Kristina Sweet, of Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, sits down to discuss her background in food systems, including a stint at Greenmarket in NYC. She discusses where she sees the food going in the next 20 years, why communication skills are important, and how we can keep sight of the big picture while making incremental positive … Continue reading "Interview with Kristina Sweet of VAAFM"
I depict the current food system in Vermont using the statistic (source: Farm to Plate?) that an estimated $5 out of every $100 is spent on locally-produced food, and therefore that $95 out of every $100 spent on food leaves Vermont communities. The arrows depicting the cycle of food and money are practically interchangeable. In … Continue reading "Existing/Ideal"
Carbon sequestration is possible on agricultural lands, including croplands and rangelands. California has a significant amount of land dedicated for cattle to range; UC Davis research suggests that there are over 60 million acres of rangeland in the state. By applying compost and turning it into the top layer of soil on rangeland, the ability … Continue reading "Rangelands"
Wendell Berry included the following poem in his essay “The Agrarian Standard,” published in The Essential Agrarian Reader (2003). The poem comes from Virgil’s Fourth Georgic, and reads: I saw a man, An old Cilician, who occupied An acre or two of land that no one wanted, A patch not worth the ploughing, unrewarding For flocks, … Continue reading "Making the Most…"
Wendell Berry included the following poem in his essay “The Agrarian Standard,” published in The Essential Agrarian Reader (2003). The poem comes from Virgil’s Fourth Georgic, and reads: I saw a man, An old Cilician, who occupied An acre or two of land that no one wanted, A patch not worth the ploughing, unrewarding For flocks, … Continue reading "Making the Most…"
Wendell Berry included the following poem in his essay “The Agrarian Standard,” published in The Essential Agrarian Reader (2003). The poem comes from Virgil’s Fourth Georgic, and reads: I saw a man, An old Cilician, who occupied An acre or two of land that no one wanted, A patch not worth the ploughing, unrewarding For flocks, … Continue reading "Making the Most…"
My food story revolves around (pop)corn, sugar, vegetables, herbs, grains, pulses, nuts (I’m allergic… to some nuts), animals, and family traditions, the culture in which I have been raised, legislative cycles, national elections, and global justice issues. And farmland. And policy. And grad school. And fruit. All the fruit, all day, every day. Never enough fresh fruit … Continue reading "Popcorn and Sugar Preview"
Follow me through the an education in food, planning, and policy. As in, sustainable food systems, regional planning, and land use policy…
