A few quick updates:
1. My article on meat counterfeiting will appear in “Meatpaper“, Issue 17, which is headed to the press now. Teaser quote:
“It is easy to lie about meat because of the way we buy it and eat it. As a culture, when we shop we are loathe to have our food personified with identifying features like heads or hides. The sterility of modern packaging turns meat ubiquitous. Commodity production strips it of distinct characteristics, morphing living tissue into fungible and interchangeable cuts of anonymous protein. Through the cellophane, a typical shopper can identify species only; beef, chicken, pork. This is often the only information meat can convey from inside its package, and it is very difficult to get it to tell you more.”
2. Catskills Farmlink has graciously sponsored me to discuss agricultural land leases with a committed group of Upstate Farmers. The workshop is titled “Introduction to Evaluating Land for Agricultural Use & the Basics of Land Leasing“. Workshops will be held in Delhi, NY on March 21, then on March 22 in White Lake. We’ll be talking about the importance of getting a lease in writing, the terms that make agricultural leases so unique, and the ability of leases to capture the value of alternative agricultural practices which repair soil health. I’ll also stick around after the show to give a few free consultations so long as time permits. And candy. I’ll also be giving out free candy.
