I recently came across a video on “slash and burn” farming, produced by the Earth Institute at Columbia University in New York. It made me want to dispel some of the myths surrounding this form of agriculture, but I should start by describing exactly what slash and burn agriculture really is.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Haiti’s post-quake humanitarian disaster is directly tied to its food supply and the collapse of the rural economy. Combating the dominant paradigm is an accelerating grassroots movement — from farmers burning Monsanto seeds to edible schoolyards.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Josh Dorf and I took a trip to Quincy Washington to visit Tom Grebb, a bean farmer who has been pioneering new methods of sustainable farming. Tom and the farmers he sources from grow about 4,000 acres of ten different varietals of beans, including pintos, black beans, garbanzos, etc. Here are excerpts from our discussion.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Kañiwa is in the same goosefoot family as quinoa, which has seeped into American consciousness over the last several years. Yet kañiwa is much easier to process since it is not covered in the bitter saponin found on quinoa.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
In places like Bangladesh, a one meter increase in sea level will submerge 20 percent of the land and displace 35 million people, many of whom will die in the flooding. How many people there can afford to take the attitude that humans are just a blip?
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Even though we have a big compost pile outdoors, I’ve been vermicomposting — composting with red wiggler worms — for a couple of years. For us, a worm bin is a way to keep on composting even when the weather is frigid and the outdoor pile is inaccessible.
Monday, June 14, 2010
When shopping for milk, the choice between organic and traditional milk seems obvious. Organic milk is better for the environment, and comes from generally better-treated animals, right? Well, the reality is not quite so clear.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Can biodiversity at source help achieve sustainability? From South Africa’s Rooibos farming community – and a pack of baboons! – comes some real life examples of biodiversity in action.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Candying is one a great way to preserve a huge variety of vegetables, fresh spices, and herbs. Here’s a basic method which works for many tough plants as well as squash and melons.
Friday, July 2, 2010
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