D.C.’s Urban Farms Wrestle with Gentrification and Displacement

“If you’ve lived or worked in Washington D.C. over the last decade, the scale and pace of gentrification there has been impossible to miss. Over the last decade, the city has experienced a rapidly increasing demand for, and cost of, housing, similar to that in other knowledge hubs and “superstar cities” like New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Boston.

In addition to all the good things that come with increased interest in density and urban living, those cities have been the hardest hit by displacement, a process that disproportionately affects poor folks of color. Everyone who lives or works in D.C. can palpably feel this slow-motion injustice, and we are all forced to grapple with it, whether we want to or not.”

“Everybody—wherever you go, no matter the educational background—sees what’s going on,” Xavier Brown told me. Brown is the founder of Soilful City, an urban agriculture organization in D.C. with the justice-centered mission of healing “the sacred relationship between communities of African descent and Mother Earth.”

To read the REST OF THE ARTICLE, visit: “CivilEats.com“

Get Inspired! “Indoor Grow Stations”

Check out these great inspirational photos we found over at SeedsNow.com! From grow stations built inside of closets, bedrooms and even kitchens…people are starting seeds in every free corner of their home they can find. Happy planting everyone!

To read the post, visit: “SeedsNow.com“

Teriyaki Salmon Patties with Grilled Pineapple

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprouts Farmers Market. All opinions are 100% mine.  Salmon is by far one of my favorite types of fish.  My Salmon Dill Zucchini Noodles are a regular on my plate.  I think it is the dietitian in me that started my love affair with salmon.  For me, when I know the health benefits of certain foods and see everyday how a healthy diet changes my clients lives, it makes it easy to love nutritious food.  In fact it was that side of me that finally started eating sardines.  I know most people aren’t willing to jump in and eat a can of sardines.  I see the look on my clients faces when I mention them as an option.  Salmon tends to be more widely accepted.  Luckily wild caught fatty fish, like salmon, provides a great source of the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, EPA and DHA.  I am always looking for delicious ways to include more of this healthy fish into my diet.  Teriyaki Salmon Patties with Grilled Pineapple is just what you need to increase your intake of this amazing fish.

It is believed that about 90% of Americans are deficient in omega-3 fats (source), and about 20% have almost undetectable amounts in their blood.  This can contribute to undesired inflammation in the body and lead to things like heart disease, immune system dysfunction, digestive disorders, poor brain health, and even weight gain.  Salmon is an amazing way to get more EPA and DHA into the diet in order to support optimal health.

People tend to like easy things.  Easy recipes that come together quickly.  Foods that can be frozen for a convenient and quick way to get dinner on the table.  This recipe delivers on all fronts.  Salmon is one of the fastest cooking proteins.  I have even been know to cook it from frozen in less than 30 minutes.  You can easily double or triple this recipe and freeze the extra patties for those nights when you just don’t feel like cooking.  In fact, just last night I reheated some leftover Teriyaki Salmon Patties and dinner was ready in no time.

Teriyaki Salmon Patties with Grilled Pineapple

 

Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

The flavors of teriyaki combined with salmon to make a flavorful patty for an easy meal. Topped with grilled pineapple and avocado to compliment the savory salmon patties.

Author: Sara

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds Sprouts fresh wild caught salmon (2-3 cups flaked)
• ½ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 Tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 Tablespoons coconut aminos
• 1 pasture egg
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• coconut oil
• 1-2 cups sliced pineapple, grilled
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Cilantro and lime for garnish

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven broiler on high.
2. Cook the salmon fillet on a baking sheet just until cooked and easily flakes, about 15-20 minutes.
3. Using 2 forks flake the salmon away from the skin and put into a food processor.
4. To the food processor add the herbs, garlic, oil, vinegar, coconut aminos, egg and salt.
5. Pulse the food processor to combine and chop all the ingredients together.
6. The mixture should be slightly moist and hold together well when formed into a patty.
7. Heat 2 tsp. coconut oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
8. Using a 3-4 oz. scoop, place the mixture into your hands to form a round patty.
9. Place the patties in the hot pan being careful not to splash yourself with the hot oil.
10. Add 4 patties to the pan at a time depending on how big of a pan you use.
11. Cook until the patties are golden brown on one side about 5 minutes and carefully flip to cook on the other side until golden, about another 5 minutes.
12. Complete the cooking steps until all the patties are cooked.
13. Serve with grilled pineapple slices, avocado, and sprinkle with cilantro and squeeze of lime.
14. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to one week or the freezer for one month.

3.4.3177

The post Teriyaki Salmon Patties with Grilled Pineapple appeared first on The Organic Dietitian.

Virginia Beach urban farmer maximizes ‘Nottalotta’ space to provide fresh veggies

“Since the farm opened for business last February using a small plot of land owned by a family friend, Gerber has expanded the farm to two additional plots owned by neighbors. Getting started was no easy task, Gerber said. Because much of the land was covered in a thick layer of clay, which hindered plants from taking root, Gerber and her farming partner Art Amorese had to bring in loads of compost and horse manure to make the area more fertile.”

The work hasn’t stopped there. According to Gerber, tending the farm is a full-time job.

“I work on the farm seven days a week, even through the winter,” she said. “Because of the amount of time and work that goes in to growing each plant, I treat them like my babies. We’re a small farm, so losing just one plant is a very big devastation for me.”

Read the ENTIRE article at: “SouthsideDaily.com“

Tips for Successfully Starting Your Seeds

By starting your seeds indoors a few weeks before your last frost, you should have plenty of small seedlings ready to be transplanted into your garden beds once planting season begins.

To read the full article, visit: “SeedsNow.com“

Join the Urban Organic Gardener’s Monthly Garden & Seed Club

Calling all Urban Organic Gardener’s! Did you know that right now is the perfect time to start planning your Spring/Summer urban gardens?

Our NEXT shipment will feature some of the most popular varieties to grow in warmer weather.

Our garden experts will build a custom curated collection of seeds & garden supplies designed around YOU – your grow zone – your garden space/location – and your preferences!

To receive a shipment for the month of March, you must join before March 4th at 11:59pm PST. Sign up now at: http://ift.tt/1Su1g8E

Urban Farmers Grow Crops in Brooklyn Parking Lot

“These farms aren’t your traditional sprawling upstate acreage tended by laborers or a guy on a tractor in bib overalls. Set up near where Jay Z grew up, they’re 10 steel shipping containers converted into hydroponic vertical farms, meaning crops grow in tower formation with recycled water and without soil.

Inside the LED-lit modular containers are rows of panels sprouting pesticide-free plants in a controlled climate — so freezing temperatures and snow pose no problem. Each container produces an annual harvest equivalent to an estimated two acres of land.

Square Roots raised seed financing to build the campus, which cost more than $100,000. Then, 10 young farmers were chosen from more than 500 applicants for a yearlong stint that started in November.”

Read the entire article at: “Metro.us“

Is this spherical vertical garden the future of urban farming?

“Space10 wants to change the way we look at what’s on our plates now in preparation for what will potentially appear on our plates in the years to come as the global population increases, the threat of climate change worsens and the old, tried and true methods of food production are rendered unsustainable. And just a heads up: The future of food, as Space10 sees it, will involve homegrown micro-greens and deep-fried cricket bites.”

“Last fall, Space10, in collaboration with architects Sine Lindholm and Mads-Ulrick Husum, unveiled Growroom, an art installation-cum-urban farming solution that somewhat resembles an alien space pod that’s been merrily dragged through a veggie patch a couple dozen times. Bursting with fresh herbs and veggies, the Growroom is indeed a room — or more of a partially enclosed chill-out lounge/greenhouse hybrid of sorts, an oversized planter that pulls double duty as a public pavilion large enough to comfortably accommodate a small crowd.”

Read the full article at: “mnn.com“

Growing Huge Amounts of Organic Food on 1/2 an Acre – Urban Abundance

“In the small town of Oxford, Kane and Fiona Hogan have transformed their urban 1/2-acre property into abundant organic veggie gardens. Their business Urban Gardener aims to build resilience and food security in their local community.”

Find the original video at: “HappyFilms.com“

Urban Farming: A Food Desert Oasis

“KCET is working with community partners in El Monte and South El Monte to learn about the health and nutrition options available to residents in both cities and throughout the San Gabriel Valley and beyond.

Can an urban farm make a difference in a community labeled a food desert? “SoCal Connected” goes to South El Monte where Earthworks, an urban farm, is changing the diets of families and children. Reporter Cara Santa Maria profiles the Morales family who has found that being a member of Earthworks is a way to return to their roots.”

Original article can be found at: “KCET.org“

Easy vegetarian meals

A healthy vegetarian diet doesn't just mean boring salads and carrot sticks. it means your diet will include a wide range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes in nutritious (and great-tasting) meals. Plus, going vegetarian has stacks of added health benefits. stay healthy stay happy.
For more information please check our website: https://organicfoodshealth.com

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