The Farmplate Blog

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...

  NAME: Brad Halm FARM: Seattle Urban Farm Company AGE: 32 Can you provide some background about your farm? In your opinion, what makes it special or unique? At Seattle Urban Farm Company, we work directly with people- individuals, families, school children, chefs, and business owners- to help them grow their own food.  Whether it's building an organic vegetable garden or chicken coop in an urban backyard, installing a production garden on the rooftop of a restaurant, or designing a community garden space, the most enjoyable aspect of what we do is watching people get excited about food and farming. Why do you believe farming is important, particularly for the younger generation,...