When you think of Los Angeles beaches, the first things that come to mind are probably Instagram sunsets and surfers. But LA is also home to some fantastic local food and food makers. From small urban farmers growing organic microgreens to raw local honey to CBD treats for dogs — there’s a lot to discover at the Marina del Rey farmers market on Saturdays.
Jodi Daley talks about what it takes to organize a farmers market from the ground up, and how the market she founded is helping improve the health and quality of life for community members across the economic spectrum.
Coffee farmers devote years to producing top quality beans enjoyed by coffee lovers around the world. However, due to a lengthy and inefficient supply chain, these largely independent farmers are rarely rewarded with financial security. Inspired by a Nicaraguan women’s coffee cooperative, Noushin Ketabi, Rob Terenzi and Will DeLuca founded Vega Coffee to help give farmers a larger share of the global coffee market. Tell us about Vega Coffee. How are you working to make the coffee trade more equitable for farmers? “We started Vega to completely reinvent coffee’s broken supply chain. Specialty coffee farmers often earn around $1 per…
While EBT is widely accepted at supermarkets, families relying on EBT have not been able to buy local, sustainably grown food at farmers markets, since the markets have had no way to accept them. That is beginning to change.
I dreamed I was at a farmers’ market trying to promote fresh, clean wholesome food. A very handsome, young man came to join me at the booth, sharing my enthusiasm for organic food. Naturally, I became absolutely smitten.
Alex Liebman of Stone’s Throw Urban Farm talks about the precarious nature of farming on underulitized and vacant urban plots, earning a decent wage and what aspiring urban farmers should do to maximize their chances of success.
In an interview with EthicalFoods.com, Chef Dissen discusses his efforts to source and promote local, sustainably caught seafood.
Some farmers who practice organic farming, and even those whose methods achieve a higher level of environmental and ethical cultivation, have decided against getting certified organic. Farmers share their thoughts about the pros and cons of certification.
It’s summer, which means basil season is in full swing. Either you are harvesting ample, fragrant basil from your herb garden, getting bunches of it in your CSA or buying it marvelously fresh at your local farmers market. Now is the time to make pesto, one of the most delicious and versatile sauces of the season.
It’s high summer in the northern hemisphere, and that means your local farmers market is in full swing, offering a cornucopia of ripe, fresh local food. While most people associate dairy with food high in calcium, there are whole, fresh vegetables and nuts that provide this crucial mineral.
Whatever you may have thought about vegetarian holiday fare, today, top chefs are creating delicious, festive and satisfying vegetarian holiday menus that may leave you wondering if turkey has been long overrated.
With the appropriate planning, you can save money this holiday season without throwing your food ethics out the window. Forget canned green beans, factory farmed turkey and pre-packaged stuffing. This year, serve your family a healthy, delicious holiday feast and avoid food waste. The winter holidays are all about abundance—being surrounded by friends and family,…
Our top six tips for a healthy, sustainable and locally sourced holiday dinner. Save money, avoid waste and enjoy a wholesome, humane feast.
Wondering what to pack for a sustainable, eco friendly vacation? There are so many easy ways we can have our adventures with less of a plastic footprint. Here are some basic items every eco conscious traveler should consider for their next holiday.
Restaurants with their own farms gain a unique appreciation for what it takes to produce quality food. Chef Alex Seidel has gotten a lot of positive attention for his expertly prepared, eco-conscious cuisine at Denver’s Fruition Restaurant. The Wisconsin native was recognized in 2010 by Food and Wine Magazine as one of the best new…
Chef Daniel Corey talks to us about seasonal menus, Luce’s green certification and the trend toward sustainability in the restaurant industry. Long before San Francisco-based restaurant Luce received its official Green Dining Certification from the Green Restaurant Association, the establishment had already committed to keeping things fresh, local, seasonal and sustainable. Today Luce is one…
Quail eggs are a common street snack in Peru, and often used in Thailand and China. In the US, however, quail eggs are just hitting the food scene. You’ll find them served raw in sushi restaurants, atop a bed of tobiko and wrapped in nori; pickled and served as cocktail snacks; poached and served on…
Using borrowed suburban backyards, this urban farm CSA is bringing dormant gardens back to life and fresh organic food to the city.
Fresh, healthy, nourishing food is a human necessity. However, in modern society, food often comes with high out-of-pocket and environmental costs, is increasingly depleted of nutrients and is produced miles from where it is enjoyed, offering consumers little to no connection to the farmer or the growing process. These troubling aspects of modern food production…
Ending food waste, keeping perfectly good food out of landfills and feeding people who need a little help in your own community. It’s easier than you might think. Have you ever wondered where all the leftover food from places like your local supermarket or restaurants ends up? How about the gorgeous produce that remains after…
Are you ready to turn your lawn into a farm and make money at the same time? The creators of SPIN-farming—or Small Plot Intensive farming—are confident that anyone can follow their urban farming model and earn an income from farming on less than an acre of land. SPIN farming was created by Wally Satzewich and Gail Vandersteen of Saskatchewan Canada in an online learning series at SPINfarming.com. Their business model and method of farming focuses primarily on growing high value crops, high yielding crops, companion planting, and much closer spacing than conventional farming methods allow; SPIN farming maximizes efficiency on…
In cities, farmers are looking to rooftops to provide fresh food for urban populations. One of the major environmental and aesthetic problems with urbanization is the lack of available open space and the distinctive absence of greenery in lieu of concrete and asphalt. One of the solutions that urban farmers have started to pursue is the use of rooftops as viable space to grow food. These rooftop farms are ideal for growing food because they have access to direct sun light for most of the day and they make use of previously underutilized spaces without competing for expensive land at…
Robert Lower has created a thriving farm in the desert using sustainable design and cultivation methods such as permaculture and eco-dynamics. His soaring date trees and fragrant citrus grove is evocative of an ancient Mesopotamian garden oasis. Situated in Coachella, California, is a lush desert plantation of date and citrus trees at Robert Lower’s Flying…
Here are some pros and cons of eating local and tips on how to include more local foods in season in your diet. Most supermarket shoppers find themselves chained to the same short list of produce all year. We have mistakenly come to believe that having the same standardized foods delivered to us year around…
A closer look at what’s in the jar The Alternative Health Journal studied over 100 baby foods and found that many contain ingredients that are not necessary to a baby’s diet, let alone health. Results concluded that many commercial baby foods contain high quantities of sugar. Even organic brands are not exempt from this, as…
A wholesome diet of carefully sourced clean food is the foundation of good health. If you are struggling with IBS or intolerance to common foods such as dairy, soy or gluten, this is especially important. Charlotte shares her insights about discovering the diet that’s perfect for you, and how to eat well on a limited…
With so many labels vying for your sustainable food dollar, it is becoming increasingly difficult to decide which is best. The labels should make it easier, but how many of us really know what the certified Organic or the various steps of the GAP animal welfare labels really entail? When it comes to pork, there…
For some people, adopting a strict vegan or vegetarian diet — whether it’s for health, social, environmental or animal welfare-related reasons — can be a challenge. Embracing the flexitarian approach, however, offers meat lovers the perfect, self-determined degree of wiggle room. Flexitarianism simply advocates plant-based diets that include the occasional steak or pork chop, allowing adherents the flexibility…
When I first became aware of how my food choices were affecting my health, my community and the environment, I set out to make changes in my life to reflect my values, my desire to not participate in the exploitation and careless destruction that seemed to be built into our modern food system. I felt…
Here are a few excellent, easy to follow recipes on how to make your own jam to your preference: preserved in the freezer, fresh in the refrigerator, or one that has a long shelf life in your pantry.
Free. Fresh. Local. What’s not to love about neighborhood food sharing? Seven years ago, a bounty of blackberries and a few generous neighbors inspired Gail Murphy to become one of the driving forces in Altadena’s local food renaissance.
Healthy. Local. Seasonal. Organic. Our best tips on buying sustainable food for less. 1. Drastically reduce the amount of processed foods you buy Processed foods can cost five times as much as home made, and often the ingredients are low quality. Even certified organic processed foods can actually contain more filler, sugar and dubious additives…
The best fresh produce is local, seasonal and organically grown…but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be sporting an organic label. Learn about the issues facing sustainable, local food production and how to evaluate and purchase clean, sustainable produce. Organically grown vs certified organic Certified organic produce is grown in a way that conforms with…
Eating local, seasonal foods is healthier for you and the planet. Here are our favorite tips to help you buy local seasonal food. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) If you’re looking for the freshest local food on a budget, CSA and subscription schemes save time and money. read more… Rise of the urban farm Live in…
Over the past 50 years the answer to a simple question—where does milk come from?—has changed. Here’s what you need to know about where modern milk comes from, how to evaluate milk labels and how to buy humane, healthy dairy products. On this page: What are the issues with conventional dairy? Are dairy cows given…
With so many labels out there that both inform and mislead, here’s what you need to know about how to buy healthy, humanely produced eggs. On this page: What to avoid Understanding labels The importance of free range and pastured eggs Checklist for buying great eggs Where to find healthy, humane eggs Eggs have gone…
Everything you need to know to buy healthy, sustainable, humanely raised poultry. Want to know how to buy healthy eggs? Click here to jump to our egg buying guide. On this page: Know the issues Understanding labels The importance of free range and pasture raised Checklist for buying healthy humane poultry Where to buy poultry…
Known as “honey laundering,” one of the most pervasive international food scandals of our time is centered on illegal honey trading. Chinese honey tainted with heavy metals or banned antibiotics is flooding the global markets. Find out how to avoid buying fake or tainted bootleg honey.
Co-owner of Mouzon House, Dianne Pedinotti, talks with EthicalFoods.com about how her restaurant has been impacted by climate change and shares what it takes to source ingredients locally and sustainably.
Find out what food producers, distributors, farmers and restaurants are hoping 2013 will bring.
Are you debating whether local, responsibly produced food is worth the extra expense and effort? Here’s what farmers, producers and restauranteurs want you to know.
Local food movements all over the world reconnect people with their local foodshed. But what makes a local foodshed, local?
Eden Canon interviews Sue Conley, co-founder of Cowgirl Creamery, to discuss the practice of artisan cheese making, the importance of sourcing locally, and the environmental impact of cheese production. When we pick up groceries at the store, we rarely consider each product’s environmental impact in light of its production chain—from farm, to processor, to distributor,…
In a city ravaged by natural disaster, one organization works to create a solid community food network to support New Orleans urban farms, public awareness and food justice.
Home to Henry Ford’s assembly line, Detroit was once affectionately referred to as Motor City—the epicenter of American car production. With the recent collapse in the American automobile industry and overall economic recession that has ravaged the United States over the past four years, over a fifth of Detroit households do not even own a…
The Small Plot Intensive Method of urban farming gives novice farmers a path to creating a small profitable business growing fresh food.
Meet farm manager Richard Stewart, garden manager Kate Cook, and native plant specialist Abby Artemisia of Carriage House Farm. In a recent interview with EthicalFoods.com, they discuss the reasoning behind switching from conventional farming to using no pesticides or chemical fertilizers, why they are not certified organic, and how large agricultural corporations try to gain advantages over small independent farms.
With the growing demand for the return of agriculture to urban spaces, cities are removing legal barriers to urban farming.
One of the primary missions of urban farming is to provide local communities with access to clean, fresh produce. It is no surprise then, to find that urban farmers have found various ways in which their farms and neighboring edible gardens can feed the poor—who have the least access to one of the most basic necessities.
People who live in urban and suburban environments are turning to homesteading to become more self-sufficient, depending less on a system that has grown out of touch with reality. People who live in cities and suburbs are becoming aware and empowered to find ways to unplug from cycles of dependency and consumerism. By changing their…