A Visit to My Kitchen: Mike Lieberman, the Urban Organic Gardener

A Visit to My Kitchen: Mike Lieberman, the Urban Organic Gardener
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Mike Lieberman is in my kitchen today talking about his personal connection to food, his addiction to his produce and his fear that we might be banned from growing our own food.

Mike Lieberman started urban gardening and growing some of his own food in May 2009 on his fire escape in New York City. He inspires others to start growing their own food on his blog Urban Organic Gardener. Lieberman believes that growing just one herb or vegetable will make a difference.

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Why is living organic important to you?

Living organic to me is important because living that way makes sense to me. Food is what nourishes us and keeps us healthy. We have become so disconnected from food that we have now found it ok to use chemicals on them. We don't see the correlation between the health of our society and what people are consuming. I think that there is a strong connection between the two, which is I chose to live organically and chemicals free.

What was your favorite food growing up?

This is a tough one because I never really had a favorite food growing up. If I had to pick one, I guess I would say a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I rarely if at all have them anymore

What's your go-to comfort food now?

I think I'd have to say pancakes. My dad used to make chocolate chip pancakes every Saturday morning and they remind of those times.

What's the one thing in your kitchen you just couldn't live without?

My refrigerator because it's where all of my produce is stored. Haha. The one tool that I likely couldn't live without is my Vitamix blender. Green smoothies have been my staple breakfast for the past three years.

What magazine, website, book, album or product are you most obsessed with right now?

I am not really obsessed with one specific website, but more with social media. Twitter and Facebook users are becoming more conscious about their food.

I also just finished reading Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuck. That book got me all kinds of fired up to make things happen in my life and with my projects.

What's the most important news story today that you think we all need to pay more attention to?

I think what's going on with the S510 Food Safety Monetization Act 2010 that's making it's way through government now. It's a scary thought that growing your own food could be made illegal. To make a long story short, we would be totally reliant on one company to supply us with all of our food.

It violates the human right to food and is like wanting to charge people to breathe. It's being positioned as a Food Safety Act, but it's really about taking away our rights and having complete control over us.

[Note: Based on thoughts expressed on Rodale.com, Maria's Farm Country Kitchen, and in Organic Manifesto, Rodale Inc. supports the bill (with the inclusion of the Tester Amendment).

Please click here for information on Rodale's stance on the S510 Food Safety Monetization Act.]

Where do you get your news?

I get my news from Facebook and Twitter.

Related Links:

A Visit to My Kitchen: Vandana Shiva - Maria's Farm Country Kitchen
Push for Food Safety Leaves Out Important Amendment - Rodale.com
Urban Organic Gardener

For more from Maria Rodale, go to www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com.

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