European parliamentarians are calling for the European Union to ban cloning of animals for food and any products derived from their offspring.

Link to: Ban cloning of animals

The Soil Association can reveal that a recent government survey shows that organic laying hen farms have a significantly lower level of Salmonella.

Link to: Organic eggs

Acres U.S.A. is North America’s oldest, largest magazine covering commercial-scale organic and sustainable farming. It has a wealth of information inside with selected articles that can be read online.

This magazine is available at the EMR library, but some might want to look at the website which also has books that can be ordered. Make sure to check out the toobox for additional materials.

Link to: Acres U.S.A. Thanks Joanne

An information article about compost tea from Alberta Agriculture department.

“Compost tea is a liquid extract taken from stable, mature compost. Typically, the brewing process includes oxygenating the tea to maximize the microbial communities and shorten the brewing time.”

Link to: Compost Tea Thanks Joanne

Raising food in cities improves urban landscapes and residents’ diets
using urban-generated waste.

Urban agriculture can convert wastes into resources, put vacant and under-utilized areas into productive use, and conserve natural resources in rural areas while improving the environment for urban living.

by Jac Smit and Joe Nasr. Thanks Joanne.

Link to: Farming In Cities

Having bees in the backyard is no different than being responsible for any other animal, whether a pet cat or dog, or farm animals like chickens or horses. They need basic care … food, water, shelter, preventative health care, protection from the elements, each other, pests and diseases, vandals and any other unnecessary stress in their lives. That takes time, some money, and energy. You must have all three if you want any animal in your life.

First, Make Sure You Won’t Get in Trouble”

Link to: So You Want to Be a Beekeeper, Part II

The phenomenal attention honey bees have received over the past year due to Colony Collapse Disorder has, indeed, garnered a huge influx of people to the ranks of “I want to learn more about beekeeping.” If that’s you, I want to encourage you to follow up on that urge right now because this is the perfect time of year to get started keeping bees.

Link to: Bee Culture

I love pasta. There’s just no getting around that simple fact.

Others may avoid carbohydrates like the plague, but I find that a meal isn’t quite complete without something a little starchy to hold everything together. An old-fashioned trencherwoman, that’s me. And pasta ranks at the top of the list because it’s so easy to prepare and so easily adapted to different vegetables and spices.

Link to: Exploring the pastabilities

On Thursday I’ll interview Michael Pollan about his latest book, “In Defense of Food,” at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theater. The discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A (via cards, not an open mic) and a book signing by Pollan.

Link to: What would you ask Michael Pollan?

California’s leading raw-milk dairy, Organic Pastures, has been named in two personal-injury lawsuits related to a 2006 outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7. Meanwhile, California’s Assembly Agriculture Committee is currently establishing a “blue ribbon commission” to examine whether California’s latest, more stringent coliform requirement has any basis in food-safety science.

Link to: Two lawsuits filed against raw-milk dairy Organic Pastures