Growing Local Roots– Day Trip on the Road to the Real Food Revolution

A short story of my trip to Wayne County near my home is followed by a short review of the book Growing Roots. I will file this post under Augie’s Doghouse– Augie

Living Food on the book table at Whitefeather's

Last Saturday, I found myself once again in beautiful Wayne County, Ohio– just minutes from my home. I picked up my quarter of a grass-fed beef steer (with the dog bones for making broth). The picture is a shot of our Living Food bulletins on the book table. Whitefeather Meats is one of the few remaining slaughter/butcher/retail shops in the area and a lot of cattlemen I know (and will get to know) truck their pastured animals there for processing. As usual, it was exciting to see them again, since I only get to those parts of the woods once a year.

Artisanal Cheesemaker: Wisconsin’s Loss is Ohio’s Gain

Having the opportunity to politely throw cheesecake into the face of Wisconsin dairy police must have been quite a thrill for young Bill Anderson. I sampled some half-dozen cheeses and talked to Bill about his aspirations last Spring– and I was so impressed with his excitement about his rare craft. His raw blue cheese is heavenly. Ohio dairy lovers welcome Bill to the state and to the Snowville Creamery where we anxiously await the products. First chance I get, I will head on down for a tour.–Augie

My Farewell Speech to Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

by Bill Anderson

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

My name is Bill Anderson.  I am 25 years old.  I was born and raised in Wisconsin, and have lived here for my entire life.  Though I grew up in the suburbs of Milwaukee, I just completed the entire Wisconsin cheese maker licensing program, and passed the final exam yesterday.  I should also mention that my mother grew up on a diversified family-run dairy farm in central Wisconsin.

However, this week I am making the biggest move of my life.  I am moving to Athens, Ohio, to start an artisanal cheese program for Snowville Creamery, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

But before I leave my home state, I would like to share some of my thoughts and observations with this Board of Directors. As someone who greatly cherishes local sustainable agriculture, artisanal cheese, and the community of people who share those values, it was not an easy decision for me to leave Wisconsin and seek opportunities elsewhere.

Today, America’s Dairyland stands at a crossroads.  There is a clear choice before you:  Agriculture or Agri-business?  Shall we sacrifice the family dairy farm at the alter of profit and commerce?  Or shall we nourish the types of culinary and agricultural traditions which make nations like France and Italy famous — and might I add, models for our Wisconsin cheese makers today?

Conducting business is a reality in our modern market-driven economy.  However, it would be a grave mistake for us to believe that the interests of business ought to trump human concerns such as environmental quality, health, social justice, and local democracy.

Sadly, my experience in Wisconsin has led me to believe that this state is increasingly placing the values of commerce and industry over the interests of the people of the state, particularly in the realm of agriculture.

Read the entire story on Kimberly Hartke’s blog.

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View a sam­ple of the paper ver­sion of Liv­ing Food. For just $5 I will email you the full PDF ver­sion– or for $25 Annie will send you 25 new, crisp ones com­plete with hole punches. Make some extra dough sell­ing em for two bucks a piece (includ­ing holes) or hand them out to those who are hungry for the real food.

Animal Farm 2009– Ohio Issue 2

Animal Farm 2009

by Augie

There are three cute videos below– including Animal Farm, The Meatrix and Store Wars which help to get the Vote NO on Issue 2 message across.

An Ohio constitutional amendment will be on the November ballot to create a Board for Livestock Care Standards. It will develop farm animal care and feeding standards to create rules to be enforced by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) The board will also consider agricultural best management practices, biosecurity on livestock farms, animal disease prevention, food safety and food production economics. See our entire series on the potential Animal Care and Feeding laws.

According to a number of sources, Issue 2 is meant for all farm animals and all farms. But is it meant for the Factory Farms and CAFOs? Not really.

Based on what is known, it seems like this could be “one small step for Little Chicken, one giant leap for Big Pig”— after all, as in George Orwell’s Animal Farm:

“all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”.

Manna Storehouse Raid Trial–to be Videotaped by CVN

UPDATE (10/7/09)– THE TRIAL WAS POSTPONED TODAY AND WILL BE RESCHEDULED TOMORROW, AT WHICH TIME THE NEW DATE WILL BE POSTED HERE.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Manna Storehouse/Farm Raid Trial Begins–to be Video Recorded by CVN

October 6, 2009 – Cleveland, OH – Courtroom View Network (CVN) of New York City has announced that it will video record the trial of Stowers vs. Ohio Department of Agriculture and Lorain County Health Department, according to today’s Journal of Whole Food and Nutritional Health. The trial will be held on October 8 and 9  (date pending) at the Lorain County Courthouse, 226 Middle Avenue in Elyria, Ohio.

The court case is the result of a before-Christmas 2008 Lorain County SWAT-team raid on The Manna Storehouse, an organic food coop in LaGrange, Ohio owned and operated by John and Jackie Stowers. The Stowers and their ten children and grandchildren were detained in one room of their home for six hours while the sheriff’s team confiscated sixty boxes of fresh farm food, computers, phones and business records. The food included USDA-certified meat from the Stower’s children’s mini-farm and the nearby Amish community. The Stowers were suspected of not having a retail food license, and the raid was instigated by the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Lorain County Department of Health. Son Chad, father of the baby and toddler and wife Katie also present during the raid, was serving with the Navy Seabees in the Operation Iraqi Freedom at the time of the incident.

The Stowers are charging the state and county with 119 complaints including unlawful search and seizure, illegal use of state police power, taking of private property without compensation, failure to provide due process and equal protection, and denied their inalienable rights guaranteed under the Constitution, including their right to grow and eat their own food and offer it to others. 

Rise and Expansion: Ohio, Los Angeles and Northern Virginia Connections to Whole Food and Nutrition

Before we get to the main article, which is to be published in the Winter issue of the prestigious international journal called Wise Traditions by The Weston A. Price Foundation, I will offer you a special treat. Together with Ohio chapters of WAPF, Ohio Connections has developed a statewide integrated network for communication and event announcements. Of course, Ohioans are welcome to join.

Ohio statewide group, Ohio Connections at http://wholefood.meetup.com/165

Canton Connections at http://wholefood.meetup/160
Cincinnati Connections at http://meetup.com/realfood
Cleveland Connections at http://meetup.com/clevelandconnections
Dayton Connections at http://meetup.com/dayton-nourishing-connections
Columbus Connections at http://meetup.com/columbus-nourishing-connections

We have added three new cities to the Meetups in the past month and are expecting to add three or four additional cities in the near future. Now to the story on Ohio, Los Angeles and Northern Virginia.

Ohio Farm Wars Start: Why 12 Major Sustainable Small Farm Orgs Oppose Ohio Issue 2– Animal Care and Feeding Laws

Please go directly to one of the Ohio Issue 2  Command Operations Centers for the latest, including an electronic Hot Button for you to use and an arsenal of posters, signs and flyers.

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Here is why food, farm and freedom groups all across the state and nation are opposed to Ohio Issue 2. Directly below is a Food and Water Watch release. This was passed on by one of our readers. Other statements follow. Then, on to the Animal Farm theme and hard-hitting commentary that follows.

_________________________

Dear Shareholders,

Grab the Issue 2 Hot Button. Spread it like manure.

Many of you have been asking where we stand on Issue 2 in Ohio,

please see below with attachments. Please pass on to family and friends
and please, please, please, get out and vote!
Thank you and God bless,
Dan Kremer
E.A.T. Food for Life Farm
www.eatfoodforlife.com

—————————————–

We, the undersigned, oppose Issue 2, which would amend the Ohio state
constitution to create a Livestock Board with unchecked power over
livestock rules and regulations. We believe that this is an
inappropriate use of the Ohio constitution, and would set a dangerous
precedent by creating a permanent place for special interests in the
constitution.

*We further oppose Issue 2 for the following reasons:*