Foods
Buy high quality ruminant food online
Just like anyone else, the quality of food that your livestock gets has a bearing on the health status of the animals, their productivity and the ability to fight diseases. Therefore, farmers should be careful when buying feeds online so…
Read moreCOVER- Person of the Year: Joel Salatin’s salad days
It’s been quite a year for Joel Salatin. The Shenandoah Valley farmer starred as himself in two popular food documentary films and received a $100,000 award from the Heinz Family Foundation for his creative, eco-friendly practices. “The big corporate farms can no longer…
Read moreSlow Food Saturday
After a leisurely walk around the garden this morning with a good friend of mine, we decided it would be the perfect day to make use of all the Datil Peppers that were covering the 6 bushes I have planted….
Read moreSlow Food : Inching towards Food Sovereignty?
Recently, Carlos Petrini, the founder of the Slow Foods movement, has been incorporating the concept of food sovereignty in his social discourse. To some food activists, this is a logical consequence of Slow Food’s opposition to the industrial agi-foods complexes…
Read moreWhole Food Market and United Natural Foods, Inc.: Undermining Our Organic Future
After four decades of hard work, the organic community has built up a $25 billion “certified organic” food and farming sector. This consumer-driven movement, under steady attack by the biotech and Big Food lobby, with little or no help from…
Read more15 Homemade Organic Gardening Sprays and Concoctions That Actually Work
Safe, organic garden remedies that are easy on your wallet and the Earth. Back when I started my first garden, a certain celebrity gardener and his books of gardening concoctions were all the rage. You could tell when it was…
Read moreCrop Drop Set for Oct. 24th
Campus Ministry is proud to announce the up- coming Crop Drop hosted by the Society of St. Andrew, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and University Lutheran Church and Campus Ministry. The Society of St. Andrew is a group that educates, organizes, and acts to create change and…
Read moreSupporters defend organic food …
LONDON – Organic food supporters defended the benefits of naturally grown produce on Friday, after a report suggested there are no significant health advantages from it. In a study published in a U.S. journal this week, researchers at the London…
Read moreGive a GIFT of Food
Often during the holidays, many spend time trying to figure out the gift to get someone that seems to have everything. This year you may want to consider giving a gift to those that may have little. Florida Organic Growershas a…
Read moreFor gardeners, fall’s harvest starts with today’s work
August is a month to be endured. It’s hot. It doesn’t have a national holiday or even a good party day like St. Patrick’s or Cinco de Mayo. It’s very hot. School starts back again (OK, that one’s for the…
Read moreCreating a Local Food System – Where do we Start?
“The Transition Network (TN) has developed a new and exciting process to help communities move from oil dependency to local resilience. There is a four-page introduction to the TN process at the end of this document. To me TN process…
Read moreGrow Gainesville
“To increase our community’s ability to produce and share food grown in urban gardens by facilitating the networking of gardeners, resources, and information in a way that is easily affordable and accessible to all.” Urban gardens are growing in neighborhoods…
Read moreSNAP cardholders can now buy fresh farm products
Local farmers’ markets will soon have another payment option: SNAP benefit cards. The program, paid for by a Florida Organic Growers grant, will allow low-income county residents to use their SNAP cards, formerly food stamps, to buy fresh and locally…
Read moreS. 510: FDA Food Safety Modernization Act
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! FOOD SAFETY DECISION TIME IS NOW Call Your Senators Today To Defend Family Farms, Value-Added Processing, and Local and Regional Food Systems Debate and voting on The Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) is expected to…
Read moreBig Food’s ‘Smart Choices’ label raises eyebrows at the FDA
You don’t need to be a nutritionist with an advanced degree to know that Froot Loops only qualifies as a “Smart Choice” on Planet Kellogg’s. But as the NYT told us over the weekend, if you are a nutritionist at a prestigious university’s…
Read moreSaving Bees: What We Know Now
The first alarms about the sudden widespread disappearance of honeybees came in late 2006, and the phenomenon soon had a name: colony collapse disorder. In the two years that followed, about one-third of bee colonies vanished, while researcherstoiled to figure…
Read moreGetting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food
Somewhere in Iowa, a pig is being raised in a confined pen, packed in so tightly with other swine that their curly tails have been chopped off so they won’t bite one another. To prevent him from getting sick in…
Read moreFruits & Vegetables
January: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrots, Chinese Cabbage, Collard Greens, Cucumbers, Grapefruit, Green Onions, Kale, Lemons, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Oranges, Papayas, Parsley, Pineapple, Prickly Pear Cactus, Spinach, Sweet Limes, Swiss Chard, Tangelos, Tangerines, Tomatoes, and Turnip Greens. February: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower,…
Read moreThe Local Food Roadshow rolls on…
May is coming up on Saturday. I always consider it the best month of the year and this year is no different. It is time once again, for another stop on the Local Food Roadshow, the 2010 Eat Local Challenge. This…
Read moreCity urged to lift St. Francis meal limit
Gainesville planning board cites number of hungry residents in advising commissioners It is time for Gainesville to eliminate the restrictions on how many meals a day the St. Francis House homeless shelter and soup kitchen may serve, a city advisory…
Read moreGive a GIFT of Food
Often during the holidays, many spend time trying to figure out the gift to get someone that seems to have everything. This year you may want to consider giving a gift to those that may have little. Florida Organic Growers has a…
Read moreLocal Food Survey
The following surveys are being distributed for the Alachua County Kitchen Incubator, in cooperation with Sustainable Alachua County and the Alachua County Commission. Please help us get a better picture of the demand for local food and local food processing…
Read moreA Thanksgiving Harvest
Fall is here…at least the calendar indicates that but the weather, though now quite pleasant, has been above normal and we experienced a very hot October with temperatures in the low 90’s! This created several problems for our local farmers, ready…
Read moreSustainable Agriculture
Sustainable agriculture refers to the ability of a farm to produce food indefinitely, respecting the health of the natural ecosystem and resources, supporting the rural community and offering respect and fair treatment to all involved, from farm workers to consumers…
Read morePermaculture
A contraction of “permanent agriculture,” the word “permaculture” was coined by Australian Bill Mollison in the late 1970s. One of the many alternative agriculture systems described as sustainable, permaculture is “unique in its emphasis on design; that is, the location…
Read moreLocal/Community Food System
A community food system, also known as a local food system, “is a collaborative effort to integrate agricultural production with food distribution to enhance the economic, environmental, and social well-being of a particular place (i.e. a neighborhood, city, county or…
Read moreGenetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
GMOs are plants and animals that have had their genetic make up altered to exhibit traits that are not naturally theirs. In general, genes are taken (copied) from one organism that shows a desired trait and transferred into the genetic…
Read moreFree range
Free range (or free roaming) implies that a meat or poultry product comes from an animal that was raised out of confinement or was free to roam. Its use on beef is unregulated and there is no standard definition of…
Read moreFood Miles
The distance food travels from where it is grown or raised to where it is ultimately purchased by the consumer or end-user. “Local food systems can reduce ‘food miles’ and transportation costs, offering significant energy savings. Consumers also benefit from…
Read moreSupport Local Food
There are many ways you can begin supporting your local food economy. We have many fine farmers, farmer’s markets, food stores and restaurants, as well as organizations dedicated to bringing you fresh local products. Here are a few tips to…
Read moreU.S. schools add fresh food without busting budgets
(Reuters) – Thousands of U.S. public school districts are teaming up with local farmers to put more fresh fruits and vegetables on lunchroom menus, without breaking budgets or getting any help from celebrity chefs. The schools are taking early steps…
Read moreThe Food System and Public Policy
Note: This post is based on a portion of my presentations at the recent Association for the Study of Peak Oil conference in Denver. Go to the ASPO web site for the complete slide deck. And thanks to Debbie Cook…
Read moreGetting Ready for Earth Day: Eat Local Food
When it comes to learning more & doing more to make your life greener and getting ready for Earth Day, the choices you make in the food you eat every day can make a tremendous impact. There are lots of food…
Read more1st Annual Garden Bike Tour
Come join Citizens Co-op for a garden bike tour of Gainesville! The tour starts at Bo Diddley Community Plaza and ends at our new location at 435 S. Main St. It will be 14 miles with stops for refreshments at…
Read moreMother’s Day Herb Festival at Maggie’s Herbs
Each year, on the day before Mother’s Day, Maggie’s Herbs, outside of St. Augustine, hosts a Farm festival and open house with many vendors offering herbs, butterfly plants,homemade herb foods and jams, antique roses , handmade soaps, dried spices and…
Read moreFood expo, film show benefits home-grown products
You don’t have to dig deep to see that Gainesville’s soil is ripe with growth. On Sunday, the Citizens Co-op sponsored two sold-out showings of Robert Kenner’s “Food, Inc.” The show attracted more than 200 people and raised $1,060 to…
Read moreA Local Food Solution
Family farmers and local business owners gathered Sunday evening in the hopes of finding a place in Gainesville to sell their products, which include a cold-hardy avocado that produces fruit in Gainesville’s coldest winter, biodynamically grown produce and unpasteurized goat’s…
Read moreFood safety bill defeated in House
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House defeated a far-reaching food safety bill Wednesday after farm-state lawmakers complained it would be too invasive and others said it was pushed to the floor too quickly. The legislation, which would require more government inspections…
Read moreThe Dark Side of Nitrogen
While many of us know the importance of eating healthy food and are quite aware of our carbon ‘foodprint’, we may not understand the basics of soil chemistry, fertilizers and what is involved in growing the food we eat. As a…
Read moreKing Corn speaks, An ‘agri-intellectual’ talks back
There will always be an ogoing debate concerning whether or not ‘Big Ag’s benefits of feeding a growing world population are worth the social and environmental negatives that come along with it. Certainly sustainable small scale farming is best for…
Read moreFind out what’s really in your food!
Food Facts is a great website for those wanting to know what really is in the food you eat. This comprehensive website covers not only nutritional ingredients of foods, but all the additives as well, good or bad. This site also…
Read moreFood Rules: Your Dietary Dos and Don’ts
Earlier this year, Michael Pollan posted a request for reader’s rules about eating on Well, Tara Parker Pope’s health blog. Within days, more than 2,500 responses were received. Here are 20 of Pollan’s favorites…( see article… ) Also, check out Michael’s new book, Food Rules….
Read moreNewest GMO Study Results…
Newest GMO Study Results… Longest-Running GMO Safety Study Finds Tumors in Rats Are GMOs dangerous? A new study shows that Monsanto’s genetically modified corn and Roundup herbicide cause negative health effects in rats, and is raising questions about the safety of…
Read moreThe Raw Facts – Eggs
Jurisdiction: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Division of Food Safety Additionally, if you plan to sell eggs for human consumption and your flock size is more than 3,000 layers or you plan to sell eggs wholesale, you will…
Read moreSpring City Meats
Spring City Meats is family owned and operated by David and Penny Soles in the heart of the Ichetucknee Springs Basin. David Soles, recently retired USDA Inspector in Central Florida, brings years of experience and ensures that the pig you…
Read moreLaughing Chicken Farm
Welcome to the Laughing Chicken Farm! Our farming practices are modeled after Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farm in Virginia. We received hands on training there and have brought it home to North Florida. Our products include Pastured Broiler Chickens, Truly Free Range Eggs,…
Read moreThe Orange Shop
The Orange Shop in Citra has been providing high-quality citrus to travelers and local residents since 1936. Citrus has been produced on our land continuously since the Civil War. Pete and Cindy Spyke, the owners, were presented with the 2010…
Read moreLocal vs Global
Modern agribusiness is a huge energy consumer, environmental polluter and resource abuser, dependant on fossil fuels. According to most research, most food products on the grocery shelf travel well over 1500 miles before they reach your table, with 80% of…
Read moreFarm Fresh Planting Guide
Vegetable Planting Dates in Florida (outdoors)1 Days to Harvest4 Seeds/plants Per 100′ Spacing (inches) Seed depth (inches) North Central South Rows Plants Bush Beans, Snap Mar-Apr Aug-Sep Feb-Apr Sep Sep-Apr 50-60 1 lb. 18-30 2-3 1-2 Beans, pole Mar-Apr Aug-Sep…
Read moreWhat’s in Season this August
Produce: Eggplant, Grapes, Green Peppers, Hot Peppers, Lettuce, Lima Beans, Okra, Peanuts, Persimmons, Pineapple, Pumpkins, Southern Peas, Sweet Potatoes, and Watermelon. Herbs: Basil, Chives, Culantro, Celery Leaf, Fennel, Lemongrass, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Marjoram, Mints, , Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Winter…
Read moreFarm Fresh By The Month
January… Arugula, Basil, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrots, Chinese Cabbage, Cilantro, Collard Greens, Cucumbers, Endive, Grapefruit, Green Onions, Kale, Lemons, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Oranges, Papayas, Parsley, Pineapple, Prickly Pear Cactus, Spinach, Sweet Limes, Swiss Chard, Tangelos, Tangerines, Tomatoes, and Turnip Greens….
Read moreHelp FOG and KACB build a garden in the Porters Community!
We’re asking for support from Gainesville and broader Alachua County community to assist us in raising funds to build a garden in the Porters Community on the corner of Depot Ave. and SW 2nd St. All you have to do is visit this…
Read moreOrganic Food & Film Festival…
WHAT: Organic Food & Film Festival with screening of three films WHEN: Saturday, May 15, 2010, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. ADMISSION: FREE for holistic/organic trade show. Tickets for films: $5 per person per film. Enjoy a relaxed Saturday — sample organic foods, expand your health-care…
Read moreLet nature decide what’s for dinner…
Have you ever bitten into a bland, mealy peach in the middle of winter? That stomach-turning taste and texture may be nature’s way of telling you to start eating seasonally. Just because you see a mango in your local supermarket…
Read moreOur Dwindling Food Variety
As we’ve come to depend on a handful of commercial varieties of fruits and vegetables, thousands of heirloom varieties have disappeared. It’s hard to know exactly how many have been lost over the past century, but a study conducted in…
Read moreThe “Raw” Facts – Milk…
Raw Milk is milk that has not been pasteurized or homogenized. Pasteurization is a heating process meant to kill bacteria, and homogenization is the process of making the milk one consistency throughout. Raw milk sales for human consumption, in Florida, are illegal….
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