Blogs & Ecology

I recently attended the Superfoods Elements of Health Raw Food Course after wanting to do it for some time. We've been juicing, sprouting, and making smoothies, on and off for a while now, but I was interested in taking it to a new level, and to see whether we can add more variety and interest to what we eat. There is after all only so much one can do with muesli, surely...

It's not common knowledge yet, but the sprouts do, well, um, grow their own sprouts. We've also (occasionally) been known to wear tie-dye, but don't knit our own clothes yet. I guess calling ourselves urban sprout would have alluded to this, but no doubt it will shock some distant relatives: yes we grow and love sprouts. I think this is our first post about sprouts and when you think about it, it's quite strange that it took us so long to broach the topic.

This documentary has affected me. I am torn between telling people to watch Earthlings because it's important for them to know this stuff, and telling people not to watch it because it is genuinely disturbing. I closed my eyes during many scenes in the movies and I wish I had closed them more because I am haunted by the images I saw.

The Department of Trade and Industry has handed down a ruling for mandatory labelling of genetically modified foods in South Africa.

From now on, you have a choice as to whether or not you want to buy GM, but better still, you will actually know which foods contain GM.

The ruling came after a clause about labelling, which had been removed from the draft Consumer Protection bill last year, was reinstated. SAFeAGE has been lobbying for two years to have this clause reinstated; one that gives shoppers the right to choose once the Bill is implemented.

Eating for the sake of your body and the planet doesn’t mean giving up on the foods you love. It does mean becoming more actively aware of where your food comes from, how it’s produced and how its production affects the Earth.

Fundamental to greening your diet is eating ‘real’ food. Processed and refined foods are, let’s face it, not good for you. Most of them are produced as part of the push by marketers to ‘make your life easier’ but they’re usually laden with chemicals, additives, pesticides, and barely disguised GM derivatives.

pic: Kitchen Gardeners InternationalIf you've tried to track down organic seed in this country you'll know that its quite a challenge. Most organic home gardeners have to make do with conventional garden centre seed, some of which is treated with fungicide to extend the seed's viability. There are also more and more hybridised (F1) seed varieties available which means that when these plants reproduce the seed that is produced does not have the same traits as its parents. It is not true to type.

Today I happened upon an article by newscientist that proves that eating local has far less of an impact on climate change than going vege for one day a week! An analysis of the environmental toll of food production concludes that transportation is a mere drop in the carbon bucket. It is foods such as beef and dairy that make a far deeper impression on consumers carbon footprints.

If you haven’t already visited the new Stellenbosch fresh goods market then do so! We had a ball there on Saturday morning. Located on the Dorpstreet square in Bosman’s Crossing trading village - the historical entrance into Stellenbosch under the slopes of the Onderpappegaaiberg on the Plankenberg river – we were unintentionally highjacked by a strategically placed, and rather enormous sign which led us to a wine estate breakfast market en route, a minor detour that, had we had the time, was apparently worth the diversion. But I digress…

I've heard the term "food security" bandied about a bit recently and we've also noticed increased interest in edible garden services and worm bins listed in the urban sprout directory in the last few months. More of us are questioning where food comes from and what role we play in the food chain. There is also a branch (or convivium) of the slow food movement active in Cape Town.