Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Plagued

I am disturbed by the level of paranoia surrounding the H1N1 virus. Some of the suggestions for how to avoid getting this flu might in fact make one successful at not getting it, but at what cost? Take a look at this exhaustive list of suggestions for example: http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-the-Flu-at-University

Of course washing our hands frequently and thoroughly, avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol, and getting enough rest, nutrition and exercise are important all the time, especially when the flu is going around, but there are also many suggestions in circulation that I believe to be problematic:

  • Avoid getting too close to others (you never know who might make you sick!).
  • Avoid using silverware in the cafeteria; use sealed, disposable plastic ware instead (you can't be sure those lazy folks behind the scenes cleaned it properly!).
  • Avoid salad bars, bread baskets, or other communal food sources (basically, don't eat anything unless you have washed and prepared it safely yourself!).
  • Order your meals "To Go" so that it is served on disposable and portable containers or bags and not reusable plates and trays (and additionally, you don't have to eat with all those sick people in the public space either!)
  • Wash your clothes after they have been near other people.
  • Change your clothes and shower after you go out and about.
  • Avoid parties and social events (become a recluse until this thing blows over!)
  • At all costs, avoid physical contact with any and everyone!
So, here's the problem. What kind of people would we be if we live like this, afraid of everyone and everything around us? What are we willing to sacrifice in order to stay "healthy?" Is this behavior actually "healthy behavior" anyway? If we all stay at a "safe" distance from each other, what is the point of staying healthy? I guess we can all stay home and watch TV shows in the clean comfort of our sterile living rooms. The actors can't make us sick through the air waves right. And let's stick to e-mail and phone calls to keep up with our friends and family too.

If you ask me, living like this sounds like a plague of another kind, and I do not plan on doing it. Maybe I'm living on the edge, but I would rather live fully in the present than hide in fear of the possible future. I will do so with freshly washed hands and a good night's rest, but I will not be hiding out at home with a can of Lysol in my hand for the rest of my life. I hope to see you out there!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Support urban farming in KC

Support Urban Food Production in Kansas City!!

Whether you grow local food or buy local food, this information is very important to you. Come to BADSEED, Tuesday, October 20, 6:00-7:30 pm, to discuss proposing City Code changes that will benefit Urban Agriculture.

BADSEED has gotten a lot of flack and legal pressure lately about farming in the city, and I want to invite Kansas City friends and allies to support Kansas City urban farming by coming to this initial meeting.

Katherine Kelly of KCCUA says, "In our meetings with the Urban Planning and Development staff, and with various city council people, they expressed a willingness to work with us to develop codes that more accurately fit the ways that urban food production is developing in Kansas City, MO. They are in a review period looking at the revised codes, so the timing is good for refinements.

The Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture, Bad Seed Farm, and the Food Policy Coalition for Greater Kansas City are organizing a meeting of any interested community members who would like to have input into this process. You are invited to attend, Tuesday, October 20, 6:00-7:30 pm, at the Bad Seed Market at 1909 McGee, Kansas City, MO."

The goals of the meeting are:

· To look at existing codes that impact urban agriculture,

· To brainstorm about changes that might be useful and supportive of the benefits of urban agriculture, and

· To put together a volunteer committee of Kansas City, MO residents to lead the codes revisions process. This committee would work with KCCUA, the Food Policy Coalition, and city staff to research possibilities, prioritize, draft, and build political support for more urban ag applicable codes.

· Start a process that other municipalities in the metro area can use as inspiration and as a model for creating more urban ag friendly cities.

At the meeting, we will have KCMO Councilwoman Beth Gottstein, Patty Knoll from the Planning and Development Department of the city, and possibly other city representatives.

PLEASE RSVP! They want to have some idea of how many folks to expect. And, if you can, bring a folding chair, Bad Seed will have some on hand, but depending on the numbers, we may need more.

If you have any questions about this, you can contact:
Katherine Kelly, KC Center for Urban Agriculture, 913-831-2444, or katherine@kccua.org
Gretchen Kunkel, Food Policy Coalition of Greater Kansas City, ghkunkel@kc.rr.com
Dan Heryer & Brooke Salvaggio, badseedfarm@hotmail.com

Even if you can't make commitments to the long process ahead, I hope we can have lots of people show overwhelming support for this initial meeting. Hope to see you there!