fresh: the film

If you didn't get your fill from Food, Inc., Fresh looks like it takes the story of sustainable agriculture one step further. Featuring Will Allen (Growing Power), Michael Pollan (the man who needs no introduction), and Joel Salatin (Polyface Farms), Fresh looks at the solutions to the problems of our current food system.



Fresh will be screening at BAM, Tuesday, October 6, 7pm, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Gabrielle Langholtz (Editor of Edible Brooklyn) with the director/producer, Ana Sofia Joanes, plus Reverend Jackson of Brooklyn Rescue Mission, David Shea of Applewood Restaurant, and Letitia James, District 35 - Council Member.

Check out the official site.

the real dirt on farmer john

A farm isn't dreamed of, conceived, and born over night. Sometimes it takes a lifetime, even generations, for a farm to really hit its stride. And a farm cannot survive, cannot thrive, without the community behind it. And sometimes the right community has to be found before the farm can really come into its own.

This is the story of farmer John. Son of a hard-working couple, somewhat of an outcast in his own town. Struggling with his story, his life, his purpose. It is a powerfully touching and revealing look at one man's fight to hold onto his identity. And it also demonstrates the fragility of the land, the delicate balance of ownership, and the dedication that's required to keep people nourished.



If you haven't seen The Real Dirt on Farmer John, add it to your Netflix queue or pick it up at your local video store (if you've still got one).

Farmer John's even got a cookbook

The Real Dirt on Vegetables

nyc has 48 hours worth of food

What would happen if we were cut off from the US food supply chain? A scary prospect, but NYC has become wholly dependent on outside resources for food. But there's a growing trend in this city - urban agriculture. Come support this movement toward food independence with an organization that's making it all happen: BK Farmyards.

BK Farmyards Fundraiser
Saturday, August 22
3pm-12am
@ COMPOUND Brooklyn
Atlantic Avenue (btwn New York & Nostrand)

We are raising money for farming a couple sites next year, and we need your help!

How you can help us build more farms:
1. VOLUNTEER to help the day of the event.
2. DONATE FOR AUCTION. We are looking for local restaurants who want to donate a meal coupon to be auctioned off at the event. These restaurants will be featured in all promotional fliers. We are also looking for local artists who would want to donate work for a silent auction. Artists determine base price and what percentage they would like to donate to BK Farmyards.
3. PERFORM. Would your band like to play? Would you like to make balloon animals for the kids?
4. OTHER IDEAS? You tell me.

Please pass the word on: this will be an all-day party for all ages. We will auction off our produce with cooking demonstrations. There will be trampolines and food...great combination!

bk farmyards is a Brooklyn based decentralized farming network providing local food to reduce the city’s reliance on fossil fuels and offering local jobs to boost the economy. We are seeking partnerships with developers willing to temporarily transform their idle land to farmyard; homeowners who want to eat from their own yard; and city agencies holding under-utilized land. Our strategy is to stay nimble, growing food between the cracks of urban development. bk farmyards mission is to bring communities together around the dinner table: our organization’s educational agenda includes eating seasonally, how to grow food locally, how to store and prepare food, species biodiversity, and food democracy.

farm to table guest post

On Sunday, I visited Rooftop Farms, an amazing (as the name suggests) rooftop farm in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Read all about it in this guest post I did on Farm to Table, sustainable food blog and reality show.

blueberries are in!

I don't usually think of summer as a time to bake. In fact, if you can't take the heat of the oven and end up offsetting it with air conditioning, summer baking can be a pretty wasteful endeavor. But blueberries are in season and I had the craving for a good, healthful blueberry muffin. It doesn't hurt our energy bill that we don't have an air conditioner in this part of the apartment -- and I don't mind sweating a bit.

I like to experiment in the kitchen, especially when it comes to baking. I'm often not satisfied with a recipe as is, and like to doctor it up or combine two or three recipes. When I was a bit younger, I was apprehensive about messing with a baking recipe. I was always told it was like chemistry, one misstep and it blows up in your face -- or at the very least it won't taste like it should. Somewhere along the way I dropped this notion and decided to take a risk. I've found that, for the most part, a little adaptation isn't a bad thing, and it often turns out in your favor.

Case in point: the spelt almond blueberry/cranberry muffins I made this afternoon. Here's my recipe, adapted from Healthy Green Lifestyle and Bob's Red Mill:



Dry stuff:
2 1/4 cups organic spelt flour
1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups almond pulp (leftover from making almond milk - sans sweeteners or vanilla)

Wet stuff:
3 organic, free-range eggs
1/4 cup local buckwheat honey
1 1/4 cup almond milk (see above)
2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) local pastured butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 3/4 cups local blueberries
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. [NB - I usually do this about 3/4 of the way into prepping the ingredients so as not to waste too much gas (or electricity, depending on your oven)].

Combine dry ingredients, stirring in almond pulp last.

In a separate mixing bowl, whip eggs. Whip in honey, almond milk, and vanilla. Then add the slightly cooled melted butter, being careful not to cook the eggs.

Gently mix dry and wet ingredients. Do not over stir. The mix should be lumpy.

Fold in blueberries and cranberries. Blueberries and cranberries can be dusted with flour prior to folding into the mix.

Spoon mix into a greased or lined 12-cup muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cool and enjoy!

A couple of notes:

• If you like a sweeter muffin, use 1 1/4 cups sugar plus honey, or substitute with 3/4 organic brown sugar
• This recipe can also be made with 1 tablespoon oil instead of butter

a philly in the white house garden

Just watched this great little vid (via elephant journal, via Huffington Post) featuring Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies and of course, Sam Kass, the White House Chef. What a great way to promote organic gardening and closing the loop with composting. Surely, Mr. Howard is someone many people look up to (literally). Keep spreading the word...

get somethin' nice for your mama

Mother's Day is Sunday, and I'm writing this post to remind myself to send my mama some beautiful flowers from Organic Bouquet.



Last time I sent her flowers from Organic Bouquet, she wouldn't stop talking about how beautiful they were. So the fact that their flowers are all grown without pesticides just put it over the top. By supporting organic flower growers, you keep flower farmers and workers from being exposed to toxic chemicals used in conventional flower growing practices.

If your mom's not into flowers, consider giving to a cause in her honor. Here are some ideas:

Sponsor a wild place through the Sierra Club
Choose from national parks like Sequoia or Yellowstone and get a cute little stuffed creature like a bear or moose to give to mom ($25).



Sign her up for a membership to Friends of the Earth
For as little as $15 you can help mom save Mother Earth with a charitable gift membership.



Plant trees in her name through the Nature Conservancy
Help protect one of the largest and most endangered forests in honor of mom (50 trees for $50).



Get her goat (symbolically) through Oxfam Unwrapped
By adopting one of the animals through this org, you support the work they do in 100 countries around the world.


No matter what you get mom, be sure to consider the impact of your gift on her health and the health and well-being of others on the planet.

loomstate sale at greenloop

This Swan's for You!

These days, I'm trying to focus on buying less, especially new things. But there are a few things I'll buy new - underwear and Loomstate 100% organic cotton t-shirts. They might be the softest t-shirts I've ever owned.

I just got myself one on sale (along with some Pi organic cotton undies) at Greenloop.


And in case you didn't know, Greenloop recently won best online fashion shop from Treehugger's Best of Green Contest.

So take advantage of this great sale and stock up on some super soft organic cotton goodies at the Greenloop!

celebrate earth day with peaceful valley

Attention conscious consumers: Shop at Peaceful Valley between now and April 25th and you'll be doing something good for your health (and the planet). For Earth Day, this eco-friendly e-tailer will plant 10 trees in your honor when you purchase from their shop.

Some of the great stuff they sell: organic cotton clothing, tree-free greeting cards, earth-friendly jewelry, natural beauty products, organic treats, and so much more!

Shop Peaceful Valley Earth Friendly Clothing & Gifts - for the trees, for the planet, for peace.

spawn of punky

Remember little Punky Brewster, cute and sassy chica -- snazzy dresser of 80s sitcom fame?
Alright, her name is Soleil Moon Frye and I think she's long been past the Punky phase. Anyway, a couple of years ago she launched an online kids' shop stocked with adorable eco frocks and essentials for the little ones. It's called The Little Seed. Frye and her partner (Paige Goldberg Tolmach) have created a marketplace where environmentally savvy parents can stock up for baby and learn about ways to create a safe, non-toxic space for their child.

They carry high-quality brands like Under the Nile and Kate Quinn Organics. Products include clothing, furniture, baby carriers, and toys. They also have a blog to keep you up-to-date on the shop and related eco stories.

(Psssst... Thanks for the tip, Ali!)