Bacon Is Not a Vegetable

Bacon Is Not a Vegetable

As a vegetarian, I have to walk a fine line. Really, I’m not judging you. But I often find it necessary to establish myself as “not a threat” to meat eaters. I also occasionally bump up against militant vegans. Consider this collision I had the other...
Canning Ain’t Rocket Science

Canning Ain’t Rocket Science

When I arrived to help my friends Tom and Terri with their garden, they eagerly showed me a 10-pound zucchini. “I just wanted to see how big it would get,” Tom said, explaining why he didn’t pick it when it was smaller. “Do you want it?”...
Michigan’s Snappy Innovation

Michigan’s Snappy Innovation

The Farm Bill’s recent defeat in the House of Representatives opens up a second chance to get food policy right — including the food aid we give struggling individuals and families. A Michigan and Ohio program could provide some inspiration. The legislation...
How I Fell for Farmers’ Markets

How I Fell for Farmers’ Markets

I’ll never forget the first time I went to a farmers’ market. I hated it. Like many who buy food only from the grocery store, I didn’t realize that local farmers can’t produce every food all year round. I didn’t expect pineapples or...
Why I’m a Chick with Chicks

Why I’m a Chick with Chicks

In the span of a few years, I’ve gone from weird to trendy. Why? I keep chickens — in San Diego. Here’s one sign of how times have changed. In 2009, the local newspaper’s editorial page excoriated me for trying to change local laws to allow chickens....