Comments on: The Bullseye Diet http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/ Sharon Astyk's Ruminations on an Ambiguous Future Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:56:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: sahara http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1660 sahara Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:26:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1660 You know, this is interesting. The problem in cities is real estate. <br/><br/>In poor neighborhoods, where the population is from the South (Harlem and Brooklyn) or Latin America (the Bronx, where I'm from), we've been taking vacant lots and planting for years, even having a harvest festival in Harlem. You know what happened? <br/><br/>Developers (with the City's permission), took the community gardens and turned them into condos. One school garden was bulldozed, sending students and teachers running, to save their plants. When a student asked what happened, she was told, "you people need to make money to BUY yourselves food." Teachers were asked, what good would it do for black children to do that?" That's why their parents came up here." School gardens in Harlem are now filled with concrete. Say what?! <br/><br/>And now, folks want a 100 mile diet, and look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them EVERY public school had a garden, when I was a child; gardening was part of your science curriculum.<br/><br/>Where I grew up, in the South Bronx, was primarily farm land with good soil, back in the 60's. Poor folks ate a lot locally. Now, it's all mid-income housing. Harlem has no community gardens, just condos, and one decent supermarket, but plenty of restaurants. I guess it's more important to have a career and make money, to support the elitist image of New York City. <br/><br/>Why should I have to go to a farmer's market, where I can't afford much of the food, when I have a vacant lot near me, that has fabulous soil? I'm from three generations of sharecroppers, and could teach every child in the block about farming, but I'm not allowed to grow food in the lot, cause the city wants to put up housing that I can't afford to live in. <br/>Will the sight of my collard greens undermine property values? You know, this is interesting. The problem in cities is real estate.

In poor neighborhoods, where the population is from the South (Harlem and Brooklyn) or Latin America (the Bronx, where I’m from), we’ve been taking vacant lots and planting for years, even having a harvest festival in Harlem. You know what happened?

Developers (with the City’s permission), took the community gardens and turned them into condos. One school garden was bulldozed, sending students and teachers running, to save their plants. When a student asked what happened, she was told, “you people need to make money to BUY yourselves food.” Teachers were asked, what good would it do for black children to do that?” That’s why their parents came up here.” School gardens in Harlem are now filled with concrete. Say what?!

And now, folks want a 100 mile diet, and look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them EVERY public school had a garden, when I was a child; gardening was part of your science curriculum.

Where I grew up, in the South Bronx, was primarily farm land with good soil, back in the 60’s. Poor folks ate a lot locally. Now, it’s all mid-income housing. Harlem has no community gardens, just condos, and one decent supermarket, but plenty of restaurants. I guess it’s more important to have a career and make money, to support the elitist image of New York City.

Why should I have to go to a farmer’s market, where I can’t afford much of the food, when I have a vacant lot near me, that has fabulous soil? I’m from three generations of sharecroppers, and could teach every child in the block about farming, but I’m not allowed to grow food in the lot, cause the city wants to put up housing that I can’t afford to live in.
Will the sight of my collard greens undermine property values?

]]> By: StudentKing http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1659 StudentKing Sat, 27 Oct 2007 02:27:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1659 be steady and calm ^_^ expert guidance and support while providing you with free diet tips,A reliable informative source for healthy weight control<br/><a HREF="http://article1m.com/diet/" REL="nofollow">diet tips</a> be steady and calm ^_^ expert guidance and support while providing you with free diet tips,A reliable informative source for healthy weight control
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]]> By: berry http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1658 berry Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:49:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1658 Very useful, excellent information..<br/><br/><br/>You may also find it useful to visit my website: <a HREF="http://www.healthopts.com" REL="nofollow">http://www.healthopts.com</a> Very useful, excellent information..

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]]> By: Anonymous http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1657 Anonymous Sun, 01 Jul 2007 19:26:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1657 A great idea...and much could be learned from the Cubans on urban gardening...they have it down to a science. And with little to no oil consumed in the process. A great idea…and much could be learned from the Cubans on urban gardening…they have it down to a science. And with little to no oil consumed in the process.

]]> By: Stephen http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1656 Stephen Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:51:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1656 The Bullseye diet makes complete sense.<br/><br/>I've been contemplating for some months now how to approach my neighbors and sugggest that we cooperate in food-growing. We all don't have room for every possible fruit tree, for example, but I have an apple tree, and a sapling peach, and others could have pears, persimmons, cherries (my neighbor planted an ornamental cherry in her backyard close enough to mine so that it will begin to shade parts of our garden before too long. I'm not sure how to diplomatically ask her to cut it down, and plant a fruit-bearing cherry tree in its stead, but at a greater distance from our fence.), etc. But I've got to get started. These things - developing community is what it is, really - take time. The Bullseye diet makes complete sense.

I’ve been contemplating for some months now how to approach my neighbors and sugggest that we cooperate in food-growing. We all don’t have room for every possible fruit tree, for example, but I have an apple tree, and a sapling peach, and others could have pears, persimmons, cherries (my neighbor planted an ornamental cherry in her backyard close enough to mine so that it will begin to shade parts of our garden before too long. I’m not sure how to diplomatically ask her to cut it down, and plant a fruit-bearing cherry tree in its stead, but at a greater distance from our fence.), etc. But I’ve got to get started. These things - developing community is what it is, really - take time.

]]> By: LimeSarah http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1655 LimeSarah Sat, 30 Jun 2007 15:24:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1655 The "Bullseye diet" model makes a lot of sense...I think I'll add that to my mental models. I'm currently reading a fascinating book on the Civilian Conservation Corps. I'd love to see something like the CCC reinstated along with the "green jobs" bill both for training in energy-efficiency technology and for farming education. There often are really no good job prospects for recent high school and college graduates, because they have little to no real job experience. This would give them work that's vitally necessary to our society's survival. Looking at the first year or so of the FDR presidency also makes me feel like our country's executive branch may be slightly less doomed that I'd thought. Maybe. I can hope, anyway.<br/><br/>Sqrrl -- I love the idea of front-yard "market tables"! Maybe I'll do that if the garden we have planned for next year is productive enough. The “Bullseye diet” model makes a lot of sense…I think I’ll add that to my mental models. I’m currently reading a fascinating book on the Civilian Conservation Corps. I’d love to see something like the CCC reinstated along with the “green jobs” bill both for training in energy-efficiency technology and for farming education. There often are really no good job prospects for recent high school and college graduates, because they have little to no real job experience. This would give them work that’s vitally necessary to our society’s survival. Looking at the first year or so of the FDR presidency also makes me feel like our country’s executive branch may be slightly less doomed that I’d thought. Maybe. I can hope, anyway.

Sqrrl — I love the idea of front-yard “market tables”! Maybe I’ll do that if the garden we have planned for next year is productive enough.

]]> By: Christina http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1654 Christina Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:38:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1654 Hi Kattenihatten! *waving*<br/><br/>Right now parts of southern Sweden have had MUCH more rain than is normal this time of the year. And many people are watching their houses and gardens being filled with water...<br/><br/>Last summer we had VERY warm and dry weather in July and then LOTS of rain in August - not at all normal. Yes, global warming is certainly here and I am really, really worried - each year seems to be more extreme than the previuos!<br/><br/>My garden is thriving, though, but I don't think it can take much more rain and wind now... praying for sun and a little warmth!<br/><br/>Christina<br/>in SW Sweden Hi Kattenihatten! *waving*

Right now parts of southern Sweden have had MUCH more rain than is normal this time of the year. And many people are watching their houses and gardens being filled with water…

Last summer we had VERY warm and dry weather in July and then LOTS of rain in August - not at all normal. Yes, global warming is certainly here and I am really, really worried - each year seems to be more extreme than the previuos!

My garden is thriving, though, but I don’t think it can take much more rain and wind now… praying for sun and a little warmth!

Christina
in SW Sweden

]]> By: Squrrl http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1653 Squrrl Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:43:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1653 We have been doing something rather like the bullseye diet for the last few months, actually...our version is pretty simple. We have a garden for the first time this year (just moved from an apartment last fall), so of course we eat out of that, but as yet our yields aren't great. When we leave the house to go shopping, we go to the most local places first (around here, people put their extra produce out on a table in the front yard with a price list and a coffee can, and when we're good enough gardeners to have an excess, we'll emulate them) and move out. That way we never buy something from further away that we could have gotten locally. (And when we can afford to, we buy enough to put some by, as with pick-your-own berries). There are still lots of cases of hitting the wall instead of the dartboard, of course, but as we find resources, our aim sharpens.<br/><br/>Culinary herbs make a bigger difference than you'd think given the overall volume of food they produce, because they allow you to enjoy more meals out of the same stuff than you might have--some herbs, some local meat, maybe some lambs quarters from an overgrown section of the yard, and you can make innumerable tasty versions of lentil soup.<br/><br/>Also, I am ALL in favor of planting medicinal herbs, and I second the comments about their decorativeness. The people who lived here before us planted Purple Cone Flower (Echinacea), Butterfly Weed (Pleurisy Root), Yarrow, and Tansy, and I would be very surprised to discover that they had any idea any of them were medicinal as well as beautiful and easy-care. We have been doing something rather like the bullseye diet for the last few months, actually…our version is pretty simple. We have a garden for the first time this year (just moved from an apartment last fall), so of course we eat out of that, but as yet our yields aren’t great. When we leave the house to go shopping, we go to the most local places first (around here, people put their extra produce out on a table in the front yard with a price list and a coffee can, and when we’re good enough gardeners to have an excess, we’ll emulate them) and move out. That way we never buy something from further away that we could have gotten locally. (And when we can afford to, we buy enough to put some by, as with pick-your-own berries). There are still lots of cases of hitting the wall instead of the dartboard, of course, but as we find resources, our aim sharpens.

Culinary herbs make a bigger difference than you’d think given the overall volume of food they produce, because they allow you to enjoy more meals out of the same stuff than you might have–some herbs, some local meat, maybe some lambs quarters from an overgrown section of the yard, and you can make innumerable tasty versions of lentil soup.

Also, I am ALL in favor of planting medicinal herbs, and I second the comments about their decorativeness. The people who lived here before us planted Purple Cone Flower (Echinacea), Butterfly Weed (Pleurisy Root), Yarrow, and Tansy, and I would be very surprised to discover that they had any idea any of them were medicinal as well as beautiful and easy-care.

]]> By: Anonymous http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1652 Anonymous Fri, 29 Jun 2007 10:39:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1652 hello<br/><br/>I am writing to you from almost the other side of the world.....I live in sweden, and here too, the "growing your own food-movement" has been getting bigger every year....<br/><br/>still we have an older generation of people that keep a kitchen garden with vegetables.......but, they are getting to old, and the younger genarations dont now anything about gardening......<br/><br/>....I have had to learn it all on my own, and I am still learning......my husband and I will be bying a farm this year, and start rasing livestock.....and I will absolutly teatch my children how to produce their own food...<br/><br/>....and just a word about the climate change....we are experiancing it over hear to....it is mutch warmer than before, and winter is wery short....even here in north of sweden were I live....there have been floods (is it spelled likt that?) and storms on the border of hurricanse ..... We are many who feel genuinly concened.... <br/><br/>(I apologise for my poor spelling in englich, hope you can read it anyway)<br/><br/>warm thoughts from over the globe/kattenihatten hello

I am writing to you from almost the other side of the world…..I live in sweden, and here too, the “growing your own food-movement” has been getting bigger every year….

still we have an older generation of people that keep a kitchen garden with vegetables…….but, they are getting to old, and the younger genarations dont now anything about gardening……

….I have had to learn it all on my own, and I am still learning……my husband and I will be bying a farm this year, and start rasing livestock…..and I will absolutly teatch my children how to produce their own food…

….and just a word about the climate change….we are experiancing it over hear to….it is mutch warmer than before, and winter is wery short….even here in north of sweden were I live….there have been floods (is it spelled likt that?) and storms on the border of hurricanse ….. We are many who feel genuinly concened….

(I apologise for my poor spelling in englich, hope you can read it anyway)

warm thoughts from over the globe/kattenihatten

]]> By: Steve http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1651 Steve Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:20:00 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2007/06/28/the-bullseye-diet/#comment-1651 Hi Sharon, Like the idea of 100 million new farmers. The soil association of Great Britain http://www.soilassociation.org/ claims that a quarter of the population of the UK will have to go back to farming to survive peak oil.<br/>It finally convinced me to mulch over the lawn this spring and after just one day's work, I've created a permaculture garden. btw, great blog and watch out for the new Ian Curtis/Joy Division film "Control" this autumn. Hi Sharon, Like the idea of 100 million new farmers. The soil association of Great Britain http://www.soilassociation.org/ claims that a quarter of the population of the UK will have to go back to farming to survive peak oil.
It finally convinced me to mulch over the lawn this spring and after just one day’s work, I’ve created a permaculture garden. btw, great blog and watch out for the new Ian Curtis/Joy Division film “Control” this autumn.

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