Category Archives: Uncategorized

Thanks to my non-farmgirl friend from Chicago for a tip about a Tennessee man’s quest to grow rare, delicious black truffles on American soil. Millions of dollars have been spent trying to grow the truffles in the U.S., but to no avail. But finally, paydirt. Indeed, plant pathologist Tom Michaels struck Tennessee gold with hisContinue reading “Plant Doctor Sprouts Black Truffle Gold”

Despite concerns from FDA opponents to unpasteurized dairy, California farmer Mark McAfee is hitting the road to stump for what he considers the nutritional supremacy of raw milk. McAfee, from the 600-acre Organic Pastures farm in Fresno, traveled cross country recently to speak at the Southeast Pennsylvania Grazing Conference. Lancaster Farming reported thatMcAfee is usingContinue reading “Raw Milk Advocate Champions Benefits of 'Living Food'”

I was in a meeting today on a topic about as far from farming as possible, yet I found myself talking to someone whose brother raises chickens on some land in Anderson, Ind. Or at least he tries to raise chickens. I say tries because apparently the coyotes keep raiding his hen house. I suggestedContinue reading “All Conversations Lead to Chickens…And Backyard Hens in NYC”

I’ve been trying to come up with an Oscars-related post, but the only one I can think of is that Farmgirl Marsha Mason, a nominee for her role in the 1977 film The Goodbye Girl, is now running an organic herb farm – Resting in the River – in beautiful arid Abiquiu, New Mexico. Then,Continue reading “Celebrating Celebrity Farmers on Oscar Sunday”

I read a couple of provocative stories this week. The first was in Salon.com, based on a new study by Manchester School of Business for the United Kingdom’s Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, that challenged the notion that sustainable organic is indeed better for the environment. The second was in Capital Press, aContinue reading “Questioning the Sustainability Model”

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is celebrating Black History Month by promoting Carver’s Secret Garden, an agricultural program developed for inner-city urban youth. Created by Rick Sayles, a 4-H Urban Youth Development Educator with Penn State Cooperative Extension’s Capital Region, the program was named for the famed agricultural inventor George Washington Carver, who was knownContinue reading “Pa. Celebrates Urban Youth Farming”

Wal-Mart announced this week that it is partnering with North Dakota’s Tri Campbell Farms in an effort to show that it is working harder to buy produce from local growers. In the deal with Wal-Mart, the family-owned Tri-Campbell will provide homegrown potatoes to stores in the North Dakota region. In a release about the deal,Continue reading “Wal-Mart Sees Financial Benefits of Buying Local”

Here’s a photo Hoosier Outsider sent today near Eastbrook, just south of Indiana 18 in Grant County. This certainly shows there’s more than one way to report the news and get your message out. Clearly this barn owner is no fan of CAFOs for a number of environmental and health reasons. The “Barn News” refersContinue reading “Barncasting the Old Fashioned Way”

We got a belated Christmas letter from our friends in New Mexico this weekend and learned that there’s a fabulous new co-op in the area where I used to live near Ojo Sarco. The Dixon Market, in addition to providing food for locals, supports small farming and sustainable agricultural operations. Dixon Market hosts a weeklyContinue reading “Tripping Down a Land of Enchantment Memory Lane”

I’ve been busy with the kiddies this weekend, but I didn’t want another day go by without mentioning this piece about “Green Weddings” that I was forwarded last week from the New York Times. Some great organic, sustainable-oriented businesses are featured in the piece, including organicbouquet.com. Even more noteworthy, the story features couples such asContinue reading “Eco-Friendly Brides are Trading White for Green”