Amber Waves of Grain
Freshly cut alfalfa on the prairie just north of Northwood, or as my friend with the a lot of friends on the South Hill calls it, "the North Hill".
Year of Plenty
SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2009
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2009
Regulations on Cow Burps Stripped From Legislation 2
A friend signed me up to receive the Ag Weekly newsletter out of Twin Falls, Idaho. So every week I get a bunch of Ag industry news in my email inbox. As someone who has looked at the food conversation primarily from the consumer's perspective,…
FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2009
It's Time for a Spokane County Local Foods Initiative
As recent events have shown, our community's farmers' markets are vulnerable to unexpected regulatory action. Thankfully it looks like things are working out this go around, but I'm more worried about the next surprise. The rapid growth of farmers' markets has moved out ahead of…
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2009
View From Your Garden - Upside Down Tomatoes
Awhile back I invited folks to submit some pictures of their gardens as the summer progresses. I plan on posting some of the pictures with an ongoing "View From Your Garden" segment on the blog. The pictures are starting to trickle in and thought I…
FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2009
Food Inc. Is a Shot Across the Bow of Industrial Food Practices
Here's the latest installment in the Public Relations wars around our sick food systems. First there was the book, "Fast Food Nation", then Michael Pollan's series of books culminating in "Ominvore's Dilemma", and now the two authors of those books, among others, join forces on…
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2009
Could a Farmers' Market Be an Act of Spiritual Worship? 1
The Spokesman is running an article in today's paper on the situation with churches and property taxes that I've recently highlighted on the blog. I scanned the the comments on the article and this one jumped out to me; "Why are churches tax exempt anyway?"…
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2009
Spokane Area Farmers' Markets and Department of Revenue Update
I previously reported that the actions of the Department of Revenue may disrupt several Spokane Farmers' Markets by removing the tax exempts status of the church parking lots used to host the markets. Of the three markets effected, both the Millwood Farmers' Market and the…
TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2009
Summer 2009 Wildflower Project 3
One experience from our Year of Plenty has been that sometimes when you decide to do something unlikely and audacious, you actually do it and it's wonderfully fruitful. It wasn't just the decision to consume local for a year. It was all of the smaller…
SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2009
What Can One Do?
Wendell Berry's observations from the book of essays, "What Are People For";Many times, after I have finished a lecture on the decline of American farming and rural life, someone in the audience has asked, "What can city people do?" "Eat responsibly," I have usually answered.…
FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2009
Department of Revenue Actions May Disrupt Several Spokane Farmers' Markets
It's not often that I can say I have an exclusive news story but that is the case today because I'm right in the middle of it. The Department of Revenue of the State of Washington is taking action against churches that are holding Farmers'…
THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2009
The View From Your Garden 3
Andrew Sullivan, the uber-blogger has a series on his site called "The View From Your Window" where he invites readers of the blog to send in pictures of their view from a window. It has become a staple of his blog and provides a fascinating…
MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2009
Six Rivers Market in Sandpoint
The Six Rivers Market in Sandpoint, ID is trying out an innovative new model of marketing locally grown foods. It's a cross between a CSA, Amazon.com, and a Farmers Market. You order your items online and then pick them up a few days later at…
SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2009
Name That (Other) Native Plant 1
Here' another one from my outing yesterday. There were just a few of these gorgeous yellow flowers down in a little valley. They stood out like glistening gems. I'm thinking Coreopsis or Rudbeckia type flower. Anyone know what this is?
SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2009
Name That Native Plant 2
I was exploring not too far from the Spokane River this afternoon and came across this strange looking wild plant. It looks like bamboo but it has a seed head like a mushroom. A big webby hug to the first person to name it.
FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009
Survival Garden
A friend dropped off a can of vacuum packed seeds called the Clyde Robin "Survival Garden". The can said it was tested in 1980. I'm not sure if that means it was packed in 1980 or it was tested for its seal in 1980. Regardless,…
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2009
Chasing Light
I was coming home from the Farmers' Market last night and saw the sun's last rays of the day dancing on the fields of what I think is Canola surrounding Hutton Settlement. I did a U-turn on Argonne and sped over to snap a few…
MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2009
"Chichen Paradise" 1
The chicken coop is done and the sign is in place. "Chichen Paradise" is the name the kids chose. Nancy wanted to correct the spelling but in my mind that is the best part. There is something wonderful about the world seen through children's eyes.…
FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2009
WSU's Locavore Dilemma
Somehow I missed this story from a week ago in the Spokesman Review. After MIchael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma was chosen as a book for all incoming WSU freshman to read, the President and Provost pulled the plug, citing financial constraints. Only problem is, they've already…
TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2009
Spokane Urban Chicken Coop Tour June 6th
Here's the latest pic of the neighborhood coop. Not sure if our coop will be on the tour but Slow Food Spokane River is hosting the second annual Urban Chicken Coop Tour. This year's featured neighborhood is the Millwood area. June 6 is also Millwood…
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2009
An Artisan Bread Recipe for the Home Kitchen
Tom and Louise Tuffin from Arabesque Breads and Spokane Farmers' Market fame have put together a home recipe for Artisan Bread. They did their best to convert their large batch recipe to something on the scale of home kitchen. Tom let me know that the…
The Obvious Logic of Mass Transit and Bike Transit
This poster from the city of Muenster, Germany provides as compelling an argument as I've seen for mass transit and bicycle transit. Our vehicle dependent culture requires easy energy to manufacture and drive them and easy square footage to stow them away while we're not…
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2009
Chicken Coop Update
Yesterday was a big day with the coop. I got the floor in and am starting to box it in. I've had several requests for more design details on the coop so here are some initial dimensions and lessons learned. I'll try to sum things…
THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2009
Spokane Area Farmers' Markets Opening Day Schedule
Here's the 2009 Opening Day schedule for Spokane area Farmer's Markets. Go here for that pickled asparagus recipe. It will give you a good excuse to buy a bunch of asparagus and help the farmers get off to a good start. Remember that when you…
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2009
Big Ag says, "Hey, We're Local Food Too."
The NY Times has an interesting article on how big ag is co-opting the local food movement's mojo to sell Lays potato chips and other junk food. Jessica Prentice, San Francisco based food writer and inventor of the term, "locavore", has the following choice quote;“The…
TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2009
The Things We Pile Up on Our Doorstep
I saw the picture directly below connected to an article in the NYTimes about a community in Germany that functions with no cars, and I couldn't help but think about the picture above from a village we visited in Thailand in January with shoes piled…
The Year of Plenty blog was created by Craig Goodwin in the winter of 2008 to chronicle the experiences of his family as they sought to consume everything local, used, homegrown or homemade. That journey was a wonderful introduction to people and movements in the Spokane area who are seeking the welfare of the community through local foods, farmers markets, community gardens, sustainable transportation, and more fulfilling and just patterns of consumption. In 2009 and beyond the blog will continue to report on these relationships and practices, all through the eyes of a family with young children. Craig manages the Millwood Farmers' Market, is a Master Food Preserver and Pastor at Millwood Presbyterian Church. Craig can be reached at goody2230@gmail.com