. . . but you can’t make anyone buy it if it’s cheaper at the Pick n Save. Farmers who bring their stuff to the city, whether Chicago’s Green City Market or Madison’s Dane County Farmers’ Market, are fighting shoppers off with sticks this year. In Door County, not so much. An illuminating letter from … Continued
Speaking of endeavors shaking off the tar from the “elitist” brush, Whole Foods is now trying to rebrand itself as an affordable grocery option. Good luck with that–I think they have an even rougher road ahead than Slow Food.
I read a good book. I’ve been trying to write something about it for a couple days now, but can’t shake the straitjacket of book-reviewerese. So, eh. You should read it! It may not be a page turner, but if you care about poverty and hunger, and if you are among the many starting to … Continued
So long, Wisconsin — I’m headed to the Costa Brava. Pascal Henry, 46, a Swiss motorbike courier, set out in May to eat in every Michelin three-starred restaurant in the world – 68 restaurants in nine countries in 68 days. He had reached restaurant number 40: El Bulli on the Costa Brava, acclaimed as the … Continued
I don’t have a lot to add to the hoo-haa kicked up by this NYT piece on affluent, urban people who (gasp) hire help to maintain an organic vegetable garden. Yes, rich people can and will outsource the dirty work whenever they can. But moral one-upmanship is a losing game and I don’t think anyone … Continued
Coincidentally, a timely article in today’s NYT on the perils of branding your business too locally. Brooklyn Brewery, which set up shop 12 years ago in North Williamsburg, can’t afford to live in Brooklyn any more.
Brian Ellison confirms what I’d suspected: Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery, original producers of Death’s Door gin and vodka, drowned along with the rest of Cedar Rapids. Flood recovery prospects are unknown. Most of Death’s Door’s distilling was recently moved over to the new Yahara Bay distillers in Madison—started by Nick Quint, the cousin of … Continued
In Midwest Floods, a Broad Threat to Crops (NYT) Midwest Flooding Raises Costs of Staple Crops (NPR) Wisconsin Crop Losses Will Total Tens of Millions (Wisc. State Journal) And then this, from Wisconsin Public Radio yesterday (third item): Flooding May Affect Organic Certification