Thursday, August 27, 2009

Food may be cheap, but is it a bargain?

Here is a link to a LA Times blog recently written on the negative externalities associated with our current food systems-- all the negative repercussions that actually cost our society a lot that are not taken into account when we pay for our food at restaurants and the grocery store.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2009/08/theres-been-a-lot-of-talk-lately-about-how-cheap-our-food-is-what-with-value-meals-and-discounts-galore-i-recently.html

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

harvest :)

I went to the garden today and HARVESTED like crazy. About 8 patty-pan squash as well as 4 or 5 cucumbers. I grilled the squash up for dinner and threw the cucs in a salad. No dinner has ever been so satisfying. Don't worry though-- there will be enough to go around on Thursday because our garden is actually a jungle!
I look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday at 5:30.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

From Saturday August 15, 2009

Hey All,
Here is some exciting news. I got up to the garden on Saturday morning for a deep watering.
First exciting thing: Bruce finished constructing all the beds!


Then as I was rummaging through all of the intense squash leaves to start watering I saw bees and ladybugs and big squash blossoms. Then as I was watering the corn and the cucumber I saw this:


Our first cucumber! It pretty much made my day.

In other news, I met the new president, Jonathan Veitch, and his wife, Anna. They are both EXTREMELY excited and enthusiastic about the garden. Anna immediately asked if she could come 'volunteer' in the garden and expressed that she wanted to build a garden at the president's house!

Friday, August 21, 2009

New Blog Address

Hi All, 
This is our new blog address. Please follow occidental-feast.blogspot.com from now on. 
If you want to be a writer on the blog please send feastoxy@gmail.com a note about it or just leave a comment on the blog and I will add you :) 

Enjoy

Hello! 

I wanted to let you know about two blogs that I follow obsessively. Both are about good food and its relationship with good farming practices (with a lot of mouth-watering pictures):

www.cucinanicolina.com

and

www.sidrapractice.com 

The first one is based in the bay area and is a celebration of Northern California nature and its food offerings. The second is from the DC area and has a lot of information about vegan cooking and cooking from the garden. It is fun to see how different the seasons are over there. 

Enjoy. 

Check out San Francisco

Hey there,

Giulia sent me a link to an article about some movements in the right direction in San Francisco:

Newsom’s fresh idea: mandates on healthy food.
San Francisco Chronicle, July 9

Newsom on Wednesday issued an executive directive he hopes will dramatically change how San Franciscans eat. All city departments have six months to conduct an audit of unused land -including empty lots, rooftops, windowsills and median strips - that could be turned into community gardens or farms that could benefit residents, either by working at them or purchasing the fresh produce. Food vendors that contract with the city must offer healthy and sustainable food. All vending machines on city property must also offer healthy options, and farmers' markets must begin accepting food stamps, although some already do.

fEAsT



Thursday, August 13, 2009

This is a game called "name that ovary"





Hey All,

I've taken some more photos of the garden and I wanted to play a game of "name that ovary."
There are two photos among these that have ovaries in them. Leave a comment if you can name them-- any and all guesses are appreciated.






POSTED BY ELISSA CHANDLER