Like fresh vegetables, but not gardening? Try buying a farm share

Today's Enterprise News reports:

MIDDLEBORO — People who don’t want to toil in the garden but have a hankering for fresh vegetables, buying a share in local crops might be just the ticket. Participants buy a prepaid share to a local farm’s crops, knowing they will be eating fresh food and also giving farmers some financial security. In Middleboro, James D. Reynolds, owner of Daliah Farm, sells shares to the produce from his organic garden for less than $30 a week. A full share, enough for a family of four, costs $500 for 18 weeks of fresh vegetables, half shares are $290. A typical spring share might include: baby Romaine lettuce, heirloom turnips and turnip greens, Bridgewater strawberries, French breakfast radish and potted Greek oregano with some wild cutflower. Later in the season, the shares may provide Zephyr summer squash, cucumbers, Patty pan squash, Swiss chard, turnips, onions, new potatoes, basil and pineapple sage. Tomatoes are harvested in mid-season and the final shares include butternut squash, garlic, peppers and eggplant. Reynolds prefers to pack up the produce in customer’s reusable totes – “It’s more earth friendly” – but will supply brown bags if requested. Call 774-213-5075 with questions. Kim Almeida, of organically certified Eat Local Fresh Food, is farming several plots of land at the Soule Homestead, 46 Soule St., Middleboro. and selling shares for $600 each. Connie and Ron Maribett’s organic Colchester Neighborhood Farm on Brook Street in Plympton sells shares full-season shares for $600 and small shares for $350. The shares include arugula, celery, edible flowers, herbs and garden staples such as tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and onions. Those who don’t want to commit to weekly shares can still buy local. For a list of local farms, farm stands and farmers markets, visit the website for the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership: semaponline.org. Be sure to see the lates YOUTUBE video here. Public News Service also has a PODCAST here. Read more: http://www.enterprisenews.com/business/x1040012944/Like-fresh-vegetables-but-not-gardening-Try-buying-a-farm-share#ixzz1vim4Ge77

What's In Your Wallet

In 2005, the antibiotic fluoroquinolone was banned by the FDA for use in poultry production. Yet today in 2012 you may still be eating chicken containing this very substance. Other substances you may be unwittingly ingesting include arsenic, acetaminophen, and even Prozac. What kind of world do we live in and how the heck can this happen while Federal watchdogs are supposedly protecting us? The UK's Guardian reports this weekend the latest in American agricultural foibles "Overuse of antibiotics in factory farming kills thousands every year, yet the industry is force-feeding chickens pharmaceuticals" here. One of the most important take-aways from this story is: "what can I do about it?" The answer is remarkably simple: Vote with your wallet. Once we become aware of the problems around us, we cannot become unaware again. To know a thing is wrong, means we seek out what is right, what is the solution. And since most of these violations are committed by uber-corporations in pursuit of more and more dollars, the best solution is also the easiest. Hit them where they hurt. Use your purchasing power to vote against the corporate food supply. Support humane farming, organics where they are true and sensible, small-scale farms and local food producers. Know the power of your vote. Know whats really in your wallet. "One cannot resist an idea whose time has come." -- Victor Hugo

Passover and Easter Eggs

Happy Spring!

Be sure to stock up on high-quality, farm fresh eggs for Easter and Seder dinners.

From Sweet Bread to quiche, our local, free-range birds offer a higher quality egg which is richer in beta caratene and lower in cholesterol - and tastes better to boot!

Eggs are available at the flowershop m-f 9-4, or visit our web: TheDahliaFarm.com

Money To Burn

Talk about creative recycling!

The country of Hungary has become the first nation to convert its worthless fiat currency into fuel briquettes to supply it's low-income citizens with heat.

If the US dollar ever becomes this devalued we'll be very glad indeed that we have a root cellar.

In a more progressive energy conservation initiative, Denmark has set the year 2020 as the target for its most dramtic plan yet: 50% wind energy.

The Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Building, Martin Lidegaard, says is “the broadest, the greenest, and the most long-term energy agreement that has ever been reached in Denmark.”

Garbage Warrior Reynolds Presents Carbon-Zero Living at TED

High-speed internet, LED TV, $100 per year utility bill....WHAT!?

My namesake's appearance at TED is nothing short of astounding