Friday, December 9, 2011

Google Alerts!...and then sifting through them

In my quest to stay on top of emerging trends, and just keep up on news in areas that interest me, I subscribed to Google Alerts. 


Now, after a few months of "alerts", I have a sizeable collection of articles, resources, and internet detritus - its a mixed blessing. The articles are mostly gleaned from periodicals, online publications, and local newspapers. I get news on suburban agriculture from all over the place, and in every context. The result - a nation-wide perspective of a locally-focused trend. Every town, city, county, and state is addressing food, and land in a new light, specific to their own concerns and each facing its own challenges. The picture that is peiced together is one of ingenuity, resilience, and people working hard to change the status quo. No matter what BigAg says, its clear people are beginning to understand that a diet based mostly on corn byproducts (whether consumed whole or fed to livestock to be consumed) can't be very good for you. At a minimum, people are interested - interested in how thing grow, and what they can do themselves.


So, here, today, I present to you a filtering (wide mesh) of the vast haul google has trawled from the internet for me.


I will add a very brief description for each, and I will try to make this a more regular thing to avoid the build-up Im dealing with now.


Enjoy!


Chicago - Subruban Moms meet framers to discuss farm practices and learn about agriculture
http://wjbc.com/suburban-moms-meet-up-with-farmers-in-chicago/


Kentucky - Dr. David Wicks lists 21 ways to green a city
http://blogs.courier-journal.com/davidwicks/2011/12/01/true-green-21-ways-to-plant-a-city/


Cuba - Suburban Agricultrure dry season production
http://www.cadenagramonte.cu/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8367&Itemid=14


    -  further reading
http://www.radiorebelde.cu/english/news/cattle-raising-in-suburban-agriculture-20111201/


Michigan - Placemaking in conjunction with urban agriculture to rebuild declining industrial cities in the midwest. "Creating 21st century communities"
http://rustwire.com/2011/11/29/can-placemaking-save-michigan/


New Jersey (in the future) - A slightly bizzare, fictional account of what shopping might be like in 2021 in northern New Jersey, need I say more?
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/perlow/retail-in-2021-when-clicks-have-buried-bricks/19344


Detroit - Urban farms exempted from traditional farming laws. BigAg - not happy.
http://www.freep.com/article/20111128/NEWS06/111280346/Bill-would-create-Right-Farm-Act-exemption-Detroit?odyssey=nav%7Chead


NRDC, National - House prices slump+Food prices rise = suburbs reverting to, or integrating, farming.
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kbenfield/back_to_the_farm_subdivision_l.html


Indiana - Future Farmers of America (FFA) expands scope and stays relevant!
http://www.ocala.com/article/20111111/ZNYT01/111113011?p=2&tc=pg


Maine - finding the space to encourage suburban/small scale farming in built up areas.
http://www.kjonline.com/opinion/protecting-encouraging-farming-must-start-at-the-local-level_2011-11-10.html


California - The fate of our fine friends Apis mellifera, aka. BEES!
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-pollinator-crisis


Cuba - The suburban and urban ag. capital of the world!
http://www.cadenagramonte.cu/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7997:cuban-urban-agriculture-an-emerging-alternative&catid=27:economy&Itemid=24


Oakland - The legal and neighborly hazards of urban farming. Oakland adjusts laws and ordinances to reflect rise in urban homesteading.
http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/11/07/362467/urban-homesteading-popular-trend/


More BEES! - Small-scale bee keepers may be the solution to colony-collapse disorder. Pending ordinances to facilitate
http://grayslake.patch.com/articles/local-beekeepers-may-play-role-in-saving-food-supply-e34860c7


*MUST READ* - Small cities are the place to be post-oil
http://www.grist.org/cities/2011-10-31-why-small-cities-are-poised-for-success-in-an-oil-starved-future