Future of the Food-Chain

[labelwench]

On average Americans spend less than 10% of their income on food, and I'm guessing that circumstances are not much different in Canada, where I reside. That is down considerably from the 24% of income, which is the figure for 1947.

Corn is a subsidized crop. In the making of 'King Corn', two students grew 10,000 lbs of corn on one acre with an estimated 2 hours work. The Japanese discovered the enzyme that enables the processing of corn into high fructose corn syrup, and thus a cheap source of carbohydrates, with multiple applications, entered our food chain.

So, how much number 2 yellow dent does the average consumer ingest, often without even knowing that they are consuming high fructose corn syrup? We'll get to the numbers and the reasons why in a later post.

For now, have a bit of fun checking out out some of these scenes from the movie and making of 'King Corn'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yfIM...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJyM8...eature=related

[labelwench]

Corn allergy or sensitivity often goes unrecognized for several reasons. The symptoms may not be as incapacitating or life-threatening as the sensitivity to peanuts or shellfish.

Many people would not suspect that they are allergic to a staple of the North American diet, and people eat a lot more corn than they realize as it goes under a wide range of names, including dextrose, dextrin, maltodextrin, corn syrup, glucose, glucose-fructose, fructose, invert sugar, corn sugar, modified starch, starch, corn oil, vegetable oil, margarine and shortening.

Did you know that the reason french fries turn that delightful golden brown is because they are dusted with dextrose? Check out the frozen fries ingredients list next time you are at the supermarket.

Here is a link to aid in understanding what foods are likely to contain corn products.

http://cornfree.ca/list.htm

[labelwench]

Will you have corn or cream with your coffee?

Most would not consider that to be a question of any validity, yet the 'whitener' commonly used as a cream substitute lists corn syrup solids as the first ingredient.

Yet, of course, it must have fewer calories that cream, does it not?

NOT SO.

Whitener - 5 ml = 15 calories one teaspoon
Cream -15ml = 20 calories one tablespoon

three teaspoons = one tablespoon.

Tricky the way manufacturers choose to play the numbers. Corn syrup is incredibly high in calories, contributing to the caloric density of the foods in which it is found, which includes nearly every product that is processed, even minimally. Yes, it is even in most spaghetti sauces.

[labelwench]

We bring in bottled water by the pallets, and it is sold in a range of sizes from 1L single containers, through 12 x 500 ml and up to 35 x 500 ml cases, as well as in 4L, and 10L jugs. There is a 5 cent deposit and an additional 5 cent environment fee levied on the 500 ml size bottle of which 5 cents will be refunded when you take your empties in to the local recycling center with the rest being retained for the costs associated with the actual work and transportation of the recycled products. The deposit is slightly higher on the larger sizes, I believe it to be 25 cents for containers 1 L and larger.

We have excellent water supply in the Yukon, yet many people do not want to drink water that has been 'treated' in any way.

How many people do the research to find out what is actually in the bottled water, which, incidentally, is packaged in plastic bottles?

The following information, taken from a CBC News report, might come as a surprise to some.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/co...led-water.html

What makes one brand different from another?

Bottled water can come from any source. Here's a quick reference guide.

Mineral and spring water

This must come from an underground source (not a public water supply) and can't be altered with chemicals. Mineral water has a higher amount of dissolved mineral salts.

Bottled water

This can be water from any source, distilled, carbonated or treated in any manner. Dasani (owned by Coca-Cola) is filtered municipal tap water, bottled in Brampton, Ont., and Calgary. (Pepsi owns Aquafina, which is also sourced from municipalities.)

Artesian water/Artesian well water

Bottled water from a well that taps a confined aquifer (a water-bearing underground layer of rock or sand).

Sparkling water

Water that has been carbonated. Soda water, seltzer water and tonic water are not considered bottled waters.

Glacial water

Water from a source directly from a glacier.

Natural water

Water(such as spring, mineral, artesian or well water) obtained from an approved underground source and not from a municipal or public water-supply system. This water is untreated other than by filtration.

Purified water

Water produced by distillation, de-ionization or reverse osmosis, which contains not more than 10 mg/L of total dissolved solids.

Premium price for tap water

Two of the largest bottled water sellers, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, use municipal water.

The unprecedented demand for their products increases demand for public water, which they purchase at a substantially lower price than households are asked to pay.

Experts speculate that if the trend for bottled water consumption continues, it could lead to the privatization of municipal water supplies.

[labelwench]

Much of Saskatchewan and parts of Alberta have been hard hit by heavy rains and floods with the result in huge damage to homes and livelihoods. The Canadian Government is offering up $450 million dollars in aid, which translates into about $30.00 an acre for land whose annual yield should run $200.00-$300.00 an acre.

While the aid is appreciated and appears to be in quick response to the crisis, the real scope of this 'blip' on the weather radar will be felt further down the line.

To put matters in perspective, between one third and one half of the crop land has not been seeded this year, so there will be a greatly reduced yield overall. Consumers may expect to pay more for grain based products before long.

[labelwench]

Vertical Farming is one model that is being examined as a possible means to grow fresh produce for urban centers. It is theorized that a thirty story growing tower could feasibly supply fresh produce needs of about 50,000 people and that a city of the size of Vancouver might require about eleven of these structures.

“If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re getting.” – Stephen R. Covey.



The basic Theory is to grow fruits and vegetables in urban locations by growing up and not out (as we do with current farming practices, growing across land/orchards/fields…..).

What is suggested is that growing take place in Skyscrapers and tall buildings, designed by forward thinking architects to capture all of the elements needed for growing.

The Vertical Farms or Skyscraper gardens would be designed to be as self sustaining as possible (meaning they would be “off the grid” – using little to no utilities – no bills).

Each floor would provide the perfect conditions needed to grow a certain crop. Next Floor…… cucumbers : ).

http://www.123-greenhouse-gardening....l-farming.html

Vertical farming is a proposal to build high rise buildings within urban areas to enable the growing of food crops to help avoid the impending food shortage which is envisaged in the near future. It is thought that by the year 2050 the worlds population will have grown by a further 3 billion people and with more land needed than is available to grow the crops needed to feed everybody, ideas have to be considered to how these extra crops can be grown. Vertical farming could provide year round food production and better crop production, being able to yield more produce by area like for like compared to traditional horizontal farming. To put in a nutshell vertical farming is like a high rise greenhouse, sometimes having the label farmscrapers.

http://www.squidoo.com/verticalfarming

[labelwench]

It took humans 10,000 years to learn how to grow most of the crops we now take for granted. Along the way, we despoiled most of the land we worked, often turning verdant, natural ecozones into semi-arid deserts. Within that same time frame, we evolved into an urban species, in which 60% of the human population now lives vertically in cities. This means that, for the majority, we humans are protected against the elements, yet we subject our food-bearing plants to the rigors of the great outdoors and can do no more than hope for a good weather year. However, more often than not now, due to a rapidly changing climate regime, that is not what follows. Massive floods, protracted droughts, class 4-5 hurricanes, and severe monsoons take their toll each year, destroying millions of tons of valuable crops. Don't our harvestable plants deserve the same level of comfort and protection that we now enjoy? The time is at hand for us to learn how to safely grow our food inside environmentally controlled multistory buildings within urban centers. If we do not, then in just another 50 years, the next 3 billion people will surely go hungry, and the world will become a much more unpleasant place in which to live.

As a container gardener in a short season Northern climate, the ability to circumvent weather, and garden pests, has granted me excellent yields, when traditional 'plot gardeners' were beset by challenges. Greater yields, increased certainty of a crop, and control of all stages of growth from seed to harvest means that I know what went into the food that I am eating. LW

At the micro level, one still must be aware of various diseases that can be transmitted from human to plants, (Tobacco Mosaic Virus) some of which are seasonal, and that over/under watering and fertilizing can also be the ruination of a successful harvest.

We have much to learn still, about plants, yet perhaps this is one avenue among many, that is worth the exploration, as the world population, and our need for nourishing food, are ever increasing.

By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth's population will reside in urban centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about 3 billion people during the interim. An estimated 109 hectares of new land (about 20% more land than is represented by the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use (sources: FAO and NASA). Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to avoid this impending disaster?

Advantages of Vertical Farming Year-round crop production; 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 4-6 outdoor acres or more, depending upon the crop (e.g., strawberries: 1 indoor acre = 30 outdoor acres)
No weather-related crop failures due to droughts, floods, pests
All VF food is grown organically: no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers
VF virtually eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling black water
VF returns farmland to nature, restoring ecosystem functions and services
VF greatly reduces the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired at the agricultural interface
VF converts black and gray water into potable water by collecting the water of
evapotranspiration
VF adds energy back to the grid via methane generation from composting non-edible
parts of plants and animals
VF dramatically reduces fossil fuel use (no tractors, plows, shipping.)
VF converts abandoned urban properties into food production centers
VF creates sustainable environments for urban centers
VF creates new employment opportunities
We cannot go to the moon, Mars, or beyond without first learning to farm indoors on
earth
VF may prove to be useful for integrating into refugee camps
VF offers the promise of measurable economic improvement for tropical and subtropical
LDCs. If this should prove to be the case, then VF may be a catalyst in helping to reduce or even reverse the population growth of LDCs as they adopt urban agriculture as a strategy for sustainable food production.
VF could reduce the incidence of armed conflict over natural resources, such as water
and land for agriculture

[labelwench]

Rice has fed more people over a longer period of time than any other crop.

There is documentation showing that the Buddhist scriptures referred to rice quite often and again, used it as an offering to the gods. Initial evidence from archeologists showed that rice was a valued food dating back as early as 2500 BC during the late Neolithic period in the Yangtze basin.

Even so, in 1966, an archeologist by the name of Wilhelm G. Solheim II made an important discover in Southeast Asian. He found pottery shards that had imprints of the O Sativa husks and grains. These were discovered in the Korat area of Thailand and after extensive testing, it was confirmed that these shards dated back to 4000 BC.

In March to May 2008, the price of rice rose greatly due to a general upward trend in grain prices caused by droughts in major producing countries (particularly Australia), increased use of grains for animal feed and US subsidies for bio-fuel production. Although there was no shortage of rice on world markets the general upward trend in grain prices led to panic buying and government rice export bans. This caused significant rises in rice prices. In late April 2008, prices hit 24 US cents a pound, twice the price that it had been seven months earlier.

We have a considerable immigrant and Oriental population in Whitehorse, and when rice goes on sale, with a limit of 2 bags as example, whole families come in and each member buys their two bags. Grocery carts strain under a load of 8-10 bags of rice, each 20 kg or approx. 44 lbs each.

Since the increase of two years ago, rice has remained high-priced, and our regular price on a 20 kg bag is $35.98, although last week we had it on special for $10.00 less. We carry many varieties of rice including Basmati, Jasmine, sticky rice, sweet rice, parboiled, scented, and wild rice, as well as organic white and brown and rice flour, both glutinous and non-glutinous. LW

American long-grain rice plants
Rice, white, long-grain
Raw Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 1,527 kJ (365 kcal)
Carbohydrates 79 g
Sugars 0.12 g
Dietary fiber 1.3 g
Fat 500 mg
Protein 7.12 g
Water 11.62 g
Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.0701 mg (5%)
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.0149 mg (1%)
Niacin (Vit. B3) 1.62 mg (11%)
Pantothenic acid (B5) 1.014 mg (20%)
Vitamin B6 0.164 mg (13%)
Folate (Vit. B9) 8 μg (2%)
Calcium 28 mg (3%)
Iron 0.80 mg (6%)
Magnesium 25 mg (7%)
Manganese 1.088 mg (54%)
Phosphorus 115 mg (16%)
Potassium 115 mg (2%)
Zinc 1.09 mg (11%)
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient database

Rice is the seed of the monocot plant Oryza sativa. As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East, South, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies. It is the grain with the second highest worldwide production, after maize (corn).

Since a large portion of maize crops are grown for purposes other than human consumption, rice is the most important grain with regards to human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one fifth of the calories consumed worldwide by the human species.

[labelwench]

I stumbled across this song related to bottled water on my romp around the 'net this morning and decided to post it here, as it is both interesting and entertaining, a solo live performance. Enjoy! LW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHoDTi5FnPA

Walkabout Waterbottle

When my Dad told me that a little bottle of water shipped from Europe to Australia might as well be full of oil, when you consider the manufacture and the shipping, I said, "Gee Dad, that's a song, I reckon".
And here it is.

Walkabout waterbottle's come a long way to be here today
It's just plain water with a vague hint of soil, but it's worth its weight in oil
Packaging packaging packaging packaging

Every day what a lot of bottled water's shipped around the planet tipped to be fashionably sipped
It's a plastic, packaged promotional trap for something we should get from a tap
Importing water oughta be thought of as resources out of sync, don't need a handful of land fill with every drink
Yeah, recycling's good, re-use is better yet, but not to make it at all's the best bet

Full colour labels rave how they can save us, outrageous claims do us no favours
Saying "chemical free" is kind of pox, I'd guarantee it's chockers with dihydrogen monoxide
It's not naturally any purer to be from somewhere fancy free like France or Fiji
Get globally vocal, but go really local, oppose those disposed to impose disposable

Bottled water's but a salient example relating to a world of pointless packaging and frivolous freighting
And while demand meets supply, they'll suck us dry, so keep your cash, purge your urge to buy
Just give it to me straight, not refined or overly pure, cut all the waste and the hype and the overture
Though in the bedroom, instead, dub thee a knighthood, a little wrapping there could do the earth a world of good

[labelwench]

I was treated to lunch yesterday by my mother, and we went to a restaurant that specializes in salmon and ribs. As she eats but a bit at a time, we shared a generous platter of halibut and chips. The halibut is from nearby Alaskan waters and so is as close to fresh as one will encounter in these parts, and the meal was indeed quite tasty, and the decor was intriguingly rustic, catering to visitors and locals from the Klondike theme. Plank floors and the back room was an attached wall tent. This venue is only open during the summer season I would add.

Fish is touted on all of the 'healthy' diets as being a most beneficial source of protein and salmon especially as a source of Omega-3 oils.

Fish farming is an industry that has been with us for far longer than many people might be aware.

History of Aquaculture

Aquaculture is not a new industry, nor is it an untested concept. The care and farming of fish is rooted in ancient history. The earliest records of fish farming are from Asia (China) where the practice was used often, perhaps as far back as 2500 BC. This early farming activity involved capturing fish, mainly carps, after river floods and holding them in artificial lakes and ponds. Using a form of polyculture, the fish were fed using the nymphs and byproducts of silkworm farming.

This ancient Chinese practice was a simple yet ingenious form of sustainable farming, designed to increase food supplies while diminishing the environmental effects of another farm activity. The value of the animals were increased and accomplished by utilizing by-products that would "today" often be considered waste in much of the western world. Is it "a wonder" that some 80% of the world's fish farming activities still take place in Asia?

The Bible refers to fish ponds and sluices (Isaiah, Chapter 19, verse 10), and Hieroglyphics illustrate that the Egyptians of the Middle Kingdom (2052-1786 B.C.) developed ornamental fish ponds and attempted intensive fish culturing. Research indicates that the Roman's were quite adept in raising fish in ponds and also cultivated oysters. The Hawaiian people practiced aquaculture by constructing fish ponds, an example from ancient Hawaii is a pond at Alekoko dating back at least 1000 years.

Arctic Char have been farmed in the Yukon for over two decades now, yet the practice is not without controversy, as the fish are raised in containment within an existing stream and so the water moves through their habitat and then contacts wild stocks, carrying their offal and potential pathogens with it.

The concerns lie with what may be getting into the water system by means of the feed which is given to these fish, and that being raised in such confinement and numbers is not the way of nature, and such stress factors increase the risk of disease both within the captive population and the potential for transmission to wild stocks.

A new virus has been discovered and now there is already talk of a vaccine for the farmed fish.

New virus may pose risk to wild salmon

Farmed fish are an increasingly important food source, with a global harvest now at 110 million tons and growing at more than 8 percent a year. But epidemics of infectious disease threaten this vital industry, including one of its most popular products: farmed Atlantic salmon. Perhaps even more worrisome: these infections can spread to wild fish coming in close proximity to marine pens and fish escaping from them.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-nvm070910.php

With the wild stocks of fish ever depleting, it is cause for wonder how much longer fish will be available on any menu.