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RE: [lofo List] Re: dates for a food event
Mo, the head chef from the Willow on Wascana, may be interested. He
spoke at the Pro-Cert meeting.
The Willow is one of the best restaurants I've had the pleasure of
dining at, anywhere. The Willow's quality
is reflected in their dedication to local and organic food. All meats
for example are organic and Sask raised.
Mo's a very good presenter and has a lot of passion for local organic
foods.
I think it would be ironic to fly in a chef from Toronto for a local
food event.
Also, is this a local food event or a local organic food event. Are we
allowing chemically sprayed local foods? I don't consider local foods
grown with chemical fertilizers and pesticides to be local because the
chemicals are imported and the farmers margins (money) are exported to
support unethical companies which continues to perpetuate many of the
larger problems in agriculture. However, even organic farmers are
importing fuel to be used in their tractors. I guess one step at a time.
Cooking local organic food from scratch is affordable but still possibly
more expensive than local chemically sprayed foods...but probably less
expensive than purchasing store bought processed/convenience food. But
what is the cost of a family member with cancer? Is the local chemically
sprayed foods actually cheaper than the local organic foods?
Food in Canada is too cheap and its making us sick as a nation. You get
what you pay for as cheap food equals cheap quality. Its also going to
bankrupt us as we will probably be spending upwards of $160 - 200
billion this year on medicare. So, food appears to be cheap at the
check-out counter but it really isn't. Is it ethical for farmers to go
broke so families can have 'cheap' food?
I'm not interested in promoting local chemically sprayed foods. There
are 5 farms/groups that I know of who are selling Sask grown/raised
organic food into the Regina market. I would like to promote these
farmers and facilitate new customers for them.
Do we want to have a discussion regarding the price of food? I think its
important. People have been taught, even farmers, to purchase the
cheapest food possible regardless of the environmental, health and
social cost of cheap food.
Even the organic industry is plaqued by this as larger manufactures, who
are trying to compete in the mass market tend to push for the cheapest
price for their organic ingredients as possible. However, we see that
such a strategy can blow up in organizations' faces as their purchasing
loyalty is often with the lowest cost supplier...in this case it was
peanut butter which has led to a massive food recall and death of over
10 people.
Once again you get what you pay for and why was this supplier able to
sell organic peanut butter at cheaper than their competitors, clearly
they cut corners on food safety and quality to provide the cheapest
price.
Thanks for the opportunity to rant!
Jason
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-lofo@cs.uregina.ca [mailto:owner-lofo@cs.uregina.ca] On
Behalf Of karen@chep.org
Sent: March 8, 2009 4:31 PM
To: Local Food Directory Project
Subject: Re: [lofo List] Re: dates for a food event
What about a stream of workshops on the theme of cooking local foods -
this could involve local cooks (such as the woman who owns the birch
hills
restaurant) or Amy Jo Ehman who writes about local food or a local
catering group who uses local affordable food for menus and to generate
money for their families. Maybe we can pay or get sponsor for a
celebrity cook from toronto and use him/her to attract a large public
attendance at a special event assoctated with the conference.
K
On 8:53:09 am 03/08/09 Don Mitchell <donmitchell@sasktel.net> wrote:
> Daryl and all,
>
> The Saskatchewan provincial Food Secure conference was originally
> targeted for May but we've moved it back to fall (probably Oct
> 2nd-3rd) to allow more lead time for planning and promotion. It looks
> like SIAT Palliser campus in Moose Jaw will be willing to partner with
> us.
> We want to develop a strong range of workshop options to broaden the
> network of participation especially among producers and urban food
> activists from around the province.
>
> don
>
> .
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Daryl Hepting" <dhh@cs.uregina.ca>
> To: "Local Food Directory Project" <lofo@cs.uregina.ca>
> Cc: "Nettie Wiebe" <nettie.wiebe@usask.ca>; "'Don Mitchell'"
> <donmitchell@sasktel.net>
> Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 11:58 PM
> Subject: [lofo List] Re: dates for a food event
>
>
> > Hi;
> >
> > Sure. I had in mind that Food Secure Saskatchewan was meeting in
> > May. The October dates sound fine, too, though I may not be around.
> >
> >> Lets be as synergistic as possible.
> >
> > I agree wholeheartedly.
> >
> > Best regards,
> > Daryl
> > --
> > On 7-Mar-09, at 9:04 PM, Cathy Holtslander wrote:
> >
> >> Linking with the FSS conference sounds like a top-knotch idea, as
> >> it brings an existing network of food people together, and may
> >> well have some $$ resources in place already. I think it would be
> >> a better fit than Agribition, which tends to draw a crowd that
> >> really likes giant tractors.
> >> Cathy
> >>
> >> Quoting Don Mitchell <donmitchell@sasktel.net>:
> >>> Hi to all,,
> >>>
> >>> I'm interested in this thread of discussion. I should let you
> >>> know that we (Food Secure Saskatchewan) are planning a
> >>> provincial conference on Food Security in which a workshop on
> >>> grass-fed beef or red meat production could be a highlight. Out
> >>> tentative dates are October 2nd and 3rd. We are looking at a
> >>> wide range of workshop themes promiting the local food systems.
> >>> The event, at this point, loks like it will be located in Moose
> >>> Jaw.
> >>> (Alternately it may be in Regina but this will be decided before
> >>> the end of
> >>> March.)
> >>>
> >>> If we can include a workshop on sustainable red meat productin
> >>> we would be very interested.
> >>> Don Mitchell
> >>> for Food Secure Saskatchewan
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>> From: "Jason Freeman" <jason@farmerdirect.coop>
> >>> To: "Nettie Wiebe" <nettie.wiebe@usask.ca>; "Local Food
> >>> Directory Project"
> >>> <lofo@cs.uregina.ca>
> >>> Cc: "Local Food Directory Project" <lofo@cs.uregina.ca>
> >>> Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 6:54 PM
> >>> Subject: RE: [lofo List] Dubious 'Scientific' Study Grass Fed
> >>> versus Grain Fed Livestock
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> > In my thinking the goal would be to connect members of the
> >>> public with
> >>> > the farmers...so direct sales for the farmers and consumer
> >>> education
> >>> > would be the major goals of the event. > If the end of October
> >>> > works for everybody by that time local
> >>> sustainable
> >>> > food should be red-hot, judging by all the media concerning
> >>> local food
> >>> > and the state of the world economy. So, perhaps we could see
> >>> 500 or more
> >>> > people who are serious about purchasing local and sustainable
> >>> meat come
> >>> > to this event. >
> >>> > People are in to it, they want to meet the farmers. >
> >>> > -----Original Message-----
> >>> > From: Nettie Wiebe [mailto:nettie.wiebe@usask.ca]
> >>> > Sent: March 6, 2009 11:52 AM
> >>> > To: Local Food Directory Project; Jason Freeman
> >>> > Cc: Local Food Directory Project
> >>> > Subject: Re: [lofo List] Dubious 'Scientific' Study Grass Fed
> >>> versus
> >>> > Grain Fed Livestock
> >>> >
> >>> > Thanks for your input, Jason. As a small cow-calf organic beef
> >>> > operation, we would be interested in the kind of workshop you
> >>> > are proposing - at least if it is organized during a season
> >>> when we can take
> >>> > time away from the farm. > Nettie Wiebe
> >>> >
> >>> > Quoting Jason Freeman <jason@farmerdirect.coop>:
> >>> >
> >>> >> Hi Darryl,
> >>> >>
> >>> >> I'm a little concerned with the thread regarding the supposed
> >>> >> GHG benefits of grain versus grass fed livestock. >> The
> >>> >> article did not go into enough detail regarding how the
> >>> > 'scientists'
> >>> >> derived the volume of methane produced between Grass and
> >>> >> grain fed cattle. It appeared they simply derived volume
> >>> based on a calorie per
> >>> >> calorie basis. >>
> >>> >> A study last year pointed out that lamb raised in New Zealand
> >>> >> but consumed in the UK represented less GHG than lamb raised
> >>> and consumed
> >>> >> in the UK. The main reason was that the New Zealand lamb was
> >>> raised
> >>> >> and finished on grass and the UK on grain. >> Mammals,
> >>> >> including ourselves, tend not to emit that much
> >>> methane when
> >>> >> we eat a diet consistent with our physiology...meaning we
> >>> >> fart and burp less. Cows are no different. It is extremely
> >>> >> dubious to claim that cows designed to eat grass actually
> >>> >> contribute to GHG versus grain fed cattle especially in feed
> >>> lots where you have all sorts of
> >>> >> health problems such as acidosis. >> The proper management of
> >>> >> manure and pasture actually increases the farms soil organic
> >>> >> matter and therefore one
> >>> should see a net reduction
> >>> >
> >>> >> of GHG from a properly managed grass fed operation. I would
> >>> absolutely
> >>> >
> >>> >> agree that multi-species livestock management is the way to
> >>> >> go but this needs the development of a local food system to
> >>> >> make it financially sustainable. >> Of course over grazing
> >>> damages pastures but the whole point is to
> >>> >> manage your farm properly. >>
> >>> >> I believe grain fed can also reduce GHG by increasing soil
> >>> >> organic matter if the feeding is done on an organic farm from
> >>> grain grown on
> >>> >> the farm with proper manure and pasture management. This is my
> >>> >> experience at farmer direct which needs to be further
> >>> quantified. A
> >>> >> hybrid of grass/grain may end up being the most efficient way
> >>> for an
> >>> >> organic family farm, on the prairies, to utilize all of their
> >>> >> resources to achieve economic sustainability given various
> >>> market and
> >>> >> weather fluctuations. For example, if you have a mixed
> >>> >> operation, growing grain and raising grass-fed cattle, but
> >>> >> your crop ends up being feed quality and the feed market
> >>> price is unprofitable...what do
> >>> >
> >>> >> you do, because you are a grass operation you can't feed the
> >>> grain to
> >>> > your cattle. >> So you other option is to hold over the grain
> >>> until the feed markets
> >>> >> increase which then puts you in a speculative position. >>
> >>> >> Maybe its time for a one day symposium regarding a local
> >>> organic meat
> >>> >> system up at the University. There is a lot of really exciting
> >>> >> activity going on in Saskatchewan with people like Mark, Clear
> >>> Creek,
> >>> >> Keith Neu and a number of other groups who are raising organic
> >>> >> livestock for sale in local/Sask markets. The farmers could
> >>> >> share their visions on what constitutes healthy and
> >>> sustainable livestock
> >>> >> production and sale and where they want to head in the
> >>> >> future. The goal would be to attract as many members of the
> >>> public as possible so
> >>> >> we can make the links to build this market. >> Just some
> >>> >> thoughts. >> Best Regards, Jason
> >>> >> ----
> >>> >> The Local Food Directory Project Mailing List
> >>> >> lofo@cs.uregina.ca
> >>> >>
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> > ----
> >>> > The Local Food Directory Project Mailing List
> >>> > lofo@cs.uregina.ca
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> > --
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> >>> > 7:20 AM
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>>
> >>> ----
> >>> The Local Food Directory Project Mailing List lofo@cs.uregina.ca
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ----
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> >
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> >
> >
> >
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