Earlier this year The Economist posted an entry entitled “How to Feed the Planet (continued)” on their Feast and Famine blog. The author presents data that demonstrates the role of international trade (particularly the increase in agricultural exports from Brazil and Russia) in meeting the increased demand for food for the growing populations in Africa […]
How many customers do we have? What do customers care about most? How much do they spend? And how do you answer these questions with no turnstiles, barcodes, or cash registers to be found? The very charms of shopping a farmers market – a weekly intimacy with the product and producer; low-tech, hand-crafted displays; and […]
August is peak season for Washington State’s 160 farmers markets. With the rain in check and days long, farmers are out in full force with their tree-ripened peaches, corn picked that day, heirloom tomatoes, farmstead cheeses, grass-fed meats, and more. We estimate that farmers markets support around 1,400 unique farms. Some of these farms have […]
To get you up to speed, here are the first two questions: 1.The EPA says agriculture only accounts for 6% of US greenhouse gas emissions (2009). Shouldn’t we focus our efforts on bigger problems such as coal fired power plants and automobile emissions instead? 2. Do “food miles” – the distance that food travels from […]
Last week I introduced a series of frequently asked questions and began by addressing the first: The EPA says agriculture only accounts for 6% of US greenhouse gas emissions. Shouldn’t we focus our efforts on bigger problems such as coal fired power plants and automobile emissions instead? Today I’ll address the following: Do “food miles” […]