From Grist.org

To make local food more accessible, time to revive mid-sized farms

By Tom Philpott

18 Apr 2008

Although the farmers market model works well for farms small enough to sell all or most of their produce directly to consumers, it makes only limited economic sense for mid-sized family farms. And it's precisely these mid-sized farms that could ramp up local and regional food chains to a point where they supply a large part of the American diet.

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http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2008/04/18/index.html?source=friend

50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth

From The National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture:


The #1 New York Times bestseller, "50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth," is back! And this time, the authors have joined forces with 50 leading environmental groups... including The National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture. "If you were a fan of the original 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth in the 1990s, you may be in for a surprise. This isn't an updated version of the original - it's an entirely new book." -John Javna, Author

Read more here: http://www.50simplethings.com/partners/national_coalition_for_sustainable_agriculture.html

Want a better bird? Try Heritage Turkeys

Heritage Turkeys Prove Superior In Flavor

Pittsboro, NC: On February 25, 2008, approximately 70 food professionals,
chefs, food writers, and food connoisseurs gathered at Ayrshire Farm in
Upperville, VA, to participate in a blind tasting comparing one industrial
and eight heritage varieties of turkey.

The purpose of the event was to give a fair and parallel comparison of nine
varieties of turkey to determine which, if any, stand out in flavor. This
unique event was conducted blind, with each turkey variety cut into
bite-sized pieces in covered dishes at numbered stations. Numbered
toothpicks and scorecards were provided to aid in evaluating the turkeys.
Additionally, whole, roasted turkeys were placed on a table, with their
corresponding number, so that appearance could be appraised as well.

The turkeys were scored based on flavor, texture, tenderness, smell, and
appearance.

After tasting the turkeys, the enthusiastic crowd was asked to vote for
their favorite number before the varieties were revealed. Each of the nine
turkeys had supporters, but when the tally was over all eight of the
heritage turkey varieties came out ahead of the industrial variety - a
Butterball.

The clear winner in this historical tasting was the Midget White turkey,
with second place going to the Bourbon Red. The top two favorites each
received nearly twice as many votes as any of the other turkey varieties.

The heritage turkey varieties tasted were the Royal Palm, Chocolate, Slate,
Narragansett, Bronze, Bourbon Red, Midget White, and Black. Heritage turkeys
are noted for slow to moderate rate of growth and are considered rare by the
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

All but two of the varieties - the standard Bronze and the Butterball - had
been grown on Ayrshire Farm, fed organic feed, and raised and processed
humanely, following Humane Farm Animal Care's standards.

This event was the largest comparison of turkey varieties to date and was an
opportunity for several of the turkey varieties to be "boarded" onto the
Slow Food USA Ark of Taste - a designation recognizing unique culinary
flavors and traditions. Invitees enjoyed being present at an Ark boarding,
and heartily endorsed the worthiness of the Slate, Royal Palm, and Midget
White turkey varieties.

Turkey Tasting - An Historical Event was produced through a partnership of
the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Humane Farm Animal Care, Slow
Food USA, and Ayrshire Farm.

For more information on the turkey varieties, placings, hosting
organizations, or turkey facts, visit:
http://www.ayrshirefarm.com/tasting/turkey/