Conversations With the Land: A Farmer's Thoughts on Agribiz

Jim VanDerPol is a farmer- writer who writes with clarity and skill about how agribusiness has changed not only our relationship with the land and our food, but how our sense of community and connection to one another has been displaced as well.

He sums up our current state:

“Agriculture is a human endeavor. We have forgotten this, or have allowed our fascination with our crackpot economy to drive it from our minds”.

He has chosen to keep his farming operation small, graze his livestock, and to think deeply about the role of Nature in farming.

I recently reviewed his lovely book:  Conversations with the Land, Jim VanDerPol, No Bull Press, 2012.

Read my full review at Eat Drink Better

 Photo: Patricia Larenas

What Does Organic Mean to You?

What do you expect from food that is labeled organic? Pesticide free? Responsible stewardship of the land? The certified organic label may not meet your expectations.

Paul Kaiser, of Singing Frogs Farm in Sebastopol, California, explains why. I met Kaiser, or Farmer Paul, as he is known locally, at the 2012 EcoFarm Conference where we talked about saving bees, creating earth-friendly farms, and the misuse of the terms organically grown and sustainable agriculture.

Going Beyond Organic

Kaiser wants to ask consumers, “what does organic mean to you?”

He pointed me to an essay he wrote on the subject and gave me permission to share some of his thoughts from that piece.

Read more...

Photo: courtesy of Paul Kaiser