Back in San Francisco for good this time, we're working on multiple fronts (as is essential to any movie project). To try to maintain some interest in this blog, I will be updating all the rest of the visits we made in February and since, slowly but surely. This entails me reaching into the vault of my memory-mobile to write of the fun times we had. This may take some time, I warn you.
Also, I will be adding updates on our progress in actually making the first segment of the series. Today, for example, Sascha and I will be shooting some of the remaining "Rick Steves" type portions of the first segment. This will help Sascha continue to edit. I saw a brief (3 minute) section of what he's done so far, and of course, it looks great and is fully exciting.
So here it is:
ARCATA/EUREKA
While in what many would consider the epicenter of Humboldt County culture, the Arcata/Eureka area (population around 59,000), we visited a couple of interesting projects.
One was the Humboldt State University’s Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (CCAT). This project had its origins, like many other university institutions, in a student led movement for better and smarter living. I have been told that the UCSC Farm and Garden project was similarly started with no school support, and eventually gained recognition as a valuable part of the school. CCAT was similar back in the early 80s, and now has yearly funding from HSU. When we got there, we were a little disappointed (but not surprised) to find out that the school had recently moved the CCAT house 150 feet or so south to make way for a huge ugly building. Why does this matter? Well, CCAT is a demonstration site for “appropriate technologies” like solar power, greywater systems, bike-powered washing machines, and the like. Required to showcase a sustainable living lifestyle is, of course, a garden. So, had we visited months prior, we would have seen a garden and site that stood 20+ years developing, not one that was just getting started. And, of course, the new site was on heavily compacted clay soils, in the shade of planted redwoods and other conifers…not the best place to start a new garden.
Anyhow, we got a nice tour of the site and a description of its history from Sara, took some footage of a mycological bed planting (mushrooms being one edible that doesn’t take sunshine to grow-therefore “appropriate” for this site), and headed on our merry way.
We talked to both Anne and Katie at the local food bank, called simply enough “Food for People”. Katie, director of the gleaning program, talked about the support the food back receives from the local farming community, through the “plant a row” program. Farmers plant an extra row of some crop with the direct intention of donating it to the food bank. This has helped Food for People maintain a large supply of fresh fruits and vegetables in addition to the canned and packaged foods which form the mainstays of most food bank fare. Some of the produce is organic, and it is greatly appreciated by food bank clients. The gleaning program also harnesses the power of volunteers to collect left-overs from farmers markets and farm harvests, bringing what otherwise might be considered “waste” into much appreciated use. Anne, the executive director, talked about the challenges of recent cuts in USDA funding for subsidized food bank purchasing, the role of the farm bill in supporting those most food-insecure, and how important feeding the poor is to sustainability.
Food banks, to me, are an indication of a sick food system; when large sections of the population cannot afford to buy the basic necessities of life, something is wrong.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Live Power Community Farm
At last, an update!
Live Power Community Farm
This was one of my favorite places on our trip thus far, mostly due to two factors that make this farm unique in the world of California agriculture, sustainable or otherwise. Those factors:
1) The Decater family, Steven, Gloria, Christopher, Nick, and Alex use draft animals to till the soil on which they grow 4 acres of vegetables annually. Their horses (specially bred for stockiness and power to pull farm implements like diskers) are complimented by other livestock: sheep, cows, and pigs. Only the horses are used to power the farms’ equipment, but the others also contribute their own pieces to the farm’s health and livelihood; they contribute their feces. Steven pointed out on our first (non-filmed) walk around the farm that the only way to keep their 4 acre plot of soil healthy through year after year of extractive veggie production is to have 36 other acres to support their animals (through annual and perennial pasture). Otherwise, fertility would have to be imported from off-farm sources, which is un-acceptable at Live Power, but common throughout the rest of the organic farming scene.
2) Steven and Gloria farmed the land that is Live Power for many years as tenant farmers, and finally approached the landowner looking to buy the land and put it into some sort of long term stable situation. Considering the raw economic reality of their sort of farming—that you don’t make almost any money—they were unable to buy the land outright. Through a partnership with the land trust organization Equity Trust, out of New York, and the support of their partnering CSA subscribers, the Decaters were able to secure enough funding to purchase the agricultural value of the land, and have the Trust own the speculative (i.e. developmental, non-agricultural) value of the land. This arrangement is similar to other conservation easements, used around the country. However, this easement is unique in that the option to purchase or inherit the land is limited to someone who guarantees to use it for agricultural purposes, and the price of the land will be limited to reflect the agricultural value of it. The intent of this is obvious: to keep the land in agriculture and to keep it affordable for future farmers. Many land trust organizations will not pursue language of this sort in their conservation easement agreements, due to the difficulties in ensuring future compliance to language which demands that a new owners’ income be 50% or more agriculture-based. However, I think it is an interesting approach to taking land out of the economic system where money decides a land’s use, where (as happens all too often) even ag land with a conservation easement becomes so expensive as to only be affordable as a vacation/ranch/country home for the upper class.
Live Power Community Farm
This was one of my favorite places on our trip thus far, mostly due to two factors that make this farm unique in the world of California agriculture, sustainable or otherwise. Those factors:
1) The Decater family, Steven, Gloria, Christopher, Nick, and Alex use draft animals to till the soil on which they grow 4 acres of vegetables annually. Their horses (specially bred for stockiness and power to pull farm implements like diskers) are complimented by other livestock: sheep, cows, and pigs. Only the horses are used to power the farms’ equipment, but the others also contribute their own pieces to the farm’s health and livelihood; they contribute their feces. Steven pointed out on our first (non-filmed) walk around the farm that the only way to keep their 4 acre plot of soil healthy through year after year of extractive veggie production is to have 36 other acres to support their animals (through annual and perennial pasture). Otherwise, fertility would have to be imported from off-farm sources, which is un-acceptable at Live Power, but common throughout the rest of the organic farming scene.
2) Steven and Gloria farmed the land that is Live Power for many years as tenant farmers, and finally approached the landowner looking to buy the land and put it into some sort of long term stable situation. Considering the raw economic reality of their sort of farming—that you don’t make almost any money—they were unable to buy the land outright. Through a partnership with the land trust organization Equity Trust, out of New York, and the support of their partnering CSA subscribers, the Decaters were able to secure enough funding to purchase the agricultural value of the land, and have the Trust own the speculative (i.e. developmental, non-agricultural) value of the land. This arrangement is similar to other conservation easements, used around the country. However, this easement is unique in that the option to purchase or inherit the land is limited to someone who guarantees to use it for agricultural purposes, and the price of the land will be limited to reflect the agricultural value of it. The intent of this is obvious: to keep the land in agriculture and to keep it affordable for future farmers. Many land trust organizations will not pursue language of this sort in their conservation easement agreements, due to the difficulties in ensuring future compliance to language which demands that a new owners’ income be 50% or more agriculture-based. However, I think it is an interesting approach to taking land out of the economic system where money decides a land’s use, where (as happens all too often) even ag land with a conservation easement becomes so expensive as to only be affordable as a vacation/ranch/country home for the upper class.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Who's on the What now?
We're back on the road again, truly.
We had a few false starts; well, not false, but seemingly tentative forrays back into the world of sustainable ag before having to return to the city. We probably ruined our carbon footprint driving the commuters' route between the North Bay and San Francisco a couple of times. The reason?
Mainly, we had some business to attend to back in the city, and had a gap of a couple of days with no interviews/dates scheduled.
So here's a recap of our trip since the 6th:
On the 6th, we stayed with a powerhouse of a woman, Patty Karlin, at the Bodega Goat Ranch. She has been raising goats and making goat cheese small scale for over 20 years in a bucolic setting in Sonoma county. We ate traditional Peruvian food, 4 types of goat cheese (my favorite being the creamy french style), Saint Benoit Yogurt made on the same farm by Patty's co-"team farmers", and serenaded Patty to thank her. Patty is also looking for an intern, in case you're interested in learning about goats, permaculture, and team farming.
On the 7th, our plans were cancelled due to miscommunication...oops.
On the 8th, we drove to Hopland to speak with Ann Thrupp, Director of Sustainability and Organic Production at Fetzer Vineyards, and the organic wine label Bonterra. Ann has been working in sustainable agriculture education and advocacy for a long time, and in her mind, the wine industry is definitely leading the way with a lot of sustainable techniques, practices, and attitudes. While she acknowledges that many companies may be getting on board for "greenwashing" purposes, she maintains that both Fetzer and Bonterra believe and are committed to what they preach, and are in fact active agents for spreading the "sustainability" word to other vineyards. The day before we arrived, Ann had given about 50 wine growers from around the state a tour of the Fetzer facilities, which includes wildlife habitat, solar power arrays, a "green"/natural administration building, recycling facilities for their packaging, and, of course, organic grape vines. Considering Ann's passion, knowledge, and obvious interest in true sustainability, I don't doubt that there is potential for large producers to adopt far more beneficial practices than used commonly. There's a long way to go, of course, as organic wine grapes only form a small percentage of total wine grape production, and Fetzer itself runs about a quarter of that total acreage.
On the 9th, we were priveleged to have a long stay with Brock Dolman at the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center. Brock was recovering from a killer fever, and though it was his first day up and about after being bed-ridden for days, he was on top of his game as usual. I grilled Brock on the prospects of sustainable water usage in Agriculture for California, and he gave us some good perspective on what people can do to make this happen, starting at the level of one's own watershed.
We also had a little walk and talk, discussing the ups and downs of habitat "restoration" (restoring to what? I asked), and the way farms--and human settlements of all sorts--can be made to be functional for humans and ecologically beneficial to all other life as well. It's possible, but it takes foresight, intelligence, good information, and a willingness to work within natural systems laws.
OAEC is one of the most amazing places I've been to, for its convergence of community, ecology, beauty, and (best of all) really good food. I'd recommend you check out one of their open Wednesday workdays (10am-4pm), if you're within reasonable distance. You can meet some of the expert long-time gardeners, take in the forests and the orchards, and eat a fantabulous lunch, all for free!
We came back to the city for the 10th and 11th, handled some very important but secretive business, and then headed out to Willits. After a brief stay at the Super 8 Hotel in Ukiah, we met with Maximillian Meyers, of the Mendocino Ecological Learning Center, at the home of Jason Bradford, farmer at Brookside Farms and one of the founders of the Willits Economic Localization (WELL). Max has designed and implemented a permaculture design for Jason's 1/3 acre home site, and I must say, it's one of the first permaculture designs that I've actually been really impressed by. Max has used many of the traditional permaculture concepts and techniques (swales, guilds, rain catchment), but integrated them with beauty and immense functionality. My favorite part was the teeter totter (designed for Jason's two kids Curtis and Davis) that pumps water as its played on. Talk about using on-site resources!
Max is also a hero, to me, as his project, MELC, teaches FREE courses of material that rarely is free. Permaculture courses, you might notice if you look online, are an expensive proposition, and for folks that can't normally afford 2 weeks off work for a design course, any cost is too much cost. I'm not quite sure how they do it (lots of generous donations, I imagine), but the MELC model has been working this way since 2003.
Next we interviewed Jason on food and energy descent. Jason was also recovering from a cold, but provided well thought out, eloquent responses to my boring questions. And he let us stay in his extra room out back. Thanks Bradford family!
While in Willits, we also visited Cyndee Logan, an organizer for WELL and other localization efforts. Cyndee told us of some of the programs and efforts to increase local food production, and she thought that there was a surge in the interest for local foods, at least in their area.
We have to go now (we're leaving Arcata to head out for some farm interviews up north/east), so I will leave the rest of this update for later.
We had a few false starts; well, not false, but seemingly tentative forrays back into the world of sustainable ag before having to return to the city. We probably ruined our carbon footprint driving the commuters' route between the North Bay and San Francisco a couple of times. The reason?
Mainly, we had some business to attend to back in the city, and had a gap of a couple of days with no interviews/dates scheduled.
So here's a recap of our trip since the 6th:
On the 6th, we stayed with a powerhouse of a woman, Patty Karlin, at the Bodega Goat Ranch. She has been raising goats and making goat cheese small scale for over 20 years in a bucolic setting in Sonoma county. We ate traditional Peruvian food, 4 types of goat cheese (my favorite being the creamy french style), Saint Benoit Yogurt made on the same farm by Patty's co-"team farmers", and serenaded Patty to thank her. Patty is also looking for an intern, in case you're interested in learning about goats, permaculture, and team farming.
On the 7th, our plans were cancelled due to miscommunication...oops.
On the 8th, we drove to Hopland to speak with Ann Thrupp, Director of Sustainability and Organic Production at Fetzer Vineyards, and the organic wine label Bonterra. Ann has been working in sustainable agriculture education and advocacy for a long time, and in her mind, the wine industry is definitely leading the way with a lot of sustainable techniques, practices, and attitudes. While she acknowledges that many companies may be getting on board for "greenwashing" purposes, she maintains that both Fetzer and Bonterra believe and are committed to what they preach, and are in fact active agents for spreading the "sustainability" word to other vineyards. The day before we arrived, Ann had given about 50 wine growers from around the state a tour of the Fetzer facilities, which includes wildlife habitat, solar power arrays, a "green"/natural administration building, recycling facilities for their packaging, and, of course, organic grape vines. Considering Ann's passion, knowledge, and obvious interest in true sustainability, I don't doubt that there is potential for large producers to adopt far more beneficial practices than used commonly. There's a long way to go, of course, as organic wine grapes only form a small percentage of total wine grape production, and Fetzer itself runs about a quarter of that total acreage.
On the 9th, we were priveleged to have a long stay with Brock Dolman at the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center. Brock was recovering from a killer fever, and though it was his first day up and about after being bed-ridden for days, he was on top of his game as usual. I grilled Brock on the prospects of sustainable water usage in Agriculture for California, and he gave us some good perspective on what people can do to make this happen, starting at the level of one's own watershed.
We also had a little walk and talk, discussing the ups and downs of habitat "restoration" (restoring to what? I asked), and the way farms--and human settlements of all sorts--can be made to be functional for humans and ecologically beneficial to all other life as well. It's possible, but it takes foresight, intelligence, good information, and a willingness to work within natural systems laws.
OAEC is one of the most amazing places I've been to, for its convergence of community, ecology, beauty, and (best of all) really good food. I'd recommend you check out one of their open Wednesday workdays (10am-4pm), if you're within reasonable distance. You can meet some of the expert long-time gardeners, take in the forests and the orchards, and eat a fantabulous lunch, all for free!
We came back to the city for the 10th and 11th, handled some very important but secretive business, and then headed out to Willits. After a brief stay at the Super 8 Hotel in Ukiah, we met with Maximillian Meyers, of the Mendocino Ecological Learning Center, at the home of Jason Bradford, farmer at Brookside Farms and one of the founders of the Willits Economic Localization (WELL). Max has designed and implemented a permaculture design for Jason's 1/3 acre home site, and I must say, it's one of the first permaculture designs that I've actually been really impressed by. Max has used many of the traditional permaculture concepts and techniques (swales, guilds, rain catchment), but integrated them with beauty and immense functionality. My favorite part was the teeter totter (designed for Jason's two kids Curtis and Davis) that pumps water as its played on. Talk about using on-site resources!
Max is also a hero, to me, as his project, MELC, teaches FREE courses of material that rarely is free. Permaculture courses, you might notice if you look online, are an expensive proposition, and for folks that can't normally afford 2 weeks off work for a design course, any cost is too much cost. I'm not quite sure how they do it (lots of generous donations, I imagine), but the MELC model has been working this way since 2003.
Next we interviewed Jason on food and energy descent. Jason was also recovering from a cold, but provided well thought out, eloquent responses to my boring questions. And he let us stay in his extra room out back. Thanks Bradford family!
While in Willits, we also visited Cyndee Logan, an organizer for WELL and other localization efforts. Cyndee told us of some of the programs and efforts to increase local food production, and she thought that there was a surge in the interest for local foods, at least in their area.
We have to go now (we're leaving Arcata to head out for some farm interviews up north/east), so I will leave the rest of this update for later.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Home is where the crazy is...
Wow.
Hard to believe how far behind we've gotten on keeping up while on the road.
Mostly, I blame the fact that we took a small "break" in San Franciso. This break meant seeing friends and forgetting obligations!
Part of this "break" included my band, Nurses, playing a benefit show for the movie on February 2nd. A few other groups performed, including the Conspiracy of Beards, an all male a capella choir I used to sing in. Fun times, and we made some money for the project.
Jesse has been slowly cranking out our next video, on Frank Fitzpatrick, Orange county rancher superstar. He was sidetracked a bit due to a brief visit to his hometown of Nevada City, where he was stranded without electricity for a couple of days in his dad's snowed-in house. Now that we're back to "civilization" and the road, where time is abundant, we should be back on track.
Since we last blogged, we met with the following folks:
1) Steve Gliessman, of the UCSC Agroecology program. One of the best interviews we've had so far, Steve broke down the Santa Cruz integrated educational model, wherein students simultaneously learn via classroom instruction as well as real world experience on farms, make the sustainable food connection at their on-campus cafeterias, and often taking on roles as activists in all sorts of food-related causes. It is one of the most impressive efforts for college sustainability/food education I have ever heard of, and we are bound to go back to get more footage of the many amazing programs they run.
2) One of which is the aforementioned Cafeteria Sustainability Initiative. After years of student pressure to get more labor- and enviornment-friendly food in their cafeterias, the outside contractor was replaced with a UC-based group called Dining Services. Dining Services has been far more responsive to student demands/needs, and has worked, through the Food Systems Working Group, to procure more local and sustainable products for student meals. We met with Candy and Scott Berlin, two Dining Service employees, who explained the history and current efforts to move campus food service towards sustainability.
3) We also met, before Eco-Farm, with Dina Izzo and Rebecca Thistlewaith of ALBA, based out of Salinas. ALBA trains new organic farmers, with a focus on serving Latino and immigrant farmworkers. Farmers completing their program are eligible to rent land from them for reduced rates, though the rates are eventually raised so that the farmers can learn the true economics of running their own small organic farm. Through "ALBA organics", their distribution center, they serve the Santa Cruz area with local food from a number of local organic farms, including some from the ALBA farms themselves.
4) Jim Nelson, long time farmer and teacher at Camp Joy in Boulder Creek, gave us a tour of his beautiful 4 acre farm. It was a foggy scene of pure homestead; wooden cabins nestled among towering pines and redwoods, goats, chickens, apple trees, and the magic potion: apprentices. Jim was one of Alan Chadwick's original apprentices at UCSC. Camp Joy is his (and his cohorts') attempt to pass on the learning and legacy of the Chadwick organic tradition. Judging from its beauty and apparent functionality in the middle of winter, I'd say they're doing a good job.
5) We narrowly missed Jason McKenney at Hidden Villa Farm and education center. We must be going back at some point, after seeing how extensive of a program they seem to be running there. And it's really not that far from San Francisco, anyway.
6) Back in Bay Area, we met with Aliza Wasserman of Community Alliance with Family Farms, Bu Nygrens of Veritable Vegetable, and Ron Strochlic of the California Institute for Rural Studies.
Now we're back on the road, heading north to meet the rain and people who brave it!
Hard to believe how far behind we've gotten on keeping up while on the road.
Mostly, I blame the fact that we took a small "break" in San Franciso. This break meant seeing friends and forgetting obligations!
Part of this "break" included my band, Nurses, playing a benefit show for the movie on February 2nd. A few other groups performed, including the Conspiracy of Beards, an all male a capella choir I used to sing in. Fun times, and we made some money for the project.
Jesse has been slowly cranking out our next video, on Frank Fitzpatrick, Orange county rancher superstar. He was sidetracked a bit due to a brief visit to his hometown of Nevada City, where he was stranded without electricity for a couple of days in his dad's snowed-in house. Now that we're back to "civilization" and the road, where time is abundant, we should be back on track.
Since we last blogged, we met with the following folks:
1) Steve Gliessman, of the UCSC Agroecology program. One of the best interviews we've had so far, Steve broke down the Santa Cruz integrated educational model, wherein students simultaneously learn via classroom instruction as well as real world experience on farms, make the sustainable food connection at their on-campus cafeterias, and often taking on roles as activists in all sorts of food-related causes. It is one of the most impressive efforts for college sustainability/food education I have ever heard of, and we are bound to go back to get more footage of the many amazing programs they run.
2) One of which is the aforementioned Cafeteria Sustainability Initiative. After years of student pressure to get more labor- and enviornment-friendly food in their cafeterias, the outside contractor was replaced with a UC-based group called Dining Services. Dining Services has been far more responsive to student demands/needs, and has worked, through the Food Systems Working Group, to procure more local and sustainable products for student meals. We met with Candy and Scott Berlin, two Dining Service employees, who explained the history and current efforts to move campus food service towards sustainability.
3) We also met, before Eco-Farm, with Dina Izzo and Rebecca Thistlewaith of ALBA, based out of Salinas. ALBA trains new organic farmers, with a focus on serving Latino and immigrant farmworkers. Farmers completing their program are eligible to rent land from them for reduced rates, though the rates are eventually raised so that the farmers can learn the true economics of running their own small organic farm. Through "ALBA organics", their distribution center, they serve the Santa Cruz area with local food from a number of local organic farms, including some from the ALBA farms themselves.
4) Jim Nelson, long time farmer and teacher at Camp Joy in Boulder Creek, gave us a tour of his beautiful 4 acre farm. It was a foggy scene of pure homestead; wooden cabins nestled among towering pines and redwoods, goats, chickens, apple trees, and the magic potion: apprentices. Jim was one of Alan Chadwick's original apprentices at UCSC. Camp Joy is his (and his cohorts') attempt to pass on the learning and legacy of the Chadwick organic tradition. Judging from its beauty and apparent functionality in the middle of winter, I'd say they're doing a good job.
5) We narrowly missed Jason McKenney at Hidden Villa Farm and education center. We must be going back at some point, after seeing how extensive of a program they seem to be running there. And it's really not that far from San Francisco, anyway.
6) Back in Bay Area, we met with Aliza Wasserman of Community Alliance with Family Farms, Bu Nygrens of Veritable Vegetable, and Ron Strochlic of the California Institute for Rural Studies.
Now we're back on the road, heading north to meet the rain and people who brave it!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
ECO-FARM, a wrap up.
We just spent a wild three days in the company of the best, brightest, oldest, youngest, weirdest, loveliest, hungriest, and most experienced members of the sustainable food scene from across the country (and the world!). And we loved it.
Eco-Farm, a conference put on annually by the Ecological Farming Association, brings together farmers and food activists for worthwhile conversations, various farm-related songs (talent show!), and sessions on topics from organic orchard pest control to the threat of evil LBAM and LBAM sprays. Jesse and I performed "Satan Gave Me a Taco", by Beck, at the talent show, hoping to end up with the $500 dinner for four, but alas, the guy with the cutesy song about worms won instead. We did make it to the finals due to the very drunk persuasion of the judges by an anonymous audience member, who came up to the stage and insisted that we were "amazing". No, what was really amazing was the lanky ecological landscaper playing his congas/voice arrangment, "Mouse in the House". And our new friend, Dan Sullivan, from the Rodale Institute, did his rendition of a classic Neil Young song with new lyrics, titled "Keep On Rockin' in the Label-Free World". I will post the video of that when I can.
The rest of the conference:
As is normal for these types of events (in my experience), the scheduled sessions ended up being the least exciting part. I did attend a couple that rocked my world, though, including:
1) Water Conservation Leadership in Sustainable Ag,
where Brock Dolman of the OAEC (who we'll be interviewing in February) conducted his usual fantabulous powerpoint presentation. His rap included some of my favorite Brock-isms. Brock-isms are language altered for a better reflection of reality and for humorous effect--replacing "global weirding" for global warming, "fossil fools" for fossil fuels, and "bi-pedal sacks of saline solution" for human beings. Brock gives me hope that if more people in the sustainable agriculture movement were lucid, eloquent, funny, and hopeful, we'd have no problem getting other people excited about watershed activism!
2) Indigenous Wisdom,
featuring Diana Almeadariz, "the Tule Lady", who carries on traditions of her people by teaching the history, importance, and uses of native plants, especially the native tule reeds of the central valley. She used great stories and photos to illustrate the connection between her family and the resources they relied on. Also presenting was Chuck Striplen, an academic working to answering the question: if we are going to "restore" the landscape of our protected state and federal lands, what are we trying to restore it to? He defines "restored" by investigating the relationships indigenous Californians had with their environment. Through ethno-botanical research, Chuck has learned how natives supported and selected for the survival of certain plants and animals, and how this management created the landscape early settlers saw when they arrived. His research has added ammo to the case that far from being an Eden-like paradise untouched by human hands, pre-colonial California was effectively a huge garden that provided food and sustenence for large numbers of native Californians while maintaining thriving biodiversity. Surely a model to look to for a sustainable food system!
3) The closing Plenary speech by Andrew Kimbrell. I met this guy the night before, at the CAFF mixer, and he told me that he "didn't know" what he was going to talk about. He sure knows how to fool a guy. His speech was hopeful, funny, inspiring, and obviously well thought out. Best of all, it ended with the word "love". There was nothing to argue with; he just laid down why we fight for sustainable agriculture in such human terms that I almost forgot that he is a lawyer.
Really, though, the reason to go to Eco-Farm is for the people and the connections made.
I met many heroes, many peers, and more than a few of the subject interviewed or to-be interviewed for In Search of Good Food. I was having so much fun talking to everyone, swapping seeds, and checking out nametags, that I nearly forgot to get any footage!
We did interview Bob Scowcroft, the Executive Director of Organic Farming Research Foundation. Let me say that the best thing I've found about the "old guard" of the sustainable food movement--those that started institutions which have formed the foundation for the immense success and growth of the organic food industry--is that they actually appreciate the younger people in the movement. They seem more excited about interns coming in to take the reins than getting recognized for their years of hard work! Bob also talked about the obvious need for more federal funding of organic and sustainable production research, and the joys of bringing music into sustainability efforts. That's another thing: organic farmers and their supporters seem to be a very musical bunch!
However, that does not mean that the band the EFA booked to play the big dance, Blue Turtle Seduction, was any good. They describe theirselves on their website thusly:
Regardless, I will definitely be back to Eco-Farm. And big thanks to all the wonderful people who make it happen!
Eco-Farm, a conference put on annually by the Ecological Farming Association, brings together farmers and food activists for worthwhile conversations, various farm-related songs (talent show!), and sessions on topics from organic orchard pest control to the threat of evil LBAM and LBAM sprays. Jesse and I performed "Satan Gave Me a Taco", by Beck, at the talent show, hoping to end up with the $500 dinner for four, but alas, the guy with the cutesy song about worms won instead. We did make it to the finals due to the very drunk persuasion of the judges by an anonymous audience member, who came up to the stage and insisted that we were "amazing". No, what was really amazing was the lanky ecological landscaper playing his congas/voice arrangment, "Mouse in the House". And our new friend, Dan Sullivan, from the Rodale Institute, did his rendition of a classic Neil Young song with new lyrics, titled "Keep On Rockin' in the Label-Free World". I will post the video of that when I can.
The rest of the conference:
As is normal for these types of events (in my experience), the scheduled sessions ended up being the least exciting part. I did attend a couple that rocked my world, though, including:
1) Water Conservation Leadership in Sustainable Ag,
where Brock Dolman of the OAEC (who we'll be interviewing in February) conducted his usual fantabulous powerpoint presentation. His rap included some of my favorite Brock-isms. Brock-isms are language altered for a better reflection of reality and for humorous effect--replacing "global weirding" for global warming, "fossil fools" for fossil fuels, and "bi-pedal sacks of saline solution" for human beings. Brock gives me hope that if more people in the sustainable agriculture movement were lucid, eloquent, funny, and hopeful, we'd have no problem getting other people excited about watershed activism!
2) Indigenous Wisdom,
featuring Diana Almeadariz, "the Tule Lady", who carries on traditions of her people by teaching the history, importance, and uses of native plants, especially the native tule reeds of the central valley. She used great stories and photos to illustrate the connection between her family and the resources they relied on. Also presenting was Chuck Striplen, an academic working to answering the question: if we are going to "restore" the landscape of our protected state and federal lands, what are we trying to restore it to? He defines "restored" by investigating the relationships indigenous Californians had with their environment. Through ethno-botanical research, Chuck has learned how natives supported and selected for the survival of certain plants and animals, and how this management created the landscape early settlers saw when they arrived. His research has added ammo to the case that far from being an Eden-like paradise untouched by human hands, pre-colonial California was effectively a huge garden that provided food and sustenence for large numbers of native Californians while maintaining thriving biodiversity. Surely a model to look to for a sustainable food system!
3) The closing Plenary speech by Andrew Kimbrell. I met this guy the night before, at the CAFF mixer, and he told me that he "didn't know" what he was going to talk about. He sure knows how to fool a guy. His speech was hopeful, funny, inspiring, and obviously well thought out. Best of all, it ended with the word "love". There was nothing to argue with; he just laid down why we fight for sustainable agriculture in such human terms that I almost forgot that he is a lawyer.
Really, though, the reason to go to Eco-Farm is for the people and the connections made.
I met many heroes, many peers, and more than a few of the subject interviewed or to-be interviewed for In Search of Good Food. I was having so much fun talking to everyone, swapping seeds, and checking out nametags, that I nearly forgot to get any footage!
We did interview Bob Scowcroft, the Executive Director of Organic Farming Research Foundation. Let me say that the best thing I've found about the "old guard" of the sustainable food movement--those that started institutions which have formed the foundation for the immense success and growth of the organic food industry--is that they actually appreciate the younger people in the movement. They seem more excited about interns coming in to take the reins than getting recognized for their years of hard work! Bob also talked about the obvious need for more federal funding of organic and sustainable production research, and the joys of bringing music into sustainability efforts. That's another thing: organic farmers and their supporters seem to be a very musical bunch!
However, that does not mean that the band the EFA booked to play the big dance, Blue Turtle Seduction, was any good. They describe theirselves on their website thusly:
Well its jam-newgrass?, how about gypsy rock?, no its Duran Duran meets String Cheese Incident, meets the Clash.Not exactly my cup o' tea. I danced, mostly because I was there with friends and it seemed like the right thing to do. And then it dawned on me: I haven't danced to a jam band like this since, hmmm...the Horde Festival in 1996. Wow. Bringin it back.Regardless, I will definitely be back to Eco-Farm. And big thanks to all the wonderful people who make it happen!
The Work Ranch
A brief description of our all-day visit with George Work, patriarch of the Work Ranch in San Miguel, CA, in haiku form:
They use pigs and cows
to restore native grasses
oaks, wildlife, and more.
Twelve thousand acres
holistic management works!
At the Work Fam Ranch.
Check out their website, and an explanation of holistic management here.
They use pigs and cows
to restore native grasses
oaks, wildlife, and more.
Twelve thousand acres
holistic management works!
At the Work Fam Ranch.
Check out their website, and an explanation of holistic management here.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Kickin' it with Grandma
So,
We are currently taking a day-long break in Oceano, CA, visiting with my grandma. We did go up to San Luis Obispo to meet with Charles Myers, who recorded our conversation for a monthly radio program he hosts on food and the environment.
Since the last time we wrote, we:
1) Got the skinny on the coolest parts of San Diego: Ocean Beach, which has its long-time organic food co-op, and Golden Hills, where we were hosted by some nice activist-types. Both areas are cool, as far as I can see, because the rents have held low over the years because of their proximity to airports. Even the beach-side resort potential of OB (as the locals call it) has been avoided because planes fly low overhead all day, keeping rich people at bay. Or so it seems.
2) Checked out two San Diego area farms: Tierra Miguel and San Pasqual Academy. The first is a biodynamic-ish farm and education center in an area of Indian Reservations, managed by a wise, soft-spoken man named Mil. The second is a rural school environment for foster teens which has an organic farm program run by one of the nicest people we've ever met, permaculturalist and conservationist Scott Murray. We also met with Mel Lions of the San Diego Sustainable Foot Roots organization, which is working to start an urban farm a la Alemany Farm. The nice people we met and the views we saw from the farms (desert hills, avocado and citrus orchards) convinced me that my nicknaming of San Diego ("Sandy Crap-hole") based on past visits as a child and while touring with bands was incorrect and un-founded. Sandy Crap-hole, you have been redeemed. (LA and SO-CAL drivers, however, remain jerks.)
3) Drove, stupidly, the scenic route from San Diego to our next destination, Thermal (in the Coachella valley near the Salton Sea). 'Stupid' because, while the route is no doubt scenic, replete with views of majestic hills and desert plant life, we couldn't see a darn thing because we started the trip at 5pm and it quickly got dark. Plus, we ended up (largely due to the darkness factor) taking an even MORE scenic route of curvy roads, but were kindly directed back on track by a friendly (if not overly inquisitive) Highway Patrolman.
4) Arrived at Flying Disc Ranch in Thermal. Long-time date farmer Robert Lower and newly inspired date farmer Christina Kelso (an intern turned full-time farmer and self-proclaimed "value-added farmer's wife") welcomed us with warm beds and hot tea. Our time at Flying Disc was half relaxation, half date farming school, half date tasting experience, and the remaining half (it was quite the stay) interrupt-athon conversations with Christina--there's just so much to say! Obviously, we had a fantastic time. Robert showed us around the farm, including a couple of conveniently early-flowering male and female palms (convenient for our cameras, since we aren't visiting at the normal pollination period for dates). Robert showed us what the pollination process might look like, which is like a punishment/whipping of the female flower with the male inflorescence.
I love dates so much that I'm tempted to return for the harvest time, to work from 5am to early afternoon--before the sun turns the landscape to a baking oven. Average temperatures during the summer are over 100, often hitting 110-120 degrees. You might see Robert or Christina at one of the many farmers markets they sell at, and if you do, tell 'em the hot tub was delightful in the winter, and that I look forward to a summertime dip in the pool!
5) Later, we went to another date farm, Pato's Dream Dates, run by Doug Adair, an old time farm worker who keeps his workers well paid, his land well tended, and his dates well flavored. Doug was a UFW (United Farm Worker's) union member and organizer since the early days, and shared a lot of the history and frustrations of long time efforts to achieve social justice for farm workers in California. As he reminded us: Cesar Chavez, always considered as an advocate for "non-violence", was actually an advocate for "non-violent struggle for social justice". Although he was a little pessimistic about the prospects of ongoing sustainable agriculture in the Coachella valley, considering issues of encroaching development, depleting water availability, and the entrenched exploitation of labor, Doug was a great guy with a great farm. And he gave us some dates for the road, which have been essential to our happiness. Thanks, Doug!
We are currently taking a day-long break in Oceano, CA, visiting with my grandma. We did go up to San Luis Obispo to meet with Charles Myers, who recorded our conversation for a monthly radio program he hosts on food and the environment.
Since the last time we wrote, we:
1) Got the skinny on the coolest parts of San Diego: Ocean Beach, which has its long-time organic food co-op, and Golden Hills, where we were hosted by some nice activist-types. Both areas are cool, as far as I can see, because the rents have held low over the years because of their proximity to airports. Even the beach-side resort potential of OB (as the locals call it) has been avoided because planes fly low overhead all day, keeping rich people at bay. Or so it seems.
2) Checked out two San Diego area farms: Tierra Miguel and San Pasqual Academy. The first is a biodynamic-ish farm and education center in an area of Indian Reservations, managed by a wise, soft-spoken man named Mil. The second is a rural school environment for foster teens which has an organic farm program run by one of the nicest people we've ever met, permaculturalist and conservationist Scott Murray. We also met with Mel Lions of the San Diego Sustainable Foot Roots organization, which is working to start an urban farm a la Alemany Farm. The nice people we met and the views we saw from the farms (desert hills, avocado and citrus orchards) convinced me that my nicknaming of San Diego ("Sandy Crap-hole") based on past visits as a child and while touring with bands was incorrect and un-founded. Sandy Crap-hole, you have been redeemed. (LA and SO-CAL drivers, however, remain jerks.)
3) Drove, stupidly, the scenic route from San Diego to our next destination, Thermal (in the Coachella valley near the Salton Sea). 'Stupid' because, while the route is no doubt scenic, replete with views of majestic hills and desert plant life, we couldn't see a darn thing because we started the trip at 5pm and it quickly got dark. Plus, we ended up (largely due to the darkness factor) taking an even MORE scenic route of curvy roads, but were kindly directed back on track by a friendly (if not overly inquisitive) Highway Patrolman.
4) Arrived at Flying Disc Ranch in Thermal. Long-time date farmer Robert Lower and newly inspired date farmer Christina Kelso (an intern turned full-time farmer and self-proclaimed "value-added farmer's wife") welcomed us with warm beds and hot tea. Our time at Flying Disc was half relaxation, half date farming school, half date tasting experience, and the remaining half (it was quite the stay) interrupt-athon conversations with Christina--there's just so much to say! Obviously, we had a fantastic time. Robert showed us around the farm, including a couple of conveniently early-flowering male and female palms (convenient for our cameras, since we aren't visiting at the normal pollination period for dates). Robert showed us what the pollination process might look like, which is like a punishment/whipping of the female flower with the male inflorescence.
I love dates so much that I'm tempted to return for the harvest time, to work from 5am to early afternoon--before the sun turns the landscape to a baking oven. Average temperatures during the summer are over 100, often hitting 110-120 degrees. You might see Robert or Christina at one of the many farmers markets they sell at, and if you do, tell 'em the hot tub was delightful in the winter, and that I look forward to a summertime dip in the pool!
5) Later, we went to another date farm, Pato's Dream Dates, run by Doug Adair, an old time farm worker who keeps his workers well paid, his land well tended, and his dates well flavored. Doug was a UFW (United Farm Worker's) union member and organizer since the early days, and shared a lot of the history and frustrations of long time efforts to achieve social justice for farm workers in California. As he reminded us: Cesar Chavez, always considered as an advocate for "non-violence", was actually an advocate for "non-violent struggle for social justice". Although he was a little pessimistic about the prospects of ongoing sustainable agriculture in the Coachella valley, considering issues of encroaching development, depleting water availability, and the entrenched exploitation of labor, Doug was a great guy with a great farm. And he gave us some dates for the road, which have been essential to our happiness. Thanks, Doug!
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