Feel the glo!
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1595245,00.html
Getting warmer!
http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,20070312,00.html
Better call the fire department!
http://artwork.barewalls.com/artwork/product.html?ArtworkID=284590
Mo Tougas
Tougas Family Farm
Northborough,MA
On Mar 10, 2007, at 7:04 PM, Jon Clements wrote:
Although I am hesitant to fan any embers -- I know there are quite
a few out there -- into flames, it might be worth your while to
pick up the March 12th issue of Time magazine. There is a cover
article on organic vs. 'buy local.' A couple quotes:
"In the end I bought both apples (organic vs. 'conventional New
York state local'). They were both good, although the California
one had a mealy bit, possibly from it's journey." (Is the author
English -- a "mealy bit?")
"Eating locally also seems safer. Ted's (an upstate NY diversified
producer) neighbors and customers can see how he farms. That
transparency doesn't exist with, say, spinach bagged by a distant
agribusiness. I help keep Ted in business, and he helps keep me fed
-- and the elegance and sustainability of that exchange make more
sense to me than gambling on faceless producers who stamp ORGANIC
on a package thousands of miles from home."
Now, I have been trying to fully explain the phenomenal direct-
market sales many Massachusetts apple growers -- and I understand
it was beyond MA too -- had last season. I know the weather was
good, and that makes a huge difference, but I am starting to think
the buy local campaigns are really kicking in? I found the article
interesting, and reasonably balanced, and something we should all
be paying attention too.
If you did not catch his drift, the author clearly thought buying
'conventional local' was preferable to buying agribusiness
'organic' -- particularly if the petroleum environmental cost was
figured in.
Any embers glowing brighter yet?
:-)
Jon
Jon Clements
Extension Tree Fruit Specialist
UMass Cold Spring Orchard
393 Sabin Street
Belchertown, MA 01007
VOICE 413.478.7219
FAX 413.323.0382
IM mrhoneycrisp
Skype Name mrhoneycrisp
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual
Orchard<http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill
and JonClements <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.
Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not
represent"official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no
responsibility forthe content.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard
<http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon
Clements <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.
Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not represent
"official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no responsibility for
the content.
