Chipotle Leads Way in Sustainable Fast Food; Expands Market for Naturally Raised Meats

August 6, 2013 | Melonie Magruder

Anyone who has visited a Chipotle Mexican Grill knows their business model: pretty, tasty tacos and burritos prepared to order in an assembly line of tortillas, savory shredded meats, beans and an array of salsas to fit your heat tolerance.

What you might not know is that Chipotle is leading the way for “fast food” chains to transform their food sourcing to a more environmentally responsible model that taps local farmers, patronizes humanely-raised meat farms and gives customers a more healthful mouthful. Or, as Chipotle puts it, “Food With Integrity”. Read More

Startup Seeks to Build Better Farmers Market By Providing Year Round Online Access to Food

July 15, 2013 | Melonie Magruder

What if you had access to a fresh farmers market seven days a week, knew exactly what they would be offering so that you can plan your meals, were able to contact your preferred vendors with a shopping list and could pay for everything in advance, with your fresh veggies being delivered directly to your door?

That’s exactly what Antony Lee, founder and CEO of Fresh Nation, has put together.

“The idea was to build a network of farmers markets across the country so that it’s a win for the vendors and a win for the customers,” Lee said. “We don’t necessarily need more farmers markets, we need better farmers markets.” Read More

To Counter Strain on Groundwater Supply, California Berry Grower Employs Innovative Water Management Strategies

July 9, 2013 | Melonie Magruder

Driscoll’s strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are famous throughout the nation as some of the sweetest handful of anti-oxidants you can find. Grown in the Parajo Valley of California’s central coast region, Driscoll’s has been operating as a family business for more than 100 years.

But generations of expanding agriculture have put a severe strain on the groundwater supply that irrigates the region. Water is being pumped at twice the rate that the aquifer can safely provide, and as a result of over-pumping, seawater intrusion continues to diminish and contaminate the basin’s water supply. Driscoll’s – like farmers across the nation – is faced with finding innovative methods to counter the shrinking water supply.

Seedstock spoke with Emily Paddock, Driscoll’s water resource manager, to find out what they are doing about the challenge. Read More

Local Thyme Seeks to End CSA Veggie Guilt

June 24, 2013 | Melonie Magruder

If you are a CSA member, you’ve been there. You get a box full of gorgeous produce accompanied by some kind of vegetable that you have no idea what to do with it. It stays in the back of your refrigerator until mold starts to form and you guiltily throw it into the compost.

Local Thyme was founded with the idea of ending that veggie guilt. Eighteen months ago, Pat Mulvey and Laura Gilliam launched a service to provide Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) groups with tried-and-true recipes for all the vegetables, fruits, and sustainably-farmed meats, fish and eggs that show up in farm boxes delivered around Madison, Wisconsin.

Mulvey has 20 years as a private chef under her belt, and Gilliam is a master preserver and an organic community gardener who knows what to grow to complement all those exotic vegetables. Read More