If you missed the recent article by Chef and restaurant owner Dan Barber in the New York Times, dont miss the chance to hear him speak at Seattle Town Hall next Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 6:30pm.
Mr. Barber is the chef and co owner of the Manhattan restaurant Blue Hill as well as of Blue Hill at Stone Barns in upstate New York and is also very active in working for healthy, sustainable farming and eating.
The article, which was based on his recently published book “The Third Plate: Field notes on the future of food”, discusses his realization that the farm-to-table movement has failed to substantially change the way that food is grown in America. His conclusion: we need a “nose to tail” approach to the farm, where we value everything that sustainable farms produce. That means not only the big name farm produce like tomatoes, asparagus, wheat and green beans, but also the rotation crops that are required to nurture and maintain the soil…crops like millet, mustard, clover, kidney beans, cowpeas, oats and rye. These crops are not as sexy as the farm stand superstars, but if consumers learn to appreciate and value them, sustainable farmers will have a much easier time making ends meet and of meeting the demand for healthy, sustainably raised food.
I’ve got to start looking for recipes for cowpeas.