If you had millions of pounds of cheese—along with butter and dry-milk powders—where would you keep it? If you’re the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the answer is obvious: in a series of caves outside underneath Springfield, Missouri.  It... read more

Humans have invented myriad ways to make the most out of an abundant harvest. Pickling, drying and canning are effective in killing microbes and stretching expiration dates, although each has its limits to capturing the goodness of ripe, just-picked produ... read more

Gene banks, conservatory preserves where crop seeds are collected and archived for future uses, have been integral to keeping crop diversity alive for centuries. The crop varieties stored within them are important to crop breeders and farmers because each... read more

12 days of homemade Christmas presentsDay 12???? Christmas Pudding Talk about saving the best for last! This recipe comes to us from deep in the Local is Lovely blog archives and before that, from Anna Derham aka @derhaminteriors’ late Grandma Booth. Than... read more

Seaweed, an already notoriously nutritious food, can become even more nutrient-dense when grown with wastewater from other parts of the food industry, according to new research.  While some seaweed is grown and harvested in sea-based farms, it can also be... read more

Reaching for meats labeled as “raised without antibiotics” is a move that many consumers make in the grocery aisle. But are those shoppers actually getting antibiotic-free beef? As it turns out, that is not always the case.  The US Department of Agricultu... read more

Like most Jewish families, mine has spent years, decades even, crafting our Passover seders. Each time we meet, a new tradition gets folded into the script, and we rejoice in revisiting it for years to come. We’ve included inside jokes, favorite foods, ev... read more

Most Americans think of peanuts in terms of peanut butter or as a snack at baseball games. The history of peanuts in America, of course, is more complicated than that, and it is often tied to the enslavement of African Americans. However, the history of p... read more

The birds and the bees both do it. That is, they team up to protect and pollinate coffee bean plants. Without the duo, as researchers recently found, coffee plants would be far less successful. In fact, a study, published earlier this month in the scienti... read more

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. As lockdowns went into effect in the spring of 2020 to slow the spread of the coronavirus, reports emerged of a global gardening boom, with plan... read more

Seaweeds are among the fastest‑growing organisms on the planet and are very regenerative if they are harvested properly. The number one rule for harvesting sustainably is: do not rip the seaweed from the rock. Always leave some of the seaweed attached and... read more

There’s a particular feeling—a mixture of astonishment and smug satisfaction—that pops up the first time you successfully grow something. Whether it’s plucking a perfectly red tomato from your very own vine or seeing that first hint of a spring crocus bre... read more

It all started with a classic box of holiday chocolates. You know the kind: a molded plastic tray filled with chocolates of different shapes and designs. What’s the first thing you do when the box makes its way around the room to you? You grab the legend ... read more

The idea of a spring tonic is one that spans many cultures throughout time. This phenomenon was partially born out of necessity, since, historically, people needed something nutritious—be it food, drink or medicine—to replenish their strength after surviv... read more

Hello, I’m Sophie Hansen, a food writer and farmer. On our farm four hours west of Sydney, we raise deer according to holistic practices. This blog is a collection of recipes and resources for people who love supporting their farmers by sourcing, sharing ... read more

American whiskey has long been about corn. After all, it’s the star ingredient in bourbon, the country’s beloved spirit. Yet the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which is responsible for regulating and collecting taxes on alcohol, is set to... read more

12 days of homemade Christmas presentsDay 12???? Christmas Pudding Talk about saving the best for last! This recipe comes to us from deep in the Local is Lovely blog archives and before that, from Anna Derham aka @derhaminteriors’ late Grandma Booth. Than... read more

Hello, I’m Sophie Hansen, a food writer and farmer. On our farm four hours west of Sydney, we raise deer according to holistic practices. This blog is a collection of recipes and resources for people who love supporting their farmers by sourcing, sharing ... read more

12 days of homemade Christmas presentsDay 8, Stonefruit and red currant chutney????  Prep time 20 minsCook time 30-35 minsMakes about 3 jars (depending on their size!) This is absolutely delicious served with warm ham and crusty bread, dolloped on a quich... read more

Hello, I’m Sophie Hansen, a food writer and farmer. On our farm four hours west of Sydney, we raise deer according to holistic practices. This blog is a collection of recipes and resources for people who love supporting their farmers by sourcing, sharing ... read more