@morethanorganic

@morethanorganic

Communicating Values of Organic Food

January 2012

Through communication of a clear, accurate initial message, we can key into shared mutual interest with our audience. Then, if we're really interested in developing mutual understanding that leads towards the heart of our cause, we need a willingness to get involved wholeheartedly with its values. These values at the heart of our cause would seem to take precedent over its activity and even its m...

Giant Salmon, Ideals, Practicalities

November 2010

Rarely do we get into a debate about what is needed most at this point in time. We may know from our own lives, the difference between needing and wanting, but how does that translate to a World level view of how best to develop food systems? Trying to make a living from small scale farming has a way of cutting through idealism, to reveal common sense solutions that meet needs in a practical simpler manne...

Working pruning olive trees brings a sense of heritage: a heritage of extraordinary value.  Many of these trees are well over 100 years old, some possibly several hundreds.  Each knarled trunk and crooked branch come together to give each tree a character of it´s own.  So many seasons have gone into creating these characters, yet they are still only young adults and with care could well still be around in the next millenium.

The noble generations that pl...

Ever consider why society developed like it has?  Here, society means over-consuming countries such as UK and USA, where life is automated.  Make no mistake about this, making a living from farming the land is probably the hardest phyiscal work you´ll get.  Manual building work may be more intense, but that´s a 9-5 job, whereas farming is a lifestyle, all hours, all weathers, all days.

By now you´re wondering where this is going?  You know ...

Guest blog by Heather Flournoy, @katonahgreen

Heather, blogs on local enviromental issues at www.KatonahGreen.com. Besides being a social media strategist, a mother and a community activist, she has spent over 30 years riding and training and learning from horses and the natural environment. She has apprenticed with numerous holistic healers, practices herbalism and other healing modalities, and is an advocate for sustainable agriculture.

How Horses Ca...

The soil here in South Catalunya leaves a lot to be desired. Generally, abundant top soil is difficult to track down.? On my land, that had remained fallow for twelve years, the resulting humus had barely made an impact on the deep red clay base. Generally here in Spain, we find that areas rich in fertile top soil command a market premium price - that?s if? this type of land makes it onto the market? - the local people know what?s a good long term investment and hold onto it!? This sit...

So the drive to sustainable food is beginning to appear on the general public´s radar - all the pan banging has created enough noise to get us this far.  That´s positive, a move in the right direction, but how do we develop our cause - make it tangible enough to kickstart some real change, real momentum?  How do we really get our claws into some deep societal action?

Twitter as a connecting tool is good, but we´re harnessing all this connectiv...

To communicate my perspective on the monetary value of food, you´ll need a little insight into my view and what goes into forming that.  Your own perspective is unique to you and I´m not expecting you to see things the way I do, but by giving you some background to what forms mine, I may add enough credibility to these ideas that you choose to give them some consideration.

Like it or not, your view of me as the author of this article will influence what you ge...

For a moment, let go of everything you´ve been told about food.  Sit down somewhere comfortable, alone and away from distractions.  Relax and become aware of your breathing, letting thoughts arise without getting involved with them.  How are you today?  Can you feel what´s happening in your body?  Gently bring your awareness to focus on your feet - how are they feeling?  Move your awareness slowly up through your legs and entire body, right to the top o...

Capitalism ephasizes quantity.  In our over consuming Western Nations, quantity is seen as a core value.  Accumulating material wealth as a facet of desiring quantity, drives our economies and plays a large part in our lives which are managed and run based on quantities of time.  Wherever we look, it´s not difficult to find quantity as a core value. So is it really so surprising that agriculture and food systems reflect this core value of quantity?

Our so...

Rebecca is an ecologically focused textile artist, ethnobotanist, restoration gardener and teacher. Rebecca´s blog is about experiences creating functional art from nature.

Local Mordant November 28, 2009

With acorns raining on the roof tops I felt inspired to see how I could put this abundan...

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of yesterday´s Twitter discussion on Genetically Modified (GM) foods, was the general apathy towards the subject. 

Those people sharing their views helped the conversation to develop and bloom, but considering we are now instantly connected with hundreds of others tweeters, involvement was disappointing. Our discussion was an opportunity when many different views could have been expressed.  To hear more pro-GM views and thos...

The outdoors and the wealth of experience it offers is now being promoted increasingly in education as we realise it’s importance for a generation that spend most of their time indoors interfacing with electronic devices. To care about our environment, our children need to understand it. And it is becoming important for us to grow, understand and be connected to our food again. For me the ideal school wouldn’t rely on a few devoted individuals giving up their time, but would make ...

For many western countries, 2009 has been the year of the credit crunch.  While I´m no financial whizz, it´s safe to say that the collapse of the economy is down to greed!

The ´have now, pay later´ mentality is a symptom of our modern society.  We want it all, we want it now, we deserve it!

This mentality is like the concrete holding the foundation of our modern food system together.  Modern farming practices are the ´...

Organic Food Is A Waste Of Money.

Andrew Ellson - Personal Finance Editor.

The Times.

September 5th 2009. 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article6822026.ece

Dear Sir,

Thank you for highlighting some important points with your 'blind taste test'.

Supermarket branded organic prod...