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Would You Take a Farm Vacation?
If you're looking to get away from it all, Feather Down Farm Days offers family getaways on beautiful US working farms, and its sister sites offer the same opportunities in Europe. So far, there are only three farms on the US list, including two in New York and one in Illinois, but I have a feeling that number will rise in the near future. I love the idea of getting away from civilization and spending a few days in the great outdoors, living in one of these cool tents, gardening, and gathering eggs.
10 Great Urban Farms Across the United States
Who says that farming has to happen exclusively in rural areas? These 10 farms prove that you can grow veggies in any city in the country. Better yet, many of these farms also run substantial education programs, providing city kids with great information about where their food comes from.
Do You Have a Gorgeous View?
I wish this were the view from my front porch! It's actually the view from a farm stay at a cabin I visited in New Zealand a few years ago.
I also love the view from my home's deck, but I've lived in a few other places where the view was less than desirable.
"Wee"kend Getaway: Manchester, VT
With the state of the economy up in the air, families throughout the country are putting their vacation plans on hold until things begin to stabilize. Rather than plan a week-long trip to an exotic locale, many are planning extended weekend getaways to locations within driving distance of home. With this in mind, we are beginning a series called "Wee"kend Getaways, highlighting vacation spots that offer a little something for everyone in your family.
Nice and New: Simrin Farmyard Placemats
You may not enjoy the scent of cow manure or the sound of a rooster's crow at the break of dawn, but you can still bring a little farm life into your home without counting Babe as one of your dependents. Velocity has introduced Simrin Farmyard Placemats ($36) into its collection of fashionable table linens, and I think they're just the thing to give us all a taste of the old days, short of rearing animals ourselves. The placemats are made from 100 percent cotton, and can be easily machine washed and dried.
In the News: Farms Sprout in Suburbia
The Wall Street Journal's "Green Acres II: When Neighbors Become Farmers" reports that a growing number of Americans are "turning grass into edible greens and maybe even greenbacks," by growing food in their front and backyards. Since 2006, in Boulder, CO, school-bus driver Kipp Nash has "uprooted his backyard and the front or backyards of eight of his Boulder neighbors," and spent his afternoons "planting, watering, and tending" these minifarms, growing vegetables like tomatoes, bok choy, garlic, and beets. Although not everyone in the neighborhood finds this suburban farming aesthetically pleasing, particularly not during the Winter months, the locally-grown food market has grown, leaving yard farmers with an opportunity to sell to nearby restaurants and other neighbors.
Midday Muse: A Home at the Top of the World
I snapped this picture of a small mountain farm last September when I was visiting my brother in the Western fjords of Norway. It is so remote and beautiful. Sometimes I dream about living in a place this far up and away from the bustling urban world.
Cool Idea: NYC's Floating Farm
Since more than half of the world's population now lives in cities, it makes sense that we try to grow more of that food within the cities themselves.
Enter the Science Barge. The barge uses a system of recirculating greenhouse hydroponics to grow tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and peppers.
Label Able: Certified Humane
If you are conscious about what goes into your body and you have respect for all creatures great and small, you need to be on the lookout for this Certified Humane food label. This label that makes it easier for conscious consumers to choose egg, dairy, meat, or poultry products that were produced with the welfare of the animal in mind.
A team of veterinarians and animal scientists created the Animal Care Standards to ensure that farmers, producers, and processors keep their animals in conditions that meet high standards of animal care.
Confessions of a Reformed Vegetarian
Maybe this post is going to be of no interest to anyone else, but I have to share it anyway.
Throughout my college years, I was a die-hard Blur fan (Damon Albarn of Gorillaz fame's other band) and I am no stranger to bassist Alex James' wacky wits. He's now living the country life in England and has recently published a story on why, after 17 years, he's "given vegetarianism the chop."
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