Food news is more interesting than the rest of the headlines

I've made a commitment to myself to post something each week. This week is getting away from me, for too many reasons to recount here.
But I've been meaning to note some of the things I heard on last week's Science Friday, which was heavy on the food system news. First - I want to learn how to make coffee kombucha. Doesn't coffee kombucha and avocado toast sound like a breakfast of champions?
More importantly, there was a long conversation with Amanda Little, the author of The Fate of Food.
You can read and listen here: https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/eating-smarter-in-a-warming-world/
But if you are having a busy week too, consider her three tops tip for eating responsibly in the age of rapid climate change.
1) Reduce your consumption of ruminant meat. I would modify that a bit. Reduce your consumption and choose beef and lamb this is pasture-raised in a climate-smart way. More expensive meat means less meat, a good thing.
2) Watch out for food waste, a big contributor to methane emissions. Did you know that people who eat the most healthful diets are apt to generate the most food waste? Develop strategies for smart shopping, good storage practices, leftover management. If you can, find friends with backyard animals who'd like your extras, get a worm farm, compost! There are all kinds of tips for reducing food waste these days. Watch this space.
3) Vote! Seek out and support candidates who are science literate and seeking policy solutions and appropriate incentives for a resilient food system.

Just a little reminder

From a story on Ynetnews, citing Emily Broad-Lieb, Director of the Food law and Policy Clinic of Harvard Law School, speaking at a conference in Israel.

"Environmental impacts are also prevalent. Broad-Leib mentions that the agricultural industry uses 70-80% of the water in the U.S., while 20% of this water goes to watering crops that will eventually be thrown away.

Since a third of the greenhouse gases emitted in the U.S. comes from this industry, the third best way to reduce this is by cutting down on food waste. Right now 30-40% of food all food is wasted in both the U.S. and Israel."

It's particularly important in this season of produce abundance to share, preserve, glean - and if those don't work, feed chickens and pigs, or compost. 

It's only "Food Waste" if it ends up in the landfill.

June Garden report, part 2

I took some photos on Thursday.
Here's my plot with pole beans.

And the promising strawberries...

Here are my neighbors' zucchinis, transplanted on or before the May 11 workday...

And here's mine, planted five weeks later.

A real plus at the Stony Point garden is the area planted for produce to be delivered to FISH Santa Rosa. These are in 12' x 12' plots, and feature what's popular, what's healthful, and what's culturally appropriate.

The tomatoes, kale, and tomatillos are from transplants on May 11, the beets and other greens we direct seeded. The sunflowers are volunteers. Community gardens that have been in existence for several years are filled with volunteer plants, not to mention weeds.

And one more shot. The fence around the garden is softened with many rose bushes. They are a bit past their prime blooming time now, but here's one beauty.

Garden report

I meant to take some snaps yesterday morning when I went to the Stony Point Garden to weed and water, but it started heating up more rapidly than I expected, so I left hurriedly, forgetting my goal.

It's tough getting used to a new garden. This one is pretty sterile compared with the Fulton Road garden. Bees and ladybugs, yes, but for birds I've seen mostly crows, a few little brown birds, and one robin. There are gophers around one of my beds, and they have gnoshed on both species of pole beans. I still have seven or eight Christmas lima plants left, and six rattlesnake snap beans, so that's not too bad.

The strawberries I inherited in the bean bed have taken on a new lease on life with weeding, fertilizing, and regular watering. The red basil looks great against a backdrop of bean leaves and the early girl tomato has set quite a few fruit.

I was late getting things in. First the late rains and all the weed growth they stimulated hindered me. And then being gone for nine days in early June meant I needed either to get things in and going a few weeks before that, or wait until I got home. It's not a good idea to have seeds sprouting or recent transplants still finding their feet when someone else will be doing the watering, perhaps irregularly. The beans I transplanted since returning are a little wonky, but the peppers and squash are chugging along. Other gardeners already have zucchini; in fact, it looks like some already have too much. Mine are several weeks away. The great blessing is that in this climate we can usually keep our summer producing plants going well into October, so I will not be deprived. While I'm waiting for them, I have two packages of fava beans in the freezer. I've harvested plenty of radishes, the garlic is finally ready to harvest, and the chard is producing full bore.

Here's the garden in mid-May.

June is national Dairy Month

So a few thoughts on dairy, particularly in my corner of the world.
The dairy business is in trouble - or at least stressed - here. Milk is still the second biggest crop ($-wise) after wine grapes. It's close to 90% organic in Sonoma County, too, partly because the price of organic milk is not controlled the way conventional milk is. But there are sustainability advantages beyond income ones. So what's the problem?
1)The growth rate of organic milk sales has slowed. One wonders if the appeal has reached most of those who can afford the higher prices.
2) According to Albert Strauss, at a recent Food System Alliance meeting, organic dairies behave the same way as conventional ones, upping production when prices slide, compounding the problem.
3) Some processors have moved away from our area, in search of a lower cost of doing business, leaving producers scrambling. ( I stopped buying Wallaby yogurt when I realized it was no longer sourcing milk here, and was now effectively Dannon. I buy local milk and make my own using mesophilic cultures., that is, at room temperature on the kitchen counter.)

We hear we need to reduce our consumption of animal products in our diets to make an impact on greenhouse gas generation, but we also need to think about the positive effect of organic and resilient dairies, and buy the products of our local ones. (That is, organic milk and other dairy products that carry the name of a local dairy or creamery, not a general brand.) The best of them improve the pastures they use, pay attention to water quality, etc. And did you know that organic cows live longer lives? Information in sources varies, but it seems CAFO milk cows live a maximum of six years, averaging four or so. Organic dairy cows can be productive members of a herd into the double digits, and have a maximum life span well into their teens.

You can read about Strauss dairy and creamery here:
https://www.strausfamilycreamery.com/mission-practices/
And learn more about a family dairy near me, Beretta, here:
https://sonomarcd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/SRCD_Beretta_Profile-in-Stewardship_2016_FINAL.pdf

Meanwhile, make sure the milk you consume is doing not just your body, but the environment and your local economy, good.

Summer reading

I am certainly not going to read every book on Food Tank's summer list.
But I expect I will skim some, read a few, and perhaps review or quote them here.
In fact, I just requested two by authors I admire from my public library, and downloaded Vacant to Vibrant via Hoopla, which I thought might be an interesting browse during some travel time later this week.
Check out the list for yourself here: 
https://foodtank.com/news/2019/06/the-29-books-on-food-tanks-summer-reading-list/
And post a comment if you find something to recommend.

Misleading date labels contribute to food waste.
While we wait for legislation that can standardize and clarify, you can educate yourself and others about what date labels really suggest.
Taste and smell remain the best indicators of food quality. The milk in my morning tea lived on past the date on the carton. It's milk from a large local brand, Clover, and it has been stored properly. If it gets stinky or lumpy it goes; otherwise it's just fine.

The Food Law and Policy Clinic of Harvard Law School continues to publish useful reports on this and other issues around extra food and reducing food waste. Check it out.
https://www.chlpi.org/flpc-releases-issue-brief-calling-federal-legislation-standardize-date-labels/?fbclid=IwAR14ifBkxD73BRbIEsDo4B0NWLwh3rEPGOgDDilFCAOLXSWS4gXyWph7PaM