Comments on: There is No Box: Big Ideas About Urban Agriculture and Local Food Systems http://civileats.com/2009/05/12/there-is-no-box-big-ideas-about-urban-agriculture-and-local-food-systems/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 23 May 2012 05:40:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: John Serrao http://civileats.com/2009/05/12/there-is-no-box-big-ideas-about-urban-agriculture-and-local-food-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-3245 John Serrao Fri, 22 May 2009 16:19:36 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3608#comment-3245 Great piece. I think what's lost in many of the sustainable ag discussions is the free-market mentality of America. There is huge demand for these products but no reliable infrastructure to distribute them (like food purveyors, wholesalers and supermarkets). To me, this is the single reason local and sustainable food stays fringe - and it probably will for some time to come. This whole movement is predicated on the idea of farmers acting like superheros. You cant expect farmers to grow, market, transport and handle billing for all their food - and you cant expect most consumers to join CSAs and find the time to hunt around for local food dropoffs and farmers markets for their everyday needs. Simply the system and youll get the food revolution you are looking for. Great piece. I think what’s lost in many of the sustainable ag discussions is the free-market mentality of America.

There is huge demand for these products but no reliable infrastructure to distribute them (like food purveyors, wholesalers and supermarkets).

To me, this is the single reason local and sustainable food stays fringe – and it probably will for some time to come. This whole movement is predicated on the idea of farmers acting like superheros.

You cant expect farmers to grow, market, transport and handle billing for all their food – and you cant expect most consumers to join CSAs and find the time to hunt around for local food dropoffs and farmers markets for their everyday needs.

Simply the system and youll get the food revolution you are looking for.

]]> By: Katherine Graham Cracker http://civileats.com/2009/05/12/there-is-no-box-big-ideas-about-urban-agriculture-and-local-food-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-3172 Katherine Graham Cracker Thu, 14 May 2009 17:14:56 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3608#comment-3172 It isn't necessarily the models but the way they are used and sometimes corrupted. The problem with big ag is not their size but their business practices. When profit is the only concern it's not a good thing -the same would be true for a small, local producer. It isn’t necessarily the models but the way they are used and sometimes corrupted.

The problem with big ag is not their size but their business practices. When profit is the only concern it’s not a good thing -the same would be true for a small, local producer.

]]> By: Veronica http://civileats.com/2009/05/12/there-is-no-box-big-ideas-about-urban-agriculture-and-local-food-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-3169 Veronica Wed, 13 May 2009 19:22:46 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3608#comment-3169 Hi Rose, I worked a lot with the Native Plant Society in Atlanta. There I learned that Piedmont Park was working with Trees Atlanta to include vegetable gardening, native flora and fauna education in the park's Master Plan. The envirommental stewardship model must also be included. I don't understand how that threatens agribusiness. Even if every restaurant, every institution with a cafeteria and 3 out of 5 homeowners grew their own vegetables, they would never fulfill their needs. They'll still have to buy from agribusiness. The large groups will just have to grow the hard stuff and leave the easy basil to me.Whether it's tomatoes or marigolds or wax myrtles. Thanks for presenting both sides. I'll be very interested to read McWilliams' work. Now in San Antonio, I have to learn what I can grow here, and what I must buy from big business. Hi Rose,
I worked a lot with the Native Plant Society in Atlanta. There I learned that Piedmont Park was working with Trees Atlanta to include vegetable gardening, native flora and fauna education in the park’s Master Plan. The envirommental stewardship model must also be included. I don’t understand how that threatens agribusiness. Even if every restaurant, every institution with a cafeteria and 3 out of 5 homeowners grew their own vegetables, they would never fulfill their needs. They’ll still have to buy from agribusiness. The large groups will just have to grow the hard stuff and leave the easy basil to me.Whether it’s tomatoes or marigolds or wax myrtles. Thanks for presenting both sides. I’ll be very interested to read McWilliams’ work. Now in San Antonio, I have to learn what I can grow here, and what I must buy from big business.

]]> By: mahalie http://civileats.com/2009/05/12/there-is-no-box-big-ideas-about-urban-agriculture-and-local-food-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-3168 mahalie Wed, 13 May 2009 18:10:26 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3608#comment-3168 Perhaps McWilliams is simply a brilliant marketer - who has ever spoken against the locavore movement? It's provocative...not that I agree with it. Perhaps McWilliams is simply a brilliant marketer – who has ever spoken against the locavore movement? It’s provocative…not that I agree with it.

]]> By: Rose Hayden-Smith http://civileats.com/2009/05/12/there-is-no-box-big-ideas-about-urban-agriculture-and-local-food-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-3166 Rose Hayden-Smith Wed, 13 May 2009 03:27:35 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3608#comment-3166 Hi, Diana: I've heard about your program, and it's simply wonderful. I heard about it from Craig Kolodge, who used to work with Extension in Santa Clara County, and who still does great work in your area. Give a shout out to azbaameur@ucdavis.edu who does small farms, among other things. Fe Moncloa does great work with youth and nutrition programs, and there is a good Master Gardener program there, too. Tell Aziz and Fe that I referred you. THINK BIG! And holler at me if you want to chat...keep me posted! Viva la revolucion! Hi, Diana: I’ve heard about your program, and it’s simply wonderful. I heard about it from Craig Kolodge, who used to work with Extension in Santa Clara County, and who still does great work in your area. Give a shout out to azbaameur@ucdavis.edu who does small farms, among other things. Fe Moncloa does great work with youth and nutrition programs, and there is a good Master Gardener program there, too. Tell Aziz and Fe that I referred you. THINK BIG!
And holler at me if you want to chat…keep me posted! Viva la revolucion!

]]> By: Diana Foss http://civileats.com/2009/05/12/there-is-no-box-big-ideas-about-urban-agriculture-and-local-food-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-3164 Diana Foss Tue, 12 May 2009 21:30:25 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3608#comment-3164 I'm involved in an urban farm project in San Jose, called Veggielution, and it is poised to grow in so many interesting ways, You've given me yet another direction to think about. Check it out at www.veggielution.org Time to get acquainted with the local extension office! I’m involved in an urban farm project in San Jose, called Veggielution, and it is poised to grow in so many interesting ways, You’ve given me yet another direction to think about.

Check it out at http://www.veggielution.org

Time to get acquainted with the local extension office!

]]> By: Some Interesting Links - Bitten Blog - NYTimes.com http://civileats.com/2009/05/12/there-is-no-box-big-ideas-about-urban-agriculture-and-local-food-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-3162 Some Interesting Links - Bitten Blog - NYTimes.com Tue, 12 May 2009 19:00:03 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3608#comment-3162 [...] here’s Rose Hayden-Smith over at Civil Eats, reporting on her thoughts about food systems after attending two big and well-publicized [...] [...] here’s Rose Hayden-Smith over at Civil Eats, reporting on her thoughts about food systems after attending two big and well-publicized [...]

]]> By: Rose Hayden-Smith http://civileats.com/2009/05/12/there-is-no-box-big-ideas-about-urban-agriculture-and-local-food-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-3161 Rose Hayden-Smith Tue, 12 May 2009 17:12:05 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3608#comment-3161 Hi, Paul. Great comment. I'd say we need to move to multiple models. Thanks for reading the post! Hi, Paul. Great comment. I’d say we need to move to multiple models. Thanks for reading the post!

]]> By: Paul Kobulnicky http://civileats.com/2009/05/12/there-is-no-box-big-ideas-about-urban-agriculture-and-local-food-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-3160 Paul Kobulnicky Tue, 12 May 2009 14:20:42 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3608#comment-3160 The greatest problem with agribusiness is that it's operational model is one that is highly dependent upon carbon-based energy sources. Because of scale issues, it pushes aside the work and by-products of humans and animals in favor of machines and stored carbon energy. Politics aside, it has a finite favorable lifetime and we need to move to a model that has a more favorable long-term future. The greatest problem with agribusiness is that it’s operational model is one that is highly dependent upon carbon-based energy sources. Because of scale issues, it pushes aside the work and by-products of humans and animals in favor of machines and stored carbon energy. Politics aside, it has a finite favorable lifetime and we need to move to a model that has a more favorable long-term future.

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