The New Season is Upon Us

Well, it's finally time!

Time for locally grown winter greens and farm fresh eggs. Through the months of December and January I visited the farmers' market more than usual. But nothing compares to the fresh and tasty produce I get from our local farms. This season, I have had to wait an extra month. Torture! The rains beat down and flooded out some of the plantings. But now -- next Tuesday to be exact -- I will be finally getting the freshest, local food possible.

I can't wait for the dark yellow yolks of the eggs. Shelly's "girls" have a pretty good life and that happiness is manifest in their eggs.

Oh boy!! I'm ready.

Fair Food Project

Since November I have been working for a non-profit in California with a focus on the social justice aspect of agricultural sustainability. At the end of the year, California Institute for Rural Studies rolled out its newest project, called the Fair Food Project (see it at www.fairfoodproject.org). Sometimes, we overlook the fact that one of the tenets of sustainable agriculture is social justice. Everyone thinks of environmental benefits some people think of economic equality but not many people really think about social justice. In Slow Food, we talk about good, clean and fair food. Now, in addition to asking where our food was grown, how it was grown, we should also pay attention to who actually grew it. Please take some time to watch this multi-media project. I think it is really well done.

Rain Delay

Eaters, we have been getting a phenomenal amount of rain this winter. Although it is great for our upcoming summer, it has decimated some of the newly planted greens we would normally start our CSA season with. So, sadly, last week I announced a two-week postponement of the start of our first season of local eating. But, hey, it could be worse. We could live in North Dakota. As I write this, it is 17 degrees in Bismark and overcast. Not much tilling going on there! Looking at all of North Dakota's weather postings, the high is in Fargo where it is snowing and 25 degrees.

So two weeks. I think we can wait.