Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

The latest client for the eco-friendly brush-clearing service California Grazing is a pretty big one. You can’t buy the publicity that the company is getting ever since Google signed on to have 200 goats mow down brush that if not properly disposed of can cause the spread of wildfires. I found dozens of news articlesContinue reading “No Kidding. Google Brings Goats in to Mow Down Brush”

During the Bulls v. Celtics half time, I found this piece in the New York Times showing the hot spots for organic agriculture in the country. Unlike farms in general, which are spread fairly evenly across the country, organic farms are largely concentrated in just a few geographic areas. Much of the South will haveContinue reading “Any Guesses Where Organic Farming is Flourishing Most?”

Meet two young farmboys who’re trying to turn lemons into lemonade. I learned this week from MyNC.com that when James Taylor Jr., 23, lost his construction job last year, he decided to give farming a try. He and his buddy Robbie Lee, also 23, have leased 14 acres in Clayton from Taylor’s grandfather to startContinue reading “Laid-Off Construction Workers Give Up Hammers for Hoes”

Speaking of a righteous porkchop, I’ve been waiting for some mainstream coverage to confirm whether there is a link between the current swine flu outbreak and factory farms. I’ve been seeing a blog posts and Daily Kos has a couple diaries citing Mexican press coverage on the subject. But in the U.S. papers, it’s tougherContinue reading “Factory Farm Connection to Swine Flu?”

I have a new item for my birthday wish list. I’d probably put it after the Aqua Globe set, but before the “revolutionary” Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter. Here’s what I want: Nicolette Hahn Niman’s book published in February, “Righteous Porkchop Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory Farms.” I’d only read about Niman, anContinue reading “Add 'Righteous Porkchop' to My B-Day Wish List”

Good news. The U.S. is about to do its first detailed survey of organic agriculture. Really…it’s first. We keep seeing stats that organic ag is on the rise. If you’re like me, you’re seeing more “organic” products on store shelves. Indeed, according to a 2007 ag census, there were more than 20,000 farms with landContinue reading “USDA Finally to Take Closer Look at Organic Practices”

Sometimes, there’s just not enough hours in a day or a week to get to weeding or harvesting a backyard bounty. That’s why it’s exciting to see this organization in San Francisco (and apparently something similar in Portland): MyFarm. MyFarm describes itself as a “decentralized urban farm” in which organic veggies vegetables are grown inContinue reading “A CSA in Your Backyard? Check Out SF's MyFarm”

Learned about this promising Midwest fresh food delivery service from my favorite tavern owner. So if you’re in Indy or Cincy and want year-round organic eats, check out Farm Fresh Delivery. I was pleased to learn that there’s a Marion native involved in the operation: Co-owner Matt Ewer. But I’m even more optimistic that thisContinue reading “Farm Fresh Deliveries Now in Indy and Cincy”

It looks like the recent bird flu outbreak in Kentucky may start to get some American media attention after Mexico and Singapore banned import of all poultry and poultry products from the state. Forbes picked up this brief AP piece on Singapore’s ban, which excluded heat-processed poultry and egg products from the ban. Bloomberg reportedContinue reading “Mexico, Singapore Ban Poultry Imports from Kentucky”

Interesting piece in the New York Times today about a farming stimulus plan meant to put young, underpaid, urbanites back into the fields to get them into productive jobs and to literally rejuvenate the farming community. So where is this happening? Japan, where there remains a reverence for farming and, presumably, where farmers aren’t summarilyContinue reading “A Stimulus Plan that Includes a Boost to Farming”