MUM courses:
- Energy Use by Man and Nature
- Hands On Course In Sustainable Technologies
- Permaculture Design Certification
- Sustainability Forest Academy
- Artisan Foods and the Slow Food Movement
- Local Economy
Grinnell College courses:
Resource Center
Michaels Blog
michael's flog (food blog)
Food blog review:
Carlo Petrini speaks of the necessity of the integration between agriculture and gastronomy. Organictobe.com is exactly that. In their own words:
"For you, for us, for our kids, for our future… from the farms to our tables, from growing food to enjoying food, from nutrients to ingredients, from farm markets to restaurants, from news to reviews… Organic To Be (OToBe) is a conversation about organic food and farming. We publish fresh posts almost daily, and the Organic Newswire updates continuously."
In the most recent post, Gene Logsdon, farmer and author of the contrary farmer, explains how simple, easy, and rewarding planting a crop of black walnuts can be. Simply lay the collected seeds (which can be found everywhere) on the ground in two feet intervals with rows 25 feet apart and the drive over them with your car or tractor. He then talks about the many benefits of having a bottom land of black walnuts. The trees are too bit for animals to graze, they're native, when matured they make good furniture wood, they are home to a beautiful and rare moth ( the Royal Walnut moth), and they provide a peaceful sanctuary from the harsh weather and harsh society. He ends by tying it all together with a simple and delicious looking organic black walnut jam cake.
Organictobe.com is a very inspiring example of eco-, or agro-gastronomy.
Letter to the editor
from: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_7324.cfm Dear Amy
In your article "Getting Kids to Eat Healthy isn't Always Easy" you talk about how hard it is for you to get your child to eat healthy food and about giving in to their desire for junk food. This is definitely a serious and wide spread problem. I remember being the same way when I was young. I think that the advice you got, the way in which you are dealing with the situation, is good. Its much better to empower your children to reject bad food rather than trying to hide it or control what they eat.
I feel that Carlo Petrini, the founder of the Slow Food movement, also has some interesting things to say about this subject. The Idea of slow foods is the enjoyment of life and specifically the enjoyment of good, quality food. He believes that if that if we can restore the traditions of eating slowly ,and learn how to make good food with local, affordable ingredients then we will enjoy food and be healthy again. Rather than forcing, or limiting people to the small selection of industrial health foods, we can develop small local communities abundant in fresh produce and culinary skills.
Free writing session
eco-gastronomy connects us to the environment, it gives a purpose to enjoying life and to taking care of our planet. It shows how we benefit from the planet.
We need to take care of the planet because it is where we derive all of our pleasure.
The tendency of the mind is to go towards greater happiness and thus, if confronted with the choice to struggle to save the planet or to ignore and continue to destroy it in the name of industry and entertainment than many minds will go for the second. Ecogastronomy shows us a venue for pleasure that also supports the environment.
Eco gastronomy bridges the gap between man and the environment and between duty and pleasure.
Adventure in Iowa city and amish land
I had a much better time than I thought I would. The first place was very funny. It was out in the middle of nowhere and the marketing lady seemed even more out of place. But I was very impressed by their efficiency and effective system. They some how all seemed to get what they were doing. The lady knew why she was supporting the products. The lab tester guy with the iokoa shirt was also very cool. A horse drawn potato harvester?! Freck yes. The people working at this place were doing this because they believed in it, not just because it was a smart and successful operation.
The hen house was less way cool. It was pretty much your typical organic egg operation. Their dedication to the local community was nice, and Im sure it was a much better operation than most egg places, but it was still smelly and creepy.
The co-op was swell. The food their is great and their dedication to good, clean, and fair is very obvious and impressive. Hearing the lady talk about its conception was very awe inspiring. Over all, this trip gave me a lot of confidence in the power and possibility for sustainability.