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Advanced Worm Composting (video)
Peter van Gorder, Ignite Sebastopol via YouTube
You’ve heard of “composting”. You may have heard of “worm composting” aka “Vermiculture”. Easy as it can be, composting takes a while, has some minor complications, and worms are expensive: $25 a pound – so making mistakes is costly. The advanced worm composting station solves many problems while also accelerating the composting process by a factor of 10. This “advanced worm composting station” is something anyone can build and is an amazing addition to any serious gardener’s tool set.
(12 June 2009)
Recommended by Linton Hale. Peter has an idea about using a garbage disposal to pre-process the food scraps. A lower key alternative is to chop scraps with a butcher knife. Adding crumpled torn-up paper helps keep the compost from turning anaerobic. -BA
Agriculture Offsets — a Savior or a Boondoggle?
Christa Marshall and Climatewire via New York Times
A dispute is heating up over the role of farms and forests in climate legislation
Supporters of agricultural offsets, which fund projects that do things like install methane capture systems over animal-waste lagoons, say they are critical in helping the United States meet mandatory cuts in greenhouse gas output.
But others raise questions about whether a global warming bill under consideration in the House could fall apart because of uncertainties about how to measure, verify and enforce these offsets.
At a hearing yesterday on Capitol Hill, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack strongly (pdf) an expanded role for farms and forests as part of a comprehensive climate plan
(12 June 2009)
Reality Report: Michael Bomford Interview: Do We Need Fossil Fuels to Feed Ourselves? (interview)
Jason Bradford, Reality Report via Global Public Media
What does a modern, productive food system without fossil fuels look like and how might we get there? In this episode of The Reality Report, host Jason Bradford speaks with Michael Bomford of Kentucky State University. Mike discusses his research on the energy and labor inputs of different farming methods and covers much of the information contained in the booklet “The Food and Farming Transition” co-authored with Richard Heinberg.
You can also follow Mike Bomford at his blog, where he updates his research results and comments on news and academic papers related to energy and the food system.
(15 June 2009)
Crop to Cuisine: Food & Wine Magazine Celebrates Sustainable Food in Aspen (interview)
Dov Hirsch, Crop to Cuisine via Global Public Media
Crop To Cuisine gives you the exclusive sneak peak into this years Aspen Food & Wine Classic. The festival has come to be a destination for some of the worlds most recognized celebrity chefs. And while these people have paved the way for a culture of food, we are drawing attention towards those in the industry that are working towards sustainable food & farming practices. You don’t want to miss this episode of Crop To Cuisine. We hear from Chef Michel Nischan, a good friend of the late Paul Newman and the founder of the Wholesome Wave Foundation. We also speak with Peter Jacobsen. Peter has been a farmer in California’s Napa Valley for over 28 years, and has worked closely with some of the worlds greatest chefs, including Thomas Keller (The French Laundry) and Michael Chiarello (Restaurant Bottega). Our guests also include a team of Colorado Chefs and Brewers, offering food, wine and beer pairings at the Aspen event, using almost entirely locally and sustainably grown products.
(15 June 2009)
