The National Young Farmers Coalition recently hosted a full-day land trust training on a Sunday in sunny Sacramento. After several weeks of back-to-back travel, was I really ready to spend my precious weekend learning about preserving farmland? Everything I do in my work, everything I eat and much of what I wear relies on a farmer and the farmland to sustain it. With so much of my very being linked to farmland, I was destined and driven to attend this event. Continue reading “It takes a Village—Fostering the Next generation of Organic Farmers”
Month: October 2015
A World of Fermentation — Why Miso Matters
Fermentation isn’t something new. Long before fermented “live” foods became all the rage in upscale aisles, our ancestors were hard at work perfecting the process to preserve food. Long winters and short growing seasons made them the masters of invention in using fermentation to extend the availability of the food supply. Across cultures people utilized the process to create and enjoy cheese, wine and beer. One of the most ancient and healthiest of the fermented foods is miso, みそ or 味噌,which originated in Japan, as early as 14,000 BC in the Neolithic era. Of all the fermented food, what makes miso so special? Continue reading “A World of Fermentation — Why Miso Matters”
Autumnal Reflections on a Centerpiece
It’s the final end of what feels like summer.
No question about it, the cicadas have ceased their singing and the sun is waning. Darkness comes early to this hemisphere, this latitude on our spinning globe. As the darkness comes and the earth tilts, so too have the fruits and fare in my overflowing centerpiece bowl changed. This shift of season brings a transformation of how I nourish my body, senses and soul. Continue reading “Autumnal Reflections on a Centerpiece”
Sicilian Soliloquies: Traditions of Organic
It is said that agriculture first emerged in Eastern Anatolia, now modern Turkey, some 12,000 years ago. Our ancient ancestors settled, planted and harvested in one place giving rise to civilizations. No longer wandering to forage and hunt, they began to cultivate and thus could rely on a steady source of food. This Fertile Crescent may have hosted the beginnings of agriculture, but the art of eating, I believe, must have certainly been birthed in Italy. Continue reading “Sicilian Soliloquies: Traditions of Organic”