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Farmers in Iowa and other midwestern states have been devastated by recent flooding. The following is a dispatch from Wendy Wasserman, publisher of Edible Iowa River Valley.

EIRV is proud to be part of an emerging coalition specifically dedicated to the plight of the smaller farmers/producers in Iowa who have been hit hard by our severe weather disasters this spring.We are hearing horrible stories from some of the farmers/producers we work with who have suffered catastrophic losses. Some have endured significant property, equipment, and crop losses. Some are weeks, if not months, behind in planting because the ground is too wet. Some are totally underwater. We’ve heard from CSA farmers who have had to suspend their operations, produce farmers who have lost 2-3 plantings of heritage crops, other farmers who can only get in/out of their property by boat, and yet others who have lost barns, greenhouses and crucial equipment to winds, rains and floods. For those who have survived unscathed, we know of several farmers markets that have been washed away or otherwise impacted, thereby preventing producers from getting their goods to market.

In light of this vast disaster, an emerging Iowa based coalition has partnered with Farm Aid to develop an emergency fund specifically for small and independent farmers. Willie Nelson is coming to Iowa this weekend to formally get things going, and Farm Aid has also launched an online campaign (click here to donate).

If there is one thing I’ve been reminded of this season, it is that a natural disaster can come anytime and anywhere and wipe out entire networks in a blink. It could happen in any of our communities without rhyme, reason or warning. The producers that we all know and love - the same ones that are the anchors of the local food system - are the most vulnerable to such a catastrophe. Supporting these producers in their most critical time of need is a way we can make our local and regional food systems stronger for the long term.

Subscribe to Edible San Francisco today and we'll donate 100% of your subscription to the Iowa Farm Aid fund (valid 6/19/08 - 07/01/08).

Labels: Blog Challenge, disaster, Edible Communities, Edible Nation, magazines, San Francisco

On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future

Labels: Blog Challenge, Environmental

Authorities are asking for the public's help in solving the case, believed to be one of the worst incidents of animal abuse in Ventura in years and one that could bring felony charges.

Bob's neck and leathery legs were slashed and his dark green shell was stabbed repeatedly in a possible effort to re-create an episode of the Discovery Channel's Man vs. Wild cable television show, where the military-trained host kills and eats a tortoise to survive, an anonymous caller told the family.

...Bob was more than a household pet to the Sullivans, whose 6-year-old son William is autistic and until a couple years ago didn't speak to humans, communicating instead through sign language.

But with Bob, the little blond boy, who also has the rare neuron-genetic disorder Angelman Syndrome, was a regular chatterbox. The approachable reptile opened an inexplicable window into william's inner world, and the boy would bare details of his days at school and of private life, his mother said. - Ventura County Star

Queen Whackamole at Fuller&Fuller - "the couple is facing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in veterinarian bills." Jeanie Vaughan at Turtle Dreams is working with the veterinarian treating bob... Bob seems to be in stable condition. If you'd like to help with the Sullivan's vet bill, you can send a check to Turtle Dreams, and make a note that it is for Bob's expenses:

Turtle Dreams
2298 Feather Hill Road,
Montecito, CA 93108-1542
(805) 969-5128

I challenge all food bloggers and foodies to send in whatever they would spend on a bag of flour, or sugar or "Starbucks for the week" to help Bob.

**UPDATE** Bob's condition is stabalizing and is cautiously improved.

The 42-pound African spurred tortoise was awake but traumatized during a morning examination and still has a feeding tube inserted in his stomach to provide food and medication, Vaughan said.

Anyone wishing to donate can send money to Washington Mutual, P.O. Box 877, Ventura, CA 93002.

"The fact that he is stable enough to be moved to rehab is a very good sign," said Vaughan, who has been monitoring the brutalized tortoise since he arrived at Adobe Animal Hospital in Santa Barbara. "But these are cold-blooded animals that take a long time to heal, so we will have to keep a close watch."

...Checks should be made out to William Sullivan in care of Bob, Account No. 492-105108-5. Wire transfer can be routed to Account No. 322271627.

"The outpouring has been overwhelming," Dorothy Sullivan said this morning, adding that she got a phone call from a well-wisher in Montana. "After what happened to Bob, I had lost a lot of faith in the human race. But it's been absolutely wonderful how people are recognizing that Bob needs help and that what was done to him is a serious crime." - Ventura County Star

Labels: Animals, Blog Challenge, Bob the Turtle