TEMPE, ARIZONA is typical of the American Southwest.The stucco houses of suburban sprawl are uninterrupted (except for the occasional verdant golf course, palm tree, park or hotel), and every day ends with an orangey-purple brush-painted sunset. Only the barren adobe cliffs and the occasional tumbleweed remind you that you’re on the edge of the Sonoran Desert. But if you do enough exploring in this Phoenix suburb, you’ll eventually pass a 2.5-acre structure-less city block lined with row upon row of leafy greens—big, juicy vegetables by the ton. You’ll see kale, artichokes, Swiss chard, … [Read more...]

Amidst the hustle and bustle of shopping, party planning and decorating that ushers in the holiday season, many people’s innermost thoughts turn to three things: family, food and gratitude. FOR CENTURIES, CULTURES AND RELIGIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE have commemorated bountiful harvests and other forms of plenty by setting time aside to express gratitude. The United States traces its Thanksgiving holiday to the pilgrims living in Plymouth, Mass., in 1621. After enduring hardships associated with starting over in a new land, they celebrated the rewards of a rich harvest with help from nearby … [Read more...]