When is Local not Really Local? The point of view of a fruit farmer in upstate New York. In this post, he talks about the fact that providing local food is difficult when the consumer is looking for instant gratification.
Here again the consumer is the only one that can make a difference. If people want strawberries in February, then there is going to be someone out there to get it to them. Consumers often focus on buying locally grown products only when they are “in season,” instead of looking to use them throughout the year. Many local products can be processed for use throughout the year, but we don’t do that much anymore. And others like apples store quite well for many months throughout the winter.
The Whole Foods Story, why the elite supermarket's stock is tanking, and why it shouldn't be (via Worsted Witch)
Whole Foods, which enjoyed two decades of growth, is catching flack from all sides. From below: Wal-Mart is making a push to sell more organic foods, and so are old-line grocers like Safeway and A&P. From above: As Whole Foods becomes mainstream, food snobs are going ever further afield, and local food aficionados have taken to joining the Community Supported Agriculture movement.
Poor Taste, why The Economist's recent assault on 'ethical food' missed the mark
... the magazine's contention that food hauled in from long distances burns less energy than locally produced food rests on shaky ground.
And in "getting ready for the big trip" news, an ode to why the Internet is so dang cool. Because I can ask questions like this and get 15 answers.
