Wednesday, May 27, 2009

What does local and/or organic mean to you?

We want to hear from everyone out there what local and/or organic means to you. Please post your comments!

Thanks,
Indy

FOOD INDEPENDENCE DAY

For the 4th of July source your festivities with local food and ask your governor to do the same!

Sign the petition by clicking the link above.

Thanks!
Indy

Monday, May 25, 2009

Creating a Central Indiana Farm Fresh Atlas 2009

Call to everyone! We are creating a Central Indiana Farm Fresh Atlas. This atlas will list farms and food-related businesses that sell their goods directly to customers in central Indiana. It will be the link to great-tasting food grown close to home! This will be printed and placed around the city. It will be free.

Please email your farm, restaurant or grocer to us. If you know of someone who should be listed, please email us their info!
What we need:
Name
Address
Email/Website
Short Description

The farms that we will list in this atlas must be all family or cooperatively owned and sell products grown on their farm or produced by their business. They’ve pledged to operate in a way that protects our region’s land and water resources by eliminating the application of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, provides safe and fair working conditions, and treats animals with care and respect.

The restaurants that we will list in this atlas serve local food and follow practices that protect natural resources and worker safety.

Whether selling local food on their shelves, advocating for sustainable agriculture, or educating the public, the businesses and organizations listed here support local eating.

Friday, May 8, 2009

What is the role of Social Enterprise in building local food systems?

How can we support local food business, how can they support Indy foodshed?

Post your thoughts/comments/ideas!

Speaking of canneries....

The above link lists local canneries in your area. We don't have any listed for Indianapolis which made me wonder, "Do we have any?"

So, please post back or send an email if you know of any Indiana canneries!

Call your local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farmer today to sign up for this coming year.

Here are a couple of links to find a CSA near you!

Local Growers

Local Harvest

Monday, May 4, 2009

Learn more about food systems

A Primer on Community Food Systems, Cornell University

A Food Systems Assessment for Oakland, Calif.: Toward a Sustainable Food Plan Executive Summary. Oakland Mayor's Office of Sustainability. See Executive Summary.

Impediments to local food systems
See March 1, 2008, New York Times Op-Ed article, My Forbidden Fruits (and Vegetables) by Jack Hedin.

A summary of food system elements in Indianapolis

1. Production: Any regional agricultural and urban agriculture production intended for local consumption (not commodity sale) such as area farmers (preferably within Indiana); Urban Farm Project (Purdue Extension Marion County); Capital City Garden Project (Purdue Extension Marion County); and community and home gardens.

2. Processing: Community/commercial kitchens to create value-added products (such as pasta sauce created by Homestead Growers made available for sale through markets and area retailers; home canning, and food preservation.

Indianapolis needs co-op or commercial kitchens for rental in and around the city. Please contact the Web site administrator if any are currently available.

3. Distribution: Farmers' markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA); subscription services; area retailers; schools and universities; hospitals; restaurants; and food pantries. (See the resources page for local food sources.)

When you purchase food, do you know if that food was produced locally? Ask around, the answers might surprise you.

4. Consumption: Community food security is defined as "a situation in which all community residents obtain a safe, culturally acceptable, nutritionally adequate diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes community self-reliance and social justice." (Hamm, M. W., & Bellows, A. C. (2003). Community food security and nutrition educators. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 35(1), 37–43.)

Would you describe Indianapolis a food-secure city? Do all Indianapolis neighborhoods have equal access to high-quality, culturally-appropriate food?

5. Waste: Waste recovery provides a way to "close the loop." Minimal packaging means less waste, trash, and pollution. Packaging that can be recycled, such as glass, helps close the loop. Excess edible food can be redistributed to area food pantries. Organic waste can simply be composted to enrich soil, which leads to enhanced production. Remember the three "Rs": Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

How much food is wasted at your house? How much of your trash is from food packaging? What does it mean to adhere to a principle of "zero waste?" Find out more about zero waste at http://www.grrn.org/zerowaste/zerowaste_faq.html

What is a food system?

A food system is the sum of all activities required to make food available to people. It is comprised of the following elements: production, distribution, processing, consumption, and waste. A sustainable food system keeps all elements as close to home as possible, thus minimizing costs and waste.

Why are sustainable food systems necessary?


From the Hancock Harvest Council

Why buy direct from local farmers? Local farming provides more than fresh, safe food and fiber. Preserving local farmland and farmers benefits:

* Economic Diversity
* Food Security
* Preserves Heritage and Culture
* Economic Development
* Preservation of Landscapes
* Quality of Life
* Tourism
* Reduced Transportation and Energy Costs
* Environmental
* Wildlife Habitat

In this section, you'll find a running commentary from other organizations that illustrates why it is important that we pay attention to our food system.

From the Organic Consumers Association
Written and edited by Craig Minowa and Ronnie Cummins

Corn-based ethanol adds to global food crisis

* In the past 12 months, the global corn price has doubled.
* Because corn is the most common animal feed, this affects the price of milk, cheese, eggs, meat, as well as corn-based sweeteners and cereals.
* In the U.S., milk prices have nearly doubled.
* Butter prices in Europe have spiked by 40 percent.
* Pork prices in China are up 20 percent.
* In Mexico there have been riots in response to a 60 percent rise in the cost of tortillas.
* In six of the past seven years, global grain consumption has exceeded production. As a result world grain reserves have dwindled to 57 days. This is the lowest level of grain reserves in 34 years.
* While the UN lists 34 countries as needing food aid, 30 percent of next year's grain harvest in the U.S. will be converted to ethanol to fuel cars.

ORGANIC BYTES, a publication of:
Organic Consumers Association
6771 South Silver Hill Drive; Finland, MN 55603
Phone: (218) 226-4164