Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food

Mary Campbell,
Extension Director and Community Resource Agent

How much do you know about where your food comes from? Is it important to you whether you are supporting local Florida agriculture? Learning about food and farming in our communities is an important way to understand sustainable living. Local food systems enhance the social relationships between farmers and consumers; support small and family farmers; keep local agricultural economies viable; maintain genetic diversity of food crops; and preserve natural resources, rural land areas, and wildlife spaces.

Floridians are buying more food grown locally or regionally and retail sales are higher here than in other states, according to a University of Florida study. The survey showed that local food represents about 20% of all Florida food purchased for at-home consumption, except restaurant take-out food, said Alan Hodges, an Extension scientist with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Consumers realize there are health, quality and economic benefits to locally grown food. Among all Florida households, 62 percent bought local foods at farmers’ markets, 53 percent from retail supermarkets, 28 percent from restaurants, and 5 percent from community-supported agriculture or other direct transactions. Because there is no accepted definition of what constitutes “local” food, Hodges’ survey allowed respondents to define the term – and most often defined it as food produced within 100 miles of the consumer, he said.

To watch an interview with Hodges about the local food study, visit http://tinyurl.com/bycexkd to see Hodges and others from the larger project discuss local food, visit http://tinyurl.com/axjxosm. The larger project investigates ways of connecting farmers and consumers. It’s supported by a specialty crops block grant obtained by the UF/IFAS PIE Center. Information about the larger project is available at http://piecenter.com/localfood.

A USDA program launched in 2009: Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food supports local food systems and understanding of the benefits of local and regional support for agriculture. There is an interactive map of farmer’s markets and other information on the website.

Resource: UF/IFAS Extension Local Foods

Backyard Poultry in Pinellas County

Mary Campbell,
Extension Director and Urban Sustainability Agent

If you are considering keeping chickens in your backyard, there are specific requirements based on the community you live in. Please refer to the local ordinances for your municipality or unincorporated Pinellas County for more information. Homeowner Associations may also have specific requirements that override local ordinances.

Municipalities that Allow Chickens

City	Chickens	Other Poultry	Restrictions	Limit	Noise Restrictions
Bellair	Yes	Yes	May not be raised for commercial purposes. Coops must be kept clean. Permit required.	5 domes- tic animals
Dunedin	Yes	Yes	Fowl must be kept within an enclosure, apply to city codes and regulations, and not constitute a nuisance.		Yes
Gulfport	Yes	No	Chickens must be contained in the backyard and all coops must be kept clean. No roosters.	10 hens
Largo	Yes	Yes	Fowl must be securely fenced and coops and runways must be kept clean.		Yes
St. Petersburg	Yes	Yes	Fowl must be securely fenced and coops and runways must be kept clean. Not within 100 ft of neighbors without their approval.		Yes

Summary of Pinellas County Ordinance for Unincorporated Areas 

1. Fowl may not be raised for commercial purposes; fowl may not be slaughtered. 
2. Up to 4 hens may be kept; no roosters. 
3. Must not create a nuisance of noise, odor, pests, or any other nuisance condition. 
4. Fowl must be securely fenced and the coop must be covered and ventilated. The coop must be completely secured from predators. 
5. Chickens must be kept in the backyard. 
6. Coops and runways must be kept clean. 
7. Chicken enclosure must be kept a minimum of 10 feet from neighbor’s property and not be taller than 6 feet. 
8. The chicken enclosure must be screened from neighbor’s view, using an opaque fence and/or landscape screen 
9. If coop exceeds 100 square feet in size, a building permit must be acquired. 
10. A minimum of 3 square feet is required per hen. 
11. All stored feed must be kept in a rodent and predator-proof container. 

Chicken FAQs 
Here are some common questions that Pinellas County Extension has received from citizens who are interested in keeping chickens.

• What types of breeds are recommended for backyard poultry? Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Red, Ameraucana, White Leghorn, Australorp, and Barred Rock. 
• How long do chickens live? Chickens live an average of 7 years although they can live 10 years or more. 
  
• What temperature do chickens need to survive? Chickens thrive in ranges between 70-75 °F, and may die in temperatures exceeding 95 °F. Hens lay eggs the best in temperature ranges between 45-80 °F. 
• How much space do chickens need? Chickens need about 2 square feet per hen for Bantam breeds, and 3 square feet for other birds. 
• Should I use chicken wire to enclose the chickens? Chicken wire can be used to enclose a run, but the open weave allows predators to reach through the openings. Rigid hardware cloth is recommended for sleeping or resting areas. 
• How much food and water do chickens need? Chickens drink about 1 to 2 cups of water each day. Layers drink twice as much as non-layers. Lightweight layers need about 4 to 4½ ounces of feed per hen per day, or about 4 pounds of feed for every dozen eggs laid. 

If you are interested in backyard poultry, please click here to join Extension for a new workshop on Urban Agriculture: Small to Large on February 9^th for Chickens 101 – morning session.  

Resources: 
UF Basic Guide for the Backyard Chicken Flock: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an239 
Backyard Chickens: http://www.backyardchickens.com/ 
Build A Chicken Coop Easy: http://www.buildachickencoopeasy.com/
4 H Virtual Farm: Poultry : http://www.sites.ext.vt.edu/virtualfarm/poultry/poultry.html 
The City Chicken.com: http://citychickens.com/ 
City Chicks (chicken source) 727-546-3478 located in Pinellas Park

Ways to Reduce Food Waste and Save Money

Ramona Madhosingh-Hector,
Urban Sustainability Agent
  
It’s a fact that Americans enjoy a disposable way of life. From cups to paper towels to cans and bottles, we are a throwaway culture. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there, we also throw away a lot of food. Did you know that reducing food waste saves money and resources?

The “food-print” analysis of the average American reveals that on average, a family of four will spend about $190 a week on food and throw away 40% of it. That’s a loss of $76 a week or $3,952 a year!

Feeding the still growing U.S. population requires an enormous amount of land and resources. If you consider the added costs for water and fuel to produce and transport food, you’ll realize that billions of dollars are lost when we throw away food. Last month, the Natural Resources Defense Council estimated that almost $165B is set aside to produce food that will be thrown out! These staggering statistics should encourage us to be more mindful of what we purchase, how much we actually consume, and how much gets thrown out.

To reduce food waste, try one of the tips below.

Shop wisely (at the grocery store) – Avoid “impulse buys” and definitely don’t buy more than what you need. If you see items on sale, perishable or not, and you “stock up” but don’t use the item and the food is thrown away, then your “potential” dollar savings is also thrown away.

Use Leftovers – If you eat out, be sure to take home your leftovers, they’ll make a good second meal for lunch or dinner the next day. You can also freeze it if you don’t plan to consume immediately. I recommend removing the leftovers from the restaurant packaging and placing in a freeze-proof container. Better yet, take your own container to the restaurant for your leftovers.

If you eat in and made extra portions for dinner, be sure to package for lunch or freeze for consumption later in the week or month.

Appearance Guilt – As consumers, we are often drawn to the perfect tomato, green pepper or apple but did you know that imperfect fruit and vegetables have the same nutritional value as their perfect counterparts? You may even be able to get a reduced price for these items at a farmers’ market because of the shape or size.

Shop your fridge or pantry – If you have items in your refrigerator that may be approaching the “use by” date or multiples of one item in the pantry, be sure to use these to create interesting new dishes. Visit the Solutions for Your Life website for new recipes.

Compost - To use your waste for a good purpose, start a compost heap to manage your food scraps. More information on the benefits of composting is available here.


For more tips on curbing food waste, check out the resources provided below.

Natural Resources Defense Council
www.nrdc.org

United States Department of Agriculture
www.usda.gov

United States Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Program http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/
www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

No Cook Recipes 

Low Energy Cooking

September is Food Safety Month: Separate the Myths from the Facts

By Nan Jensen, Extension Agent
Family and Consumer Sciences

We do our best to serve our families food that’s safe and healthy, to reduce their risk of food borne illness, a serious public health issue that causes approximately one in six Americans to get sick each year. Washing our hands, clean and sanitizing work surfaces, keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold, and cooking foods to the proper internal temperature are some of the steps we can take to ensure that our food is safe to eat.

Sometimes though, we don’t have all the facts right. Here are some common myths from The Partnership for Food Safety Education about food safety that might surprise you.

Myth # 1-“If I microwave the food, the microwaves kill the bacteria so the food is safe.”

Fact #1- Microwaves are not what kill bacteria- it’s the heat generated by the microwaves that kills bacteria in foods. Food needs to be heated to a safe internal temperature. Always check for a safe internal temperature after microwaving. Use a thermometer!

Myth # 2- “Of course I wash all the bagged lettuce and greens- I could get sick if I don’t.”

Fact #2- While it is important to wash most fresh fruits and veggies, packaged greens labeled “ready-to-eat”, “washed” or “triple washed” do NOT need to be washed at home.

Myth # 3- “I don’t need to use a food thermometer. I can tell when my food is cooked by looking at it or checking the temperature with my finger.”

Fact #3- The only sure way to know food is safely cooked is to check the temperature with a food thermometer and confirm it has reached a safe internal temperature.

Myth # 4-“I can’t re-freeze foods after I have thawed them. I have to cook them or throw them away.”

Fact #4- If raw foods such as meat, poultry, egg products and seafood have been thawed in the refrigerator, then they may be safely re-frozen without cooking for later use.


For more information on handling food safely visit http://www.foodsafety.gov/ or http://www.fightbac.org/campaigns/mythbusters for more on food safety myths.

Simple Resolutions for a Healthier 2012!

Nan Jensen, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Pinellas County Extension


The new year is almost here and you may be starting to think about what resolutions to make in 2012. Here are some easy ideas to help you have a healthier year. 


Resolution #1: Make half your plate fruits and vegetables 
Let vegetables and fruits take up half the space on your dinner plate. Fruits and vegetables deliver healthy phytochemicals and essential vitamins and minerals. Plus, they fill you up on fewer calories than other foods. Check out the winners of the fruit and vegetable challenge for some creative ideas on how to include more fruits and vegetables on your plate. 


Resolution #2: Make water your beverage of choice 
Sugar-sweetened beverages, like soda, lemonade or iced tea, are one of the top five foods that can add the pounds. Choosing water instead of calorie-laden beverages is a smart and easy way to reduce your overall calorie intake. Eliminating a 12-oz. can of soda a day can lead to a 12 to 18 lb. loss over the course of a year. 


Resolution #3: Try some new whole grains 
Making a switch from refined grains to whole grains can give your health a big boost. Whole grains are great sources of healthy carbohydrates, fiber, along with vitamins and minerals. People who eat plenty of whole grains tend to be leaner and have a lower risk of heart disease than those who don’t. Try some new grains like wild rice, quinoa and barley. Here is more information on whole grains and lots of delicious recipes.


Resolution #4: Add flavor to your food with herbs, spices and other flavorings 
Many people add salt to flavor their food. Too much salt is linked to high blood pressure. The daily recommended limit is 2,300 milligrams—the amount in just 1 teaspoon of salt. Most of us consume more than twice that amount. To help you get the sodium out, start with fresh ingredients and experiment with new flavorings. Lemon, lime juice, vinegar or other acidic flavors can help bring out the savoriness of food. Sprinkling fresh grated lemon zest, chopped fresh or dried herbs, garlic or shallots can add an abundance of flavor. For ideas on using fresh herbs and spices, take a look at these publications. 
Cooking with Fresh Herbs
Add a Little Spice (& Herbs) to Your Life!

Ready, Set, SHOP! Buying Green for the Holidays

James Stevenson, Pinellas County Extension Specialist, Urban Sustainability

Welcome to the "12 Days of Green" this hooliday season. Our first is a three-part installment that will hopefully help you in making decisions when composing your holiday shopping lists.

Green Products
Holiday green. Holiday greenery. Greenbacks. Have you got “green-fatigue” already? Well, try to relax and we will help you not get overwhelmed by all the choices to be made in looking for and purchasing green products. Remember Vestina Crayton’s article on “Greenwashing,” and the tips offered in previous posts.

What purchases increase during the holidays? What green options are available?

We’ll cover gifts in later posts, but just think of what purchases increase during the winter holidays: Extra food, decorations, cards, and the fuel used to zoom around making these extra purchases all add up. Green choices will help reduce the strain on the wallet, and in turn may benefit the environment.

Food: What is “green food?” Not just veggies! When making choices about holiday meals, treats, snacks, etc., consider the source of the ingredients. You may want to purchase organics in an effort to satisfy “green guilt,” but as Jan Wade-Miller points out in Timely Topics: “On average, fresh produce in the United States travels anywhere from 1,300 to 2,000 miles from the farmer to the consumer -- a process that creates enormous amounts of greenhouse gasses. These food miles partially cancel the benefits of organic farming.” Buying locally grown produce has an immediate environmental benefit.

Decorations: Again, consider gussying-up your home this holiday with recycled items. Many thrift stores keep re-usable decorations ready for sale during this time of year. No sense in importing MORE plastic from overseas if there are suitable baubles already here! Consider supporting local green-grocers who often offer greenery, plants and flowers sourced much more locally than the big retailers. Supporting local business is great for our economy.

Cards: The 2.65 billion Christmas cards sold each year n the U.S. could fill a football field 10 stories high. If we each sent one card less, we'd save 50,000 cubic yards of paper. (Use Less Stuff) Consider sending an electronic card. The following are some examples of what is available on the internet:
American Greetings
Hallmark
Yahoo Greeting Cards

Finally, as with the rest of the year, plan your trips wisely. Jetting out the door for one cup of sugar wastes your valuable time as well as precious petroleum! Relax and plan your shopping trips to avoid unnecessary travel.