sustainable food

FRESH MOVIE SPOILER ALERT: Local food is better for you and for the environment. OK, now that's out of the way... I had a terrific time at the Minneapolis screening of the documentary FRESH at Bryant Lake Bowl last night.

I remember having this odd experience when my wife was pregnant with our first child. For 30 years, I'd lived my life completely unaware of "baby culture," and now, as we'd stroll through the Galleria, Lake Harriet, Southdale mall, or one of our favorite Minnesota food spots, we were surrounded. Pregnant women and babies were suddenly everywhere.

Local, sustainable food man Michael Pollan will be at the Edina, MN Barnes and Noble (at the Galleria) tonight, Tuesday May 19 at 7:00. Here are the details, from the Barnes and Noble website (spare as they are):

If you're a Midwesterner who follows urban farming (and you know you are), then you're likely to know all about Milwaukee, Wisconsin's 2008 MacArthur Fellow - and recent NRDC "Growing Green Award" winner - Will Allen.

The waiting is finally over. On my way home from work tonight, I'll be picking up my CSA box from Harmony Valley Farm. Here's what I'm expecting to pick up (direct from Harmony Valley's "What's In The Box" email newsletter):

The Mill City Farmers Market is one of my favorites in the Twin Cities. Smaller and more manageable than the Minneapolis and St. Paul farmers markets, the Mill City Farmers Market features a terrific variety of artisans, farmers, demonstrations, and amazing local, sustainable foods.

I'm hooked on The Heavy Table, a new online magazine that's all about Minnesota and Upper Midwestern food. From the About section of their website:

Spring in the Twin Cities, and the events keep on coming. This one looks especially simple, good and tasty. Eat Yourself Healthy is a workshop that comes just in time to enjoy spring's first fresh, local (Minnesota) produce. Its focus will be on not just purchasing, preparing, and eating local foods, but also on what these foods can do for our health, our environment, and our community. The events featured speakers are:

The website Homegrown.org, created by the Farm Aid organization, attempts to bring together all sorts of people who love food, farming, and the land. According to the Philosophy section of their website: