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Berkshire Grown's May 2016 News
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Support a local farmer: Buy a share in a farm.
In fields across the region, new Spring plants are making their first appearance and that means one, glorious thing: soon we will be filling our plates with fresh, delicious meals!
To ensure you don't miss out on any of the season's bounty, join a local CSA - there's still time if you haven't signed up yet!
What is a CSA? CSA farms (CSA = Community Supported Agriculture) are ways for farmers to raise the funds ahead of the season when they need support to buy seeds and equipment and make plans for the growing season. Then you as a member will pick up your share at the farm starting at the beginning of the season - next month - every week throughout the summer. Find CSA farms on Map-o-licious.
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What we are reading
"Given how long we humans have been putting food in our mouths and swallowing it, you'd reckon eating would be a relatively simple business by now - but, alas, no. It turns out that figuring out how we should grow, sell, and tax our food is one of the most heated debates in America. From GMOs to school lunches, our national policy on food is very fraught - and very complicated.
"Here are eight of the biggest food policy debates we expect to see on legislative menus across the country this year:
1. Soda taxes...
2. Food stamps...
3. GMO labeling
"The idea of eating genetically modified organisms (GMOs) gives a lot of people the heebie-jeebies, whether they are worried about their own health or the environment's. The push to label food made with genetically modified ingredients has been popular in activist circles for several years, but now the conversation is increasingly moving into courts and legislatures. While knowing what you eat is generally a good idea (no one wants to stir sugar into their coffee only to realize that it was actually salt), some argue that GMO labeling isn't an effective way to change the food system, or even that it could cause unnecessary panic.
4. Antibiotics...
5. Nutrition...
6. School lunches...
7. Pollinators (bees)...
8. Agricultural systems...
"Producing food on a big scale almost always takes some kind of toll on the Earth, but some agricultural systems are more sustainable than others. From advertising to farm subsidies, there's a lot about our agricultural system to beef about. Luckily, there are publications (hello, Grist!) and programs out there to help you find your way around your very messy plate.
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