Omnivore Atlanta

People living on food stamps have been given an incentive to shop at farmers’ markets.

Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Wholesome Wave Foundation, Atlanta-based nonprofit Georgia Organics has kicked off a Double Value Coupon Program which matches food stamp dollars spent at participating farmers’ markets.

“For a limited time, all food stamp dollars will have double the buying power at three Atlanta farmers markets,” Georgia Organics Executive Director Alice Rolls says. “Food stamp recipients still can choose to spend their food stamp dollars any where that accepts them, but at farmers markets, where local, fresh, and healthy food is sold, one dollar is equal to two dollars.”

Georgia Organics communications director — and former CL staff writer — Michael Wall says the effort is modeled after similar programs in San Diego, Baltimore and the Northeast United States. The program ends when the money runs out, he says, but fundraising could keep it operational.

More information about the program, including the participating farmers’ markets, after the jump.

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This just in from Julia Leroy, chef at the Bookhouse Pub:

I want to let all of you know that the Bookhouse is starting up a community-based night called “Localvore Mondays.” The focus of the night is creating a menu that spotlights the local farmers and artisans that choose to offer an ethically sound product.

By supporting these farmers, we are putting money right back where it belongs, in the local economy. I know there are people in our community who are interested in feeding their conscience as well as there bellies, and I’m hoping to get the word out… so that’s why I’m contacting you! The menu is offered every Monday, from 5 til midnight.

It’s 4 courses for $35. So far we’ve featured Decimal Place Farms goat cheese, White Oak Pastures certified humane beef, Moore’s Mill Farm and Friends (produce), and Loganturnpike Mill (cornmeal and grits). As spring kicks into gear I’m looking forward to serving the delicious bounty that is grown all over our state. Thanks as always!

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The New York Times recently published an excellent summary of the increasing political clout of the sustainable food movement. An excerpt (but please read the entire article):

At the heart of the sustainable-food movement is a belief that America has become efficient at producing cheap, abundant food that profits corporations and agribusiness, but is unhealthy and bad for the environment.

The federal government is culpable, the activists say, because it pays farmers billions in subsidies each year for growing grains and soybeans. A result is an abundance of corn and soybeans that provide cheap feed for livestock and inexpensive food ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup.

They argue that farm policy — and federal dollars — should instead encourage farmers to grow more diverse crops, reward conservation practices and promote local food networks that rely less on fossil fuels for such things as fertilizer and transportation.

Mark Bittman also has an essay in the Times about the need to emphasize healthy eating over “organic” eating:

“People believe it must be better for you if it’s organic,” says Phil Howard, an assistant professor of community, food and agriculture at Michigan State University.

So I discovered on a recent book tour around the United States and Canada.

No matter how carefully I avoided using the word “organic” when I spoke to groups of food enthusiasts about how to eat better, someone in the audience would inevitably ask, “What if I can’t afford to buy organic food?” It seems to have become the magic cure-all, synonymous with eating well, healthfully, sanely, even ethically.

But eating “organic” offers no guarantee of any of that. And the truth is that most Americans eat so badly — we get 7 percent of our calories from soft drinks, more than we do from vegetables; the top food group by caloric intake is “sweets”; and one-third of nation’s adults are now obese — that the organic question is a secondary one. It’s not unimportant, but it’s not the primary issue in the way Americans eat.

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We had another amazing meal at Dynamic Dish last night — spanokopita, arugula salad with lots of fresh veggies, carrot-ginger soup and a carrot soup. You can taste spring in owner/chef David Sweeney’s cooking, and the cafe was doing brisk business last night.

One thing you won’t find at Dynamic Dish is low prices. We happily pay what’s charged — more than $14 for a slice of the spanokopita with roasted potatoes and some tomatoes — because the quality of the ingredients is so high.

Last night, after dinner, I happened to read an article about fast food in Ode Magazine, which characterizes itself as a magazine for “intelligent optimists.” (I’m not sure how the magazine got in our house, since nobody by that description lives here.)

The lead story in the April issue of the magazine is about the “greening” of fast food. In a long article that seems indeed optimistic in view of the actual information it provides, the author praises several regional fast food places, like Burgerville in the Pacific Northwest, Better Burger in New York City and EVOS in Florida and Nevada. She gives Chipotle, which is a nationwide chain, special attention.

Mainly, she documents that using local, organic and cruelty-free produce and meats produces much better taste without costing consumers a whole lot more. She also notes that these same restaurants also tend to be more environmentally conscious and provide employees with better pay and benefits. The latter is especially important, since restaurants are the largest employer in the U.S. after the federal government. Other relevant facts: Restaurants are the largest consumer of electricity among U.S. retailers; fast-food packaging accounts for 20 percent of litter in the country.

Read the entire story here.

The same issue of Ode also has a piece entitled “The 2008 Organic Top 20.” It includes everything from chocolate to coffee substitutes and mac and cheese. Here’s their favorite organic beer:

Healthy and ethical consumption can be fun, and Orlio Organic Beer proves it. Throughout the year, Orlio offers a Common Ale that’s smooth, firm and not too heavy. For the winter, the Seasonal Black Lager makes a bolder impression. Its rich flavour will please beer enthusiasts, and its playful hint of chocolate helps separate it from the pack. As summer grows closer, try the Seasonal India Pale Ale for a sharp, slightly bitter taste. Orlio’s markets are rapidly expanding — click the “locator” function on the website to find the provider closest to you. A six-pack of Orlio’s Common Ale costs $8.99. orliobeer.com

(Images from Ode Magazine website)

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The most e-mailed article on the New York Times site the last few days has been one titled “Five Easy Ways to Go Organic.” It’s featured on the newspaper’s health blog, Well.

The article, which is addressed to parents, makes the point that some conventionally grown produce is safer than others, depending on its tendency to absorb pesticides. Thus, you should try to buy organic apples, but not worry so much about bananas. I found this interesting:

Potatoes: Potatoes are a staple of the American diet — one survey found they account for 30 percent of our overall vegetable consumption. A simple switch to organic potatoes has the potential to have a big impact because commercially-farmed potatoes are some of the most pesticide-contaminated vegetables. A 2006 U.S.D.A. test found 81 percent of potatoes tested still contained pesticides after being washed and peeled, and the potato has one of the the [sic] highest pesticide contents of 43 fruits and vegetables tested, according to the Environmental Working Group.

Read the entire post here.

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