The soon-to ripen Florida peach orchards or the spring preparation of Midwest soybean fields may conjure up images of local, domestic food but let’s dig a little deeper. Much of our U.S. grown “local food“ has a global beginning. The National Nutrition Month theme,...
Tag: Food Supply Systems
Sustainable Agriculture — Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Perspectives from the Sustainable Ag Summit
For those of us who grew up with “dirt under our fingernails” or are currently engaged in raising cattle or crops from almonds to corn, it can be easy to say, “sustainable agriculture has always been at the core of our existence.” However, sustainable farming...
Our Holiday Meals — Pricey But Truly Priceless
We are starting to regain some normality to the holidays but amid our anticipation, looming headlines about the price of food hit us in the face and pocketbook. Regardless of the media source, there is a consistent theme: our Thanksgiving dinner (and future holiday...
In Case You Were Wondering ….
Recently, one of my friends, a culinary extraordinaire, asked me a simple but complicated question: “Why can I only find 20 pound turkeys at the grocery store when I am only cooking for two?” Even though I didn’t have an informed answer at the time, I knew I could...
Grocery Stores: The “Center of Our Universe” in a Sea of Uncertainty
Grocery stores will always play an important role in our quest for food but during this past year, they became the “center of our universe” whether we shopped online or in person. Grocery stores were our “go to” food source and according to my husband, his social...
Don’t Let Fresh Get in the Way of Eating Healthy
It was the middle of winter in Chicago with snow on the ground (sounds familiar?) and during a question-and-answer session following a presentation I had just given, an audience member asked “What is the one food or nutrition myth you would like to bust”? Without...
Regenerative Agriculture — Is What Is Old Actually New Again?
Traveling 1,100 miles over 16 hours and six states in one day provides plenty of opportunities to view the landscape along the I-64 and I-70 westward route to Colorado from the passenger side window. For once, I did just that on a recent road trip. The temptation of...
Shining Stars Among Grim Realities
With farmer’s markets brimming with vegetables and strawberries, beautiful sunny mornings and French roast coffee brewing, I could easily forget we’re still “in this” (even with a mask on!). The pandemic, the long-term lingering effects of hunger, unemployment and...
Will the “New Normal” Become Normal in Our Quest for Food?
The calendar reflects the month of May with the dogwoods and azaleas blooms slowly fading and the trees in full green regalia. Spring is here (except for the recent frost!). But, as I peruse the articles and writings over the past couple of months, I am more reminded...
A Perfect Storm Blows Through the Food Chain
Food is at the core of our existence and our conflicts. “Wars (figuratively and literally) have been fought over food and continue to be fought today in developed and underdeveloped countries," is a statement I wrote in a recently published article on nutrition and...