Clean Your Plate: Around the Web This Week

You guys are so good!  The mystery bug this week was indeed a wheel bug, a type of assassin beetle, with a wheel-shaped pronotal armor (I think it looks like a saw blade!).  These guys prey upon insects such as caterpillars and Japanese beetles, piercing them with their beak to inject salivary fluids that dissolve soft tissue (ew!).  Because most of their prey are pests, wheel bugs are considered beneficial insects, although they can inflict a painful bite if handled carelessly.

In other news, here's your weekend reading material.  Stay cool!

• A downside to farmer's market growth? An interesting article about local food access...
• A Michigan teen farms her backyard.  How awesome is this girl!?
• No more "lip-service locavores" -- New York chefs are walking the walk.
• Fascinating study that suggests why processed food might be more fattening than whole, even when calories are the same.  
• The Ethics of Eating: a nice NPR piece with Barbara Kingsolver.  Definitely worth a listen. 
• Planning for next years garden, yet?  How about growing sweet potatoes in a bag? 
• Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though -- here's a handy online calculator for planting your FALL garden!

Enjoy the weekend, folks. And a reminder: follow us on Twitter to get the full scoop!