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"But if the community gardens, CSAs, farm-to-school programs and sustainable family farms in the Food Movement are so great why isn't everyone doing it? The simple answer is, because the rules and institutions governing our food system -- Wall Street, the U.S. Farm Bill, the World Trade Organization and the USDA -- all favor the global monopolies controlling the world's seeds, food processing, distribution and retail. This should come as no surprise, the "revolving door" between government and corporate food monopolies is alive and well, and goes back decades. But it means it's unlikely that the Food Movement's alternatives will ever become the norm rather than the alternative fringe -- unless the Food Movement can change the rules and institutions controlling our food. To do that, the Food Movement needs politicizing."

Two years ago, Forbes predicted that by the year 2018, 20 percent of the food consumed in U.S. cities will be grown in places like this. It's safe to say that's almost certainly not going to happen. Right now, urban-grown produce represents a minuscule slice of the food system. But there are several plausible scenarios that could make such food more commonplace in the city kitchen of the future. Several of these scenarios are growing more likely by the day. If energy prices spike, your average grapefruit's 1,500-mile journey to your fridge could make local food seem cheaper by comparison. Droughts are becoming more common, and soil-free hydroponic agriculture uses a fraction of the water of conventional farming and can easily be set up in urban environments. And there's always the unforeseen Black Swan event: World War II "victory gardens" made urban farming a temporary reality for millions in the early 1940s.

Farmers markets have grown in popularity as the consumer demand for locally grown and produced foods has grown, said Lori Panda, who runs the Ohio Proud program of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. The program oversees the state's more than 1,000 farmers markets. In comparison, 600 were listed with the department in 2006, Panda said. As their numbers increase, farmers markets are popping up in not-so traditional locations. "The markets are opening in places like Easton because it has a ready-built clientele," Panda said. "It's not surprising, considering the growing interest of consumers who want more options for local foods, want to support the local economy, and, because of food-safety concerns, want to know who is growing their foods. It just makes sense that farmers want to go where the people are."

The market for local food - food that is produced, processed, distributed and sold within a specific region, say a radius of several hundred miles - is growing. Large, small and midsized farms are all tapping into it. Even better, new data suggest that these producers are employing more workers than they would be if they weren't selling into local and regional markets.

Global food prices will more than double within 20 years as a new age of crisis forces the collapse of our broken global food system, said Oxfam today. The international development agency said Europe is sleepwalking as the world enters into an unprecedented and avoidable reversal in human development.

According to a report released last week by the AARP Foundation and the University of Kentucky, food insecurity among older Americans has increased dramatically since 2001. The study said about 10 percent of Ohioans 50 to 59 years old - the youngest of the baby boomers - are considered at risk of hunger. Mid-Ohio, whose business is up 44 percent over the past four years, aims to distribute 6 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables this harvest season, Baumgartner said. By comparison, the food bank provided 10 million pounds of produce all of last year.

Vegetables from local food sources insufficient to meet the caloric and nutritional demands of a growing population

An Indiana University study that looked at consumers who buy locally grown and produced foods through farmer's markets and community-supported agriculture programs found the venues largely attract a "privileged" class of shoppers.

"Tatoheads' creations start with tater tots, French fries and sweet potato fries. They're then spiced up with seasonings such as Cajun, curry, herbes de Provence, zatar and parmesan peppercorn. Patrons can add dipping sauces, such as spicy buffalo honey, horseradish ranch, curry aioli, shallot truffle and red pepper cilantro ketchup. But it doesn't end there. There's a changing menu of specials, such as the Middle Eastern fries topped with hummus, cucumber-mint sauce, Sriracha chili sauce and tomato. Fans of Italian food might choose the Frighetti and meatballs, which is a bed of fries smothered in basil marinara sauce, meatballs and cheese. Traditionalists might like their fries topped with cheese, vegetables and meat such as curried chicken or Italian beef. Tatoheads also serves classic chili cheese fries, bacon-cheese fries and soup - loaded baked potato, of course. Prices range from $3 to $7."