The Coming Obsolescence of Food?

From this week's The Atlantic - "The Man Who Would Make Eating Obsolete"

World Food Clock

This is pretty interesting: a World Food Clock.

Sharecroppers, Migrant Workers and Adjuncts?

An interesting opinion piece here.

Open Source Seeds

Finally, finally, finally.....Open Source Seeds! While, of course, seeds have for millennia been "open source," with the rise of the seed industry at the start of this century plant biotechnology has become increasingly proprietary. This very well may be the way forward against the intellectual property masters of the farms and fields of the world.

The Political Economy of Chicken

Here's a recent piece on Tyson and the political economy of poultry. While the biological events described are truly disturbing, this was my favorite part:

"During the 1960s, Tyson Food realized that chicken farming was a losing game. When Tyson executives examined operations at the company, they saw that farming was the least profitable, and most risky, side of the business. When they looked to invest in the future, they decided not to invest in farms."

Alas, is there no middle ground between socialism and serfdom?

New Ecotone Sheep: Dorpers

On Wednesday, Jasper and I went up to Ben Binkley's house to pick up four young Dorper ewes, born this January. We're going to keep them in the barn at night until they're used to us so as not to be as skittish as our last flock. Here are a few photos Jessica took last night; while I'll try to get more detailed shots soon, you can also see the newly installed garden fence -- after five years of planning!

Jasper's Orchard 2

Every year since its initial planting to commemorate Jasper's birth, I've added to the orchard. This year was the largest addition since 2011. Here's what was added, as well as those earlier unreported:

Flying Dragon Citrus (x4) - 2013

Sweet Lifeberry Gogi (x1)

Big Lifeberry Gogi (x1)

Rosehips (x1) - 2013

Cornelian Cherry (x2)

Bush Cherry (x2)

Goumi (x3)

Pucimol Medlar (x1)

Supermol Medlar (x1)

Regent Juneberry (x2) - 2013

Celeste Fig (x1)

Chicago Hardy Fig (x1)

Taytwo  Pawpaw (x1) - 2013

Pennsylvania Golden PawPaw (x1)

Starking Delicious Plum (x1)

Wilson Delicious Apricot (x1)

Redhaven Peach (x1)

Hardy Giant Pecan (x1)

Stark Surecrop Pecan (x1)

Hardy Illinois Pecan (x3) - 2013

Fingerlakes Filbert Hazelnut (x1)

Chinese Chestnut (x2)

Carpathian English Walnut (x2)

Hall's Hardy Almond (x2) - 2013

Arapaho Thornless Blackberry (x6)

Natchez Thornless Blackberry (x6)

Bristol Black Raspberry (x6)

Allen Black Raspberry (x6)

Latham Red Raspberry (x6)

Heritage Red Raspberry (x6)

Pink Champagne Currant (x1)

Red Lake Currant (x1)

Black Consort Currant (x1)

Anna Hardy Kiwi (x2)

Issai Hardy Kiwi (x1)

Hardy Kiwi Pollinator (x1)

Native Persimmon - Male (x1)