Feeding Our Interdependence

Regular readers of this blog will know of my work around and passion about food systems.  Food, as Growing Power founder Will Allen once put it, is “the great connector.”  So much comes together in what we eat, including: chains (more ideally cycles) of producers, processors, distributors, retailers, consumers, and composters; global and local providers; considerations of environment, economy, and equity/access; cultural traditions; and of course community when we bake and break bread together.  On this July 4th holiday, as conversations heat up around the region, country, and world, about the importance of remembering what literally sustains us, I want to celebrate the food movement and share 10 of the more inspiring and instructive articles, reports and videos I have come across in the past year or so.  Enjoy and Happy Interdependence Day!

• Stephen Ritz TED Talk – Green Bronx Machine and “Growing Our Way to a New Economy“
• Urban Farmer Will Allen discusses The Good Food Revolution with Tavis Smiley
• “Healthy Food, Healthy Communities” report by PolicyLink
• Dan Imhoff TED Talk on food and place
• Marion Nestle article  “What Drives Global Obesity?”
• Carolyn Steel TED Talk – “How Food Shapes Our Cities”
• ARC’s “The Color of Food” report on the state of equity in the food chain
• NY Times article “Small Farmers Create New Business Model as Agriculture Goes Local”
• Slate Magazine issue on The Future of Food, including lead article on “Food’s Class Warfare”
• Chef and Wholesome Wave founder Michel Nishan video interview  “Local Agriculture Creates Dialogue”

And I am certainly eager to hear about your favorite food system related resources.  Please share!