Finally some positive news. (Bozeman, Livingston: co-op, how much, home)

[Timberwolf232]

Here is a cool article that reinforces why we all live here. It's nice to see people doing something for Montana, instead of demanding that Montana change to suit them. It doesn't matter where someone is from, if we had more people doing things like this we'd all be better off.

Bozeman Montana Local News (http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2008/08/23/news/000chefs.txt - broken link)

[jimj]

Thanks Timber, it's neat to see people going back to what this state used to be about, do for ourselves as much as possible and rely out outside as little as possible.

[rangerider]

Wouldn't it be ironic if our food situation changed to the point that we started to see more and more small farming operations come into being? After years and years of decline and takeover by corporate interests, smaller outfits may again look to be the answer to high shipping costs and poor quality. Despite the abbreviated growing season, Montana has an edge on being able to grow a lot of things, depending on how much water is available. We should be doing more in-state marketing of our foodstuffs. Municipalities should be volunteering their space to farmer's markets for growers; taxpayers already pay for the upkeep and maintenance of these parks and other facilities.

I grew up almost exclusively on home garden/farm raised meat, vegetables, and fruit. It was a lot of work, but I think that and the exposure to a lot of dirt, germs and the like helped my immune system from an early age - have never had an infection, rarely get sick, and aside from a touch of hayfever no allergies of any kind. Genetics may also play a role in that, but good whole foods sure don't hurt. Only downside is, remembering how good all that stuff was, eating from the store or cafes is plumb disillusioning. Bland tastes, awful fruit, and meat that you have to help with BBQ sauce or the like to have any taste to it. We have tried a little of everything over the years, even spent a fair amount extra for one month at the local food co-op in Bozeman for the good "organic" fruits and vegetables. No difference from the stuff at Costco and Safeway, at least as far as taste and quality - about half quickly reached the verge of being rotten and had to pitch it, same as the rest of the pack. Our home apples keep just fine in the storm cellar the whole winter; still crisp and sweet in May.

We raise a little of our own as time allows, and have fruit trees behind the place. We butcher a steer every other year or so and split it with somebody. Buy some Hutterite chickens now and then when the neighbors don't have any, and get eggs from one of the 4-H kids down the road. I live for good Flathead cherries, and we are developing a corner of our place to grow more raspberries, strawberries, and other small fruits and stuff. No substitute for good grub!

[grizzfan]

Come on guys, let's get real!! As a old guy from Livingston where the story originated, I can tell you that this works great in August but doesn't in January when it's -40F!!

Farmers markets are fun, if not expensive, ways to enjoy fresh produce in the Summer. But Montana's pitifully short growing season garentees it can't last.

Vegetables in the winter were the ones my mom canned or what stayed a while in the root celler. Remember those?

Those horrible corporate farmers from California to Florida to Mexico and Chili make reasonably fresh produce available all year long - much better than 60 years ago. And guess what? Despite all those pesticides, growth hormones and fertilizers, people are actually living 10-15 years longer on average than they did 60 years ago.

[Kristynwy]

Originally Posted by grizzfan

Come on guys, let's get real!! As a old guy from Livingston where the story originated, I can tell you that this works great in August but doesn't in January when it's -40F!!

Farmers markets are fun, if not expensive, ways to enjoy fresh produce in the Summer. But Montana's pitifully short growing season garentees it can't last.

Vegetables in the winter were the ones my mom canned or what stayed a while in the root celler. Remember those?

Those horrible corporate farmers from California to Florida to Mexico and Chili make reasonably fresh produce available all year long - much better than 60 years ago. And guess what? Despite all those pesticides, growth hormones and fertilizers, people are actually living 10-15 years longer on average than they did 60 years ago.

Just wanted to respond to your comment on living 10-15 years longer. That may be true yes we have made advances in medicine. But we haven't gotten any healthier in the mean time also.

"Over the past one hundred years our cancer mortality rate has gone from 3 percent of all deaths to 20 percent of all deaths, our incidence of Type II diabetes has gone from .1 % of the population to almost 20%; Heart Disease went from being almost non-existent to killing more than seven hundred thousand people a year. At the same time health care costs have risen until the U.S now spends twice as much on medicine and care per person per year than any other industrialized nation in the world." ~Randall Fitzgerald

I attribute this to processed foods, growth hormones, the pharmacutical industry(I know someone personally who is a biochemist that quit their job because of the crookedness) and chemicals sprayed all over our food that we didn't have 100 years ago.

If we could take just the medical advances, and leave all the processed foods, chemicals, fertilizers out of the picture we would be doing fine.

Here is another interesting peice of information... from the science journal of "Public Health"
"The incidence of death from brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and motor neuron disorders, was found to have triped in nine Western countries, including the United States, during the period of 1974 to 1997. The most likely causes researchers identified were exposure to pesticides sprayed on crops, synthetic chemicals from the processed foods that we consume and industrial chemicals used in almost every aspect of modern lives"

Another "modern invention" that can be used all year round is something called a greenhouse. A good solution to solve the short growing season aspect in Montana. So really we have all the tools we need to to grow wholesome food.

[Kristynwy]

Originally Posted by Timberwolf232

Here is a cool article that reinforces why we all live here. It's nice to see people doing something for Montana, instead of demanding that Montana change to suit them. It doesn't matter where someone is from, if we had more people doing things like this we'd all be better off.

Bozeman Montana Local News (http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2008/08/23/news/000chefs.txt - broken link)

This is wonderful news! It supports the local farmer, a lot more nutritious and tastes better too!

[grizzfan]

Kristynwy,

Many of the diseases you list could not be diagnosed in the early part of the twentieth century and, because people didn't live as long, they did not develop them.

The fact remains that we are living longer. Look at Social Security, for instance. When FDR came up with the scheme in 1932 practically no one lived to 65 to collect it and the system was flush. Now with longer lives brought about by better nutrition, pharmasuticals and medical advances, SS is suffering, near bankrupt. (The money situation is exaserbated by the fact that Congress and the President have been raiding SS for about 35 years.)

The fact is, as the world famous Surgeon General from the Clinton era, Joyclyn Elders, said: "Sooner or later something is going to kill ya." The long one lives the more chance one has of developing a dreaded malady, one of those you mention.

[rambrush]

What I would like to see is local beef on the shelfs and at Restraunts. Most meat is imported in from someplace else.

[Rickers]

What would be nice would be an indoors, 7 days a week, all season farmers market, where veggies, meat, fish and chicken can be sold. Kind of like a Pikes Place market without the waterfront. A Bazaar Del Montana of sorts.

[Timberwolf232]

Originally Posted by rickers

What would be nice would be an indoors, 7 days a week, all season farmers market, where veggies, meat, fish and chicken can be sold. Kind of like a Pikes Place market without the waterfront. A Bazaar Del Montana of sorts.

I don't know any Pikes place other than Pikes Peak in CO, but still sounds like a great idea! Where do we set it up?

I've got a couple good contacts for fresh seafood, all I'd have to do is fly some more.. (hmmm twist my arm! I'd already be on it if I could afford to get it going!)



Griz: No matter the conflicts with growing seasons, its still really cool to me to see people coming together to support each other locally.

Despite our winters, (I've lived in the Rockies for 85% of my life, only time away was while I was in the service and a few years on assignment) to me it's just cool to see people doing what they can, when they can, and I'd even pay a few extra bucks to support 'em.. Heck I'd even help with the harvest and transport if I wasn't busy with another local farm during harvest, but maybe I can talk 'em into helping out also.