organic

Organic certification is by no means a perfect science. But what happens when the pesticides from one non-organic farm cross over to a neighboring organic farm? Should the organic farm lose its certification because of the actions of their non-organic neighbor? According to a recent ruling in Colorado, the answer is a resounding “NO.” The non-organic farm now has a legal obligation to prevent the pesticides from crossing over. Failure to do so may result in a charge akin to trespassing.  The judge’s ruling was careful to protect the rights of both landowners, but cautioned pesticide users to avoid spraying when winds could carry chemicals to a neighboring field. Though critical to...

Brother and sister Allison and Alphonzo Cross were recently highlighted in a great interview in Grist. In the interview, the siblings describe how they decided to open an extraordinary corner store – one that sells local and sustainable fare – in a rapidly changing neighborhood of Atlanta. The Boxcar Grocer just opened this week, and though the community has been supportive of the Cross’ endeavor, the journey taken by these two food movement newbies was anything but easy. Allison and Alphonzo faced a number of challenges during the two years it took to realize their vision. Banks weren’t lending, food movement insiders were dismissive, and it took lots of legwork to find the best...

New Hampshire organic yogurt company Stonyfield Farm has launched a new initiative to support organic farming- the Stonyfield Organic Farmers Grant-a-Wish Program. Judges from Stonyfield and Organic Valley have chosen six finalists from an original pool of 72 farmers from across the country. Their selection was based on the level of innovation, adherence to organic farming practices and overall environmental impact of the farmers' proposed projects. Consumers can now check out the finalists’ own stories and videos on Stonyfield’s Facebook page and vote for their favorite project. In March, Stonyfield will distribute $31,000 in grant money to the finalists based on voting results. There will...

If you took a stroll around the Butler University intramural athletic fields just nine months ago, you would have seen nothing but soccer fields, tennis courts, gleaming bleachers, and acres of green turf grass-a barren desert in terms of biodiversity and productivity. But if you walked the same path in July, you would have found a plot of colorful heirloom tomatoes, a perimeter fence draped with multi-colored pole beans, a patch full of 20-pound watermelons and juicy muskmelons, and rows of other delicious fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs, many of which the typical grocery-store shopper has never beheld. [caption id="attachment_5210" align="alignleft" width="320" caption="Cucumbers...

As a lifelong athlete and avid squash player, I have always been conscious of the fuel I put into my body. I grew up on a farm, eating grass-fed beef, free-roaming chickens and their eggs, and fruits and vegetables from the garden. That describes, roughly, the first 20 years of my eating life. The next 20 years saw less farm-fresh food and more processed, on-the-go foods. I ate institutional fare at college and grad school, and later, frequent restaurant meals with clients. At home with the kids, quick, processed foods like packaged snacks and instant (oversweet) oatmeal were the norm. We had Popsicles for sore throats and comfort foods like mac 'n' cheese. The fridge was stocked with my...

Foreign products that receive the USDA organic label can be found in supermarkets and natural food stores across the nation. To ensure products meet USDA organic standards, the U.S. government hires third party, independent inspectors. The USDA announced on Monday that it will ban the Organic Crop Improvement Association from operating in China because of conflicts of interest and concerns on food safety. The non-profit group has been a leading inspector of organic food for U.S. markets in China. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) “improperly used Chinese government employees to inspect Chinese farms that use state-owned land to grow...

When planning your getaway to a picturesque Vermont inn this spring, you might want to pack a nice shirt to wear to dinner, a great book to read by the fire and a camera to take pictures of the gorgeous setting. When your destination is the West Mountain Inn in Arlington, you'd also better pack your fly rod and Woolly Bugger Streamer. This inn is on the shores of the famed Battenkill and it's trout season. The Battenkill is reputed to be one of the most technically challenging fly-fishing streams in the country. The late John Atherton, a Vermont artist, author and master fly-tyer, described the Battenkill in his 1951 classic The Fly and the Fish as "the most difficult of rivers and yet the...