In this update:

* Don't forget - "FRESH" Premiere this Sunday, Sept. 20 in Takoma Park!
* Raising the Root - A New Method for Urban Gardening
* Gut Check - Just Say NO To Antibacterial Burgers
* Health Ills Abound as Farm Runoff Fouls Wells


 

It's happening this Sunday evening - the Montgomery County premiere of the dazzling new independent food movie, "FRESH," on Sunday, September 20 from 7-9pm. The screening is at the beautiful Seekers Church in Takoma Park at 276 Carroll St., a half block from the Takoma Metro. Admission is free, with donations welcome. The screening is sponsored by Transition Takoma, and discussion will follow the film.

You can check out trailers for the movie here.

Take it from the experts below - this is a movie you don't want to miss!


Every American needs to see this... it is absolutely masterful."  - Joel Salatin, Sustainable Farmer, Swoope, Virginia
 

Raising the Root!

Would you believe that one of the most popular new places to grow food is in downtown New York City?

Gardening has expanded rapidly in New York City and other urban areas around the country, and one of the most popular places to grow is on rooftops. "Raising the Root," a recent Washington Post article, describes some of the remarkable success folks are having with this method of gardening.

You can read the full article here.

Of course most of us can't create the large, commercial gardens described here, but as the article notes the exact same results, albeit on a smaller scale, can be achieved in a plastic kiddie swim pool or a a sturdy box.  We encourage people to grow some of their own food any way they can, and if the only place you can do it is in your roof, we say go for it!


Just Say NO to Antibacterial Burgers

Did you know that 70% - 70 percent! - of the antibiotics used in this country go into food animal production?

You create real problems when you try to cram lots of animals into a small confined space - which is exactly the model promoted by industrial "factory meat farming" - and one of them is the spread of disease. That's why antibiotics are routinely used in such alarming amounts in CAFOs and other concentrated animal operations, so much so that they are often in the food we eat and water we drink. Such practices are simultaneously encouraging new super resistant virus strains to develop. (Wanna guess where the latest swine flu originated from?)

We won't argue here that you should never eat meat, but this cautionary commentary by Ezra Klein is yet another strong argument to cut way down on meat consumption. And if and when you do eat meat, to make sure it is local and sustainably raised - meaning for starters, no antibiotics.

To read the rest of this call to common sense, click here.

 
Health Ills Abound as Farm Runoff Fouls Wells

And while we're on the topic, here is one more report demonstrating the problems with concentrated animal feeding operations - even if those animals are only used to produce milk.

As this New York Times article notes, "Agricultural runoff is the single largest source of water pollution in the nation's rivers and streams, according to the E.P.A. , ...[an]... estimated 19.5 million Americans fall ill each year from waterborne parasites, viruses or bacteria, including those stemming from human and animal waste...."

While stiffening the laws regulating such large animal operations would help, going local, going small, and going sustainable are the ultimate answers to the large and increasing problem of agricultural pollution.

Click here to read the full article.


That's it for this week! And as always, please send your ideas and feedback to us at info@montgomeryvictorygardens.org. What other local food issues and events should Montgomery Victory Gardens be covering? Let us know!

Yours in sustainable eating,

Gordon Clark,
Project Director