYr11LfOjcmBdljLLcaQVYghPHhN-7IwUOfxw/s1600/greengorllia_Liz_1975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_IoTFfA6jwkZ6Z87EbD0Nntx5OfB9jBEoazwnHL1_F9y7ZrCtiiXR4r1KpbR3kTX6bpGTZQC-peG8eftho8oPXAIORbcnKlkng-CLI5LYr11LfOjcmBdljLLcaQVYghPHhN-7IwUOfxw/s320/greengorllia_Liz_1975.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Via Nycgovparks.org</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
A favorite spot can be found at the 6th and B Garden in the East Village:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTwqNQHKvv4iggBJ9Z86LCbRpIT0pwjkf0J_366sAOp224XAdS2iTtRIUxy-MJFcbZhZSLBtzATsGeTJIY2TsTNECGKpraygtsCtvNMzCV19gjVgYLWka_a0VGaJi9nElNcFCg97LrfND/s1600/6th_B_EddieBorosSclptr1998_flckr.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTwqNQHKvv4iggBJ9Z86LCbRpIT0pwjkf0J_366sAOp224XAdS2iTtRIUxy-MJFcbZhZSLBtzATsGeTJIY2TsTNECGKpraygtsCtvNMzCV19gjVgYLWka_a0VGaJi9nElNcFCg97LrfND/s320/6th_B_EddieBorosSclptr1998_flckr.png" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption">6th and B Garden Collage Sculpture by Eddie Boro's, 1998. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo via Flickr Mollynme80's</span></td><td class="tr-caption"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyx5lRmG9lBhn4ZGu4uatHe2o3w774P_T1d5CYM5pTEBbtiPO2Xo8pwxjo65FiS_UE7JSDNmiJraO04D4Mus1Ge15cQxxoU4J9gSP05ncamheEHZdw2AVvM7K_mW8_KvKpohW3W_P6sjv/s1600/6th_B_HugLionPhotostream_flckr.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyx5lRmG9lBhn4ZGu4uatHe2o3w774P_T1d5CYM5pTEBbtiPO2Xo8pwxjo65FiS_UE7JSDNmiJraO04D4Mus1Ge15cQxxoU4J9gSP05ncamheEHZdw2AVvM7K_mW8_KvKpohW3W_P6sjv/s320/6th_B_HugLionPhotostream_flckr.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 6th & B Garden - <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo via Flickr HugLion</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez_9XffBp6QLVlCcnqBXjDerDiYmjJJEJu-z_7d1ZRk361TuYHqDSDInJAxfFMIvZ6JfHW-S2AZB9sJanvoVt8_wPw_sEVggpHtcKAKOXhnU48cHatYu7T7gqlO6Ms7ORUKCbtm5dACDx/s1600/greengorilla_6th_B_1972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez_9XffBp6QLVlCcnqBXjDerDiYmjJJEJu-z_7d1ZRk361TuYHqDSDInJAxfFMIvZ6JfHW-S2AZB9sJanvoVt8_wPw_sEVggpHtcKAKOXhnU48cHatYu7T7gqlO6Ms7ORUKCbtm5dACDx/s1600/greengorilla_6th_B_1972.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corner of 6th and B circa 1972 - <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo via 6bgarden.org</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Nxt Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070477856180734675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484138269134059701.post-52292078141345422722010-12-04T11:19:00.000-08:002010-12-04T11:19:17.016-08:00Cold Weather Greenhous-ing- Portland, ME -<br />
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Tucked away in a not too obvious location, is a lone 30+ year old greenhouse where students with learning disabilities of PATH High school, have an opportunity for total immersion in alternative learning programs. In the greenhouse, education is all about...plants.<br />
Bob Francis, a former landscape architect of New York City has been teaching at the facility for 20 years, after being lured to Maine by his Mainer wife. ;)<br />
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One of the best learning moments of this short but wonderful visit, was the rediscovery of Stevia, an incredibly (shockingly) sweet herb. Take one little nibble of a small leaf, and the juices grow more and more delectable. See here:<br />
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I was also gifted some plant clippings to take home and put in soil. Double sweet.<br />
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