rake_example.rb

namespace :data do  
  desc "load in some basic data [caution: will nuke and replcace categories, categorizations and inventory items]"
  task :bootstrap => :environment do     
    # clean out existing:
    [Category, Categorization, InventoryItem].each{|m| m.find(:all).each{|i| i.destroy}}  
    InventoryItem.create! :name => "Compass"    
    c = Category.create! :name => "Basic Apparel"    
    
    ["Men’s Heavyweight Cotton T",
    "Men’s Heavyweight Polo",
    "Women’s Organic Cotton Fitted T",
    "Women’s Fitted Polo",
    "Children’s T-Shirt",
    "Jr’s Distressed Hoodie",
    "Hemp Messenger Bag"].each do |name|
      c.inventory_items.create! :name => name
    end

   ...

end