May 2009

Great recent post by Jill Richardson in La Vida Locavore entitled Fast Food Makes You Stupid (Yet We Serve It In Our Schools). Here's an excerpt:

[A recent study found that] children scored between 58 and 181 points in the reading tests, gaining an average score of 141.5. But after taking other factors into account, pupils who ate fast food between four and six times a week scored almost seven points below average. Children snacking once a day fell 16 points, while pupils indulging three times a day dropped by 19 points. Similar trends were noted in maths. In total, children scored between 47 and 151 points in the test, with average results of 115. But those pupils eating fast food dropped by between 6.5 and 18.5 points.

The weeks go so fast! I've barely finished last week's box of goodies from Harmony Valley Farm's CSA, and it's Thursday again! To be honest, I do occasionally get a small sense of panic. I don't want to waste any of the amazing foods I'm getting, especially when I consider the work our local farmers have done to produce all this sustainable, organic food - and get it to the city.

It's so nice to see that sometimes a little bit of activism works. Shortly after posting last night's blog In Defense of Michael Pollan, I received this (form) letter from Elson S. Floyd, President of WSU. Nice job! Here's the letter:

This 90 second video features Danny Schwartzman from Common Roots and Greg Reynolds from Riverbend Farm discussing where the food produced on the farm goes, and a bit about CSA programs, and who certifies food organic in Minnesota. Filmed on May 24, 2009 at Riverbend Farm.