TGIF!
What could be better than sitting back and taking in some tasty vittles?

It was a pleasure to hear Carlo Petrini, founder of Slow Food, speak last week. (His translator should get a medal too, btw.) Yes, you may have heard it a thousand times about eating locally, eating pure foods, paying the true cost of food, supporting local growers, etc etc etc. But really. Carlo is so poetic and passionate that you can’t help but to get renewed inspiration.

And his blatant declarations of truth -- bless them, each and every one. “Anyone who doesn’t see that gastronomy is an environmental issue is an idiot.” … “The poorest people are feeding the richest people; the richest people are feeding the poorest.” … “Good food has been relegated to a folkloristic niche.” … “Eating is a political act."

Carol Ness at the Chronicle wrote a great article this week about Carlo, the Italian galvanizer and pied piper. Check it.

Speaking of Italians, did you know Italy is now Europe’s largest supplier of organic products, accounting for a whopping 2.5 million acres and 20 percent of the European market? This sustainable success story started back in the 1990’s when the government made a substantial effort to support farmers switching to organic cultivation methods. Now if we could just transfer our subsidies to the conventional farms that make that organic switch...

Earlier this year, Jamie Oliver coerced the British government into spending an additional 280 million pounds (about $536 million) annually to improve its own disastrous school-lunch program. He did so via his muckraking, nationally televised reality show, taking viewers into the cold industrial heart of a typical school-cafeteria kitchen.

Now he's setting up shop in New York City, preparing to launch a similar reality-TV show aimed at shaking things up in the U.S.

Jamie puts it best: “America's kids have some of the worst health issues because of eating junk and not exercising...I thought maybe we could help here. Help them eat real food instead of packaged lies. You know, turkey which is real turkey and not donkey bollocks.”

More about Jamie’s new show

Well, there actually never was… There are so many factors to consider before you can call seafood “sustainable” that they never came up with any regulations. Even without organic seafood certifications, producers have been using the “organic” label for a while now, and consumers have been confused (if not misled) into believing their fish is squeaky clean.

Confusion be gone, thanks to state Senator Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo) and Arnie, who together have made California the first state to outlaw uncertified “organic seafood”.

Check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s cool (and graphically-pleasing) breakdown of how seafood is caught and farmed.

The heroes of today, destined to be appreciated more tomorrow, check out these hot sustainable food pioneers in the first Organic Farm Calendar created by Marin Organic. The beautiful 2006 calendar presents some of the many faces of sustainable agriculture in Marin County and is filled with stories about the farmers, nutritional information, and seasonal gardening tips.

You can buy one online at the Marin Organic site.

Get with the program! More than 50 countries have already banned lindane, an old school, dangerous chemical used to treat agriculture seeds (and treat lice, yum!), and the U.S. still allows it.

Lindane builds up in the environment and sticks around in people's bodies (causing brain tumors and nervous system problems). It also spreads on wind and air currents, so lindane-users end up contaminating food supplies of people outside their own region. Go team!

Help ban Lindane now!

There are two events coming up (10/25 and 11/17) with Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio, who photographed families around the world and what they eat in a week. The result is not only a compelling set of family portraits, but also a stunning commentary on one of the critical issues facing the world. Pick up the November issue of Ode Magazine to see a sampling of their thought-provoking shots.

Check our organically-inclined Events page for more happenins as they are announced.

The Potato Menu at Millennium Restaurant
Thu-Sat, 10/20/05-10/22/05
Millennium Restaurant, 580 Geary St./Jones in SF; $45/person prix fixe menu $20/optional wine pairing

Locavores: Coming Home to Eat ~ A Discussion & Tasting of Local Foods
Fri, 10/21/05, 7:00pm-7:30pm tasting; 7:30pm-9:00pm discussion
Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto in Mill Valley; Free

Meet the Farmer - Dean Ku of Basic Soy
Sat, 10/22/05, 10:00am - 10:30am
Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market, Ferry Building in SF; Free

Shop with the Chef - Bibby Gignilliat & Shannan Bishop of Gourmet Gatherings
Sat, 10/22/05, 10:30am - 11:30am
Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market, Ferry Building in SF; Free

City Slicker Farms Volunteer Orientation
Sat, 10/22/05, 11:00am-1:00pm
Center Street Farm, 16th and Center Streets in Oakland; Free

"Fall Harvest" - Cooking Class Series 2005, Vol. III at Millennium Restaurant
Sun, 10/23/05, 10:00am-3:00pm
Millennium Restaurant, 580 Geary St./Jones in SF; $125

Alameda Marketplace Harvest Festival
Sun, 10/23/05, 9:00am-7:00pm
Alameda Marketplace, 1650 Park Street/Buena Vista in Alameda; Free

Workshop: "Groceries from the Garden"
Tue, 10/25/05, 4:00pm-6:30pm
Watershed Project, 1327 S 46th St. Bldg. #155 in Richmond; $20

Reading: "Hungry Planet: What the World Eats"
Tue, 10/25/05, 7:30pm
Cody's Books, 2454 Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley; Free
See "Hungry Planet" section above for more info!

Ferry Bldg Marketplace Bountiful Harvest Festival
Thu-Sun, 10/27/05-10/30/05
Ferry Bldg Mktplace, Market and Embarcadero in SF

Hurricane Benefit Dinner at Desiree Cafe with Mariquita Farm
Fri, 10/28/05
Desiree Cafe, Presidio in SF

Meet the Farmer - tbd
Sat, 10/29/05, 10:00am - 10:30am
Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market, Ferry Building in SF; Free

Shop with the Chef - David Hurt & Daniel Capra of Paula La Duc Catering
Sat, 10/29/05, 10:30am - 11:30am; Free
Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market, Ferry Building in SF

Green Business Conference
Wed-Fri, 11/2/05-11/4/05
Ramada Plaza Hotel International, 1231 Market St., at 8th Street in SF; $395 ($495 after 7/31).

Green Festival
Sat-Sun, 11/5/05-11/6/05
San Francisco Convention Center, 635 8th St (at Brannan St) in SF; $15 each day, $10/day for students and seniors, kids under 12 free

Even a little snack. If you use these newsletters, use our website, or simply enjoy having delicious, organic food in the Bay Area, please support our programs that serve local, organic farms and the community. Om Organics is a project of the San Francisco Foundation - Community Initiative Funds, and can only continue with the help of contributions from conscientious people like you!

Any amount is appreciated!
You can make a donation:

• via Paypal.com: to donate@omorganics.org
• by credit card: via the SFF CIF donation page
• by check: "Om Organics: Project of SFF CIF", 225 Bush St. #500, SF, CA 94104

THANK YOU!