Mon 2 Aug 2010
What’s Old Is New Again
Posted by capitalspice under Eat Local, Food for Thought
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Thanks to The Unpaid Gourmet for pointing out the vintage American food posters at the Smithsonian magazine site. Go check them out if you haven’t seen them yet. It’s a curious contrast that these posters were meant to encourage local food production and conservation to help the war effort. Now many of us are doing the same thing – growing food at home, exploring canning and pickling, eating local - to support and save small farms in lieu of corporate agricultural behemoths. 
Okay, I’m off my soapbox. But if this is something you’ve been thinking about, I highly recommend the book The Urban Homestead by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen. It’s an enthusiastic and understandable guide to gaining some food self-reliance. The book is specifically written for urban and suburban dwellers, breaking down how to make the most of your space. So yes, even if you live in a DC condo or Arlington house with a postage stamp of a yard, there is practical advice you can use. (Did you know that painting a wall or solid fence white can reflect the sun’s rays, giving plants more sunlight to grow? I didn’t.)
