I am an italian lucky member of Terra Madre 2006.
I work as a zootechnical and agronomical technician in an organic farm in the wonderful hearth of Maremma, the south part of Tuscany. Besides I am taking a PhD in Animal Production in Pisa.
In my experience I have noticed that we have to restore the ancient agricultural practices used for thousands of years by local peasants, going backwards before looking beyond! And this is essential in order, on one hand, to maintain soil fertility – and today unfortunately it is not enough – and, on the other, to have also a positive economical balance at the end of the year (obviously I am talking about organic farming).
So I have searched (and I am searching, sometimes in a such of compulsive way…) for old books, manuals, publications and everything deal with an eco-compatible way of life based on products diversification, crop rotation, appropriate seed varieties, manure management, local breeds, animal welfare, grazing technique, homeopathy…
For me that is very important, because every living creature can expresses their own best productivity in the original environment of selection: and I think it is the best reason why “NATIVE IS BETTER�!
Every place have its native/local reality, different from region to region, and we have the duty to search, find, use and finally optimize it, creating a successful mixture of ancient practices and actual knowledge.
I am afraid of my not correct English, but I hope you have understood what I tried to communicate.
Early last Tuesday morning Glencolton Farm near Durham, in Grey County, southwestern Ontario, Canada, was raided by the officials from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Natural Resources who impounded milk operations equipment and forbade farmer Michael Schmidt from selling raw milk to his cow share program consisting of 150 raw milk consumers across the province.
At a press conference on his farm on Thursday, Schmidt announced that would go on a hunger strike until all of the equipment, documents and other items removed from this farm have been returned.
Find out how you (especially if you’re Canadian) can help Schmidt in his fight against the government for food sovereignty—go to www.glencoltonfarms.com and download the Freedom of Choice petition or write to the Ontario premier in support of consumers’ right to purchase raw milk. You can also read more about the raid and current developments at the site as well as find out how to send Schmidt a donation to support him while government actions keep him from producing his milk and selling it.
Yesterday, Terra Madre 2004 and 2006 delegate Jamie Kennedy, a chef-restaurateur in Toronto, hosted a press conference for Schmidt at his restaurant. Michael Schmidt raises the Canadienne cattle breed, which is on the Slow Food Ark of Taste.
Presentation for the ‘Native Is Better’ agro-ecology workshop, Oct 27, 2006
I am both a farmer and an ecologist. I farm with my family in the the South-east Scottish Lowlands
I want to explore why native is better and than to share with you what we do on our farm with British native breeds.
To say that ‘Native is better’ is controversial – What defines Native ?
I believe it is not helpful to think automatically because something is native it is better. It is better to consider the purposes for which animals were and are bred.
You are owed an apology. This is mine. I am a University of Gastronomic Sciences Masters student and had volunteered to cover this workshop and provide a summary for the Terra Madre website. Due to the lack of translation facilities I was unable to gain anything that could be described as a suitable overview. Due to the technical drop outs I could not hear everything and due to speakers being added at every turn, everyone was reduced to three minutes presentation time. The fact that the room was at ‘standing-room only’ level shows just how much the issues this workshop was to cover matter.
Water, Politics, War
Dwight Stanford, Master’s student, UNISG-Colorno
Where oil was one of the world’s primary source of conflict in the previous 20 years, it seems likely the new source will be water and it’s availability to all peoples. Estimates from the UN predict 1/3 of the world’s population will suffer in the next 20 years from water shortages for both potable water and water for crop growth.
Presenters from five regions spoke of their battles and successes with water usage.
Honey Producers at Terre Madre will discuss a “Honey manifesto�.
What makes quality honey? Tradition, biodiversity, hygiene and no antibiotics; quality honey opposes the industrial model, which produces large quantities, using lots of chemicals and little human labor.
At Terra Madre this year, in addition to the Earth Workshops focused on themes like agro-ecology, market access and resource management), there will be seminars on a topic that Slow Food is devoting ever more attention to: food education. Participating at these workshops will be the learning communities, the latest to join the world of Slow Food.
We are the voices of Terra Madre. We believe in good, clean and fair food.
These are our stories, our pictures, our questions and answers, our problems, concerns, fears, failures and successes.
