Title

"Cover Story" piece on a group of Mainers who met last fall to consider starting

Source

Maine Times

Date

4-18-2002

Pages

1, 10-13

Abstract

"Cover Story" piece on a group of Mainers who met last fall to consider starting a Maine chapter of Slow Food, a movement that encourages the consumption of authentic, locally grown foods to fend off the processed food corporations. Since garlic appeals to everyone interested in food and is widely grown in Maine, group member Kristina King of Rockland said they began by celebrating this strongly flavored plant. Carlo Petrini, an Italian activist, intiated Slow Food in the late 1980s to protect his food culture from the onslaught of burger chains. Worldwide, there are 60,000 members in 42 countries, including 800 chapters in the U.S. with about 6,000 members. Russ Libby, executive director of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, said Maine citizens spend $50 million a week on food. And only $5 million of that food is grown or caught in the state. There are 5,064 farms in Maine, occupying 1.2 million acres, or 6 percent of the state's land, according to Stephanie Gilbert of Maine's Department of Agriculture. Yet, in the last 10 years, the state has lost 750 farmers between the ages of 29 and 44, Gilbert said.

Subjects

Agriculture, Food, Slow Food

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