We hear a lot about China’s food safety problems, but we seldom hear about the growing number of people fighting for healthful, organic foods. Kunming, in Yunan Province, boasts some exemplary initiatives. Thanks to The Perennial Plate and Intrepid Travel,…
This clever young man’s seed business inspires me. I also love the nose-tweaking nature of the name Zach Pickens has given his Brooklyn-based company: Rooftop Ready Seeds*. I have trouble growing any kind of plants on my balcony because of…
When a 16-year-old from Plano, Texas has her research published in a peer-reviewed journal, I take notice. When the research supports my bias toward organic produce, I pay special attention. But her giving me a new appreciation of fruit flies…
Signs like this are popping up around France: “Nourriture à partager. Servez-vous librement, c’est gratuit!” My French is rusty, but I recognize this generous sentiment: “Food to share. Help yourself. It’s free!” The idea behind Les incroyables comestibles had its…
Three women on Vancouver Island are growing a dream. Rachel Fisher, Heather Stretch, and Robin Tunnicliffe are farming their way to a sustainable livelihood on three small, certified organic farms. Together they are Saanich Organics. Their explanation of why they…
Invermere, British Columbia, is like that little train engine of my childhood, the one that chugged uphill saying, “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.” That character knew “the secret” long before positive affirmations became…
Gangsters with shovels are spreading garden graffiti in the vacant spaces, parking strips (aka parkways) and yards of South Los Angeles. They are proud and defiant and even invite residents to steal their work. They are L.A. Green Grounds, a…
When multiple sclerosis landed pharmacist Nancy Grebenc in a nursing home, the family’s finances hit the skids. With bills mounting, nine-year-old Shelby hatched a plan to ease the strain. She would sell farm eggs. With a $1,000 loan from her…
Most of us think about hunger in the abstract. Rahul Raj, a 17-year-old student at Wilfred Laurier University, took action. His grandmother had taught him well. During the family’s trips to India, Raj watched his grandmother give money to beggars,…
Mammoth farm machinery and mono-cropping can never teach how to preserve biodiversity, adapt to changing conditions, and conserve soil. The Seed Mothers of Orissa can. The indigenous people of Orrisa State have long depended on agriculture for sustenance and livelihood.…
