JB MacKinnon and Alisa Smith, authors of the book, Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100-Mile Diet – Turning an Idea into a Movement
When the average North American sits down to eat, each ingredient has typically travelled at least 1,500 miles—call it “the SUV diet.” On the first day of spring, 2005, Alisa Smith and James MacKinnon (bios) chose to confront this unsettling statistic with a simple experiment. For one year, they would buy or gather their food and drink from within 100 miles of their apartment in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Since then, James and Alisa have gotten up-close-and-personal with issues ranging from the family-farm crisis to the environmental value of organic pears shipped across the globe. They’ve reconsidered vegetarianism and sunk their hands into community gardening. They’ve eaten a lot of potatoes.
For more information about The 100 Mile Diet, please visit 100milediet.org.
Morgan Wolaver – President, Wolaver’s Organic Beers
Located in beautiful Middlebury, Vermont, Wolaver’s shipped there their first keg of Copper Ale in March of 1991. Four years later, after quickly outgrowing their original site, they moved into a new state-of-the-art brewery just down the street.
In 1998, they began producing Wolaver’s Certified Organic Ales in partnership with Panorama Brewing Company. Both brands have flourished as beer drinkers throughout the northeast have enjoyed craft ales, and as the focus on sustainable farming and living has blossomed.
Wolaver’s brew and bottle all of their beers in small batches to ensure freshness and consistent quality. They use natural Vermont water, the best domestic malt and hops available, and their own top-fermenting yeast. All Wolaver’s beers are made with no less than 98% certified organic ingredients. Their brewery and their Wolaver’s brands are certified organic by Vermont Organic Farmers.
For more information about Wolaver’s Organic Beers, please visit Wolavers.com.
Jessica Brodie graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz with a Bachelors of Arts in Community Studies. Her field work has included internships at the Homeless Garden Project and Women’s Organic Flower Exchange in Santa Cruz. Her main field work was a six-month internship with WWOOF New Zealand in which she worked on ten organic farms on both the north and south island. Her thesis focused on bioregionalism and the state of genetic engineering in New Zealand at the time of her field work. Jessica has worked as an activity leader for developmentally disabled adults at the Clausen house in Oakland, California. She is currently a recreation coordinator at the Jewish Home for the Aged in San Francisco, California.
For more information about WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms), please visit wwoofusa.org.
Bloom is a wonderful new restaurant that promises to serve an array of tasty, organic, upscale treats in an elegant, warm and newly designed setting.
Bloom was founded with the vision of living, eating and being as close to nature as possible. With that vision, from all of us at OrganicallySpeaking.org, Happy Thanksgiving!
The ultimate goal behind the creation of Broken Limbs was to help viewers begin to change the way they think about the food they eat and the vital role of farmers in their communities.
Broken Limbs took as its starting point the writings of Dr. John Ikerd, professor emeritus from the University of Missouri. Dr. Ikerd’s work comprises a vast and thoughtful body of literature on the topics of sustainable agriculture and the economics thereof.
Since retiring from the University in early 2000, Ikerd spends most of his time writing and speaking out on these issues. We encourage anyone interested in these topics to spend some time perusing his work. His many papers, as well as the full text of his new book entitled The Case for Common Sense can be found at: www.ssu.missouri.edu/faculty/jikerd
For more information about Broken Limbs: Apples, Agriculture and the New American Farmer, please visit www.brokenlimbs.org.
Audrey, Program Manager for the CSA Program at Full Circle Farms
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) originated in Europe and Japan as a reaction to the gradual loss of quality in produce. This natural phenomenon occurred as farms grew further and further away from the center of their own community.
In America food travels an average of 1500 miles before it reaches the dinner plate. Pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides are used to cover the stress of travel on fresh produce. Communities have come together all across America to support local farms in their community instead of giant grocery store conglomerates that choose to support large agro farms. Each CSA operates in its own unique way, but the basic idea remains the same: consumers and farmers collaborating to ensure a safe and healthy food source in their community.
For more information about the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program at Full Circle Farms, please visit www.fullcirclefarm.com/csa.html.
We our introducing a new audio comment system, you can now leave an audio comment on any of our posts. You will find an “Insert Audio Comment†link at the bottom of the usual “Add Comment” space. All you need is a microphone! Try it out and let Michael and John know what you think about the show!
Beyond Pesticides provides the public with useful information on pesticides and alternatives to their use. With this information, people can and do protect themselves and the environment from the potential adverse public health and environmental effects associated with the use and misuse of pesticides.
Jay Feldman, Executive Director, is a cofounder of the organization and has served as its director since 1981. Jay dedicated himself to finding solutions to pesticide problems after working with farmworkers and small farmers through an EPA grant in 1978 to the national advocacy organization Rural America (1977-1981).
Bo Rinaldi, Cofounder, Vegan Fusion: Bo is the visionary devoted to healing and service that introduces the blossoming lotus to the international community. A natural food chef of over forty years, experiencing first hand that “food is your best medicine,†he deeply believes that nonviolence and the vegan lifestyle is the path to Global Peace. A post-technology entrepreneur and angel investor, his focus is on assisting groups that wish to bring about a positive shift in personal and worldwide transformation.
Vegan Fusion is dedicated to the promotion of the Vegan diet and lifestyle as a means to Planetary Peace. Guided by the principles of ahimsa, or nonviolence, it serves to educate and inform on the benefits of Veganism on a personal and global level.
For more information on being a vegan and about vegan fusion projects, please visit VeganFusion.com.
Dakota Beef LLC is committed to uniting its producers, employees, chefs, retailers and distributors to deliver the most tender and flavorful certified organic beef products to health-conscious consumers. In accomplishing this mission, we will preserve and protect our environmental resources, contribute in a meaningful way to our communities and earn a fair return on our business investment.
The Dakota Beef Story – Scott Lively, the Founder of Dakota Beef, was visiting his wife’s hometown in South Dakota when he learned that one of its largest employers was closing down. He was hoping to find a way to create jobs for the local community when he came upon the idea of launching a certified organic beef company. Find out how the concept of Dakota Beef became a reality.
Mia Littlejohn talks with Chef Mark Stanley of the Illinois Institute of Art about spring lamb, mutton, braises, roasts, chops and more. Try his Braised Lambs Shanks.
Entertaining: A Meal for Cesar Chavez’s Birthday
Ideas for a dinner party to honor a hero by serving food that shows your committment to the dignity of farmers and farm workers who labor to feed us.
About Mark D. Plunkett – Seattle Aquarium Conservation Coordinator:
Mark D. Plunkett is the Conservation Coordinator for the Seattle Aquarium. The Seattle Aquarium is wealth of undersea information for educators, kids, parents and visitors. Here’s your chance to get face-to-fin with marine life. Through specialized teacher programs, field trip opportunities, events and other marine resources, everyone can learn to share the knowledge and encourage the protection of the Sound that surrounds us all.
The heartbeat of hands-on marine experience and preservation education in the Pacific Northwest, the Seattle Aquarium offers fun, exciting ways to discover more about the amazing Puget Sound that surrounds you!
Mark D. Plunkett Education:
M.S. Biology, Western Washington Univ., 1980
B.S. Biology, cum laude, Seattle Pacific Univ., 1978
Full Circle Farm is a 140 acre certified organic produce farm located in Carnation, Washington along the banks of Griffin Creek and the Snoqualmie River. We cultivate over 75 varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs ranging from bunched greens and baby vegetables to specialty herbs and flowers (edible and ornamental).
Andrew Stout and Wendy Munroe started farming on 3 acres in 1996, with a love of growing and the need to get involved with the community. Full Circle has become not just a farm, but also a small-scale distributor of sorts, teaming up with other local growers to provide companion crops.
Organically Grown was formed in 1978 as a support organization for Oregon’s organic farmers
Since 1982 OGC has served as the largest wholesaler of organic fruits, vegetables and herbs in the Pacific Northwest. We provide service to a broad spectrum of accounts, including natural and fine foods retailers, supermarket chains, restaurants, juicing companies, food processors and other wholesalers.
As a business created by farmers, OGC continues to work closely with the northwest’s growers to supply local communities with high-quality produce. Our own LADYBUG Brand represents the efforts of 36 local farms who supply us with over 120 different fruits and vegetables in seasons.
Utilizing the advantages that a small trade system offers, we purchase over 90% of our product line directly from the growers. Typically, our trucks move highly perishable items from farms, through our facilities, and out to accounts within days. Our line consists of the broadest offering of organic produce available, usually over 200 items. You will find that organic produce today is as attractive and well-packed as its conventional counterpart while offering superior flavors and strong promotional advantages.
OGC’s marketing staff have been active in all aspects of our trade. As growers, wholesalers, retailers and brokers, we use our experience to help our accounts establish and maintain high-quality organic produce programs. We understand that the growth of the organic foods trade requires that the same values used to produce organic foods are used in conducting the business of selling them. Our approach to business emphasizes long-term relationships and the concept of “valueâ€. We provide accurate descriptions of product quality and pricing that reflects the product’s value.
As we see it, our job isn’t simply selling produce, it’s assisting in the development of successful organic produce programs. We’re in the business of providing a food supply that is healthier for people and the environment, and one that assures you of all the color, aromas, and flavors that organic fruits and vegetables deliver.
