This has been a busy week in the world of Real Food. I’ve seen several great new recipes, a couple powerful editorial commentaries, and heard a handful of truly moving interviews. Picking the five stories I thought most interesting and most likely to have gone unnoticed proved quite the challenge.
Hope you enjoy!
First off, Paula Crossfield at Civil Eats writes on the growing rumor that Big Ag, starting with Monsanto, is about to get busted by the feds for monopolizing the market! It’s about time, wouldn’t you say?
Next up, a reader at Mark’s Daily Apple submitted a video recipe for coconut pancakes/waffles. But these aren’t just any coconut pancakes, these babies have a full can of coconut milk in them! And they look glorious. Go watch the video and tell me if these aren’t the most seductive grain-free pancakes/waffles you’ve seen in a long while.
Mark McAffee of Organic Pastures dairy wrote a fiery guest post for fellow Real Food Media blogger Kim Hartke at Hartke Is Online. His topic? Raw milk, of course, and the Michael Schmidt case.
I’m sure you’re aware of the recent hubub surrounding Whole Foods CEO John Mackey’s editorial against the Obama administration’s proposed health care reform. I’ve not commented on it because — quite frankly — I don’t care what Mackey’s position is on the topic. To my mind, the man is entitled to have an opinion. Anyhow, in the fall out after his article, there’s a growing group now dedicated to boycotting Whole Foods and asking for his removal as CEO. In the wake of this, fellow blogger Rob Smart from Every Kitchen Table asks “Is Whole Foods Losing Its Sustainable Luster?”
And last, but not least, meet a twelve year old urban chicken farmer — a little food entrepeneur inspired by the likes of Joel Salatin and featured in an interview in this week’s Huffington Post.
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THX! RT @FoodRenegade Link Love for @civileater @Jambutter @kimhartke @Mark_Sisson @HappyChickens! Great stories http://bit.ly/40ySPS
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Kristen,
Thank you so much for including my piece on Whole Foods on your Link Love post. I am honored to be included with the other great bloggers you have mentioned.
Cheers,
Rob Smart
.-= Rob Smart
very thought provoking links, Food Renegade! I actually wasn’t awareof Mackey’s article northe ensuing blogger drama/discussionssurrounding his op-ed. I amglad to have read theoriginalarticle, and Pro-Food’s opinion on WF’s not being sustainable. I completely agree that WF’s takesmoney from local, small bussiness and farmer’s. My local WF’s store carries very few items that are from smalll ocal farms, and the items that are available are usually 2$ more a peice/per lb then they are at mylocal food co-op. But… WF’s is able to offer competitive pricing on some useful things such as canned coconut milk. As far as the op-ed by Mackey I would disagree with his statement that we don’t need universal healcare because adults are responsible for their own health. Fact is kids aren’t, and many health problems can be attributed to the fact that people were malnourished/ill-nourished as children by their parents. Also the mass-public is unfairly influenced by big money advertizers who tell the American people what opinions we are supposed to have, what we should eat, what we should spend our money on. Nothing is as simple as it seems i suppose…
anyways i digress, my main point here is thanks for these links, they got me thinking.
.-= emily
Raw Milk, Coconut Pancakes, Whole Foods, and More | Food Renegade http://bit.ly/VEHp
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
This is one of my favorite sites. Thank you for all of the excellent content. I think it is interesting that Mackey’s statement is receiving so much flack from people involved in the real food movement. It seems so strange to want government out of the way in order to be able to buy raw milk and then invite them in to further restrict what little health freedom remains in this country. Emily, it seems ironic that you identify that the public is can be taken in by companies who can shell out a lot of money for advertising but somehow the government who gave us the food pyramid should step in because parents can’t be trusted to properly feed their children. Isn’t it time to throw off the shackles of the nanny state and put an end the government manipulated health care that is destroying this country in a multitude of ways?
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=24350
Well, I’m off to Whole Foods to pick up the ingredients for the scrumptious looking coconut pancakes.
Thank you, Lauren!
Raw Milk, Coconut Pancakes, Whole Foods, and More | Food Renegade: This has been a busy week in the world of Rea.. http://bit.ly/VEHp
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Lauren, I completely agree. I want government out of healthcare, my food, the way I raise my children including when, how and if I want to vaccinate….among many other issues. Right now in NJ concerned parents are fighting for the right to have parental choice on vaccines. Government run health care is scary. very scary.
In most states holistic nutritionists, like myself, cant practice legally or as braodly as I can here in California. The last thing we want is more government involvment.
.-= dailydiner
BTW, I get my local meat at Whole Foods. Save’s me the freezer space….plus I get the choice cuts that I want. and the cost is about the same.
.-= dailydiner
lauren: the issue is very complicated. aremyconflicting opinions ironic? that seems harsh and i hardly think i need to justify my complete political profile here.
However, i do believe in real food, health care choices that go beyond what i currently can get with my husband’s employer regulated insurance, and freedom over our lives in general.
but i also believe in society taking care of its’ weakest, youngest and most vulnerable members and i believe that as long as advertizers are given free reign in our culture, and as long as our government and doctors are influenced by big pharma and food lobbyists, children will need some sort of garunteed health care.
the fact is that many low income parents have NO health insurance for their kids and this includes good, close friends of mine. when these kids end up in the ER for an accident or illness and their mom or dad cannot or will not pay the bill, the cost is not simply erased, it is passed on to those of us who pay 1000$ a month for 3 people to have insurance (me and my 2 kids). also if parents are unfairly influenced by the huge bucks of food advertizers and lobbyists they WILL continue to feed their kids the crap they see on tv. many parents who are great people do this, they sincerly think that because you can buy toaster struedals at thebig box grocer, it must be ok for your health. so while id love to believe parents can and will take great care of their kids bodies, this just isnt reality.
.-= emily
Namaste’ Christen,
I’m new to your e-news and Web site. Wow! You’re right on the pulse of my interests.
Thank YOU for your time, and sharing!
– Lin
(Namaste’ – “The good in me, honors the good in you.”)
Emily, I am sorry if I came off as harsh. You make some excellent points but government health care will fail to solve your chief complaints. Re your husband’s employer regulated health care, isn’t it interesting that we have laws that reduce competition, promote the status quo, and obfuscate the free market’s ability to demand the best quality for the lowest price? Why would an insurance company offer a competitive rate when it knows the government (taxpayers) will just pick up the tab? Should we even call health insurance…insurance? I thought insurance was a hedge against a small chance by costly scenario. I have insurance for my home but not the electrical or plumbing. Perhaps, we should have health insurance for catastrophic incidents not basic care. I am 43 and this is how it worked even when I was growing up. How about freeing up the market for new and innovative ways to provide coverage. Don’t distort the price of insurance with government subsidies. Make insurance companies provide their take from customers, not the government. Don’t lump all health coverage into broad “insurance” plans. Provide insurance for catastrophic coverage but let basic services be bought and sold like any other good. This will drive the cost of basic medical care down.
There are many ways to help the poor and vulnerable but it can be done without the heavy hand of government. Yes, there are many people who are feeding their children junk. There are also hordes of vegetarians/vegans whose diets are just as destructive; erecting a huge and unsustainable bureaucracy is not the solution to helping people who have medical problems because they are making poor food choices. I took a look at your blog and it made me smile to think about how many people you have the chance to help each time you post a new entry.
All my best,
Lauren
Just found your site when a friend referred me to the how to make a scoby article! I’m glad you’re here and look forward to perusing more of your posts!
I’ve recently been in disucssion with some folks – including my mom’s oncologist – about why I’m choosing to not get a flu vaccine for myself and my teenage daughter. In that discussion it came up that I would be boosting my immune system naturally to help protect my mom who will be immune system compromised due to chemo all winter. It got me thinking that although I tend to be very healthy and eat well, I’ve slid into some bad habits foodwise and need a kickstart to get back on track for my wellness as well as for my mom.
This is a great site to start with! Thanks!
I don’t know if I hold handle those kind of pancakes… there’s something about coconut that makes me not able to eat it. Probably the texture is what i dislike.