Animals
- Country Of Origin Labeling Program Not Much Help In Keeping Us & Our Pets Safe
On September 30th, six years after Congress originally passed the law, the United States will implement a country of origin labeling program for supermarket foods. But due to industry pressure, some of the most important and potentially dangerous products...
- Spuds
Last year's garden boxes yielded an impressive harvest of sweet potatoes.Considered a "super food", this yummy root packed with beta carotene is one of my family's favorites.This is just a small sampling of our yield. Planting our garden...
- Minerva, Master-weeder
Amazingly, since Minerva has taken up residence in the garden, it is virtually weed free (we won't mention that I spent the entire past week on my hands and knees). Regardless, the garden is the best it has ever looked at this point of the season....
- Time For A Paradigm Shift...we Are What We Eat!!
Ordinarily all of my posts are fun farm stories.....and I have so many more to share. Today, however, I would like to share a little more than just fun. There is a growing movement in this country aimed at changing the way we eat and the way we do our...
- To Market , To Market
Well, after months and months of waiting, our hens are finally laying enough eggs for us to market. I ordered these egg cartons and got busy with "Photo Shop" making labels for each. From here they get delivered to everyone on our "egg list". Fresh, free-ranging...
Animals
Avoiding The Dirty Dozen
I am a foodie...I admit it.
There are a few things in this world that I am quite passionate about...
not counting the people and animals that I love, food and farming top the list.
Years ago I did a lot of reading about food and industrial farming.
As a result of what I learned, we changed our eating habits...drastically.
For 6+ months of the year, we eat what we grow.
For the other 6 months, we eat what we freeze and preserve...
supplemented by fresh produce that is certified organic.
Our meat is local.
Our milk is local.
Our eggs, our own.
We eat no processed food, we eat no processed meat.
I'll admit it is more expensive,
but to me it is worth it.
This is the way I see it...
There is nothing more important to us than our health.
And yet...we don't make the food that nourishes our bodies to maintain that health a priority.
We buy smart phones, nice cars, nice clothes and so many other "things" that really don't matter.
We waste our grocery money on empty calories... sodas, junk foods, etc.
And yet, we balk at spending extra to buy "safe" nutritious food.
I know I am preaching to the choir.
But still, if I can educate just one person...
this little rant is well worth the effort.
Environmental Working Group just released its 2014 list of the "Dirty Dozen Plus"...
its list of the most heavily pesticide laden produce...
produce we should avoid unless we can buy organic...or better yet, grow our own.
1. Apples
2. Strawberries
3. Grapes
4. Celery
5. Peaches
6. Spinach
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Nectarines (Imported)
9. Cucumbers
10. Cherry Tomatoes
11. Snap Peas (Imported)
12. Potatoes
+ Hot Peppers
+ Kale/Collard Greens
2. Strawberries
3. Grapes
4. Celery
5. Peaches
6. Spinach
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Nectarines (Imported)
9. Cucumbers
10. Cherry Tomatoes
11. Snap Peas (Imported)
12. Potatoes
+ Hot Peppers
+ Kale/Collard Greens
Gone are the days when we can say "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."
That is, unless that apple is organic or homegrown.
Yes, those beautiful red, juicy apples in the produce aisle are the number one
most pesticide filled food we can eat!
They are beautiful...and that is where it ends.
Take a look at organic apples....much smaller, not so pretty...
but oh, so healthy!
If you have a few extra feet of yard space, consider planting a apple tree,
or planting a small garden.
There is nothing more gratifying than picking produce that you have grown yourself!
We could also talk about what all of this pesticide use is doing to our honeybees...
but that's another subject.
On a brighter note, here are the "Clean Fifteen"...
produce that is relatively pesticide free:
1. Avocados
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapples
4. Cabbage
5. Sweet Peas (Frozen)
6. Onions
7. Asparagus
8. Mangoes
9. Papayas
10. Kiwi
11. Eggplant
12. Grapefruit
13. Cantaloupe
14. Cauliflower
15. Sweet Potatoes
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapples
4. Cabbage
5. Sweet Peas (Frozen)
6. Onions
7. Asparagus
8. Mangoes
9. Papayas
10. Kiwi
11. Eggplant
12. Grapefruit
13. Cantaloupe
14. Cauliflower
15. Sweet Potatoes
So.....what's for dinner?
- Country Of Origin Labeling Program Not Much Help In Keeping Us & Our Pets Safe
On September 30th, six years after Congress originally passed the law, the United States will implement a country of origin labeling program for supermarket foods. But due to industry pressure, some of the most important and potentially dangerous products...
- Spuds
Last year's garden boxes yielded an impressive harvest of sweet potatoes.Considered a "super food", this yummy root packed with beta carotene is one of my family's favorites.This is just a small sampling of our yield. Planting our garden...
- Minerva, Master-weeder
Amazingly, since Minerva has taken up residence in the garden, it is virtually weed free (we won't mention that I spent the entire past week on my hands and knees). Regardless, the garden is the best it has ever looked at this point of the season....
- Time For A Paradigm Shift...we Are What We Eat!!
Ordinarily all of my posts are fun farm stories.....and I have so many more to share. Today, however, I would like to share a little more than just fun. There is a growing movement in this country aimed at changing the way we eat and the way we do our...
- To Market , To Market
Well, after months and months of waiting, our hens are finally laying enough eggs for us to market. I ordered these egg cartons and got busy with "Photo Shop" making labels for each. From here they get delivered to everyone on our "egg list". Fresh, free-ranging...