Captain Richard Cook, founder of The Local Catch, saw a need for local seafood distribution and sought to fill it by providing a way to sell his catch to buyers in nearby states, close to where he caught it in the first place. The Local Catch provides a market for other Rhode Island fisherman as well, so they are trailblazing a whole new take on seafood

Press Release: Judge to consider oral argument in lawsuit against Monsanto
NEW YORK – December 29, 2011 – In a development celebrated by the organic plaintiffs, Judge Naomi Buchwald announced yesterday that oral arguments on Monsanto’s motion to dismiss the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) et al v. Monsanto will be heard in federal district court January 31, 2012 in Manhattan. Judge Buchwald’s decision will establish if organic farmers are to see their day in court.

If you’ve ever felt that tug in your heart to farm, you know the impulse cannot be denied. You might end up in something else, but no matter what you’ll always find yourself wistfully dreaming of rows of summer vegetables, rich, loamy soil, the red splash of ripe tomatoes, and the taste that makes supermarket ‘vegetables’ unworthy of the name.

Right now my younger brother is sweating bullets. Why? Something you have probably never heard of before called boar taint.

Let me explain.

Boar taint is a really disgusting smell and taste that comes from male hogs. It is really nasty. Trust me, I know.

Generally boars are castrated during week 1-3 of their lives. The removal of the testes guarantees the removal of the possibility that they hog will have boar taint. This is done in all the gamuts of hog production. Factory farms do it, family farms do it. Nobody wants to take the chance.

Easton, MD – On the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, close to several major cities yet a world apart, Talbot County, Maryland is many things: historic, friendly, charming, sophisticated, oh-so-beautiful, and … delicious?

Yes – delicious! Talbot County has long been known for its splendid recreational opportunities, rich history, and lovely small towns, but recently it has upped the ante: for those in the know, the county is now a destination for serious “foodies.” In fact, no fewer than twelve Talbot County dining spots are listed in the 2011 edition of the famed Zagat guide to Washington, DC and Baltimore restaurants, dominating the Eastern Shore category, and the marketing options for those who enjoy their own cooking are abundant as well.

After dirtying up my nice clean and sanitized incubator, only 2 of the rescued eggs hatched out. Which was only worth the hassle of having to clean it all over again because they were both pearl grays. Also, because I didn’t have to do it. Middle was willing to carry off all the rotten eggs, scrub off egg shells and hatching goo, and bleach out the ‘bator in return for 15 minutes on the computer. He used that time to play several rounds of Angry Birds. Which is kind of ironic, don’t you think?

It’s hard to say when things started going wrong. I guess it all began when I found that one guinea had flown out of the garden and it appeared to be a female. Leaving me with what looked like two males and one female combing the bean plants for bugs. Or rather, one female combing the bean plants in between the two males as they tried to kill each other. As it happened, a free ranging guinea was hit by a car a few days later and I found her lying in the driveway with a broken leg. Aha! She was a perfect candidate to go in the garden. Another female and a guinea with not much means of escape. So I had 4 guineas in the garden again and the gender issue a bit more evened out. Until she died.

Guineas don’t do spring break. They don’t need a road trip and a beach to wreak havoc when the temperatures start to rise. They can create chaos just fine at home, thank you. And they do.

The first thing I noticed about Mary Mitchell, owner of Eagles’ Nest Organic Citrus grove, was the power of her commanding presence….She hails from Paducah, Kentucky, having been a city girl before her husband bought the grove about 30 years ago and as she says, “didn’t have a damn bit of sense about how to run it which means I had to figure it out because all our money was tied up in it.” He passed a way a few years ago but “run it” she has.

High demand requires high efficiency. But organic farmers can’t use the technologies common to conventional agriculture – like pesticides and genetic engineering – to increase yields. As such, there’s a misconception that they stubbornly shun technology, preferring age-old tradition over modern methods. But that’s not the case. Through recent technological developments, these farmers can use their understanding of natural processes – the mating habits of pests, for example – to optimize yields. The surprising results can make you wonder where to draw the line between technology and nature.