I am to believe that food choice is strictly individual and not environmental? Yet, a hundred year old American institution, which promotes child health, is condoning candy bars…and there is no connection between what is socially encouraged food and choice? Mmm-kay.

 
Oh boy, Pluck & Feather has been buried in weeds and going through hardscape transformations. Two large trees have been removed leaving much turned up land, holes in the view and workworkwork. Beds are growing but framed by overgrown weeds. The space where Virgl had been kept was made fertile by his daily habits. Now with a month of good rains and sun to heat the soil there are Jurassic sized weeds popping up.
 
Its a mess basically. Sigh…
 
The fun continues however, as my young pullets have started laying so egg production is back up. One of them is an Auraucana which means I woke one morning to retrive bright green eggs! Its a pleasure to have them in the mix again. They are so pretty. And what does one do with too many weeds and lots of new eggs? Make salad!
 
Ingredients (yield: 4)*
For the croutons
2 cups stale bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoon minced herbs, such as thyme or rosemary
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
 
For the salad
8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
Canola oil, as needed
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
4 cups dandelion leaves
 
For the eggs
4 large eggs
6 cups water
1/4 cup white vinegar
Procedures
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the bread with the oil, herbs, and salt, and spread on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
 
In the meantime, start the bacon cooking in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the fat renders and the bacon is chewy and starting to crisp, 7-10 minutes. Remove to a plate lines with paper towels, then add a little canola oil (if necessary) to make about 1/3 cup of fat, depending on how much fat the bacon rendered. Add the shallots, vinegar, and mustard and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits in the pan. Stir quickly to bring together into a dressing and keep warm.
 
While the bacon is cooking, bring the water and vinegar for the eggs to a simmer, then crack the eggs into a small dish or ladle. Slip them carefully into the water and simmer until the whites are just set and the yolk is still runny, about 3-4 minutes.
 
In a large bowl, combine the dandelion greens with the bacon, croutons, and dressing. Toss to combine, then plate and top with the poached egg. Serve immediately while the egg and dressing are still warm.

*recipe obtained from Serious Eats.

Vegan author James McWilliams has been trying to build an argument that the only sustainable way to raise food producing animals is through factory farming. His transparent strategy is to say that since factory farming is the best we can do, we should not do it at all. Unfortunately his arguments are skewed and without practical knowledge of farming. Its odd. It is as if he is making suggestions for how the world should be, and how all people should eat, based on theoretical ideas and not on actual practices or actual data. His most recent piece focused on the farming practices of Joel Salatin of all people.
 
I encourage those of you interested in the debate to read Mr. Salatin’s excellent rebuttal.

 
William Sonoma has started a new line of products called Agrarian. I gotta tell you, there is nothing quite so effective as corporate colonization to warp an authentic practice. What part of the equation of the common people taking back control over their own food source has been missed by William Sonoma? I’ll tell you which part- all of it. The idea of renewable resources, sustainability, food sovereignty…thats for the next season’s catalog. Because as we all know, we can buy ourselves a better world.
 
They are selling prefab chicken coops from $400 to $900 (plus tax). I built my very nice coop and run for less than $200. I used reclaimed materials as that is the spirit of self-sufficiency.
 
They are also selling custom designed 8-frame beehives. Ooh folks, I’d be careful with that one. One, the kit does not come with an actual hive body, only a series of shallows. Two, they are custom size boxes which I imagine will only hold their custom designed frames, and they do not appear to even sell additional deeps. Going price: $500.
 
How much is a fancy pants 8-frame beehive kit (their Garden Hivery design) from Mann Lake, Inc- an exclusive beekeeping equipment supplier? $182.85.
 
However, My absolute favorite item that they offer is the “Chicken Coop Predator Kit.” This is a roll of 1/2″ hardware cloth (2′x25′) with 25 poultry wire staples, 20 nails, and 20 washers for $59.95. If you mean to wrap the entire bottom of your run with hardware cloth You are going to likely need more than 25′. You can get 50′ of 1/4″ (recommended instead of 1/2″) for $50 online, likely less at Lowes or Home Depot. You can also get bailing wire to “sew” your cloth onto the run for ~$5.
 
Sigh…this new William Sonoma line is green washing at its most costly, not only in monetary cost but in the co-opting of vital principles that are driven by a true need to create a healthy food source.

Someone has finally tapped into the urban market with vegetable names. I recently planted Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed Lettuce. What about some Swag Kale, Happy Hour Tomatoes (an early variety), Gangsta Greens (a stir fry mix) or some Phat Melons? Huevos del Cartel brand eggs? Just throwin’ out some ideas.

Could this be a niche for our East Bay farmers?

I started this blog to chronicle my experience of growing and raising food in the city. I never quite expected that “urban farming” would grow in popularity to the degree that is has. Its hard work and our culture is so driven toward convenience. However, it has and because of this, new social and political issues are coming to light.
 
For example, there is a significant issue around bringing attention to and attempting to legalize backyard food and animals. For the people that have been maintaining themselves by quietly cultivating their backyards, community and government scrutiny means others will attempt (in some cases successfully) to impose their values on private practices. I recently read a well written post on this called, the politics of urban farming. I encourage you to read it too.
 
Then there is the concern I have mentioned before, which is sustaining community projects. Nonprofit funding runs in trends. With the sudden bloom of urban farm projects, funding will dry up. This is exactly what is happening with Quesada Gardens in San Francisco.
 
All of this is to say that urban farming has moved well beyond our backyards. It is critical to consider this bigger picture as we forge ahead in our effort to build a healthy equitable food system.

 
Uh oh, the Ohio headquartered Wendy’s has made a booboo in their new 2012 marketing campaign. Its seems that their “diversity team” overlooked a detail when they developed the radio ditty for their test product, the Spicy Guacamole Chicken Club. The chorus of their radio song is “Gua-Caca-Mole” (caca is Spanish slang for poo). Even better is that the singer of the song has a hint of a Spanish accent. This is hilarious.
 
Usually when I discuss corporate abuse of the food system I target McDonalds. That is because of their blatant strategy to target children. They are also the biggest player in the fast food restaurant business and can have the greatest impact with change. However, don’t let this fool you into thinking only McDonald’s should be held accountable for marketing high processed, low nutrition and cheap food to vulnerable communities. Wendy’s is as much a culprit in creating unhealthy food environment’s in low income neighborhoods where grocery stores are infrequent, if they exist at all.
 
So, without even focusing on the misrepresentation of Mexican food in fast food chains, let me instead suggest that Wendy’s new song is a Freudian slip of guilt over the true quality of the product they are promoting.

Looking for inspiration? Think that you cannot make a difference in today’s world? Go find yourself a copy of the film, This Black Soil, and be prepared to learn otherwise.
 

 
This documentary (one hour) takes you through the struggle of a poor, isolated and uneducated black community as they protest and defeat a bill that will allow construction of a maximum security prison in their neighborhood. But they don’t stop there. They see a chance for a better life. They see an opportunity to reclaim a sense of ownership as they once again cultivate the land.
 
I just attended one of the community forums presented by Acta Non Verba Youth Urban Farm & Communities for a Better Environment at Tassafaronga Center in East Oakland. We viewed this film and dialogued about opportunities in Oakland.
 
This city is ripe with opportunity. If you are willing to make the commitment and do the work, you will see results. We too can have reclaimed ownership and cultivation of the land for a healthy resilient Oakland.

There are many wonderful examples of appropriate technology around the world. It is often mind boggling how behind the U.S. is sometimes. For example, any the U.S. any county that transitions to healthy food options for their vending machines are considered innovators of food policy. I challenge this. Yes, of course we should stop selling highly processed fat and sugar laden snacks in our institutions, but is it really that hard? Really? Then tell me how on earth France is able to provide fresh raw milk via vending machine. Raw milk people. This is what the feds are cracking down on in the U.S. like its a cartel driven economy. WTF.
 
And so I bring you the unpasteurized milk vending machine:
 

 
As the Oakland dialogue continues around urban farming, in particular the role of animals in urban agriculture, I am struck by the overlap of concerns that come up on supposedly “opposing” sides. I say this because there appears to be many shared concerns among those of us that keep food producing animals and opponents.
 
For example, a vegan friend of mine recently shared that she understood and respected my effort to reduce consumption of factory farmed animals by raising my own. My friend also believes in choice and doesn’t believe everyone should be as she is (which is why we are friends).
 
We tossed the various pros and cons back and forth and had a great dialogue. Among her many insightful considerations was her point about where chicks are purchased from. She pointed out that hatcheries are factory farms so purchasing your chicks from them defeats the effort. I thought this was a great point.
 
Fortunately I get my birds from local sources. I did once order a group order of chicks from a hatchery. I even talked about it on this blog. After that experience, I have sought only local sources. Even feed stores purchase from hatcheries so local farms are the best source, whether they are urban or rural.*
 
What I enjoyed most in my conversation was how we can make such different choices about what is right for each of us yet have the ability to communicate, share mutual beliefs, respect those differences, and make decisions that can meet the needs of all, rather than only her or me.
 
*If you know of a local source of chicks, ducklings or turkey poults, or you hatch your own (a wonderful option), don’t forget to consult a livestock veterinarian to determine the necessary vaccinations.