While at Organic Valley headquarters in Wisconsin, the OrganicNation.tv crew got a chance to speak with Tim LaSalle, CEO of the Rodale Institute about the way organic farming can help mitigate global climate change.
Rodale Institute research shows that organically managed soils can store (sequester) more than 1,000 pounds of carbon per acre, while non-organic systems can cause carbon loss. For consumers, this means that the simple act of buying organic products can help to reduce global climate change.
On our trip through Maine, one of our most exciting destinations was the Common Ground Country Fair, a super eco-friendly event which is run by the Maine Organic Farmers Association (MOFGA), THE oldest organic organization in the country! It was a great place to check out the area's local food, crafts and some delicious fried seafood...
READ MORE here: http://www.organicnation.tv/blog/seafood-iiamas-compost-sampling-local-flavor-at-the-common-g.htmlOn our trip through Maine, one of our most exciting destinations was the Common Ground... more
Who’s the next green ‘it’ girl? Project Green Search is looking for the woman who wants to be an advocate for the environment, animal welfare, fair trade, and human rights. The next green ‘it’ girl is a model, spokesperson, host, brand ambassador and all around green model citizen, for progressive, sustainable, ethical companies, from fashion & beauty to cars & computers.
We know just the girl… our own Dorothee Royal-Hedinger (http://projectgreensearch.com/dorothee-royal/1554), sustainable food advocate and co-founder of OrganicNation.tv! Dorothee is more than just a (ridiculously) pretty face – she’s got brains and passion for sustainability in spades, just the qualities that a well-rounded green ‘it’ girl should have.
Please vote for Dorothee so she can continue her work in spreading the message of sustainability. Voting is really easy, and every single vote counts… just click this link: http://projectgreensearch.com/dorothee-royal/1554 & select 5 stars under her photo, and leave a note at the bottom of the page if you like. Hurry – voting ends TODAY!Who’s the next green ‘it’ girl? Project Green Search is looking for the woman... more
While in Portland, the OrganicNation.tv crew got a chance to talk with Maine native Alex Steed about the food culture in the area. Alex explained that "local" actually trumps "organic" in the region, because people want to support their neighbors and the producers in their area, and because so much great food is produced in Maine.
Portland is known for its excellent seafood (particularly lobster), maple syrup, cheese, apples, blueberries and flatbread, among others.While in Portland, the OrganicNation.tv crew got a chance to talk with Maine native... more
Clawing for answers about sustaining both lobsters and lobstermen.
What could be more simple than fishing? You catch what nature provides, and toss back what you don’t need. At least that’s the way it was until every 7-Eleven and gas station mini-mart started selling spicy tuna rolls, and scientists observed that the oceans were overfished and gutted of our favorite species. Now, a trip to the fish counter at the supermarket is riddled with complexity...
Did you know? Women own nearly half the farmland in the US today, but are rarely represented on the boards of policy-making bodies. I learned this recently while talking with Leigh Adcock, the Executive Director of the Women, Food & Agriculture Network at her Homegrown Village booth at Farm Aid 2009.
Leigh explained to me the importance of women's roles in building sustainable food systems as mothers, gardeners, landowners, activists and farmers. WFAN is a community of women involved in sustainable agriculture whose mission is to "link and empower women to build food systems and communities that are healthy, just, sustainable, and that promote environmental integrity."
If you're interested in learning more, be sure to check out their 10th Annual Fall Harvest Gathering of Women in Sustainable Agriculture Nov. 13-15 in Whalan, MN.Did you know? Women own nearly half the farmland in the US today, but are rarely... more
Dorothee Royal, the host of OrganicNation.tv, models great green finds for your fall wardrobe featuring Greenbees, SUST, muichic and The Blessing Basket Project.Dorothee Royal, the host of OrganicNation.tv, models great green finds for your fall... more
This past weekend, the OrganicNation.tv crew had the pleasure of attending Farm Aid 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. The concert is a massive fundraiser that aims to help struggling family farmers stay on their land and features music by Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews.
At the concert, Dorothee got a chance to talk with farmers attending the event about the importance of family farms, educating the public about healthy food and which musician they like the best!This past weekend, the OrganicNation.tv crew had the pleasure of attending Farm Aid... more
Ariel Vegosen from Dr. Bronner's soaps talks about why their products are both organic and fair trade certified. She explains that the next step after taking care of our bodies with organic products is making sure that workers are getting paid fairly to make them:Ariel Vegosen from Dr. Bronner's soaps talks about why their products are both organic... more
"Organic Nation Goes on Ultimate Foodie Roadtrip
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 05.11.09
Food & Health
Organic Nation Trailer from OrganicNation on Vimeo.
Dorothee Royal-Hedinger, managing editor of EarthFirst, is heading off on a cool roadtrip to find out exactly what is "organic" - a term more and more muddled in today's understanding of food.
We’ll be exploring such fundamental questions as: What does “organic” mean and how are products certified? What do scientists say about the risks of chemical pesticides and fertilizers on human health? What are the costs of switching to organic production and is it affordable for farmers and consumers? Is organic better than local or vice-versa? Can organic food production feed the nation and is it truly sustainable?
Sounds like a perfect mix of green questioning and food lover's roadtrip heaven. Check out Organic Nation to keep up on what the exploration discovers. The itinerary includes:
May 10th-20th Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin
May 22nd - 24th Buffalo, New York
May 25th - 28th San Jose, California
May 29th - 31st San Francisco, California
June 1st-10th TBA
Via EarthFirst""Organic Nation Goes on Ultimate Foodie Roadtrip
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco,... more
We visited Purdue University's Throg Morton Farm in Indiana where we spoke with Professor Fred Whitford about what pesticides are and how they're used on conventional farms.
Check out our other videos at http://www.OrganicNation.tvWe visited Purdue University's Throg Morton Farm in Indiana where we spoke with... more
Mouse guards, weed barriers, insect pheromones, oh my! We visited Purdue University's Throg Morton Farm in Indiana where Professor Fred Whitford showed us organic methods of pest control in an apple orchard.
Check out more videos at: http://www.organicnation.tvMouse guards, weed barriers, insect pheromones, oh my! We visited Purdue University's... more
OrganicNation.tv is an exploration of the American sustainable food landscape focusing on the people, places and products that are shaping a new green economy and lifestyle. From farmers to urban gardeners, teachers to restaurant owners, we're traveling the country to document how sustainable food systems are being created.
We'll be exploring such fundamental questions as: What does “organic” mean and how are products certified? What do scientists say about the risks of chemical pesticides and fertilizers on human health? What are the costs of switching to organic production and is it affordable for farmers and consumers? Is organic better than local or vice-versa? Can organic food production feed the nation and is it truly sustainable?
http://www.OrganicNation.tv was created as a one-stop resource to help consumers navigate these complex issues:
* The OrganicNation blog keeps you to date on the latest food policy and sustainable living news
* OrganicNation videos feature candid interviews with farmers, scientists, business people and activists
* The OrganicNation Community Map helps you find resources in your neighborhood and across the country
Join us as we explore America's sustainable food landscape - we look forward to your comments, questions and ideas along the way!OrganicNation.tv is an exploration of the American sustainable food landscape focusing... more
We visited Thorpe Family Organic Farm in East Aurora, New York where Gail Thorpe shared how her farm is sustained through support from her local community. She also showed us how to plant tomatoes using a transplanting machine!
For more videos visit: http://www.organicnation.tvWe visited Thorpe Family Organic Farm in East Aurora, New York where Gail Thorpe... more
At The Organic Summit in Stevenson, Washington, we got a chance to speak with Curtis Ellis, the producer of "King Corn" about his new film which addresses agriculture and water contamination. Look for the film, titled "Big River" when it's released this fall.
More info about King Corn: kingcorn.net/
For more videos visit: http://www.organicnation.tvAt The Organic Summit in Stevenson, Washington, we got a chance to speak with Curtis... more
One thing many people realize after they start visiting farmer's markets frequently or join a CSA is that they often have more fresh produce on hand than they can eat. That's why canning and preserving is regaining popularity among the sustainable foodie set.
We caught up with blogger/foodie/activist Rachel Weidinger, who also happens to be an expert preserver, at her Homegrown Village booth at MakerFaire 2009 in San Mateo, California. She showed us how to preserve fresh lemons with salt so they will last a year and taste delicious added to omelets, hummus, salads and pasta.
Special thanks to Homegrown.org and FarmAid for putting on this great event! You can fiind more tips from Rachel on her blog AKitchenOfHerOwn.com or follow her on Twitter @Rachelannyes.
For more visit: http://www.organicnation.tvOne thing many people realize after they start visiting farmer's markets frequently or... more
In our latest video, we catch up with Chad Kennedy, Head Brewer at Portland's Laurelwood Public House and Brewery. Portland is of course known for its beer and microbreweries, and the Portland beer scene has been swept up in the organic movement in recent years (which is why the North American Organic Brewers Festival was held in Portland over the weekend).
Laurelwood wasn't the first certified-organic brewery in Oregon, but it has been the longest lasting. Chad and his brewers have two organic brews, the the Free Range Red and Tree Hugger Porter, and if Dorothee and Chad seem a bit happier than usual, it's because we had the pleasure of tasting during the shoot.
Chad walked us through the whole process of brewing organic beer, and to our surprise he told us that hops aren't actually organic in organic beer. The barley -- another key ingredient -- is all-organic, but the hops are not. The USDA only requires that 95 percent of the ingredients in certified-organic beer are themselves organic, and because organic hops are in very short supply right now, conventional hops are often used in certified-organic beer.
For the full story, click "play" on the video player above, and check out the rest of our videos here: http://www.organicnation.tv/videos.In our latest video, we catch up with Chad Kennedy, Head Brewer at Portland's... more
While visiting the Olympic Peninsula during our West Coast KickOff Tour, the OrganicNation.tv crew stayed on the beautiful Colinwood Farm in Port Townsend, Washington, which has been certified organic since 1989. Over the course of a week, farm manager Jesse Hopkins showed us the ins and outs of running the mid-size farm and explained how greenhouses allow him to grow crops through the cold months of the year. In this video, we follow the life-cycle of an organic zucchini plant from seed to harvest.
For more videos visit: http://www.OrganicNation.tv.While visiting the Olympic Peninsula during our West Coast KickOff Tour, the... more
One of our favorite stops during the OrganicNation.tv KickOff Tour was in Portland, Oregon at Ladybug Organic Coffee Company. Owner Angel O'Brien made us her signature "Ladybug Latte" and took us to back to her "garbage" room, which is really a place to sort recycling and compost.
This well-beloved organic coffee shop only has five-to-eight pounds of landfill trash per week, which is significantly less waste than most households produce in a few days! Not only is this one of greenest coffee shops around, the food and drink is delicious. They make all their offerings, including bagels, from scratch using all organic ingredients. If you live in Portland or are passing through, be sure to check out their full organic breakfast!
Did you know that conventional seeds are often sprayed with more pesticides than the vegetables they come from? While in Port Townsend, Washington, the OrganicNation.tv crew stopped at Organic Seed Alliance headquarters to talk with researcher and seed geneticist John Navazio. He brought us to Nash Organic Produce Farm where he's working to breed healthy and robust organic spinach varieties. In this video, John explains why organic seed is important and why you can't just sow any seed for a healthy crop!
