Farmer-to-farmer networks have shared collective wisdom long before online social networks. Stephanie Rittman’s 1996 study of grass-roots farmer networks in Wisconsin identified 20 successful networks which “assume that each person has valuable knowledge and experience to contribute.”
Alison Hockenberry writes about Farm Radio International, a 30-year old network of radio stations and broadcasters in Africa, Asia and Latin America that enables small scale farmers to share practical knowledge:
Much has been made of the Internet revolution, but the genius of communicating ideas across borders does not necessarily require cutting edge technology. In fact, for many people, there’s one good old-fashioned technology that has a greater power for change: radio.
For people who live in remote rural areas around the globe, without easy access [to] computers and who don’t read or speak the most common languages of the Web—English, Spanish, French—the Internet is not much use. But a global exchange of ideas and information happens anyway, in part thanks to Farm Radio International.
Farm Radio brings the ideas and advice of small-scale farmers all around the world to fellow listeners who in turn send their own tips and advice.
Food safety is not just a legal responsibility, but a moral and ethical obligation you have with your customers. (Chris Blanchard, Rock Springs Farm)
The Rodale Institute’s New Farm just posted Malcolm Robinson’s Handle With Care, which discusses food safety and handling practices for fruit and vegetable growers.
For all the grumbling you do about your weekly grocery bill, the fact is you’ve never had it so good, at least in terms of what you pay for every calorie you eat. According to the USDA, Americans spend less than 10% of their incomes on food, down from 18% in 1966. Those savings begin with the remarkable success of one crop: corn…But cheap food is not free food, and corn comes with hidden costs.
A decades long conversation about the sustainability of our food system has moved from books and blogs and food activist listservs into mainstream media. Wherever you look there’s an article, a movie, a TV or radio segment about our broken food system, about food safety, about how our eating habits are making us sick.
And about how much organic lettuce the White House Garden is producing. read on…
We’ll be profiling Local Orbit buyers and sellers from time to time and thought it would be great to kick off our new video series with a new farmer, Brad Boettcher. After losing his job at General Motors last year, Brad decided to become a full-time farmer and raise catfish, chickens and turkeys. Aimee Boettcher keeps bees.
