Reading this week

The Dark Side of Soy (UTNE Reader)
Mary Vance Terrain explores the risks of soy consumption, which has been sold to consumers as a healthy alternative food. 

Mother Earth News apps
I subscribe to Mother Earth News and Mother Earth Living magazines, and they offer great free apps for starting gardening for food, as well as canning.

What are the solutions? A Place at the Table, reviewed (Civil Eats)
Review of a new documentary from the people that brought us Food, Inc. I definitely need to see this.

Obama signs the Monsanto Protection Act (Food Democracy Now)
Forget for a moment the fact that SAUDI ARABIA has more stringent laws about food labeling than we do in the United States, it's so disappointing to see President Obama giving in to the corporate interests of Monsanto, DuPont and the like. (Particularly when he made campaign promises about GMO labeling.)

Aspartame in Milk (Food Law Firm)
This is crazy scary. A carcinogen in milk? With no label? Pass me a glass of raw milk, please.

Links from the Farm to Table Conference

Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund
"FTCLDF protects the rights of the nation's family farms, artisan food producers, consumers and affiliate communities to engage in direct commerce free of harassment by federal, state and local government interference; it protects the rights of farmers and artisanal producers to make their products available and the rights of consumers to access the foods of their choice from the source of their choice." In other words, these guys help defend the little guys. Plus they have great bumper stickers and t-shirts.

Edible Allegheny
Local food magazine - amazing resources, especially when you are looking to source local foods or support restaurants that do so

Marty's Market
Located in the Strip District (and with PARKING), Marty's is a "community-minded market featuring clean, regional and unique food items." (I used a quote from their promotional materials because I've been there and I agree.) And, they serve brunch. Enough said.

Berglorbeer Farma
Sells shitake logs (logs that come "preloaded" with spores to grow mushrooms at home) among lots of other cool stuff

PG Plate
A new food themed website from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Bumbleberry Farms
Local honey from Somerset, Pa. We tried the salted honey caramel and it was insanely good. Mark has put some in his coffee as a sweetener, but you can also eat it straight out of the jar like a boss.

Zukay Live Foods
Live, fermented foods, including kvass and even salad dressings.