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But Where Does it All Go?
A few months ago I wrote about the volatility of the farming economy – the Invisible Hand of supply, demand, and incentive programs. Today, that picture is more evident than ever as you drive across the plains of Kansas: mounds of grains are piled high outside of elevators that have been at capacity for months. I mentioned…
Read MoreVolatility
Unpredictability is the name of the game when it comes to farming. Weather, pests, breakdowns, and (perhaps most frustrating), the marketplace. Things have been especially good this year: plenty of rain and sunshine at just the right time. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) it’s been good everywhere. The Former Soviet Union and Europe had record-breaking wheat harvests…
Read MoreRained Out: A Story of Mitigating Risk
For all of the technology in modern agriculture – the GPS device in the combine, the weather app on the phone, the wireless electronic truck scale – our food system is still in the hands of Mother Nature. It’s never more apparent how small we humans are in the universe until your game of Pegs…
Read MoreNitrogen Fertilizer, a Comparison
A few weeks ago I wrote about how nitrogren fertilizer is an essential part of farming because it is an essential part of protein, and thus nutrition for humans. Across farming philosophies – from conventional to progressive to organic to local – the fact that nitrogen is essential to life is an undisputed fact. Beyond…
Read MoreNitrogen: the Building Block of Building Blocks
Protein. I’ve ranted over its popularity in the American diet. I’ve warned that we’re getting way more protein than we need (although so far there’s no evidence that this is necessarily harmful). Yet still for most humans on the planet today, lack of protein remains a major source of malnutrition. Falafel – a great (and…
Read MoreThe Quest for Sustainability
Sustainability. It’s a buzzword. It’s a fad. It’s a culture shift. But really, what is sustainability in terms of how we grow our food in the world? As a dietitian, I have had the pleasure of meeting many people who care deeply about this topic. People who buy local or organic or avoid certain products because…
Read MoreSustainability Spotlight: Florida Orange Grove Farmer
Learn about citrus farming in Florida in this interview with Victor Story, an Orange Grove Farmer in Lake Wales, FL “I’m going to quote my daddy,” Victor Story told me on a January afternoon, “‘Farming is an honorable way to make a living.’ You’re raising something wholesome and healthy. There’s a satisfaction about that.” Vic…
Read MoreWhat’s a CSA: Community Supported Agriculture
Visiting the Miller Farms booth at the local Farmers’ Market to pick up our basket of CSA veggies last summer! Get your World Peas Tee, too! Support your local farmer with a CSA this season and enjoy best quality fresh, seasonal produce. Spring is (finally) here, which means that summer – my favorite season –…
Read MoreThe Great Battle Against Artificial Sweeteners
Lately I’ve been hearing this phrase a lot: “But you know, those artificial sweeteners are worse than sugar. You might as well just eat the real stuff.” Upon hearing this, several things immediately race through my mind: 1. Uh, of course you shouldn’t eat a ton of artificial sweeteners. Who thought they were good for…
Read MorePickles, Sauerkraut, & Preservation
If cooking is a giant chemistry experiment, fermentation is a lesson in biology. Preservation is a happy marriage of these two sciences. Easy Counter-Top Pickles Lately, between the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) basket I purchased for the summer (check out Miller Farms if you live in Northern Colorado!) and a very generous co-worker (THANK YOU,…
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