USAID - Farmer to Farmer program

I stumbled upon this intriguing program from USAID. While it's focused on agribusinesses (less my field of interest), it's a hopeful attempt for the big and bulky USAID bureaucracy to connect overseas on an individual level.



"The John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer (FTF) Program provides voluntary technical assistance to farmers, farm groups, and agribusinesses in developing and transitional countries to promote sustainable improvements in food security and agricultural processing, production, and marketing. The program relies on the expertise of volunteers from U.S. farms, land grant universities, cooperatives, private agribusinesses, and nonprofit farm organizations to respond to the local needs of host-country farmers and organizations.

"The FTF Program was initially authorized by Congress in the 1985 Farm Bill and funded through Title V of Public Law 480. The U.S. Congress authorized the current FY 2009-2013 phase of the FTF Program in the 2008 Farm Bill, designating it the "John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter FTF Program" in honor of one of the pilots killed September 11, 2001 and of former Congressman Bereuter, who initially sponsored the program.

"Evaluations suggest that the program provides high quality services from volunteers, leveraging over $34 million worth of volunteer time contributions to development efforts. Approximately one million farmer families (representing about five million people) have directly benefitted from the FTF Program. Volunteers help host individuals and organizations build local institutions and linkages to resolve local problems and have provided direct hands-on training to over 80,000 people. Since program initiation, over 12,000 volunteer assignments have been completed in over 80 countries. Approximately 43% of all individuals trained by FTF volunteers are women."

And now, on emancipation and bicycles

A tribute to my favorite two-wheeled transportation:

"Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel...the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood."
-Susan B. Anthony

Bamboo to the rescue

A few weeks ago, I had an in-depth conversation with a coworker about his bamboo collection. Other than coveting beautiful bamboo cutting boards , my knowledge of this rhizome was limited. My coworker explained the delightful varieties of bamboo he was growing on his farm...I had no idea so many types of Bamboo existed! This peaked my interest into the uses of bamboo and I stumbled upon a community of bamboo-lovers.

Bamboo shoots are edible, the wood is sustainable and useful for construction.

The following article from the site Truth Out explores the economic and environmental benefits of the fast-growing perennial in the face of disaster.

A 7.5 earthquake in Limón, Costa Rica, in April 1991 destroyed homes built with concrete and rebar, but all 20 of the more-flexible bamboo houses at the earthquake’s epicenter remained standing. When three typhoons swept into the Cook Islands in 2005, one producing winds of 173 mph, they devoured everything in their path — everything, that is, except a group of bamboo houses on the beach.

But in the age of global warming, bamboo has a benefit beyond construction: Both young and mature bamboo plantations capture more carbon than similar stands of trees. In a 2007 paper titled “Sub-optimal Equilibriums in the Carbon Forestry Game: Why Bamboo Should Win and Why It Will Not,” energy specialist Raya Kühne said, “A non-tree species — bamboo — may be one of the species most well-suited to the Clean Development Mechanism’s goals of maximizing carbon revenues and promoting sustainable development.”

Not all types of bamboo are ideal for construction, and without treatment to protect against insects and mold, bamboo houses will last only 15 years or so. But as a construction material, bamboo’s advantages over wood are numerous: It is cheaper to plant, grows faster and can be harvested using less fossil fuel. While trees are typically harvested every 20 to 50 years, bamboo reaches maturity in four to six years and can be cut two or three years after that. Bamboo plants’ rhizome maps grow continuously throughout their life spans — which can be from 10 to more than 100 years — meaning that unlike tree roots, which die and decompose after a tree is harvested, releasing their stored carbon, rhizomes stay alive even after bamboo is harvested.

See Bamboo Living for more!

Wheel Hoe Wonders

It's been a month since the last day of agriculture after school club at the Joshua Farm. My friend Kirsten Reinford, manager of Farm, wrote this lovely piece on her blog about one of our big projects with the guys. (I'm the one in the signature flannel shirt).



During the spring, the youth in our after school training program constructed some very nifty tools called wheel hoes. Technically, we were building wheel hoes with 8″ oscillating stirrup blades (some wheel hoes have interchangeable attachments–furrowers, cultivators, hillers, etc.–but they cost a lot more). The blade is sharpened on both edges, so it cuts just below the surface on the push and pull strokes. It’s a great tool for getting weeds when they are small, and much less tiring than using a standard hoe, since the weight balances on the wheel.



We got the kits from Planet Whizbang and started by sanding off burrs and smoothing rough edges. The next step was to prime and paint the frame.

For the handles, I purchased ash from Middletown Lumber (a great local business!). In the process of cutting it, we discovered firsthand the difference between hardwood and softwood! My friend Tim Lyne graciously used his router to round off the edges for a more finished look and comfortable grip.

The final step was putting it all together, where the adage “measure twice, cut once; measure once, cut twice” was demonstrated. The most memorable quote from the whole process? “I’ve never used a wrench in my life!” The wheel hoes are already getting put to work, as Joe demonstrates. Next time you stop by, give one of them a try!

Job seekers: Sustainable food jobs

From Slow Food NYC headquarters to permaculture farms, Sustainable Food Jobs is a regularly updated blog sharing fantastic job opportunities from every region of the country. For those of us who dream of working at a meaningful job, changing the way we eat and educate others, this is a treasure trove of opportunities. For those of us who are hesitant to move to NYC... the pickings might be a little sparse. But it's worth taking a look!

An open letter to give up the water-bottle habit

The town of Concord, Massachusetts, is leaning towards banning the sale of bottled water within the town in 2011. Concord is the first town in the US to approach such a radical water decision. BBC carries an open letter from Huw Kingston from Bundanoon, Australia - the first town in the world to voluntarily go bottled-water-free - which encourages Concord to take the plunge.

For more resources about the water bottle debacle, visit Food and Water Watch's water bottle page. They provide a slew of educational information, videos, and fact sheets that will make every person want to become a tap-water advocate. While the presentation may come across as a bit too black-and-white, the information is thought and discussion provoking.

Finally, this movie is on my to-watch list, and should be on yours: Tapped, a documentary about the life cycle (or rather, dead-end) of our plastic water bottles.