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The Mother Earth News

May 9th, 2009 · No Comments · @me, Writers, farming & gardening, just musings

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Back in my youth I discovered  The Mother Earth News. It was probably sometime around 1971 that I first came across the magazine. I am sure I first found it at the old Space City News in downtown Houston where I spent a lot of time each weekend wandering the aisles checking out [...]

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Sissy Farmer? I don’t think so…

March 27th, 2009 · 2 Comments · Blue Ridge Mountains, farming & gardening, writing of place

Stumbling through my news reader I came across a reference and a video of Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. I have been aware of the work Joel is doing for a while. His success with Polyface is an inspiration that will become more important as we go forward in [...]

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Why Is My Traffic Up?

March 27th, 2009 · No Comments · Writers, blogging, farming & gardening, in the news

Sometimes you are amazed at the serendipity of life…I discovered Felder Rushing a few years back while wandering the web. I started listening to the podcast of his weekly public radio program, The Gestalt Gardener, and keeping up with his travels. I even posted a link and his picture back in 2007 on my original [...]

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Morning Light

March 12th, 2009 · Comments Off · @me, farming & gardening, just musings

As the sunlight begins to show the scene outside my kitchen door, the spring weeds wildflowers look like misty ponds scattered over my back yard. Mounds and mounds of purple vetch (Vicia americana) with their millions of tiny purple flowers on multiple green stems seem to rise mistily from the otherwise spring green of the [...]

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The Politics of Food = Food, Inc.

March 5th, 2009 · No Comments · Food, Food Safety, farming & gardening

Reading the news this morning, I saw this short spot:
Marion Nestle went to see Food, Inc and she gives it two thumbs up. I’ve only seen clips and heard a talk by the director and stars Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan about the making of the movie. It’s going to be a BIG DEAL when [...]

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Kitchen Gardeners International

March 3rd, 2009 · No Comments · climate change, economic crisis, farming & gardening, health

Dear Kitchen Gardener,
What’s a home garden worth? With the global economy spiraling downward and Mother Nature preparing to reach upward, it’s a good question to ask and a good time to ask it.
There isn’t one right answer, of course, but I’ll give you mine: $2149.15. Last year, my wife Jacqueline suggested to me that [...]

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Talks : Michael Pollan: The omnivore’s next dilemma

January 16th, 2009 · No Comments · Writers, farming & gardening, video

       Why you should listen to him:

Few writers approach their subjects with the rigor, passion and perspective that’s typical of Michael Pollan. Whereas most humans think we are Darwin’s most accomplished species, Pollan convincingly argues that plants — even our own front lawns — have evolved to use us as much as [...]

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Some cutbacks may be hard…

December 19th, 2008 · No Comments · family, farming & gardening

Image by winzu via Flickr

To get past the better half.
WINEDALE — OK, I believe it. They’ve got me convinced.
Here at the old country house in Washington County, winter has come to the front porch so I’ve moved inside by the fire.
I’ve sat here and read three magazines and two newspapers. With this computer I’ve roamed [...]

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