MetaFilter posts tagged with farmer

Messy, Painful, Bloody and Dirty

chrchr — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:32:07 -0800

Critics of modern farming practice have swayed popular opinion in recent years. Now farmers are talking back. Farmer Blake Harris takes critics of farming to task for misrepresenting his trade. Another farmer says it's not so simple.

A diet of sunshine

Stewriffic — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 06:17:33 -0800

Will the White House have its own farmer? Back in October, Michael Pollan called upon the president-elect to rip up a 5-acre section of the White House's south-facing lawns and hire a farmer to cultivate it. Over 55,000 Americans have nominated Claire Strader to be that farmer, if the Obamas decide to take up a new Victory Garden initiative. The question now is will they? Supporters see a White House farm as a way for the first family to address many of the issues Obama cites as a focus of his administration--economic security, public health promotion, climate change, and reducing fossil fuel dependence. Obama's position on organic and local agriculture would suggest that he might consider a White House Farmer, as does his recent decision to hire local-food proponent Sam Kass to work alongside the executive chef at the White House. Claire Strader speaks of her vision.

Bt Cotton and Farmer Suicides in India

bodywithoutorgans — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 12:28:10 -0800

A recent study shows that farmer suicides in India have not increased due to introduction of GM crops The Washington based research organization IFPRI claims that "Bt cotton is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for the occurrence of farmer suicides. In contrast, many other factors have likely played a prominent role." Their study has been wielded in the empirical arms race by big pharmaceutical corporations such as Monsanto against NGOs that oppose GM modified crops in India such as Gene Campaign and activists such as Vandana Shiva.

An ironic infestation of Japanese beetles

Toekneesan — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:53:09 -0800

Young Americans are leaving the city to return to the land, and the New York Times is on it, well the Style section is covering the trend. Is this just some fashion trend or are these the young Americans Emerson was looking for? Other young farmers Farm Bureau Seventh Generation FFA The Grange 4H and a gratuitous link to a 1978 Time feature about farming.

Extended extension post

Upton O'Good — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 20:20:40 -0800

The Cooperative Extension Service, founded in 1914 in the US by the Smith-Lever Act, was established in concert with the land-grant universities to develop practical applications of agricultural research, and spread them to farmers and others throughout the country. As part of this education program, the extension programs have produced and collected an extraordinary amount of practical advice, easily accessible to the layman... As it supports the farming community, much of this information concerns things important mostly to farmers: crop and livestock information, pest control, diseases. A lot of the publications also concern issues in people's personal lives: dealing with money, proper nutrition, food safety, overcoming hardship. There are plenty of articles useful for gardeners and cooks, and plenty of unusual topics to interest the curious. Below are some of the more interesting/useful ones I've found. (Warning: many PDF files below.) Raising alligators Raising all sorts of fish, including tropical ones Raising chickens at home for eggs Raising bees Raising pheasants Growing shiitake mushrooms Growing Christmas trees Growing rhubarb Growing coffee (hint: live in Hawaii) Growing citrus trees (you should start here) Growing pretty much every other kind of fruit Growing chile peppers Growing hydroponic tomatoes Growing herbs Making maple syrup (especially this one) Pressing your own apple cider Drying corn for Plains Indian dishes Cleaning and preparing a deer Practicing the art of sausage-making (with recipes!) Organizing a Southern barbecue (also with recipes) Curing a Virginia ham Making pickles and sauerkraut Making your own wine Canning fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, salsas, etc. Drying fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and seeds Smoking poultry and fish Deep-fat-frying your Thanksgiving turkey Making your own jams and jellies (with or without cooking them) Cooking ferns and other wild greens Making fruit syrup Making homemade cheese Making homemade yogurt Starting a worm farm Composting correctly Making hay Controlling your beavers Building a root cellar Building a greenhouse (with a few additional considerations) Building bird and bat houses Harvesting wood (and how to use a chainsaw) Refinishing wood furniture Making clothes and Creaing bonsai You can find links to nearby extensions here; Wikipedia also has a list.

Monsanto vs. US Farmers

digaman — Sat, 15 Jan 2005 11:32:01 -0800

Farmer Homer McFarland is being sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars by the Monsanto corporation. His crime? Replanting his crops' own seed, as farmers have done for millennia, which violates the biotech giant's intellectual property rights, the company claims. Quietly, Monsanto's aggressive "seed police" have been suing farmers in 25 states for years, often settling out of court for huge sums, according to the Center for Food Safety's new report, Monsanto vs. US farmers [PDF link]. For more information, also see a new documentary called The Future of Food.

Cruelest Farmer Gets Two Years for Vet Attack

fenriq — Mon, 01 Mar 2004 12:42:30 -0800

'Cruelest Farmer' Jailed for Vet Attack
Roger Baker, dubbed Britain's "cruelest" farmer, has just gotten a two year sentence for attacking a vet and pushing her into "a mire of manure and cow urine." He then held her down in the nasty muck.
Given his history of violence and cruelty, doesn't two years seem a little light?