QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"The stage is now set for direct competition for grain between the 800 million people who own automobiles, and the world's 2 billion poorest people."

Lester Brown from the Earth Policy Institute speaking at a briefing to the US Senate two weeks ago.

Eat Local Triangle

Check out North Carolina's Slow Food Movement.

job@ Slide Ranch

Ranch Facilities Manager, Slide Ranch :Muir Beach, California, United States

Position Summary: The Ranch Facilities Manager reports to the Director of Ranch Operations, and is part of the Ranch Management Team, which also includes a Garden Manager and an Animal Care Manager. The Ranch Facilities Manager is responsible for day-to-day upkeep, maintenance and repair of the farm facilities in a manner that is safe and appropriate for housing the staff and providing hands-on educational programs to the public. The Ranch Facilities Manager also coordinates regularly with the Ranch Management Team to assist or seek help with chores and maintenance tasks as needed or directed. This position requires living on-site in housing provided by Slide Ranch.

The Light Brown Everything Moth

As a caterpillar, the moth feeds on flowers, fruits and firs, a diet that can include corn and tomatoes for dinner and cherries, peaches and plums for dessert. A native of Australia, the moth had never been seen in the continental United States before February; the moth has since been found in nine California counties, including Napa. More here.

Warren Wilson College Farm

Hi y'all (I'm in the south now so I can say that.) Recently I spent some time in Asheville, North Carolina at Warren Wilson College. Warren Wilson College has a tremendous farm as part of the school and many/most vegetables in the (small) cafeteria are directly from the farm but not only that... the meat too! It's a pretty great example of a "closed loop" extremely local food supply for a small college. Students driving down the road on tractors! Website is pretty basic, but some good information on there.

Strawberry Fields Forever

Andrew Sullivan, keeping it real on immigration with flashbacks to 1995 and 1896: Strawberry Fields indeed.
Follow up (06/17): op ed piece in the New Farm by David Mas Masumoto.

This Blog's For You!!

Apprentices of 2007!
Greetings, I was founder and administrator of this blog last year, and I would really like to see it survive and thrive. It is intended to be a place where current and former apprentices, seconds and administrators can post articles of interest to the CASFS community. Do you know that Mike Nolan is CASFS2007? Do you know that all it takes is a gmail address to post on this blog? Simply e'mail Mike at CASFS2007@gmail.com or me at CASFS2006@gmail.com to request an account. After that, you can log in at blogger.com at any time to post. It's that simple. No html experience necessary!! In addition, you can comment on any posts even without an account by clicking on the word comments below.
Hope to hear from any and all of you soon.
dp

Goats Eat the ‘Vine That Ate the South’

Kudzu, which is native to Asia, was introduced in the United States in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, according to the United States Forest Service. It arrived in the South several years later, becoming a popular ornamental vine, then a forage and erosion-control crop. In the Great Depression, the federal government paid farmers to plant it. First called “the miracle vine,” kudzu eventually came to be known as “the vine that ate the South.” It grows at an astonishing rate of a foot a day, smothering flora, swallowing houses and blanketing the landscape. Now embedded in the South, as well as in parts of Oklahoma, Texas and some Northern states, kudzu can be found on at least a million acres of federal forest land, and probably millions more acres of private land, said James H. Miller, a research ecologist for the Forest Service. Now goats are proving to be an environmentally friendly, highly effective tool in Kudzu eradication. More here.

National Farmer Awards!

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: National Harvest Awards!
Recognize farmers and others doing great work in sustainable food systems

This is a great opportunity to nominate someone you know that is
doing great work in sustainable ag/ food systems work. Please pass
on this announcement to anyone who may be interested. Nominations
are due by July 10, 2007.

Please help us recognize outstanding work in sustainable food
systems by nominating someone whose work you admire.

Glynwood Center's 5th Annual National Harvest Awards will recognize
innovative farmers, organizations, and businesses from across the
U.S. that are doing an exceptional job of supporting sustainable,
regional food systems. The goal is to encourage this growing movement
by inspiring others to take action within their own
communities.

This year's categories include a Farmer Award, Good Neighbor Award,
and Connecting Communities, Farmers & Food Award(more info on
categories below). Nominations must be postmarked by July 10, 2007
to be considered. For nomination forms and more information,
please go to http://www.glynwood.org/programs/harvest.htm or
contact Kim Vargo at kvargo@glynwood.orgor (845) 265-3338.


Awards winners will be honored at celebrations at Glynwood Center
and in New York City in October 2007. Accommodations and travel
expenses will be provided free-of-charge to all winners. Glynwood
Center will also coordinate media coverage. This is a great
opportunity to recognize someone that inspires you.

Award Categories:
1. The Glynwood Harvest Farmer Award is awarded to a farmer who has
developed a sustainable farming operation and built effective
relationships within his or her home community and other places
where the food is eaten. 2.The Glynwood Harvest Good Neighbor Award is awarded to an
individual or organization that has helped sustain regional
agriculture in new and effective ways. 3.The Glynwood Harvest Connecting Communities, Farmers, and Food
Award is awarded to recognize outstanding work that unites farmers
and other community residents in building a local food system.

Nominations must be postmarked July 10, 2007.