Comments on: Growing Power http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/11/12/growing-power/ An urban insurgent's guide to real food for life Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:22:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ed Bruske http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/11/12/growing-power/comment-page-1/#comment-3404 Ed Bruske Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:22:11 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=3086#comment-3404 Christiana, I think you are going to be seeing some equalizing on this issue as the problems of depleting resources (especially fossil fuels and water) as well as global warming and health concerns become more acute. Christiana, I think you are going to be seeing some equalizing on this issue as the problems of depleting resources (especially fossil fuels and water) as well as global warming and health concerns become more acute.

]]> By: storiented http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/11/12/growing-power/comment-page-1/#comment-3403 storiented Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:39:30 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=3086#comment-3403 "They don’t really compete with our conventional food system because the price of conventional food has never factored in the true costs of producing it: overuse of water and fossil fuels, extravagant carbon emissions, destruction of soil, toxic pollution of air and water. It thrives on huge subsidies of tax dollars, and a license to destroy the planet." This, for me, is the most salient point. If conventional food's price reflected its actual cost, it would have died out long ago. Perhaps it's a pipe dream but, why not simply make gasoline and mileage no longer tax deductible for food producers? Why, with our incredibly long growing season, does an overwhelming percentage of the vegetables sold at Dupont Circle Whole Foods or any other supermarket come from California or further? How does draining the water tables in the Imperial Valley (which gets 2-3 weeks of rainfall per year) to bring tasteless baby lettuce to our fairly soggy East Coast make any kind of sense - financially or agriculturally? “They don’t really compete with our conventional food system because the price of conventional food has never factored in the true costs of producing it: overuse of water and fossil fuels, extravagant carbon emissions, destruction of soil, toxic pollution of air and water. It thrives on huge subsidies of tax dollars, and a license to destroy the planet.”

This, for me, is the most salient point. If conventional food’s price reflected its actual cost, it would have died out long ago. Perhaps it’s a pipe dream but, why not simply make gasoline and mileage no longer tax deductible for food producers? Why, with our incredibly long growing season, does an overwhelming percentage of the vegetables sold at Dupont Circle Whole Foods or any other supermarket come from California or further? How does draining the water tables in the Imperial Valley (which gets 2-3 weeks of rainfall per year) to bring tasteless baby lettuce to our fairly soggy East Coast make any kind of sense – financially or agriculturally?

]]> By: Ed Bruske http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/11/12/growing-power/comment-page-1/#comment-3400 Ed Bruske Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:17:25 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=3086#comment-3400 Diane, I'm sure that Will Allen strikes quite a charismatic figure. I know that the mission of Common Good is largely as a demostration and education project. Still, I think it's noteworthy that a farm of this size, producing as much as it does, still does not break even and relies on other funding sources to stay afloat. That simply puts it in the same realm as the other urban farms I know, which also depend on grant funding. Diane, I’m sure that Will Allen strikes quite a charismatic figure. I know that the mission of Common Good is largely as a demostration and education project. Still, I think it’s noteworthy that a farm of this size, producing as much as it does, still does not break even and relies on other funding sources to stay afloat. That simply puts it in the same realm as the other urban farms I know, which also depend on grant funding.

]]> By: Diane http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/11/12/growing-power/comment-page-1/#comment-3399 Diane Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:00:37 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=3086#comment-3399 Allen was a keynote speaker at this summer's NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Assn.) conference. He explained that the mission of his organization was not just providing fresh food in inner city Milwaukee but also training volunteers, building gardens for other organizations and providing activities for children and others. Thus the organization as a whole is not completely supported by food sales but they do provide a big chunk of change. He is really inspiring, by the way. Allen was a keynote speaker at this summer’s NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Assn.) conference. He explained that the mission of his organization was not just providing fresh food in inner city Milwaukee but also training volunteers, building gardens for other organizations and providing activities for children and others. Thus the organization as a whole is not completely supported by food sales but they do provide a big chunk of change. He is really inspiring, by the way.

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