What did surprise me was this morning’s news. San Diego, CA has approved an urban agriculture plan for its residents which includes fowl, goats and bees. “Last March, the city received a $50,000 grant to promote healthier living and urban agriculture. On Tuesday, the City Council voted 8-0 to make it easier for residents to grow and sell food, as well as simplify rules for residents to keep chickens, goats and bees.”
 
There is a great summary table of their regulations which makes it much easier to decipher what you can and cannot do.

If conservative San Diego is willing to support their community to grow and raise their own food (especially during an economic downturn), I am sure Oakland will as well once the ordinance is proposed.

Many moons ago I read some journals that reported on the work of Robert Lustig. In 2008, his was one of the singular voices out there claiming that the behaviors that lead to obesity are not necessary the onus of the individual. Rather it may be the result of an unhealthy environment. This is especially true in the case of children.

Upon recently reading Weighing In by Julie Guthman, I am reminded again that indeed there are many factors beyond just a persons individual action that have affected the obesity rates in the United States. In fact, she goes so far as to say that the unequal presence of these factors is food injustice. She includes in her thesis a bullet list of what she believes are factors leading to the rise in obesity. A few of which are:

The built environment reflects existing social relationships and political-economic dynamics, including racial and class patterns in size, more than it creates them.

Food is cheap because of deeply rooted geopolitical and political economic interests that have encouraged overproduction and failed to regulate food production for health, safety, and welfare concerns.

Eating behaviors are mediated by a more complex set of social factors than education and access; in any case, it is unlikely that the association of alternative food [organic, local etc] and thinness comes to be through individual diets of alternative foods.

Which brings me to my next point. Celebrity chef, Paula Deen, who is known for her over the top decadent food preparations, including a hamburger in a bun of Krispy Kreme Donuts, has announced that she had Type II Diabetes. I have a sibling who LOVES Paula Deen. We argue about her because I say her recipes are disgusting, look bad, unhealthy and irresponsible. My sibling argues that they taste good and Paula Deen is so fun. I’ve argued that Deen’s husband has heart disease and he doesn’t eat her food (I learned this listening to a radio interview with Deen). Now this. Its not bad enough that she has Type II but she’s kept it secret from the public for two years in order to line up a pharmaceutical sponsor before going public.

I don’t blame Ms. Deen for our national health. However, I do think she has acted irresponsibly. I also think she represents values that have lead to the ill health of a nation, and at the end of the day, 2 + 2 does in fact equal 4.

I opened the New York Times this past Sunday to see that of 45 places suggested to see in 2012, Oakland was number five. We are alongside Tokyo, Japan, Dakhla, Morocco, Moganshan, China, London (!) to name a few. And why are we listed? Because of our food and music scene. Oakland has some of the worlds most sophisticated restaurants. Add to this our bold food entrepreneurs and urban agriculturalists generating new industry and then come visit this complex city!

We are not a perfect city (whose is?). We continue to have entire districts devoid of appropriate food access. However, these are achievements accomplished during a time of severe economic constraint. It is something indeed.

Wow. I am finding it hard to keep up with the flurry of articles about projects and initiatives that are generating a new food landscape. Here are a few to catch up on over a cup of hot coco.

Oakland City Council approved a pilot project that will allow mobile food vendors to offer their creative concoctions in more areas around the city. In fact, we can look forward to a new year of food events through Oakland where caravans of food trucks (and bikes!) will huddle up to new areas, kind of like a lonchera flash mob. It will be fun to stay up to date and catch these hip events! Read more.

Now imagine if you will, a pod of mobile food vendors located adjacent to an Oakland urban farm abuzz with community members. If you need any inspiration as to what this could look like, read about this very thing unfolding in Brooklyn.

Wondering if this is pie in the sky thinking? Don’t think you can make this happen in your city? Well consider the District of Columbia’s “Food Production and Urban Gardens Program Act of 1986.” Read more about it here.

“The reason so many Americans are talking about inequality, is because we intend to actually drastically reduce or eliminate it. I am not opposed to working hard. But I am opposed to participating in an economy in which people like [Gene] Marks A) unilaterally set the rules and B) stack the deck against my community and pretend that the real problem is our “ignorance” of opportunities.”

That said, I am drawn to people and groups working to restructure our economic framework. Rock star attorneys, Janelle Orsi and Jenny Kassan, are doing just that. In fact, check out their article on Policies for a Shareable City: Food Sharing. Be prepared to be inspired.

You can listen to the audio by clicking here and selecting October 26th 2011 on Urban Homesteading.

In some of my dabbling into pop culture, I keep up with the show Top Chef. I love the creativity and competition. The new season launched and I am compelled by the fact that its in Dipak’s home state, the big T (that would be “Texas” folks). I was thrilled by the opening competition that featured none other than rabbit! I am also thrilled by their Mexicano contestant Chuy Valencia!! What up dude?! He grew up in Sonoma amidst his family growing and raising their own food. He talks about it fondly when interviewed. Naturally this is a language I understand so I fawn over his stories (as I am doing right now).

Already in the competition he has whipped up some inspired dishes, such as an adobo-rubbed rabbit in cashew pipian with grilled zucchini, topped with cilantro and cotija.

Adobo Seasoned Rattlesnake with Pasilla Balsamic BBQ Sauce.

Braised Goat Birria, Cabbage, Red Peanut Salsa, and Handmade Queso Fresco.

Needless to say, I am looking forward to observing what else he cooks up.

A toolkit providing a framework and model language for land use policies that local policymakers can tailor to promote and sustain urban agriculture in their communities (click on image to download pdf).