White Oak Summer book Review

White Oak Summer is a story about self-discovery.  To escape from a dead end job and a life without purpose, Kelsie Thompson accepts an internship on an organic farm.  In lush western Oregon from country, White Oak Farm owners Dana and Craig become Kelsie’s mentors in life and in love.  Dana instructs her on the fine art of beekeeping and the the luscious intricacies of the plan kingdom.  Craig has different things to teach Kelsie and not all of them have to do with farming.  -back cover of White Oak Summer

“I’ve read many a farm book that has aroused my body into laughter, crying, sighing, sniffing, cooking, digging, itching, staring, singing and finger tapping. Finally a farm book who’s words are so daring that my body got to experience several new written induced sensations. I call these physical reactions to Ms. Rae’s words the “Goat Squirt Tickle.” and the “Kale Me Green Tingle.” The book, White Oak Summer, will take your imagination to a mental garden so fertile that you won’t put it down till all the veggies have been harvested and there’s no milk left in the goat.” -Brandon Follett creator of the Mental Foreplay Experience

Click here to get your own digital or physical copy of White Oak Summer

Dear Barack Obama, please plant veggies at the White House (omelet review)

Hello Barack Obama,

With the upcoming presidential elections, we read that you enjoy a green pepper egg-white omelet.  We write a blog entitled Earthworm Envy that features omelet reviews from around the world, and we have noticed that the best omelets are made with local fresh ingredients.  Would you please take the time to answer a few questions in regards to your environmental policies and how they relate to local produce?

Here is a quote from your website:

The oil used in the U.S. transportation sector accounts for one-third of our nation’s emissions of greenhouse gases. Barack Obama’s plan will reduce carbon in our fuel supply by establishing a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

Food production and interstate transportation rely heavily on fuel consumption.  To help lower our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, will you promote local sustainable agriculture and vegetable gardening?  Will you lead by example by planting or authorizing a vegetable garden at the White House?

Finally, do you have any thoughts about omelets or a recipe that you would like to share?

We will publish your response on our Earthworm Envy blog.

Thank you,

Brandon Follett and Amy Johnson

earthwormenvy@yahoo.com

http://www.earthwormenvy.com

Oct 9, 2008 New York Times

article by Michael Pollan

Dear Mr. President-Elect,

It may surprise you to learn that among the issues that will occupy much of your time in the coming years is one you barely mentioned during the campaign: food. Food policy is not something American presidents have had to give much thought to, at least since the Nixon administration — the last time high food prices presented a serious political peril. Since then, federal policies to promote maximum production of the commodity crops (corn, soybeans, wheat and rice) from which most of our supermarket foods are derived have succeeded impressively in keeping prices low and food more or less off the national political agenda. But with a suddenness that has taken us all by surprise, the era of cheap and abundant food appears to be drawing to a close. What this means is that you, like so many other leaders through history, will find yourself confronting the fact — so easy to overlook these past few years — that the health of a nation’s food system is a critical issue of national security. Food is about to demand your attention.

click here to finish article