The expert: Michael Pollan

A quick intro to Michael Pollan answering questions submitted by readers via Time

Quick check-in

Currently in India. There are many vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables on the street. Residents of cities are completely reliant on these vendors for fresh food. Hardly space to walk let alone set aside to grow food in small gardens. What gardens there are it is reserved as a park area which, again, is badly needed to reduce smog and angst for the urban dwellers. Have heard that gas prices or prices of oil barrels have continued to climb to the levels seen just a few years ago. It's upsetting as it is mostly driven by speculation and anxiety not demand and supply.

Here is the link to a recent article outlining why, when and how food prices started its recent climb:

http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/08/news/economy/food_prices/index.htm

Day 6: The Squash is here!

Squash in the top row just peeking out

I have to apologize for the bad quality of the photo but I took it with my phone. I'm leaving for India in less than two hours and thought I should post one more time. They're really growing quickly and I should transfer them to a bigger place. I just hope that they're still thriving when I come back in less than 2 weeks.

Day 5: Little Trees

Getting tall!

I hope the squash will make an appearance very soon as in before I leave for India on the 5th. I'm afraid they are getting too tall for the cover which I took off to take the photo. I did some "deforestation" on some of the pellets. Remember I planted too many seeds so I pulled some out to ensure room for growth. I will try to post a photo before I leave.

Oil Security and Speculation Drives Up Global Food Prices

Ted Aljibe, AFP / Getty Images

A customer, right, buys vegetables at a market in Manila. Global food prices rose for an eighth straight month, and the current spike in oil costs could drive record prices even higher, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization warned.

Here's the link to the article released yesterday:
http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/03/mideast-turmoil-risks-fueling-record-global-food-inflation/

Points of Interest

• Wheat, rice and maize prices have gone up 3.7% since February 2011
• Cost of food in the US has gone up 2.1%
• Global food prices have gone up to the highest point recorded
• Every food group but sugar has gone up in February (report of the past 12 months)
• Demand, harvest and global recession have driven up the food prices
• Food prices expected to climb even further due to oil concerns (cost of transportation will go up)

Day 4: Squash is no show...Snob

I definitely added too many Micro-green and Mesclun seeds
Still no appearance from the squash (last row)

Day 3: It's Growing!

The micro-greens, mesclun and radishes have all sprouted. Waiting on the squash...

Please check out this series titled Hungry Planet from International Fund for Agricultural Development, an organization devoted to reducing poverty through farming. The video is Hungry Planet, episode 1.

Day 2: update on garden and price check

UPDATE

Looks the same from yesterday

I posted a recipe yesterday, but didn't utilize it very well into my project. It strikes me that as this project stems from the issue of food security and demand and urban farming/gardening as a way to help, I should provide supermarket prices on the food mentioned here.

Price check:
Squash seeds  
$ 1.89 for seeds vs 1.32 each squash                

Micro-greens
$ 1.89 for seeds vs $ N/A but probably $3 for a salad package (8oz)

Mesclun seeds
$ 1.69 for seeds vs N/A but probably about $3 for an 8 oz salad package                

Radish            
$ 1.69 for seeds vs $1.99 per bunch (about 8 radishes)

*the seed packets contain a LOT of seeds even if only half germinate it's still quite a bit.

Recipe price check:
Strawberry seeds: $3 vs $3.99 1LB at Fresh & Easy
  *see Burpee's website, 25 strawberry plants for $15.75
    http://www.burpee.com/fruit-plants/strawberry-plants/

Lettuce: $2-3.50 for packet of seeds vs $2.49 to $3.29 each at Vons

Spinach seeds: $2-3 vs $1.49 per bunch with Ralphs card

Interesting Product

• Topsy Turvy Strawberry Planter $16 to $19
• Holds up to 15 plants, will produce strawberries all year
• There is a kit version with seeds and soil besides the planter only product
• It's recommended to buy seedlings than transplant them into the planter
• You do hang this which is great as it reduces the berries contact with soil, worm damage, etc

http://www.topsygardening.com/10/products/strawberry-planter.php

Simple, fast salad plus dressing

This recipe is sweet and tangy.

Ingredients for salad:

1. Lettuce (cut into bite size) or spinach. I prefer spinach but have never tried the two together for this recipe.
2. Strawberries (quartered)                                                      

Ingredients for dressing:

1. Red wine vinegar
2. Corn oil. I have tried olive oil but it's heavier and does not mix well with the other ingredients.
3. Poppy seeds (happy drug testing a la Seinfeld)
4. Sugar. I use sugar substitute (agave nectar or Equal) which works better than cane sugar texture-wise and visually speaking.
5. Paprika (the highlight of the dressing)

Disclaimer is that my measurements are not exact as I make it according to taste. But the below measurements should work just fine. 

For two generous sized salads:

1/4-1/3 cup of red wine vinegar

1/2-1 cup of oil   (1/2 cup should be more than enough)

1 tablespoon of poppy seeds

1 tablespoon of sugar/substitute

1 tablespoon of paprika 

Mix it all together and adjust whatever ingredients for taste. 

*The salad tastes better if slightly chilled so perhaps place the dressing in the fridge for 15 minutes prior to serving.