During an agency briefing on the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, the USDA revealed a preliminary study mapping the gaps in the current local meat processing infrastructure.  You can read the full report …

Direct-to-consumer sales, such as farmers markets, road-side stands, and pick-your-owns, are up from 0.3 percent in 1997 to 0.4 percent in 2007. This doesn’t sound like a lot, but it equates to $660 million in sales — pretty impressive. Small farms, or those with less than $50,000 in total sales, benefit from these selling channels more than larger farms, making a case for supporting efforts to sustain and grow these channels to keep small, family farms flourishing.

About a month ago, I began working on a Culinary Gardening video series in collaboration with Boulder Valley Media Alliance (Channel 22) and local chef, Eric Skokan, the owner of Black Cat Farm Table Bistro.

According to The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, about three quarters of the genetic diversity of crops been vanished over the last century and that a dozen species now gives 90% of the animal protein eaten globally. In accordance, just 4 crop species supply half of plant based calories in the human diet.

Although I grow a couple of familiar fruits (strawberries, raspberries), my garden is rich in fruits that either never show up at the markets, or when they do, it’s with a high price tag.

There are lots of causes for celebration on the farm (and lots of causes for whatever the opposite of that is), but yesterday was truly a day to be grateful for: My son coming down for the summer vacation and the first harvest of strawberries.

If seeing chickens raised in confined, inhumane conditions on an industrial farm disturbs you, then why would you choose to eat those chickens?

Another great collection of fun and interesting links on developments in the food and farming world, for you to enjoy this weekend.

The Farmer’s Garden is the place to post free classified ads to sell, trade or give away your excess backyard produce. Individuals and food pantries can also register to post wanted classifieds. Free registration is required to post a classified. If you’re interested in cooking fresh locally grown produce, visit The Farmer’s Garden website, enter your US zip code, select the radius that you are willing to travel and see what people in your area have to offer.

Everyone wants to see cute cuddly chicks and cute fluffy ducklings and cute playful goat kids. But the animals on my farm don’t do cute. They laugh at cute. They spit in cute’s eye. They eat cute for breakfast. They meet cute in the corral at high noon and say “Go ahead, cute. Make my day.”