Fall, a glorious season in New England!
It should be cool and crisp—oh, that was mid-August. Well, maybe it will be hot and humid—oh, that was mid-June. Time to harvest the potatoes—oh, we did that in mid- August, ready early and quite wonderful. Time to start putting up all the tomatoes that are so abundant in fall—oh, wait, I’m still trying to get my fi ll of fresh ones. Wasn’t that supposed to be in August?
I find it truly interesting just how so much is changing and how we can’t depend on the way things used to be. Yet I’m impressed with the farm community that deals with change pretty much from week to week.
The new generation of farmers has brought change to the plate. Local production has increased with more farmers and artisanal producers. The techniques employed yield healthier and amazingly high-quality fi nal products. Chemical-, hormone- and antibiotic-free growth has made a diff erence in our health and what we eat. Abundant off erings locally include cheese, yogurt, butter, eggs, baked goods, meat, poultry, charcuterie, sauces, jams, brews, distillates and on and on.
In fact, the desire for many of us to participate in our own yards and creation of our own food is growing—literally.
The farmers and producers are bringing production back to America, combining the techniques of their predecessors with the mechanical and marketing aids of our time. The expression “what’s old is new again” stands tall here. In this issue of Edible Berkshires we off er you a look, thoughts and, hopefully, insight into what others are doing:
- Protecting the livestock you raise is critical; “Working Dog” describes a low-impact and old school way to get that job done.
- Proper dietary habits start with education. (I don’t remember the last time I encountered an overweight farmer.) What a select group of high schools are offering is explored in “Field Lessons”.
- A program called Seeds, with the help of farmers, has made inroads putting healthy food on the cafeteria tray for students, as described in “Seeds for Change”.
- Get them while they’re young, if you can, was part of Jennifer Munoz’s motivation to create a program teaching where food comes from. Jennifer shares from her childhood in “Growing Healthy Habits”.
- We get a leg up if good habits start at home. In “The Healthy Lunch Box”, Morgan Kulchinsky, a nutrition educator, suggests how to pack an appealing and nourishing lunch for a busy day.
I hope you enjoy this fall edition of Edible Berkshires and that it sparks new thoughts for you. Best with the weather and—just a suggestion—you might want to get the snow shovels out from the garage early!
Warmest Wishes,
Bruce
