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It ain't no cushy, high-paid summer position, but these days it's just as coveted. Farming internships are being flocked to by people of all stripes, eager to learn the tangible skills of food production. In the New York Times Sunday Magazine this week, Christine Muhlke writes about the increasing popularity of farming internships. She pays a visit to Tantre Farm in Chelsea, Michigan,......read more
There's nothing new about urban gardening. The Romans grew food on rooftops. Schoolyards and vacant lots have hosted veggie plots for centuries. So today's city agriculture explosion is really just a reclamation of our heritage. And nowhere is it more prevalent than Brooklyn, where Patrick Nagel (no, not that Patrick Nagel) gets his green thumb dirty every day. Born and raised near Detroit,......read more
Since the 2008 U.S. farm bill, annual funding for organic farming research has increased from $3 million to $20 million. With more research dollars, scientists and farmers are delving deeper into organic pest control techniques and gaining a better understanding of the larger natural systems at work. Wild sunflowers, for example, are being planted not as a cash crop but as a home for beneficial......read more
This week on Brooklyn Informed, the BKI team hooks up with Brad Estabrooke, owner and founder of the Breuckelen Distilling Company in Sunset Park. The 31 year-old native of Maine bailed on a career on Wall Street to open the small-scale distillery near the Gowanus waterfront, where he crafts farm-to-bar gin from organic raw ingredients sourced around New York state. With a grain mill, a......read more
Ten years ago, when artist Greg Van de Hey felt the creative impulse, he'd make a painting. But now, with two young kids, there just isn't enough time to make art. That's where his garden comes in. Whether it's building a rain barrel, making a grapevine trellis, or making wine, the young dad can always find a garden project that satiates his creative drive. It all plays into......read more
It's been a tumultuous few years for Isabelle Cossart. First, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, then Hurricane Katrina tore through her neighborhood, then her husband left her for her best friend. In the ensuing divorce she was left with a three-plus acre fruit orchard, and was suddenly transformed into a farmer. Turns out she's pretty good at it. The produce from Cossart's......read more
Leafy greens get a bum rap. You're not going to find many die-hard fanatics of kale or chard. Mention to your household that you're cooking turnip, mustard, collard or beet greens for dinner, and you're likely to be met with a scrunched up face or two. At the Portland Farmers Market Blog, we stumbled on a great post from Jane Pellicciotto, who offers some convincing arguments in......read more
This collection of Cowgirl Creamery deliciousness includes three award-winning soft-aged cheeses, all made with organic milk. Included are the bold, triple-cream, washed-rind Red Hawk (10oz); the smooth and elegant Mt Tam (8oz); and Cowgirl's latest creation, the seasonal, sweet-and-spicy pepper encrusted Devil's Gulch (8oz) their elegant triple-cream. Okay, now we're hungry....read more
It seems like one step forward, two steps back for the environmental movement these days. The once-high hopes of achieving national and/or international action on climate change have faded to a mere memory. Backward-thinking Republicans are attacking the Environmental Protection Agency in Congress. Eco-minded folks are getting bummed. But another movement, one that shares a common ethos with......read more
We all overindulge once in a while, so we can all relate the not-so-pleasant feeling of an overstuffed stomach. Urban Moonshine has the issue sorted. The Burlington, Vermont-based company's line of Organic Bitters, made using "only organically grown or ethically wildcrafted herbs," are just we've been waiting for. Add a few drops to some sparkling water for a delicious digestif, or use them to......read more
