Howdy & Happy Halloween!
Fall is that delicious time of year when the summer vegetables can still be found, but the comforting winter veggies are on their way onto the market stalls. Dozens of apple varieties abound and all manner of squash and gourds decorate front porches and tables.
Below you’ll find some pics from my recent ramblings, events in NC, a thought-provoking article, and some numbers I’ve been pondering. Enjoy!
November 2 & 3
NC Spot Festival
Hampstead
Celebration of local fish fried up by the local Fire Department? Sounds like my kind of festival!
November 7-10
Highlands Food and Wine Festival
Highlands
Local food, wine, beer, and music served up in style
November 23
Farmers Christmas
The Old Cotton Gin, Warrenton
10am-4pm
Shop for the holidays, enjoy blue grass and old time music and enjoy activities for the kids too.
Recent Articles I’ve Enjoyed:
Remember my cocoa post and the mention of Fair Trade? Or the post about labels? Both of these items get tied into this long read from the Guardian. Here’s a quote: “‘But it’s simplistic to say that companies will act in ways that are injurious to farmers,” said Fredrik Galtung of TrueFootprint, the sustainability analysts. In his view, the crises in agriculture are so stark that companies are motivated to protect farms and farm workers – if only to secure their own future profits.’
Numbers I’m Pondering this Month:
Number of US swine producers
2019 – about 60,000
1977 – about 647,000
Average hogs per farm
2019 (projected) – 1,202
1977 – 87
Of the 60,000 producers, there are more than 3,000 with more than 5,000 hogs.
From article by Curt Thacker, Urner Barry’s Reporter, Summer 2019
This productivity is impressive and doubtless enhanced traceability, reliability and quality control within the supply chain. At the same time, I’m curious what the overall benefits and cost to the environment and human health (mental and physical)?
Pineapples on Trees 