Community Assisted Agriculture

24 year old Hillary Wilson explains how her American Maverick Farm runs its community assisted agriculture model…

Flaming Kilt Review

It’s great to see a new restaurant embracing the whole local eating ethos, and give us turnip munching do-gooders a  chance to get our glad-rags on and celebrate. Last week we ate at the brand new Flaming Kilt restaurant in Kirkcaldy.

We had a fantastic meal of two delicious starters: Smoked Chicken Mousse, Grilled Asparagus with Hollandaise, followed by Fife Pork Chops with a rhubarb and rosemary chutney, and Sea Bass Fillets with pan-fried greens and fries.

It was great. The atmosphere was lively, the views over the Forth are spectacular and the food was fresh, seasonal, not over-complicated and well served. 

We met Julian Mobbs, one of the owners who said, “I fell in love with the site for The Flaming Kilt because of its beautiful sea views and knew that it was the perfect location for a Scottish grill restaurant serving quality local produce at readily affordable prices. And given the abundance of farmers on our doorstep, there has been no difficulty in sourcing suppliers for our comprehensive range of grilled foods.

“We use all local Scottish ingredients where possible and are firm supporters of local farmers and fish merchants. Amongst our specialist suppliers at The Flaming Kilt are Puddledub Pork and Buffalo, Fletchers of Auchtermuchty and David Lowrie fish merchants.”

It’s not 100% Fife produce. But credit where it’s due - it’s better local sourcing than I’ve seen anywhere else. There are good strong vegetarian options and I reckon it’s well priced.

I can’t really recommend this enough - and no, we’re not on commission (!) To be honest this was the best meal I’d had in Fife in the past two years. Our compliments to Sharon Munro and her team, more news on the restaurant / deli plans as we have it.

GM Foods the Problem, Not the Solution

This by Julio Godoy: BONN, May 23  - “The food crisis has prompted some looks towards genetically modified food production as a solution. That in turn has led to stronger warnings over the consequences of such food for health and the environment.

These concerns have been raised in Bonn again as more than 3,000 delegates from 147 countries met for the UN conference on biosafety. The conference has sought to ensure safe use of modern biotechnology.

Feeding the debate, scientists, farmers and environmental activists in many countries continue to warn that genetically modified agriculture presents a risk, and not a contribution, to food production.

In France, organic farmers are complaining that genetically modified (GM) plants are poisoning their plantations. Julien and Christian Veillat, two farmers who grow organic maize in the Breton locality of Villiers-en- Plaine some 400 kilometres west of Paris, say their fields have been contaminated with GM maize, even though the nearest GM crops field is 35 kilometres away.

The contamination was established during a routine analysis late in April by an organic agriculture cooperative near the Veillats’ village. Following the detection, the organic maize was diverted for use as cattle fodder.

The Veillats have now filed a legal complaint against the central government in Paris. “The contamination could only have come from the GM maize,” spokesperson for the local association against GM agriculture Georges Castiel told IPS. “At the organic cooperative, they control the seeds very carefully.”

Jean-Pierre Margan, producer of organic wine in the Provence in the south told IPS that contamination of organic farms is a constant problem. “Particles of GMOs are transported by wind and water, and can be carried very far away, and contaminate your plantation even if you have worked hard to protect it from every risk,” he said.

Serge Morin, deputy president of the local government in the province of Poitou Charentes said it is necessary that “the French state revises all procedures concerning GMOs, including the immediate stop of all open air GM plantations. In addition, all organic farmers whose plantations are contaminated should be paid indemnities. “

Such instances have led renowned chefs and wine producers in France to launch a public campaign to prevent the spread of GMOs in food and beverages.

“We don’t have the scientific competence to intervene in the debate on the health consequences of GMOs,” they wrote in a public letter addressed to the French parliament. “But we consider that, in accordance with the precautionary principle in questions of food and health, GMOs must simply remain banned from our tables.” Similar campaigns are under way in other European countries.

Several scientists and environmental activists say that apart from the health concerns, GMOs are not a solution for food scarcity either.

“Most of the genetic modifications introduced in crops aim at making them resistant to pests or weed killing, but not to increase yields,” says Hans-Joerg Jacobsen, biologist at the University of Hanover in Germany.

Jacobsen told IPS that “modern cultures, free of any genetic modification, have higher yields than genetically modified seeds.”

“The idea that GM agriculture could help feed the world is part of the propaganda that the biochemical industry has used for years, but it is false,” Arnaud Apoteker, who heads the campaign against GMOs for the French branch of the environmental organisation Greenpeace, said in an interview.

Some representatives of the biochemical industry acknowledge this. “Genetically modified agriculture will not solve the world’s hunger problem,” Hans Kast, managing director of the plant science branch of the chemical giant BASF told the German newspaper Die Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

Take Africa, the only continent that does not produce enough food to feed its own population, even though some 70 percent of African people work in agriculture.

“By applying conventional agricultural methods, free of any genetic modification, you can substantially increase agricultural productivity in Africa,” Hans Joachim Preuss, managing director of the German non-governmental food organisation Welthungerhilfe told IPS. “What African agriculture mostly needs is better, more efficient irrigation systems, and not genetically modified seeds.”

According to figures released in Bonn by CropLife International, a global federation representing the biochemical corporations, last year “biotech crops were grown on 114.3 million hectares in 23 countries by over 12 million farmers.” More here.

Anti-Local

Spiked is an odd publication. Its chock full of anti-environmental politics and full of semi-fascist musings like this. Read this poor and sorry attack on the benefits of local eating: ‘Why There’s No Benefit in ‘Food Miles’. 

Equally stupid is the sort of nonsense written by Gillian Bowditch over at the Times, see here.

Regenerative Farming

This is great - an interview with Timothy LaSalle, a pionering American farmer: “Organic farmers are taking carbon out of the air. They’re creating robust and healthy crops that are ensuring against drought threat, which will only get worse as climate change gets worse. And we’re improving the nutritional quality of our crops, too. At the very same time, we’re reducing costs: We’re reducing the costs of destroying our topsoil, of chemical agriculture and farm runoff.

What we’re doing, though, is pushing up against every special interest: the farm chemical companies, the genetically modified seed companies, the commodity companies. But what we’re talking about is going to appeal to people, real people — and people are listening.”

Read the full thing over at Grist here.

 

A Fife Food Village

This years Big Tent Festival will be hosting a Food Village featuring the very best local produce, including (amongst others) a vegetarian cafe from Pillars of Hercules, burgers and sausage-dogs from Fletchers and Puddledub, Ice Cream from GGs, plus cookery demonstrations from Geoffrey Smeddle (of the Peat Inn) and chefs from Jamesfield Farm Cafe.

And to drink? Organic and Biodynamic wine-tasting sessions and a fantastic beer tent from the Black Isle Brewery (okay its not Fife but they are a great organic East coast co.) All organised with top chef and author Christopher Trotter, the Food Village will be a chance to showcase and sample some of the best Fife produce.

After enjoying your nosh and a beer, you can listen to some of the finest folk and world music around (listed as the Top Folk Festival in the UK by the Guardian).

To book your tickets in advance, or to organise your Eco-Camping go here now.

There were also be a chance to hear presentations from Colin Tudge, a report from Cuba on their organic urban agriculture systems and a range of great food speakers in the Talks programme.

World Food Crisis

I’m not sure where this is from originally - it was sent on (thanks Nick). It features families from round the world displaying what they eat in any week…

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07

 United States: The Revis family of North Carolina

Food expenditure for one week $341.98

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily

Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11

 

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca

Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna

Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27

 

Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo
Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53

 

 
Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03

 

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Ca mp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

 

  

Rhubarb Rhubarb Rhubarb

First sign of the Spring is not the Cuckoo, its the Rhubarb. 

Okay, this recipe has loads of non-Fife ingredients but we’re feeling risque.

Our garden has a great rhubarb patch, so there’s plenty more where this comes from. Choose one of the two fabulous Fife Ice Cream makers to serve this with.

10 sticks of rhubarb
4 tbsp water
8 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp powdered ginger
110g/4oz butter, softened
110g/4oz demerara sugar
180-200g/6-7oz flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/Gas 4.
2. Cut the rhubarb into 3in long sticks and place on an oven tray, sprinkle with the water and caster sugar and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
3. Once cooked, remove from the oven, sprinkle over the ginger and mix well.
4. Fill an ovenproof dish about 1½in deep with the rhubarb.
5. Rub the butter into the flour and sugar to make the crumble toppping. Sprinkle over the rhubarb and bake in the oven.
6. Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving with ice cream.

Grow Your Own

Many thanks to Sharon Gordon who emailed us pointing out the excellent vegetable garden plans put together by the Royal Horticultural Society (here).

“At 4 of their sites, RHS has designed model food garden plans to go in a 10×10 foot space. Several are in a L shape with a 4×4 foot bed at the corner of the L”.

As we’re about to launch our very own Fife Diet Community Garden Project (of which more plans very soon), this was a welcome suggestion.

We’d like to hear ideas for our garden, the RHS site suggests: “Try sowing some unusual vegetables such as salsify, Hamburg parsley, or scorzonera, both root vegetables still eaten a lot on the Continent.”

Scorzonera anyone?

C02 Emissions Map

US scientists have unveiled a new, high-resolution interactive map which tracks patterns of CO2 emissions coming from fossil fuels burned daily across the country.

The maps and system, called Vulcan, show CO2 emissions in more than 100 times greater detail than was previously available. Until now, scientists say, data on carbon dioxide emissions was reported monthly at a statewide level…

100 Mile Video

From our Canadian friends…

Climate Radio

Just got sent this great radio site - Climate Change Radio - with programmes from Chris Goodall, Mark Lynas, George Monbiot, Julie Brown and Caroline Lucas and many more. Listen online or download MP3.

This is all in the same family as George Marshall’s inspiring and cutting analysis at Climate Change Denial.

Broccoli Soup

Ignore the chef (!) and enjoy the recipe. We made this soup with purple sprouting broccoli the other night and it turned out brilliant…

Myth Busting Drivel

Every day journalists churn out stories that are at best worthless and at worst dishonourable propaganda. Mostly it’s just the banal moron culture of ‘news’ about Heather Mills / Britney Spears and so on.  Last Sunday the Observer published an article about the ‘myths of food miles’ which was difficult to define (you can read it here) but was so chock full of misinformation and wonky analysis that its worth responding to. My guess is that this is part of a concerted fightback from the corporate food world against the implications of the growing demand for local eating. Lets be charitable to Robin McKie and Caroline Davies, the authors and assume they’re deeply naive and not just abit thick. 

Here’s a point by point rebuttal of the articles argument, such as they are. The authors argue:

1. “There is growing evidence to suggest that some air-freighted food is greener than food produced in the UK.” Is there? What is that evidence? Certainly none is presented in their article. Of course if I try and replicate exotic fruits in Caithness that’s going to be expensive and ecologically unsound. Nobody involved in the Fife diet argues that, as was explained to these journalists. All we are presented with is a series of ridiculous straw men.

2. “Mike Small argues that we should eat local produce and save the planet, an idea that has obliged his family - and a growing number of adherents to his cause - to eat meals of local lamb, pork and a great many dishes based on parsnips, beetroots, kale, potatoes, leeks and all the other root vegetables that typify the agricultural output of this wind-swept corner of Scotland. ” I haven’t obliged anyone to do anything. What’s windswept about Fife? Did Robin and Caroline visit and have a windswept experience?

3. “They even have their own name for themselves - locavores - and insist that their way is the only one to save the planet.” No we don’t insist any such thing. They’ve just made this up. We realise that food is just one way that we are all going to have to change our culture and our economy. This was explained to them.

Locavores is a pretentious sounding name we’ve never used.

4. “The idea that ‘only local is good’ has come under attack. For a start, food grown in areas where there is high use of fertilisers and tractors is likely to be anything but carbon-friendly, it is pointed out.” Well this is bloody obvious isn’t it? That’s why we use and advocate the use of organic food.

5. The they reel out a series of obscure ‘experts’. “‘The concept of food miles is unhelpful and stupid. It doesn’t inform about anything except the distance travelled,’ Dr Adrian Williams, of the National Resources Management Centre at Cranfield University. Cranfield University no less! Well of course miles by themselves is on aspect of a wider set of analysis you can apply to any food, but we’ve never argued any different. Cost is one other major issue, articulary so that poorer families can feed themselves decent food and organics move away from being an exclusive brand to a mainstream staple.

Writing in the observers sister paper, the Guardian, Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City University, says the era of cheap food in the UK is over, and that the nation is “sleepwalking into a crisis”. He points out that the UK has an especially poor record on producing its own fruit and vegetables. “Ninety-five per cent of fresh fruit is imported. This is ludicrous in a country with 2,000 varieties of apples,” he says. More on an exciting urban agriculture project in Middlesborough here.

6.  There follows an entirely spurious idea to persuade us that flying beans from Kenya is actually, somehow a good idea: “But a warning that beans have been air-freighted does not mean we should automatically switch to British varieties if we want to help the climate. Beans in Kenya are produced in a highly environmentally-friendly manner. ‘Beans there are grown using manual labour - nothing is mechanised,’ says Professor Gareth Edwards-Jones of Bangor University, an expert on African agriculture. ‘They don’t use tractors, they use cow muck as fertiliser; and they have low-tech irrigation systems in Kenya. They also provide employment to many people in the developing world. So you have to weigh that against the air miles used to get them to the supermarket.’

As I’ve just said, we advocate organic agriculture here. Behind this seems to be the suggestion that we are here to serve the market, not that the market is here to serve us.

But now we’re getting to the possible agenda that’s being pursued here: “In the words of Gareth Thomas, Minister for Trade and Development, speaking at a recent Department for International Development air-freight seminar: ‘Driving 6.5 miles to buy your shopping emits more carbon than flying a pack of Kenyan green beans to the UK.’ Is that true? I’d like to see how that calculations was made  (!). But then, as was explained to the journalists, we advocate taking part in vegetable box delivery schemes and don’t drive about to collect our food. Though even if we did - we would be doing the same journey as someone driving to a supermarket to buy their Kenyan green beans.

7. Finally, they write: “Even if you could get a carbon label that accurately reflects a product’s impact on the environment and identify products that have high footprints, would you be right in boycotting them? In many cases, such as brands of coffee, these products come from struggling third world nations. Using our Western concerns with the climate as an excuse to increase poverty there has dubious ethical consequences.” Our Western concerns??? Not only is the West historically culpable but is also by far the greatest contemporary ‘carbon criminal’ and yet is is the developing countries who suffer the most from climate chaos now. This attempt to characterise concern about climate changes as some sort of fashionable Western fad is pathetic and entirely misleading.

In short this article is drivel. The issue of global warming and the imperatives of changing our world remains essential, despite industry, politicians and pliant journalists efforts to pretend otherwise. Should we have expected otherwise? Maybe not. This was after all in the Observer, the newspaper who’s last piece on the Fife Diet described it as being based in “Fife, a small island off the North-East Coast of Scotland.”

The Death of Food

10 Reasons Why Organic Can Feed the Worldand 10 reasons GM won’t - see Lobbywatch here.The following articles come from the SPECIAL REPORT: ‘The Death of Food as we know it’ in the current issue of The Ecologist magazine.The premise of ‘The death of food…’ is that an entire culture of cheap mass-produced food is about to be brought to a grinding halt. Various contributors, including Vandana Shiva, Joanna Blythman and Tim Lang, explore what will take its place. More information at the Ecologist here. Although the information in some of the articles is heavily orientated towards readers in the UK, there’s still lots of detailed information of general relevance. For instance, in the section on greenhouse gas emissions from organic agriculture, the authors note how easily methane from cows can be dramatically cut simply by changing the pasturage on which they graze. This is of particular note given the various attempts to genetically engineer plants, or even genetically engineer cows, as a means of tackling this problem.