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Hello [name]: Real food security begins at home in our own back yards. Friends in the heirloom seed industry, and our own reader polls, inform us that as the cost of food soars—and the risks of a highly centralized, highly automated, deeply impersonal food system become ever more apparent—people are taking matters into their own hands. Twenty-first century victory gardens are growing phenomenon in backyards and schools across the country, and there’s even a movement afoot to introduce the concept of “uber local” to the incoming First Family (and we can think of no better way to celebrate America’s shared and evolving values). Read more >>
This week Food Sleuth Melinda Hemmelgarn navigates the receding floodwaters in the Midwest looking for clues to how we might reverse engineer ourselves out of future catastrophes associated with more extreme weather patterns to come. What happened in Iowa and other neighboring states is about more than just how we farm the land, she concludes, but also about how obtrusively we have historically manipulated the landscape and bent nature to our will. Read more >>
We also highlight current news and research that suggests weeds may be tougher to deal with as the planet warms up, our homeland security protocol falls short when it comes to tracking sources of food-borne illness outbreaks, reforestation may be one way to slow the rapid desertification of Africa, and organic farming can indeed feed the world.
In spite of all the challenges we face, we find real inspiration and solace in the fact that so many young people are out there devoting their time and creative energies toward the “good food revolution” that’s so palpable we can taste it. This week we feature the efforts of both a new blogger and a documentary fimmmaker as they turn their talents toward safeguarding the concept of “organic” and celebrating food, farm, fork…and backyard chickens.
We believe it is these and other simultaneous, spontaneous and impassioned efforts like them—what folksinger/songwriter Pete Seeger refers to as “a million small acts”—that will collectively create the paradigm shift to finally unhook us from chemicals and corporations and re-link us to community and culture…and a shared food and land ethic of which we can be proud.
So breathe, eat, smile, laugh, hug and laugh some more. We’re already there, if you want it.
Dan Sullivan and the
Rodale Institute editorial team
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