Thanksgiving: An Occasion for Agricultural Activism

I used to hate Thanksgiving. This was in my mid-twenties, when I was coming to grips with the realities of our forebears’ less-than-compassionate treatment of Native Americans. The narrative I’d been told my whole life—that Thanksgiving was a celebration of congenial relations between Pilgrim and Indian—had been proven false, and I was bitter. To me,…

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Top Five Coolest Harvest Fests!

The harvest season is upon us, and harvest festivals abound. Here in the U.S. we celebrate autumn’s bounty with pumpkin and apple fests, with wine fests and apple butter frolics, and, of course, with Thanksgiving. But harvest festivals are not a uniquely American entity; they are as abundant and varied as autumn leaves are colorful.…

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Blood, Bones & Butter

Happy Halloween! Fitting for today is a book recommendation from Ashley: Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton. Blood, Bones & Butter is a memoir of New York chef Gabrielle Hamilton, recounting her journey from childhood, through kitchens in France, Turkey, and Greece, to chef of the acclaimed restaurant, Prune. Gabrielle grew up just down…

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7 Delicious Ways to Utilize Your Uncarved Pumpkin

Pumpkins are not just for breakfast anymore. Er, that is, they’re not just for decorating anymore. Or rather, after they’ve served their decorative purposes, you can use them in one or more of the following 7 delicious ways.  (Not previously-carved pumpkins, though. Those are best tossed into your compost pile.) 1. Pumpkin Puree Pumpkin puree…

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The Best Potato Recipe (Ever)

I still remember the way this dish tasted the first time I tried it. It was just so *good*. Nutty, flavorful larette fingerling potatoes, roasted garlic, lemons, herbs… a wonderful combination that really highlighted the main element of the dish, the potatoes. I went home after trying this dish and thought about it all evening.…

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Native Farming

If you’re looking for the latest on progressive agricultural practices, you might want to look to the past. Specifically, to Native Americans. Long before the first New Jersey Grown logo appeared on a supermarket shelf, Natives were growing organically. Before Permaculture, Sustainability, and Localization became the cherished catchwords of hipsters and hippies, Natives were busy…

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Soup Weather

October has arrived, and in my book, that means we are securely into soup weather. I like to make a big pot of soup on the weekends and then bring it to work for lunch during the week. If I’m really ahead of the game, I’ll first make a huge batch of Dr. Andrew Weil’s…

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To Dream of Fall

Is it really true? The Autumnal Equinox is this Tuesday, which means this weekend is the last weekend of the summer. What to do, what to do? This quote rings true for me right now: Autumn has caught us in our summer wear. – Philip Larkin I’m not quite ready to let go of summer…

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A Few Fun Facts about Hybrids and Heirlooms

In the realm of farming and gardening the debate over hybrids and heirlooms rages on. But just what are hybrids and heirlooms? Is one really better than the other? And why should you care? Hybrids are plants that have been crossbred to produce a new, uniform variety, often with specific traits in mind. Disease-resistance, uniformity,…

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Wendell Berry’s The Peace of Wild Things

Deep breaths, deep breaths, deep breaths. The Peace of Wild Things BY WENDELL BERRY When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in…

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