NY Times Comparative Food Consumption by Country

Using our Columbia Community Garden efforts as a symbol of broader food issues, let's listen to the pulse of food dicussions worldwide:

"Instead of blaming India and other developing nations for the rise in food prices, Americans should rethink their energy policy — and go on a diet."

"The United States uses — or throws away — 3,770 calories a person each day, according to data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization "

NY Times Op-Ed

A great op-ed in the NY Times by Dan Barber, the chef and co-owner of Blue Hill at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, NY (30 miles north of Manhattan!).

Here's a snippet bringing our Columbia Community Garden efforts into light:

"But regional systems will work only if there is enough small-scale farming going on to make them viable. With a less energy-intensive food system in place, we will need more muscle power devoted to food production, and more people on the farm. (The need is especially urgent when you consider that the average age of today’s American farmer is over 55.) In order to move gracefully into a post-industrial agriculture economy, we also need to rethink how we educate the people who will grow our food."

In that spirit, come out and plant with us in Pupin Plaza on Wednesday at 3pm. It's supposed to be a beautiful day!

Wednesday Planting Date & Final Meeting

Thanks to everyone who came out to plant Wednesday. The plot is looking like a real
garden! However we weren't able to get all the starts we wanted from the market (too
early yet) but we can purchase them Wednesday so we will have another planting date.

Instead of a meeting tonight, anyone who wants to wrap up the semester's FSP work or toss
around ideas for next year should stop by the garden during the planting day Wednesday,
even if you only have 10 minutes. It would be great to see everyone one last time before
we all take off!

Volunteers needed:
- Wednesday 8:30 AM at the gates to help me purchase starts at Union Square (1-2
helpers--email me if you can come!).
- Wednesday 3pm at Pupin Plaza to plant the remaining vegetable starts.

For anyone signed up to water the garden in the next week: Hopefully facilities will
bring the promised supplies by Monday, including the hose that will be located northwest
of the plot where a large spigot comes out of the ground. If not...recruit some friends
or send an email out to this group to ask for helpers shuttling water from Pupin.

Lastly, I'm going to divide the listserve into club members and garden volunteers.
Volunteers are those who just want to know about days they can come work in the garden.
Members/affiliates are those who want to be informed of club activity. If you have not
been involved with recent FSP activity, you will be moved to the garden volunteers
listserve unless you specify otherwise. To join either listserve, email me at rmd2154@columbia.edu and specify which you would like to join.

Enjoy the sun--I know our new plants will!