Book Description

"A century ago, virtually all food -- fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, and dairy -- was local, grown at home or sourced within a few miles. But today, most food consumed in the United States comes from industrial farms and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), with ramifications to our health, our environment, and our economy. The tide is turning, however, thanks to what has been called the "farm-to-table" movement. In Farm to Table, Darryl Benjamin and Chef Lyndon Virkler explore both the roots of our current, corporate food system malaise, and the response by small farmers, food co-ops, chefs and restaurateurs, institutions, and many more, to replace the status quo with something more healthy, fair, just, and delicious. Today's consumers are demanding increased accountability from food growers and purveyors. Farm to Table illuminates the best practices and strategies for schools, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and other businesses and institutions, to partner with local farmers and food producers, from purchasing to marketing. Readers will also learn about the various alternative techniques that farms are employing - from permaculture to rotation-intensive grazing - to produce better tasting and more nutritious food, restore environmental health, and meet consumer demand. A one-of-a-kind resource, Farm to Table shows how to integrate truly sustainable principles into every juncture of our evolving food system."--Back cover.