July 2012

“Few American chefs take foraging wild foods quite as seriously as Daniel Patterson, of Coi restaurant in San Francisco,” read a recent piece on NPR’s food blog, The Salt. “At any given day, he might be cooking with clams, lichens, coastal spinach, Monterey Cypress, angelica root, and forest mushrooms — all native California foods from the beaches and forests a few dozen miles from his restaurant.”  Chef Patterson sources ingredients from as far south as Santa Barbara and as far north as Washington. Along with his staff at Coi, Patterson takes the process of sourcing locally extremely seriously. But that doesn’t mean he shies away from newer techniques. “The process of finding...

The circus is a quintessial summer event. When the big top rolls into town, rumours spread about elephant sightings, supposed meetings with clowns in bars, and the love affair between the two main acrobats. A circus brings not only a wonderful performance but also a bandwagon of excitement wherever it goes. Part of its charm is the mystery of this magical community that rolls in, able to perform seemingly impossible feats defying the laws of gravity and making us laugh 'til we cry. Who are they? Were do they come from? What do they do outside the ring? In the case of Circus Smirkus, the performers are youngsters between the ages of 10 and 18, from New England and around the world. During...

On July 17, 2012, Three Revolutions launched the world's first crowdfunding platform dedicated to farm and food ventures! Here's how the platform works: Farmers, food processors, and food-associated businesses, artists and artisans, communities building gardens, brewers, abattoirs, activists, food hubs, and many others can share their story and funding needs on the 3R platform. Backers can fund these ventures with as little as $10 or as much as several thousand. The farmer or food entrepreneur responds with the tempting promise of a monthly shipment of cheese over the coming year, an open tab at the local brewpub, a half-priced CSA or perhaps an overnight stay at their farm. 3R takes a cut...

There has been a small but steady stream of criticism of local food recently, particularly as a result of the recent book by a Canadian professor that calls the movement into question, saying local food destroys jobs.   An interesting piece from a local Alaska TV station touts some of the great benefits of eating locally. For the family profiled in the piece, what started as a yearlong Eat Local Challenge became more of a pleasure, as it taught them about the pleasure of self-sufficiency, and the health benefits of eating wholesome food grown in Alaska. It’s also a lesson in urban agriculture, as they have transformed their 9,000-square-foot Anchorage lot into a highly productive food...