Farmville to Table

Have you ever signed onto Facebook and been instantly swamped with invitations to play Farmville?  Really, never?  Yes, I’m being a tad snarky here, but it’s all in good fun, and I do have a point.  The world has obviously been infected with farming fever.  Symptoms include the sudden onset of a desperate need to farm.  Usually, this presents as a preoccupation with produce that doesn’t really exist because it’s virtual, but the very real underlying psychological reasons behind the fascination are worth looking into.  Could everyone’s love of Farmville really be traced back to our ancient purpose on the face of the earth, or linked with our inborn desires to grow fruits and vegetables and to be stewards of the goods of all creation?

Real Life Farmville

I saw a great special on my Comcast cable bundles about a real life Farmville! In Britain, one small farm has decided to make it a very real for Farmville players who want to experience something more like actual farming.  The sign says “Farmers wanted — no experience required” and challenges people with the tagline “so, you think you know where your food comes from?”  Check out the video and let us know what you think of this idea.  Would you like to see a real life Farmville in your community to raise awareness about farming, its importance, and difficulty.

Home farming was as natural to our ancestors as wireless broadband is to us today, but growing a vegetable garden in the backyard is once again becoming a popular alternative for many Americans who want to insure that their produce is grown safely and organically.  Growing your own garden comes with many challenges and rewards.  One of the most common reasons people put off starting a home vegetable garden is a perceived lack of workable space in the yard.  I was talking with my friend last week as she daydreamed about starting some cabbage rows in the spring, and maybe carrots, peas, and tomatoes.   Continue reading

The federal Farm Spending Bill has come under fire from all sides, but no one is hotter under the collar over some egregious inequities uncovered by a recent in depth study of where those dollars are going than environmentalists. At a time when developing green resources and farming methods is the world’s obvious way out of unhealthy consumption and chemical contamination of our food supply, it is astounding to learn that most of the money set aside for farm spending is not going to farmers who focus on healthy, clean, green crops. Continue reading

We’ve all heard about the developments in genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) and how they may be able to solve future food and energy needs, but how safe are they really?  It’s difficult to make a fair evaluation at this early stage in the implementation of the program in farms and laboratories.  But if you would like to avoid produce that has been genetically modified by chemicals or special seeds, the best thing to do is buy from your local farmers’ market.  The family owned farms in your region do not introduce GMO’s like the corporate farms because they cannot produce on such a large scale and they are focused on preserving their land for future generations.  This video provides a time line around the issue and some basic information so you can form your opinion and probably value the local farms in your area even more. Continue reading

Farming isn’t all about corn and potatoes.  Located in the heart of the Yadkin Valley North Carolina, along the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains lies a fertile, sun-soaked landscape rich for growing grapes organically, which eventually wind up being pressed into some of North Carolina’s wine country’s most delicious wines. Several varieties of muscadines and hybrid American grapes, all organically raised and picked by hand, are used to produce naturally sumptuous wines for enjoying in all occasions.

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Admit it:  sometimes when your Facebook friends are all preoccupied with Farmville (especially when they resort to asking YOU for help) it grates on your nerves.  You don’t really want to visit anyone’s wall and read all about the new vegetables they can grow, or how a rabbit is in the cabbage patch, etc…  and yet, you can’t exactly do much about it, can you?  Well, you can always completely block the Farmville App, which will put an end to most of your woes.

But if you’re the globally conscious, civic minded planetary citizen that I bet you are, you won’t be Continue reading

There is something to say for the men and women that live on farms. They are the most hard working and American people that are out there. Farming is one of the things that makes a huge difference in the lives of people everywhere, but its rarely recognized by how hard it really is. Continue reading

When you think about American farmers it’s natural to also think about country music. When I think of farming the first thing that comes to mind are my favorite country songs that are centered around farming. Farming has been a huge part of American survival and success. Continue reading

Locally produced food has so many benefits for the consumer, the producer and the entire community surrounding it.  If you are an environmentally conscious individual and are looking for some green alternatives when you do your grocery, here are some reasons why your town’s or state’s locally grown goods are a much better option. Continue reading