Adventures and Thoughts of Team Cross

The focal point of our trip to the farm and the main reason we attended was to pick strawberries.  Yes, there are other places to strawberry pick closer to home, but this was a unique opportunity to do so out our place.  Harmony Valley Farm is pretty clear to their CSA members that they want us to think of it as ours. It is a good marketing message, but in a sense it is also quite literally true – being a CSA member is like buying stock in a company.

So we picked lots of strawberries.  In the picture you can see my delightful wife with a purple bowl full, plus we got our 2 free pints.  We had to pay $2.50 a pound for the sweet organic delicacies.  We ended up with just over 2lbs plus the 2 pints!

Even with the occasional light shower we had a grand time picking strawberries! Thank you Harmony Valley.
The cute kids belong to our friends the Deckers.

Is it possible to live off $21 a week for food? This is what the average American on food stamps receives in food aid via food stamps.  This means about 25 million Americans have around $21 a week per person to purchase all of their groceries.  While $35 million struggle to put food on the table. We try to live frugally, but that’s almost impossible.

FOOD STAMP CHALLENGE

Recently this idea has become popular with political figures of all stripes and at all levels of government.  4 Congressman, a Governor, City Councilman and others have all attempted to live on a food stamp budget for at least one week.  Someone has even tried to do so while eating organically!  So far all have succeeded in making their food budgets stay within the guidelines (I know for sure that the Congressman aren’t allowed to eat free food at various political functions either!).

It has been interesting to read their blogs and the stories it has generated as the Farm Bill, which includes Food Stamp legislation is coming up for reauthorization this July.

CNN did a story (see You Tube below).  I found it interesting that the USDA (who administers Food Stamps) [why does the agricultural department administer food stamps?] recommends Food Stamps as a supplement to other food purchases.  Rep. Ryan’s remarks are excellent.  They were originally designed to be a supplement, but with cost of living, especially gas prices, continuing to rise, without a significant rise in income for the bottom tier of workers, food stamps are the primary source of income for food purchases.

Here is a quick compilation of some of the links to their blogs and stories.

Good Blog Article

Rep. McGovern of MA

Rep. Ryan of Ohio

Organic Foods on a Budget

Washington Post Article

Also on You Tube:

Tags: Food Stamps, Poverty, Government

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Here are the myths, to find out the truths please visit Food First

Myth 1:
Not Enough Food to Go Around

Reality: Abundance, not scarcity, best describes the world’s food supply. Enough wheat, rice and other grains are produced to provide every human being with 3,200 calories a day. That doesn’t even count many other commonly eaten foods – ­vegetables, beans, nuts, root crops, fruits, grass-fed meats, and fish. Enough food is available to provide at least 4.3 pounds of food per person a day worldwide: two and half pounds of grain, beans and nuts, about a pound of fruits and vegetables, and nearly another pound of meat, milk and eggs – ­enough to make most people fat! The problem is that many people are too poor to buy readily available food. Even most “hungry countries” have enough food for all their people right now. Many are net exporters of food and other agricultural products.

Myth 2:
Nature is to Blame for Famine

Myth 3
Too Many People

Myth 4:
The Environment vs. More Food?

Myth 5:
The Green Revolution is the Answer

Myth 6:
We Need Large Farms

Myth 7:
The Free Market Can End Hunger

Myth 8:
Free Trade is the Answer

Myth 9:
Too Hungry to Fight for Their Rights

Myth 10:
More U.S. Aid Will Help the Hungry

Myth 11:
We Benefit From Their Poverty

Myth 12:
Curtail Freedom to End Hunger?

Institute for Food and Development Policy Backgrounder
Summer 2006, Vol.12, No. 2