Local Food

Part VII of The Local Grain Revolution series featured a full episode on the sailing of locally-grown grains from the Creston Valley of British Columbia to the City of Nelson. A fleet of four boats transported 5,000 pounds of the grains. Shortly after the grains were unloaded in Nelson, sailor Jay Blackmore embarked on another journey, however, this time, on-line. He was keen to find other intrepid communities who were too exploring the practice of sailing food...Dave spoke to Deconstructing Dinner over the phone and shared his exciting business model of a fossil-fuel free distribution system for zucchinis, tomatoes, and many other fresh vegetables.

Since March 2008, Deconstructing Dinner has featured The Local Grain Revolution - a series tracking the evolution of Canada's first community supported agriculture (CSA) project for grain. On this eighth episode, we listen in on a workshop hosted by a member of the CSA, Lorraine Carlstrom. Just as the project has already spawned involvement from many individuals and businesses in the region, Lorraine recognized yet another gap needing to be filled... education in the kitchen. When the 180 CSA members received their 80+lbs of whole grains in December 2008, many members were left wondering what to do with them. Lorraine stepped forward to offer classes to teach members how to use their grains. Among those offered, Deconstructing Dinner recorded one of her first... sourdough waffles.

Since March 2008, The Local Grain Revolution series has been following the evolution of Canada's first Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project for grain.

The project has inspired a wave of support from the communities of Nelson and Creston, including support from the Kootenay Lake Sailing Association. In September 2008, a group of sailors approached the CSA and offered to sail as much of the grain as they could from the Creston Valley to Nelson along Kootenay Lake. In less than a month, four sailboats had committed to the weekend excursion and Deconstructing Dinner's Jon Steinman joined the crew of the Kelpie so that listeners could, at the very least, take an audible part in the exciting fossil-fuel free mission.

In this episode of Crop To Cuisine we look at opportunities to get support local food at community events and we get ready for two events in Colorado. Joined by Justine Sanchez of the Buffalo Field Campaign, we hear about the plight of wild buffalo in Yellowstone, and how the BFC have teamed up with the Black Cat Restaurant to do something about it. We also talk with Marianne Martin of Microbrews for the Environment, as well as three of this years participating breweries. Sustainable food and agriculture should be a party.

In this episode of Crop To Cuisine we take a look at two authors who come to the forefront of sustainability and food from unlikely backgrounds. Eugene Cordero is a professor of Meteorology and has joined forces with Laura Stec to write Cool Cuisine: Taking the Bite out of Global Warming. And R.J. Ruppenthal is a professor of law. His new publication, Fresh Food From Small Spaces, is a handbook for people living in urban areas that want to live sustainably through food. We speak with both about their passion for food, the role of innovation in a greener world and having fun with all of it.

In this episode of Crop To Cuisine, we take a look at a new member of Colorado's sustainable restaurants. Arugula Bar E Ristorante is the creation of Chef Alec Schuler, a mindful, clever and resourceful chef bringing Northern Italy to the Rockies. We also talk sausage with Laurie Mulay of Mulay Sausages. And finally, we talk with a researcher out of the University of Edinburgh about the Fife Diet and Edmund Harris tells us why he is taking a second look at the local food movement.

In this episode of Crop To Cuisine, we take a look at a new frontier in Colorado agriculture, HOPS. Colorado is produces more beer than any other state, and more craft beer for that matter. But there is no hops industry in the state, which is weird considering Colorado's great climate and landscape. Hops supplies have been falling in recent years, causing the price to skyrocket. But the new generation of farmer is here to fix the problem.

A day before President Elect Obama is sworn in, Crop To Cuisine explores the politics of our food. We speak with professor and author of Food Politics Marion Nestle about the incoming administration, and Bart Miller, Water Program Director at Western Resource Advocates.

Ben Gisin is co-founder and publisher of Touch the Soil magazine, an agricultural magazine promoting resilient agricultural practices. He speaks with Jason Bradford about the crumbling industrial agricultural system and its close relationship with the global economy. With transcript.

On Part III of the Kootenay Harvest Revival recordings, we listen to Deconstructing Dinner Host Jon Steinman address the audience of 270. On day 2 of the event, the success of the Creston Grain CSA was celebrated at the All Seasons Café where presentations were made by CSA co-founder Matt Lowe, CSA farmer Roy Lawrence and board member of the West Kootenay EcoSociety Russell Precious who read some passages by poet and essayist Wendell Berry.

Crop To Cuisine explores the world of brewing beer at home, speaking with Richard Berkey and Brian Carter, owners of Hop To It Homebrew supply shows. They explain the joys of brewing, and the benefits, ranging from economic to entertainment.