Hello Food Fans!
If you have not already heard, my 27 year old Mercian has been separated from me. During the night train from Paris to Berlin, the mile long train separated and the half with my bike went to Munich. The first 48 hours of this mishap left me in shock. The next day was depression and now, with great support from my hosts here in Berlin, we are working daily trying to locate and retrieve my trusty bike-friend. I am hopeful, but it appears that this process may take some time. I am moving forward with my project. Next week I have an appointment with Berlin city officials to discuss their kitchen waste composting system. I am going to push them to give me a tour... from kitchen to compost. Also, the organic business in Germany is one of the largest and oldest in EU. I will bring you many stories from this fantastic country. Finally, I am working on a synopsis of my French food experience... I have gleaned some great ideas for Tucson!.. please send positive thoughts about my bike... Thank you to all for your support!
The following photos:
From the StaatlicheMuseum zu Berlin (SMB)
Screaming man….my sentiments about my bike
In front of SMB “Who Knows Tomorrow”
Street scenes
Couch surfing host, Judith, surprised me with a birthday dinner with several friends attending.She calls daily trying to locate my bike in Munich.
Other hosts (floor surfing), the Gabrusiak brothers..The Turkish neighborhood supplies us with many nice meals together.Waclaw afforded me SO much help in trying to locate my bike.A native Pole, his German is limited but he amazes me with his effort to find answers for me.
Thank you Ghislaine and Mike (photo) for hosting me for one night in Lyon. What a fantastic city! Lyon is France's gastronomic center, with prestigious culinary schools and restaurants. Deemed the Ambassador of French cuisine, chef Paul Bocuse has a luxury restaurant l'Auberge du Pont de Collonges, near Lyon, which has been serving a traditional menu for decades, as well as the Institute Paul Bocuse.
Hello Foodies! I have been on the road for the last 4 days... Rhone River Region!!! 150 kilometers of grapes, grapes, grapes, and olives! Nyons is home for the Queen of Black Olives.... and I must say, YUM! I owe you some photos and stories about this trek, plus my interview with the Food Bank in Toulouse... but I am trying to survive the camper's grind, no internet and on the run, for my time is running out in France. I am compiling some thoughts and ideas teased out from my experience while in France. As soon as a land into a permanent space, I will share. Germany is soon. Please send me some emails. I miss hearing from you and welcome a personal letter. (the fresh apricot juice in photo was made by the farmer who let me camp next to his orchard) Kiss! Kimski
Stéphanie Carin wants her children to eat as well as she did while growing up in Great Britain where her mom prepared traditional wholesome foods and meats from her father’s butcher shop. Organic foods are part of Stéphanie’s family meal time experience. Equally important to her are the organic farmers in France. Within the last year, Stéphanie has compiled up to 2.700 organic farmers on her website Biogis.“Bios (organic foods) in France are a new phenomena compared to Germany and Austria who lead in many environmental areas. The idea of Biogis is to act as a conduit between organic farmers and customers.”Grocery stores take approximately 70% of the profit and Stephanie wants to track organic foods to the table.“Biogis gives a voice to the farmer, where they can share their food passion and work behind their product.”Innovative ideas, such as agro-ecological farming where farmers are bringing back traditional land use practices and biodiversity are exemplified on Biogis. Some farmers moved from conventional-chemical farming to organic because they realized they were poisoning themselves and the customers. From 110 hectare to 10 hectare in scale and a diversity of personalities, Stéphanie believes that the farmers have one thing in common… they do this work not for the money, but for the love of true farming and the care of the earth. The germination of Biogis to facilitate the networking between farmers and with their customers is a large sustainable step for France.
Stephanie Masson’s parents, Vincent and Yveline grow extraordinary vegetables and fruits in their backyard.Not only do they provide fresh and canned food for their own coffers, but for their daughter, three grandchildren and Christophe. Grown in the floodplain near Mirande, they produce several types of tomatoes, potatoes, beans, squash, melons, onions, garlic, and herbs, plus strawberries, raspberries, cherries, plums, and kiwi fruit.Yveline created a lovely salad with fresh tomatoes, basil and onions, whipped potatoes, and battered-fried squash blossom.Yum!
SPONSOR KIM FOX TUCSON’S AMBASSADOR OF LOCAL FOOD AS SHE BIKES ACROSS EUROPE FOR LOCAL AGRICULTURE
WHO is Kim Fox? Kim Fox is Tucson's micro-urban farmer and food activist, dedicated to community education and local food production. As founder of Pachamama's Garden, she designs urban sites for food production and distribution. Her community education programs focus on local food production, soil science, food security and health. In 2009 over 215 students and visitors attended education programs and tours of Pachamama’s Garden. Kim’s urban farm also demonstrates conversion of food waste and manures into living soils via composting and vermiculture systems. Kim is an observer of and participant in local and international foodways. She has traveled to 25 countries, working on small farms and urban gardens, visiting farmers' markets, participating in food culture and customs, and observing local food production and distribution methods.
HOW is Kim Fox an Ambassador of Local Food? Beginning in June 2010, Kim will take a sabbatical from her farming and education work in Tucson to travel by bicycle across Europe from Paris, France, to Vilnius,Lithuania. She will engage with people who manage urban and rural farms, gardens, farmers' markets, food banks, seed banks, and public and private agencies in order to exchange perspectives and information on methods of urban sustainable agriculture production and distribution. She will be exposed to numerous local food prints, the relationships people have culturally and regionally to their food. In particular, Kim will study and report on seed saving, climate change consequences, GMO issues,sustainable farming and urban gardening techniques, plus recipes straight from the kitchen. Her community in Tucson and beyond can learn with her and support her during her trek. You can contact Kim at theoriginalhoe@live.com My wOrm regards!
