The Kitchen Sisters are Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva, and produce a truly fantastic radio series for NPR, available via podcast called Hidden Kitchens.
Each program explores the world of unexpected, below the radar cooking, legendary meals and eating traditions — how communities come together through food. Hidden Kitchens travels the country chronicling American kitchen cultures, past and present.
The Sisters took a trip to England recently and Garden Allotments: A London Kitchen Vision was the result. Have a listen and read more here . It’s very sad.
Filed under: Biological Farmers of Australia, farming, food trends, organic | Tags: eat, grow, plant
The Biological Farmers of Australia has released the first local Australian organic data in four years, researched by the The University of New England’s Organic Research Centre. Some of its key findings include:
• the value returned to organic producers at farm-gate has increased by 80% since 2004, despite tough climatic conditions and drought. On the other side of the fence, the industry’s retail value broke through the $0.5B for the first time to reach a figure of approximately $623 million.
• Australia retains the largest amount of certified organic land area in the world (approx. 11.8 million ha), most of which is found in vast grazing regions in South West QLD
• Organic farmers on average are younger than non-organic
• Horticulture remains a mainstay of the industry, accounting for two thirds of total organic farmers, and representing up to half of the total organic farmgate value in Australia.
• The organic vegetable, herb and nursery production sector is the highest valued in the industry overall, followed by organic fruit & wine, and organic beef sectors
• The industry has witnessed an increase in strategic market alliances and market groups
• The organic industry is consolidating and the average size of organic farms has increased – there is a trend towards professional farming at a larger scale (though t still well under non-organic farm enterprise levels for most sectors).
• Major supermarkets now stock more than 500 organic products in various category lines
• 40% of consumers now buy organic food on occasion
• Woman are the primary purchasers of organic food
• Fresh fruit and vegetables remain the most common point of entry for newcomers purchasing organic food
Alice Waters did it, Jamie Oliver’s done it, and as of the 21st of August 2008 little tackers across the nation will be able to participate in…[wait, it's a bit of a mouthful]…the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden National Pilot Program. Within four years up to 20,000 kiddies will participae in the growing, harvesting, cooking and eating the fruits of their labours. Read more
Programs like this are flourishing around the western world in a response to the growing obesity trend, and the sobering thought that the current generation is not going to live as long as its parents.
