Thank you for reading You Are Delicious!
This blog, which served up my food writing for four years, will now serve as an archive. Feel free to troll this site for vegetarian, Jewish, and sustainable recipes. Search by ingredient, the name of a dish, or random key word.
For my current musings, check out rheakennedy.com.
One thing I realized at the Hazon Food Conference is that I have a lot to learn. I’m particularly behind on food and agriculture policy. Thinking about the nuances of legislation on the table on the local and national level kind of makes my head spin. Then there are regional issues that can inform and compliment each other.
So much going on! But I decided to take a breath and start reading. If you’re in the same position, you can try it, too. Take a breath, look at this happy food picture above, and then dive in.
Here are a few (okay, many) links to get you started. Check ’em out, and feel free to suggest more.
News and policy
Grist.org
Foodpolitics.com, Marion Nestle’s website
The Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture
Civileats.com
Foodpolitics.com (Marion Nestle’s website)
Ethicurean.com
Local food resources
LocalHarvest.org
TheLocalBeet.com Continue reading
(This is adapted from my Examiner.com site. I will shut up about Crossroads soon–really!)
Readers of this farmers market writings can probably sense that I get into the topic. Lately, I took that a step further. My story about the Crossroads Farmers Market (and another and another) got me inspired, and, well, I became news myself! Continue reading
The Crossroads spirit was with me on Sunday. At 6 a.m., I headed down to the starting line of Washington D.C.’s Marine Corps Marathon decked out in my Crossroads Farmers Market shirt and fortified by a well-wishing card from the market’s director. (For anyone interested, my tummy was fortified by some organic coffee and a PB & J on sprouted grain bread–what I’ve found to be an excellent pre-race snack).
I went into this knowing that the campaign to rejuvenate the Crossroads’ Fresh Checks program for low-income shoppers through writing articles about it and running 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) had not actually reached its goal. My attempt at a charitable and world-healing act–an act of tikkun olam–had raised awareness and monetarily netted just shy of $700 ($698 to be exact) in donations. My goal was $1,000, but I was pretty sure I had reached my limit. The market managers had sent the ask to their supporters and shoppers, too, so together we had tried the best we could. Continue reading
I’m at it again–asking friends and family to support the Crossroads Farmers Market. Before you read on, consider the photo you see above. This is a (slightly out of focus) example of elote loco, the wacky corn-on-the-cob snack you can’t find at any farmers market but the Crossroads. Behind that, you’ve got some truly fine-looking (and actually in-focus) zucchini. I just thought this yummy combo might help you envision how fun and healthy this market is.
And now, here’s the little update I sent out today:
Hello, everyone! I have good news. I ran seven miles this morning–a personal record–and this afternoon, the Crossroads Farmers Market received a $100 donation. More good stuff: Some of you have already given to support Fresh Checks, allowing low-income shoppers to buy more fruits and veggies, and modeling how communities can come together.
Unfortunately, I still have a ways to go to reach my $1,000 goal by the time of the Marine Corps Marathon 10K. If you’ve mentioned wanting to give, now’s the time! You can make a contribution via PayPal on the Crossroads site or send a check through mail or through me! Now’s also a good time to send this along to friends 🙂
If you didn’t receive my first email, or want a reminder of what this is all about, check out the message below [Blog readers, see the previous post].
As we’ve seen from the organic garden at the White House and the farmers market nearby, progressive food efforts in DC get noticed. Please consider making this another small but inspiring example. Thanks for your support!
Rhea
Dear Reader:
This week, I sent the message below to friends and family to raise funds for a cause I believe in. That cause just so happens to relate to food! Check it out, and give if you can.
Hello, friends! I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the new, fresh nip in the air.
I’m writing to ask for a little help. Recent chilly mornings and evenings have found me running, with the goal of completing my first 10K race on October 25. This is a bit of a challenge, given that my average run before this clocked in around 3 miles and this is more than double that! (The run is part of the Marine Corps Marathon. Somehow this is very different from triathlons!)
I’m doing this to inspire others to do something new, too–to learn about and support a matching funds program for low-income shoppers at the Crossroads Farmers Market.
This program is in peril, and badly needs a boost to finish out the market season.
My goal, by the day of the race, is to raise at least $1,000. That equals a market day’s worth of “Fresh Checks” – extra funding that low income shoppers can use for fresh produce. The race is just three weeks away!
A gift of $50, $25, $10, or whatever you can manage would make a huge difference in this effort, and for a lot of people trying to eat healthy, and feed their families in a healthy way, on a limited budget.
To give, go to http://www.crossroadsproject.org and click on “Donate.” If you’d like to pay by check, you can certainly mail one, or give it to me to pass along.
If you’d like to know more about how the program works, read on.
The week of October 5 through 10 is D.C. School Garden Week, a time when educators encourage children to set up or improve gardens at their schools, learn about healthy eating, take pictures of their plants, and see a screening of a garden documentary made by fellow school kids.
Just as I believed a farmers market near the White House would delight people of all political persuasions, one could easily assume this week would bring everyone together.
But one would be wrong.
If you don’t believe me, check out the comments on my article about the market. And have a looky at this column.
This time, I won’t be so naïve. I will carefully consider the ramifications of putting instruments of healthy eating into the hands of children. In fact, I have already given it some thought, and come up with…
The top 5 ways the GOP will oppose School Garden Week Continue reading
10:45.
The past 30 days, 22 hours, and 45 minutes have been a National Blog Posting Month (aka NaBloPoMo) dedicated to heroes. I did not post every day this month, and I have yet to type a word about the people I look up to. But still I will embrace the last minute (my favorite time of day) to give a shout out to some important–yes, I’d dare say heroic–foodies.
Alice Waters – Big mama of the local and slow foods movement. I like her so much, I named a goldfish after her. She’s one of the few survivors.
Wendell Berry – A dude dedicated to both small-scale agriculture and beautiful writing about it
Arden Andersen – An MD with the audacity to say that nutrient-dense food, grown in good soil, is the best medicine
Mollie Katzen – A woman who started with a simple cookbook and an ernest little restaurant, and grew a huge & veggie-loving following. I also named a goldfish after her, but the poor gal (or guy?) didn’t make it.
Bill McKibben – Advocate of a locally-based economy. I need to read his latest book!
In the remaining hour of the month, I shall be reflecting on these wonderful people. And cleaning my fish tank.
11:04
…and other FAQs re: organic eats appeared in a recent column by Marion Nestle in The San Francisco Chronicle. There are remarking similarities between questions/myths about organics and questions/myths about farmers markets. Also between pesticide-free carrots and burning bras. Check it out.
I recently wrote about grilling and brunch essentials for Fathers Day, all at farmers markets. Links to DC attractions for Dad, too. Check it out!
You Are Delicious 