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Learn More (links)
Learn More - some useful links
"...without good farming there can be no good food; and without good food there can be no good life." -Alice Waters
"If you eat, soil is your business... The traditional bottom line does not assign a value to soil fertility or the long term sustainability of land and community. I believe it should." -On Good Land, The Autobiography of an Urban Farm, by Michael Ableman
A few more reasons to shop at a farmers market, and a few links to help you learn more:
1. Freshness, flavor and nutrition
All the fruits and vegetables at the markets are from local farms, grown in-season, in healthy soil, and picked ripe - giving us the best possible nutritional content, not to mention the best flavor.
Slow Food Seattle, Raw Network of Washington, Chefs Collaborative, Cullinate, Nina Planck, Helladelicious, Eat Well Guide, Devouring sEATtle, West Coast Cooking, Eat Wild, Chefs A' Field, Dr Maring's Farmers Market Recipes, MixedGreensBlog, Cynthia Nims, Jamie Oliver Food Revolution-Seattle
2. Amazing variety
As a group, small family farms grow an incredibly varied mix of fruits and vegetables, contributing to an important and healthy genetic diversity in our food supply. And this means more choices for those of us who like to eat! At the markets you'll find dozens of different types of lettuces, braising greens, berries, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, tree fruits, melons, squashes and more. Many of these delicious varieties are simply not available in regular grocery stores.
You can check out what's on the market tables this week at the "Ripe 'n' Ready" page.
3. Food security and support of our local economy
Supporting local businesses helps keep our local economy strong. Preserving local farmland is also essential to regional food safety and well as food quality. (Farmland is being lost at an alarming rate all over the U.S. - supporting local farms is one way to slow down this dangerous trend.)
Washington Sustainable Food and Farming Network
Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland
WSU's Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources
Washington State Dept. of Agriculture
Washington State Farmers Market Association
Northwest Agriculture Business Center
Michael Pollan writes on Bioneers.org
4. Care of the environment
Well-managed farms provide important green spaces, water drainage, and habitat or buffers for wildlife in our state. When farms are paved over by developement, our environment deteriorates. Buying from local farms means less resources are wasted in getting food from farm to table.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Campaign
Online Environmental Community
Community Alliance for Global Justice
Northwest Environmental Education Council
Institute for Washington's Future
5. Community and Connections
The markets are safe, family-friendly gathering places where city residents meet friends and neighbors - and get to know the folks who grow our food. Farmers and urban shoppers learn from each other. Farmers markets also foster increased public participation in neighborhoods, and bring more shoppers to nearby businesses.
Cascade Foothills Farmland Association
City of Seattle Dept of Neighborhoods
Community Coalition for Environmental Justice
Community Alliance for Global Justice
Some reading ideas:
Fields That Dream by Jenny Kurzweil (history of Seattle farmers markets and market farmers' personal stories)
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
Real Food: What to Eat and Why by Nina Planck
Fields of Plenty: A Farmer's Journey in Search of Real Food and the People Who Grow It by Michael Ableman
Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
Some documentaries to check out: Food, Inc., Broken Limbs, Good Food, Botany of Desire, FRESH the Movie, The Garden.
Some good cookbooks:
Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers Markets by Deborah Madison
The Farm to Table Cookbook by Ivy Manning
The Farmers Market Cookbook by Nina Planck
Fresh from the Garden Cookbook by Ann Lovejoy
Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini by Elizabeth Schneider
Washington Farmers' Markets Cookbook by Kris Wetherbee
Our Food, Our Right: Recipes for Food Justice published by the Community Alliance for Global Justice (purchase through seattleglobaljustice.org)
Chris Curtis awarded the 2010 Pellegrini!
Canning Demo at Phinney Sept 10
