Another Shameless Book Plug

Well, it's been a while since I posted any news about my book. As I mentioned the other day, there's a new Los Angeles Agriculture blog from UC Cooperative Extension Los Angeles County. Well today, Rachel Surls, the LA County Director posted a very nice entry about my book and even included a photo of one of my favorite farmers, Bill Mertz.

You can check it out here http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=969

Here's the photo she used from my book that is from Bill Mertz's personal photo collection (which he was generous enough to let me publish in the book). Check out the size of the celery that he and his partner Carl Tasche are holding! No wonder he was so successful!

New LA Agriculture Blog from UC Cooperative Extension

Just a quick post to let you all know about a wonderful new resource, a new blog all about Los Angeles agriculture from the official source, Rachel Surls, Director of UC Cooperative Extension Los Angeles County Office,
http://ucanr.org/blogs/losangelesagriculture/index.cfm.

She just started the blog so she's still filling it up with content but she is hoping to make it the home of all things agriculture related and some things that aren't. And, she will also include some wonderful history about our county's agriculture since she has a passion for history and is a great resource. She is also interested in hearing your stories, leads, and whatever else you might want to include there.

And, contrary to popular belief, UC Cooperative Extension is not affiliated with UCLA, but is part of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department at UC Davis, the real agriculture college of the University of California.

Replant An Organic Garden At the White House

Those of you who read the blog regularly know I have been advocating for the creation of a Victory Garden at the White House and that this idea submitted by the Eat The View folks won the Grand Prize in the OnDayOne Contest.

Well now, they are asking that we vote for the idea as one of the "9 for '09" to encourage President Obama to plant the garden in his first 100 days in office.

You can sign their petition at their site, http://www.eattheview.org/petition, or at the One Day One site, www.ondayeone.org as part of the "9 for '09!"

Last to Day Vote For Victory Gardens 2.0 At Change.org

Just a quick post to let everyone know that today is the last day to vote for Victory Gardens 2.0, in the Ideas for Change in America competition!

On Friday they will present the top 10 ideas to the Obama administration at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. And they will then connect the winning ideas to leading nonprofits and launch a series of national advocacy campaigns to turn each idea into federal policy.

Right now Victory Gardens. 2.o is in 26th place and it needs over 5,800 more votes to make it in the top 10. So, click now and vote for it!!!!
www.change.org/ideas and click on Victory Gardens 2.0!

Good News: Eat The View Comes Out #1

Eat The View, the campaign to plant an organic Victory Garden on the White House Lawn, came out as the #1 idea for change on the On Day One website, http://www.ondayone.org/.

The idea won first prize in the OnDayOne.org contest ahead of 5000 other proposals. The contest, a project of the Better World Fund, brought together over 5000 ideas for what the next president should do “on day one” to help tackle global problems.

Roger Doiron, the wonderful man behind the idea and the creator of Kitchen Gardeners International said this today:

"While it is unclear whether Mr. Obama will commit to this initiative, Doiron and his supporters are optimistic about their chances, emphasizing the proposal’s simple, symbolic and fiscally-responsible nature. It requires no new spending, but rather redirects existing natural and human resources towards a more productive and socially-responsible end. The sun and soil are already there, Doiron points out, as is the White House’s 13-person grounds crew who could help plant and maintain this new garden."

Vote at Change.org For Victory Gardens 2.0

Just a quick post to let you all know that LA Farm Girl became an official endorser of Victory Gardens 2.0 on the Change.org site, which is Obama's site for hearing what we all want to be changed and one of the ideas that is leading in votes is a Victory Garden at the White House. Check it out here and vote for it!!!!!http://www.change.org/ideas/view/green_the_white_house

As they say on the site, "Thousands of Americans and people from the around the world are asking the Obamas to lead by example on climate change, health policy, economic self-reliance, food security, and energy independence by replanting an organic food garden at the White House with the produce going to the First Kitchen and to local food pantries."

The "original" Victory Garden movement made a huge impact. The stats they give are amazing: "Victory Gardens (behind homes, schools, in vacant urban lots, etc.) produced 40% of the nation’s produce at their peak, helped conserve food and natural resources at a time of crisis, resulted in the highest consumption rates of fruits and vegetables our nation has seen, and helped keep millions of Americans physically fit and active. "

And, despite objections from the USDA, Eleanor Roosevelt planted a Victory Garden on the White House lawn!

Vote with your thumb 2

LA Farm Girl Finally Realizes That It's 2009!

I guess the holidays have really knocked me off schedule and I realize I haven't posted in quite a while!

Last year I made some farm and food related resolutions and I realize that while I kept some of them, some of them I didn't. So, I have decided not to torment myself by making such resolutions again since one never seems to know what life is going to throw at you.

But....I will try to keep moving forward on my path to eat more locally grown, family farmed, fresh fruits and vegetables in the coming year. I am also making progress in buying more locally produced products in other areas as well, or at least shopping at local merchants so I am encouraging others to keep doing that as well.

I am also trying to decide which way to go with my writing, I so enjoyed working on my book about the history of farming here in the South Bay and am wondering if anybody is interested in the history of farming in Los Angeles, there is so much to it and it involves a lot of research but I feel like its so important to tell the story.

So, if you are a follower of this blog, please let me know what you think, are you interested in LA Farm History? Are there other things you are interested in? Let me know!

I also have the idea of doing a guidebook, "The Garden Lovers Guide to Los Angeles," and can't seem to shake it, but is anybody interested in that?

Here's wishing us a "fine 2009!" And here's hoping that our family farmers continue to find fresh food lovers who will support them!!!!