Hungry world...

Recently, MSN money online published a series of pictures selected from the 2005 photographic book "Hungry Planet" by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Alusio.  A quick search found a Time magazine series with even more of these photos, really worth taking a look at. The book has an intro by Marion Nestle and essays by plenty of well-known writers and thinkers. 

The photos compare a week's worth of food for different families from all over the world, at every level of economic development.  The differences are astounding, and speak volumes to our national and global food crises.  

You can view the slideshow here, Part I and Part II.

Especially notable are the statistics below the photos that tell the viewer how much each family spends on the amount of food pictured. But as a whole, this group of photos delivers some pretty bad news about where developed nations are, and where developing nations are headed, with regard to industrialized eating habits and health outcomes.

On a happier note, the USDA has rolled out its new "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative. Watch Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack make the announcement on Youtube.  (I'd rather watch Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan make announcements though, no offense to Secretary Vilsack.)

 

Secretary Merrigan has launched the "Know Your Farmer" website, which is a monumental step in the right direction.  The website is clean, well-designed, and user-friendly, with links to different categories of resources and tools -- for rural community development, conservation, organic conversion and community nutrition programs, among others.  

It's a clearinghouse of information on grants and loans available to farmers and food entrepreneurs, and is also attempting to also foster a dialogue and virtual social space for people interested in continuing the conversation.

To that end, Deputy Secretary Merrigan will be hosting a Facebook chat this Thursday, October 1 from 3:45 - 4:15.  You can submit a question in advance, though the USDA's press release doesn't make it clear exactly how. It says that more details are available here, but that just seems like the link to the webchat. Anyway, you can become a fan of USDA on Facebook and leave comments or join in the discussion there.

We're excited to participate in this new national conversation! Slowly and steadily, we can affect positive change in our world.

Come on down to our potluck dinner!

This coming Thursday, September 17, we'll be hosting our first event of the school year at 60 Brookside Ave., Apt. 2 (map), the home of our gracious Administrative Officer, Jalal.  It's a potluck dinner from 6-9pm, and since it's a Slow Food event, we ask that you do your best to bring food &/or drink that is good, clean, and fair. 

What does this mean?  To us, it means that the food tastes good, is good for us, and, to the maximum extent possible, (1) is produced in a clean way that doesn't harm the health of humans, animals or the environment, and (2) that those whose work went into producing it are fully and fairly compensated.

We also ask that you remember to bring your own utensils and dishes to eat & drink from to minimize waste and lighten the load for our host.

We hope that you'll join us on Thursday evening -- it's sure to be a delicious time! If you'll be attending, please click here to RSVP.  (Follow the blue "edit this page" link at the bottom right to add yourself.)

Thanks -- we look forward to eating with you!

Welcome Back!

Happy September to all! Our first meeting will be held in Jaharis 156 on Tuesday, September 15 from 12-1 pm. Bring your lunch and please be ready to participate!

Slow Food Tufts was formed last year, out of the remnants of the former student group, FOOD.  We seek to be active in politics, agriculture, food systems, ecology and local cuisine, to defend biodiversity in our food supply, spread the education of taste, and link producers of excellent foods to consumers through events and initiatives.  And of course, to eat and drink together in the spirit of gastronomy and conviviality!

 On behalf of Slow Food Tufts, thanks for checking out our blog.  We'll be updating it more frequently this semester, and hope that some new members will be interested in writing as well. See you Tuesday!

Food Independence

Take a small stand today. Sign the pledge to buy and eat all locally sourced food for the 4th of July. A coalition of organizations put together a petition and some other actions you can take if you want to take your food independence a step further. Here's what they have in store for you:

Here’s what you can do:

* Sign their petition either by going to www.foodindependenceday.org or Facebook
* Contact your state’s first family and ask them to share their July 4th menu with us (they can e-mail it to roger(at)kitchengardeners(dot)org)
* If you’re a kid and growing some local food of your own, share your story with others through the “Why I’m a Victory Grower” video contest.

For the skeptics out there who still aren't sure about this whole 'local food' thing and feel like it's an anti-growth, protectionist movement thrown together by a bunch of naive do-gooders I point to the economist John Maynard Keynes. While reading Saving the World at Work by Tim Sanders I came across this interesting fact about buying local that is usually left out. John Maynard Keynes coined the term "local multiplier effect" in his book The General Theory of Employment in 1936. The multiplier effect measures how many times a dollar stays in one community. The theory is that the higher the multiplier effect in a community the more healthy and vibrant that community becomes. So, the buy local movement is nothing new. It is protectionist but it's not anti-growth nor is it a harebrained idea thrown together by a bunch of foodies.

So, as you can see, buying local food or local anything is really the patriotic thing to do this Independence Day!

(Cross-posted on www.almondbean.blogspt.com)

Recession Impacting Your Grocery Budget? How About Wild Edibles?

I'm not sure what it is, but the people who are featured in the on-line videos like this one all have a bit of that wild-funk to their style. Someone needs to give these foragers a make-over if the expect people to:

a) trust them
b) take them seriously
c) for the movement to catch-on

But looks aren't everything! There is much to be gained from an expert forager. If you are curious about what wild edible (sometimes referred to un-lovingly as weeds) can be found in Boston and how to prepare them, you're in luck! There is a great event in Boston next month so mark your calendars.

Wild Edibles Walk at Allandale Woods
Wednesday, July 15, 6:00 p.m.
Meets at Annunciation Melkite Cathedral Parking Lot, 7 VFW Parkway,
West Roxbury

Event is free. Registration required. Contact 617-542-7696 or
info@bostonnatural.org

The walk will be lead by the decidedly normally looking Russ Cohen, expert forager and author of Wild Plant I Have Known.

This free event is sponsored by the Urban Wilds Council, Boston Parks and Recreation
Department, and Slow Food Boston.