The UC Food Observer chooses some important stories for you to read each work day.
On today’s menu, in no particular order:
1. A terrific piece about horticulturalist Alan Chadwick appears in Modern Farmer. Chadwick began a gardening movement at the University of California, Santa Cruz that that eventually evolved into the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems, a nationally-recognized center for research and education in organics. The garden Chadwick founded profoundly influenced the food movement. Sara Solovitch writes, “What Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters were to the psychedelic culture of the 1960s, Chadwick and his diggers were to food and gardening.”
2. Corn wars. Ted Genoways (@TedGenoways) has written a riveting and incredibly important piece about the fight for domination of the world’s food supply. It’s China versus the U.S. Genoways writes, “The federal government considers agricultural products both an asset and a weapon in a long-range geopolitical chess match with China.” If you read one piece today, this should be it. Appearing in the New Republic. Pair it with a UC Food Observer original piece, Food System Reform is an Issue of National Security.
3. The Russian government is sending a message to the European Union by destroying illegally imported food. The move is drawing protests from advocates for the poor and hungry. Carol Williams reports for the Chicago Tribune.
4. “Agrihoods” offer suburban living around farms. There have been several pieces written recently about the notable trend of planning housing developments around farms. They’re popping up in So Cal, Hawaii and elsewhere. One of the latest is The Cannery, in Davis, California. Joseph Erbentraut (@robojojo) writes for The Huffington Post. The farm at The Cannery will be managed by The Center for Land-Based Learning. ICYMI, we sat down for a Q&A with that organization’s executive director, Mary Kimball.
5. ICYMI the post on our UC Food Observer Facebook page, be sure to read Peter King’s piece about how California water officials are preparing for the next drought. King (@peterhking) has recently returned to the Los Angeles Times; be sure to follow him.
Have a great day!