Ruralpolitans - city and town dwellers who move to the country to adopt more self-reliant lifestyle, look at land as new safe investment, one they hope could prove more stable than their jobs and 401(k)s. Interest in small-scale hobby farming has bloomed. But murky well water, voracious weeds, assorted vermin add their own pressures. And: Home buyers drawn to nearby organic farms; developers see success, try concept on inactive farmland, even on formerly industrial land (click 'See also').
As usual at harvest time, tension between Palestinian farmers, Jewish settlers has risen over who controls the land. Olive tree for Palestinians is symbol of struggle and vital part of rural economy, thus a target for vandals. Nearly 500,000 olive trees have been destroyed in territories since 2000; Israel's army has cleared swathes of groves to create open areas in Gaza Strip, often taking big bites out of Palestinian land, and cut down thousands of trees near Jewish settlements. Palestinians and human-rights groups have repeatedly criticized Israeli army for failing to stop destruction.
Beekeeping attracts 'worried wealthy,' environmentally aware urban dwellers in England; firm that created popular Eglu, a chic chicken coop, now promises 50 jars of homegrown honey a year from its plastic Beehaus. Bee kit includes suit, lessons, but bees are extra. And: Capturing a swarming hive adds excitement, yields 50 pounds of honey in first season for intrepid beekeeper (click 'See also').
As processed, packaged food makers increase market share of organics - now a $23 billion annual business - USDA bows to lobbying pressure, relaxes stringent standards to allow non-organic ingredients, additives, processing agents. National Organic Program, by not issuing growing, treatment, production standards, has created haphazard system that leaves private certifiers to set organic standards. And: USDA seeking replacement for Barbara Robinson, program's acting director (click 'See also').
In shift, U.S. will focus on providing expertise, training, roads, infrastructure to boost agricultural productivity abroad rather giving emergency aid, USDA chief says. Nation is largest donor of emergency food aid - mainly crops grown by American farmers - but spends 20 times as much on food aid to Africa as it spends on programs that could boost food production. In 1980s, U.S. annual spending on African farming projects was $400 million-plus; by 2006 it had dwindled to $60 million.
Women, turning to farming, get boost from popularity of farmers markets, buy-local programs, interest of well-heeled, eco-conscious shoppers. 'It's a great feeling to be able to grow food and to be able to share it with people,' says one, who started with vegetable garden and cow named Dinner. 'Being outside, growing food - it's just a great way to live.' More than one in every 10 U.S. farms is run by a woman.
People who lived next to fields where fungicide maneb or herbicide paraquat had been sprayed were, on average, about 75 percent more likely to develop Parkinson's, California study shows. And: Maneb often goes on potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce and corn; paraquat is used on corn, soybeans, fruit (click 'See also'). Map of their use mirrors areas of U.S. where people are more likely to die of Parkinson's disease.
'Terrifying' bleeding disease killing two-to-three-week-old calves in Germany's cattle barns. 100-plus cases documented throughout country, most in Bavaria; number of unreported deaths believed to be much higher. As specialists frantically rule out causes, speculation grows on Internet; group of 600 farmers makes pilgrimage to pray to Black Madonna of Altötting (click 'See also').
National Animal Identification System, with high-tech ID chips, would reward factory farms and their use of antibiotics, confinement and unnatural feeding practices by requiring one tag per herd of poultry or swine, while crippling small farms (which supply local food movement) by requiring one tag per animal. Other beneficiaries: Meat exporters, manufacturers of animal tracking systems. Better plan: Limit industrial agriculture, stimulate growth of small farms, backyard food production. And: Mad cow scare of 2003 sped development of NAIS (click 'See also').
As exodus continues from rural France, new, playful ad campaign aims to update image of farming to attract 'young blood. Farmers seen as guardians of rural and gastronomical heritage in country where each region boasts its own wine, cheese, sausage. And: Decision to enter farming helped by relative attractiveness of farm versus nonfarm earning opportunities and by ease of entry into farming as a business, says USDA (click 'See also').
As cost of meat sinks below costs of raising it and certified slaughterhouses remain scarce, livestock producers in southern Maryland turn attention to other sources of income: greenhouse-grown vegetables, grain, specialty animals, agri-tourism or jobs off the farm.
As local food movement gains popularity, urban dwellers think beyond salad gardens to laying hens for eggs and meat, backyard goats for meat and lawn control, bees for pollination and honey, and fish in unused swimming pools for lean protein. Then, they question rules against farming.
In Malawi, where one in five adults has HIV/AIDS, ecologist digs backyard fish ponds for farmers and benefits accrue. Childhood malnutrition in region drops from 45 to 15 percent; affected households double income; residents eat more fresh fish and more corn grows via irrigation. Success means expansion into Mozambique, Zambia, but demand for fingerling tilapia has pushed prices up.
Perceived health benefits, ambience and food safety concerns turn shoppers from supermarkets to farmers' markets. 'Salmonella scares are good for business,' says Massachusetts vegetable farmer. Governor lauds markets for raising awareness of both agricultural diversity and need to preserve open space.
Patti Moreno is Modern American Homemaker and Urban Homesteader (click 'See also') who's hardworking, media-savvy. Former city girl started kitchen garden to lose weight; will soon release DVD, garden goods line. Already host of PBS's Farmer's Almanac TV, she's now talking to Sundance Channel and Regis; also opens farm stand to neighbors.
Twelve years ago, would-be writer finds that his tomato seedlings have outgrown his fourth-floor Brooklyn walkup so he returns to Pennsylvania roots to grow Black Krims, Cherokee Purples and Green Zebras, and chefs seek them out. His book tells the tale. And: Tim Stark figures he must be the only Princeton grad who sells tomatoes (click 'See also').
Genetic engineering comes to Honduras corn fields, and country distributes seed, fertilizer to supplement pricey imported corn, rice. And: Transformation from farmer to agricultural entrepreneur in Honduras and other developing countries begins with seeds, fertilizer but requires decent roads, irrigation and help in using technology (click 'See also').
Volunteers plant potatoes that eventually will be harvested for food banks. Fresh produce gives needy people a sense of dignity, says worker.
Retired FEMA worker realizes vision in 40 acres of volunteer-grown watermelons, cantaloupes, green beans, beets, turnips, onions, corn, peas, cucumbers, potatoes, okra and lima beans - for charity. 'If we don't do something, then we're not going to close this poverty. Obesity. Diabetes. It's a gap we're not even trying to zero in on.' He says youthful volunteers 'almost through sensing it,' know the hungry kids in class.
Striving to create a metropolis that can feed itself, garden activists target the 5,000-plus private- and city-owned vacant sites in San Francisco as sites of temporary, volunteer-tended organic gardens. Landowners wouldn't be charged, produce would go to local food banks and maybe to farmers' markets. Skeptics wonder about water sources and hidden costs.
Thieves, with a swipe of the chainsaw, remove source of maple syrup from Vermont farm, black walnut trees from Michigan park and butternuts from Ohio as timber prices rise with demand for American hardwood in Europe and China. But much timber theft, with victims older or poor, goes unreported or is grouped with general property theft and handled locally.
Some despair at erratic winter weather that has brought hail, thunderstorms and flooding to the Northeast, but maple sugar farmers are smiling. They know that the more varied the temperature, the sweeter the sap. They're cleaning their sugar houses and preparing to tap.
Keeping chickens in the back yard is less work than a dog, says Colorado city dweller - and the bonus is the eggs. But, she cautions, check the municipal regulations before hatching the chicks, stay away from raucous roosters, and guard against coyotes, foxes, raccoons and bears.
Longtime farmer couple in Tennessee go organic, raise chickens, sell eggs, raise llamas, sell honey, garden year 'round, and now have started cooking classes to encourage converts to the Slow Food movement. They enlisted the help of local chefs, two of whom credit their grandmothers for igniting their passion for food.
Urban chickens finding a niche between warehouses and vacant lots, but those who choose to raise up the chicks can please their neighbors with eggs, or annoy them with roosters, who tend to crow at sunup and other times.
Though many in sub-Saharan Africa depend on farming for their living, new study shows that World Bank has long neglected support for region and its most important client; poverty expert likens criticism to saying that Coca-Cola is bad at making soft drinks.
As population ages, diminishes in rural Japanese communities, social services are cut for lack of use; with no way to get crops to market, isolated farmers let them rot in the fields, or abandon their farms and rice paddies, leaving soil to erode and slip into waterways.
Norway's Bastoey Prison now operates with ecologically sound food production, solar panels, wood-fire heating instead of oil and strict recycling to teach its 115 inmates respect for environment and for others.