Local Food/Sustainable Agriculture

Choice Earth CSA Community Supported Agriculture
A Jefferson County, Iowa family is preparing for their first full season as CSA operation. Choice Earth CSA, located near Pleasant Plain, says "Our goal is to nourish you with better vegetables and a better way of life. Here's how we hope to benefit your life by being health-conscious, earth-conscious, community-conscious and spirit-conscious." The McCracken family has 13 acres for certified organic vegetables. "I think you appreciate your food more when you know where it's coming from," said Joceelyn McCraken in a news article (below).

Family prepares to begin venture into community supported agriculture Fairfield, IA -- By Erik Gable, Fairfield Daily Ledger, 12/22/03
Market Development Program, Iowa Dept. of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Fruit & Vegetable Growers Directory, Iowa Dept. of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Growing with the community By Melanie M. Schroeder The Journal-Standard 2/23/04
Community supported agriculture gains interest By Stephanie Turner Wisconsin State Journal 3/06/04
Fresh produce demand growing By Meg Turville-Heitz Special to The Capital Times 3/11/04
Organic food program expands beyond BK BY ALEX HARDING -The Yale Herald- 9/10/04
A Peach . . . No, a Honey of a Farmers' Market, MADISON, Wis. By R. W. APPLE Jr. -New York Times- 9/29/04

As Wendell Berry Celebrates His 70th Year, he Remains a Champion of Agrarian Ideals
With scores of essays, books and poems championing democracy, peace, and the agrarian ideals to his credit, Wendell Berry remains one of the preeminent voices of true patriotism in America. The writer, farmer, poet, novelist, and teacher offers some of his best work in Citizenship Papers (Shoemaker & Hoard; Sept., 2003). While challenging the conservation movement to find a new rural economy, he pointedly cites the global industrial economy for its rapacious treatment of democracy, the land, and the people. Berry calls for a local consumers' and small farmers' revolt to revive rural areas with a viable and sustaining local economy. One of the principal essays, “A Citizen’s Response to the National Security Strategy of the United States of America” appeared as a full page ad placed by the Orion Society in the New York Times in February of 2003. In his most recent publication For Love of the Land: A farmer and conservationist is tired of being on two losing sides ( Sierra Magazine - July/August 2004) Wendell Berry continues to speak out as the conscience of rural America, an ever-hopeful agrarian, determined to do the right thing in the face of significant evidence of considerable decline in rural communities, rural quality of life, and the health of working lands. This book should be on the 'must read' list of every land manager in the nation.
Agrarians of the World, Unite!
Wendell Berry's vision, and how Christians should respond to it.
By Eric Miller, Christianity Today, 06/10/02
Mr. Wendell Berry of Kentucky
Internet Resources Page by Bro. Tom Murphy, Order of Carmelites
The New Patriotism Series
Orion Society; three books, two by Wendell Berry
Go Ahead, Mr. Wendell: At 70, Wendell Berry remains a champion of agrarian ideals By Mark Engler -Grist Magazine- 8/5/04

Finding Local Food in Illinois
When a consumer or restaurant owner wants to buy fresh lettuce or free-range chickens grown on a local farm, it's not as easy as opening the phone book and flipping through the Yellow Pages. Many consumers learn about farmstands by word-of-mouth or by chance when they drive by roadside stands. However, residents of East Central Illinois who search out locally grown produce and livestock have been able to find farmers through the Farm Direct guide, a publication that lists a variety of producers, from those who grow asparagus to those who raise turkeys. Now, people throughout the state can benefit from easy access to local food. Illinois Farm Direct recently published a new and expanded booklet and launched a new Web site, www.illinoisfarmdirect.org. The directory now includes farmers from across the state, as well as those located within central Illinois . There are more than 500 farms listed, plus about 200 farmers' markets.
Guide links consumers to area producers By CHRISTINE DES GARENNES - THE NEWS-GAZETTE - 7/27/04

IATP's "Eat Well Guide" Puts Consumers Together with Local Producers
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) recently posted a new online farmer-centered information tool , called the "Eat Well Guide." It uses zip code locator and web database technologies to help consumers rapidly discover specific or a range of food products. The tool offers local contact information and also online stores. Producers can add themselves with a "be counted" form, and consumers can "dig deeper" for more information about sustainable agriculture. IATP partnered with GRACE (Global Resource Action Center for the Environment), a New York-based nonprofit focused on the future of the planet through quality of environment on more eating well information via another site called, "Sustainable Table." The GRACE opposition-to-factory-farming effort, the wildly popular "Meatrix," an online animated cartoon short (linked to the guide, and a funny send up of "The Matrix" movie series) is getting lots of attention worldwide apparently.

Study finds organic veges bolster immunity -ABC News Online- 2/17/05
Is Agribusiness Making Food Less Nutritious? Growing evidence indicates that today's fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products have less vitamins and nutrients than in the past. By Cheryl Long and Lynn Keiley 5/20/04
Organic Diet Requires Planning, Thrift AP 6/8/04
The Oil We Eat By Richard Manning -PetroleumWorld.com- 9/5/04
Are fast-food chains to blame for America's obesity? -Staten Island Advance- 9/8/04
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Weight Gain, and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Young and Middle-Aged Women -Journal of the American Medical Association- 8/25/04
The food pyramid scheme -New York Times- 9/3/04
Organic food program expands beyond BK BY ALEX HARDING -The Yale Herald- 9/10/04
A Peach . . . No, a Honey of a Farmers' Market, MADISON, Wis. By R. W. APPLE Jr. -New York Times- 9/29/04
Chicago schools banish soft drinks; what does Freeport School Dist. think? By Matt Richmond -The Journal-Standard- 11/10/04

Organic Farming is Profitable and Protects Watersheds
Organic farming has long been touted for its health benefits and its positive environmental impact. Farmers in the US are discovering at an increasing rate that organic farming can also be profitable. As concerns about genetically modified crops increase and the dangers of synthetic pesticides continue to be revealed, organic farmers are finding that they can demand a premium price for their chemically and genetically clean, environmentally friendly crops. Some states are even offering cost-share incentives to farmers interested in converting to organic agriculture. Recent studies in southwestern Minnesota (Mahoney et al, 2004) have shown that even without premium prices and conversion incentives, organic agriculture can outperform conventional agricultural methods in terms of net return to the producer. The increased profitability of organic farming is due in part to the reduced cost of synthetic inputs (none are used in organic systems), and partly to the reduced variability of returns from organic farming methods. Less fluctuation in price means that organic farmers are able to maintain a more dependable income level as a result of their sound management practices. This trend presents a unique opportunity for agriculture and conservation interests to work hand in hand to promote the best management practices that restore soil fertility and help to protect surface and ground water quality while improving habitat for wildlife and preventing costly erosion. To find out more follow the links below.

MOSES The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service
Upper Midwest Organic Resource Directory
Organic Broadcaster Newspaper
Sustainable Agriculture Network
Minnesota Department of Agriculture Organic Farming Links
Organic Farming Information at Business.com
Featherstone Fruits & Vegetables
Harmony Valley Farm
M.O.O. Mothers of Organic
New Farmer Generation Leads the Organic Revolution
Truth in labeling By Mark Kastel -The Cornucopia Institute- 2/6/05
Organic Farms More Fertile, Study Finds - Scientific American 5/31/02
Growing Our Roots: Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference, February 2004 By Elizabeth Henderson
GMO foes to file initiated measure By Mikkel Pates Herald Staff Writer 3/26/04
Local food production could spur economy By Joanne Roepke Bode County Editor The Algona Upper Des Moines 3/25/04
Nation's largest organic farmer co-op stays local, despite growth By JULIET WILLIAMS -Associated Press- 8/24/04
State offers reimbursement to organic growers From Bend.com news sources 3/24/04
Penn State Studies Transition to Organic Agriculture From Pennsylvania IPM Program 3/31/04
Mahoney, P.R., K.D. Olson, P.M. Porter, D.R. Huggins, C.A. Perillo, and R.K. Crookston. 2004. Profitability of organic cropping systems in southwestern Minnesota. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 19:35-46.
Organic food program expands beyond BK BY ALEX HARDING -The Yale Herald- 9/10/04
Report proves that organic farming is better for wildlife 10/10/04