Posted by Ed Levine, April 9, 2008 at 11:30 AM
With all the chatter about sustainable agriculture even making it to the front page of the New York Times, it's easy to forget that the whole notion of sustainability is all about farmers making short and long-term economic decisions. Given the fragility of the income stream of most non agribusiness farms, it's no wonder that some farmers are willing to trade in the price supports they receive to conserve land for the greater upside potential of planting viable crops on that same acreage during a time of rising food prices.
Posted by Robyn Lee, January 17, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Researchers at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology have developed a robot farming "exoskeleton" suit designed to help aging farmers lift heavy objects and perform manual tasks more easily. The current cost for each suit is about 500,000-1,000,000 yen ($4,500-$9,000) but may drop to 200,000 yen ($1,800) when they aim to mass produce it in four years. [via Boing Boing]
Posted by Nathalie Jordi, January 25, 2007 at 4:21 PM
We've already waxed melodic about how much we enjoy farmers who write.
Here's an expressive gem of an essay from Andy Griffin about hunting feral pigs in Carmel Valley.
"One day Jimmy watched the host take a whiff of cocaine, mount a polo pony, and chase a boar with a lance."
Posted by Nathalie Jordi, January 23, 2007 at 8:45 AM
A day in the life of a coffee grower...
I’m pleased to see more roasters making stronger commitments to coffees they like and value as a quality coffee. Not just paying more for a story or for a certification, but for inherent quality. To me, the word commitment describes a relationship, not a transaction.
A day in the life of a coffee roaster...
I arrive at work, fire up the roaster, and do a quick survey of the inventory on the floor. As the roaster warms up, I set up the first few roasts: Colombia Supremo from a cooperative in Huila. As the green beans climb up the lift, I head into the cupping room and pour myself two shots of espresso. One of the nice things about roasting is that my day begins before anyone else comes into the office. Things haven’t had a chance to get hectic; it’s just me, the jet engine sounds of the roaster, and the beans.
Posted by Nathalie Jordi, January 22, 2007 at 9:30 AM
I'm loving the Good Food Finder; just plug in your ZIP code, and a load of local suppliers comes up. And it's not just for produce-rich Californians. (Bentonville, Arkansas; Sewannee, Tennessee; and Miami) come up smiling.
Posted by Nathalie Jordi, January 16, 2007 at 6:12 PM
We love chefs who write (Tony Bourdain, Michael Ruhlman). We love restaurateurs who write (Danny Meyer). We love farmers who write (Wendell Berry, Verlyn Klinkenborg, Andy Griffin, David Mas Masumoto, and our favorite Arkansas homeboy/Slavok Zizek devotee, Ragan Sutterfield).
But we LOVE writers who happen to be all three rolled into one, and cute to boot.
Dan Barber's latest in the NY Times: Amber Fields of Bland.
