Rylee Dawn Troutman
May 2, 2008
Blogging for REAL Foods
Toxic Emotions & Toxic Foods
When we eat foods with preservatives and MSG, and are genetically modified and full of crap, those things build up in our systems. Which completely interrupt the natural flows of our bodies, these foods make us constipated, give us high blood pressure, make us obese (which is now a pandemic) when we stuff away all these "fake foods" it causes a lot of bodily turmoil. And in many ways, these foods make us stuck in our lives, and trapped in our bodies.
Effects of MSG- Skin rash, nausea, migraine headache, heart irregularities, seizures, and depression are examples of adverse reactions that have been reported following ingestion of MSG.
Effects of GMO- Deaths and near deaths, cancer and other degenerative ailments, viral and bacterial illness, allergies, Birth Defects, Toxicity, and Lowered Nutrition
Which is quite similar to emotions; if you are not truthful with yourself and make up things to relieve yourself from guilt, love, sadness, joy, pain or the TRUTH, etc it only causes more damage. And we end up only gaining serious emotional problems, and we build patterns that stick with us for our lives. Rather than if you were honest with yourself from the start, you can clear up old hurts and present ones and face life with clarity and truth.
Maybe I will start a food company called 'Honest Foods'
Sources:
http://www.truthinlabeling.org/I.AreYouSensitive.html
http://www.cqs.com/50harm.htm
Friday, May 16, 2008
The Decline of Honeybees
They buzz. They make honey. And they're dying at a rapid pace.
Over the past 50 years, the bees have declined by 50%.
People have been coming up with theories as to why this is happening.
Some say it's because of the pesticides, others blame it on the cell phone radiation. There is evidence of a bee killer "varroa mite" which infests bee hives and force the bees to abandon their homes.
Honeybees play a larger role in our human lives than we could possibly imagine. Bees pollinate approximately 30-40% of our food. They pollinate the fruits, vegetables and nuts. Without them our diet would be bland and limited.
Sadly, the sun is setting on the age of the bees.
~Mya
Sources:
www.sunjournal.com/story/214193-3/Business
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18442426
Compost Tea. A Whole New Plant Food.
Gabe Granach
The first time I heard about compost tea, I was severely confused. Compost tea? Does it make you grow big and strong? No. Compost tea is not for you, it’s for your plants.
Compost tea is created by steeping compost in water for around five days. Then after straining, the liquid is applied to the soil around the plant and the nutrients are absorbed by the plant. One very cool benefit of compost tea is that extracts that are beneficial for the plant can be added to the mixture while brewing and the tea usually provides much needed oxygen.
Ideally, compost teas contain both an Abundance and a Diversity of beneficial microorganisms which perform different functions. Pathogenic organisms that land on the leaf surface simply cannot compete with the beneficial organisms and therefore have a greatly reduced chance to initiate disease in the first place.
All in all, compost tea is a wonderful addition to any plant. Different solutions can be made to further benefit the plants, and prevent from any disease in the plant. Compost tea is a very easy process to complete, and can be done on any scale.
Direct nutrition
A source of foliar and soil organic nutrients.
Chelated micronutrients for easy plant absorption
Nutrients in a biologically available form for both plant and microbial uptake
Microbial Functions
Compete with disease causing microbes
Degrade toxic pesticides and other chemicals
Produce plant growth hormones
Mineralize plant available nutrients
Fix nitrogen
Plant surfaces are occupied by beneficial microbes leaving no room for pathogens to infect the plant (squatters rights)
Sources:
http://www.composttea.com/earth_tea.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost_tea
The first time I heard about compost tea, I was severely confused. Compost tea? Does it make you grow big and strong? No. Compost tea is not for you, it’s for your plants.
Compost tea is created by steeping compost in water for around five days. Then after straining, the liquid is applied to the soil around the plant and the nutrients are absorbed by the plant. One very cool benefit of compost tea is that extracts that are beneficial for the plant can be added to the mixture while brewing and the tea usually provides much needed oxygen.
Ideally, compost teas contain both an Abundance and a Diversity of beneficial microorganisms which perform different functions. Pathogenic organisms that land on the leaf surface simply cannot compete with the beneficial organisms and therefore have a greatly reduced chance to initiate disease in the first place.
All in all, compost tea is a wonderful addition to any plant. Different solutions can be made to further benefit the plants, and prevent from any disease in the plant. Compost tea is a very easy process to complete, and can be done on any scale.
Direct nutrition
A source of foliar and soil organic nutrients.
Chelated micronutrients for easy plant absorption
Nutrients in a biologically available form for both plant and microbial uptake
Microbial Functions
Compete with disease causing microbes
Degrade toxic pesticides and other chemicals
Produce plant growth hormones
Mineralize plant available nutrients
Fix nitrogen
Plant surfaces are occupied by beneficial microbes leaving no room for pathogens to infect the plant (squatters rights)
Sources:
http://www.composttea.com/earth_tea.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost_tea
Thursday, May 15, 2008
nutrient depleted foods/soils.-Elliot Merrill
It is widely known that organic foods are more sustainable and healthy for the body, but what about convetionally grown foods? conventionally grown foods are produced not for the health and wwell being of the planet but for profit. conventinally grown foods ruin soil and deplete our bodys of nutrition. But at the same time keep us going just enough to go back for more and they tast so good.
" According to the new British analysis of government nutrition data on meat and dairy products from the 1930s and from 2002, the mineral content of milk, cheese and beef declined as much as 70 percent in that period.The research found that parmesan cheese had 70 percent less magnesium and calcium, beef steaks contained 55 percent less iron, chicken had 31 percent less calcium and 69 percent less iron, while milk also showed a large drop in iron along with a 21 percent decline in magnesium.
Copper, an important trace mineral (an essential nutrient that is consumed in tiny quantities), also declined 60 percent in meats and 90 percent in dairy products.“It seems likely that intensive farming methods are responsible for this,” Tokelove said from his office in London." -http://stephenleahy.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/overweight-hungry-blame-hollow-food/
I'd suggest eating organic foods and or growing your own. Not only is organic better for you its proven to build your sustem up against pesticides found in common foods. Organic foods cost more, but really do they? when you look at the healthcare issue in america why arent more people asking why so many people are getting sick in the first place. If we spend less we acctually put our lives in a lot more rist of having some medical issue down the road. The hostpitals/pharmacuitical companies could care less what you eat. They profit from the food companies because we get sick and need medical help.
" According to the new British analysis of government nutrition data on meat and dairy products from the 1930s and from 2002, the mineral content of milk, cheese and beef declined as much as 70 percent in that period.The research found that parmesan cheese had 70 percent less magnesium and calcium, beef steaks contained 55 percent less iron, chicken had 31 percent less calcium and 69 percent less iron, while milk also showed a large drop in iron along with a 21 percent decline in magnesium.
Copper, an important trace mineral (an essential nutrient that is consumed in tiny quantities), also declined 60 percent in meats and 90 percent in dairy products.“It seems likely that intensive farming methods are responsible for this,” Tokelove said from his office in London." -http://stephenleahy.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/overweight-hungry-blame-hollow-food/
I'd suggest eating organic foods and or growing your own. Not only is organic better for you its proven to build your sustem up against pesticides found in common foods. Organic foods cost more, but really do they? when you look at the healthcare issue in america why arent more people asking why so many people are getting sick in the first place. If we spend less we acctually put our lives in a lot more rist of having some medical issue down the road. The hostpitals/pharmacuitical companies could care less what you eat. They profit from the food companies because we get sick and need medical help.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Water polution
Water the resource of life. It takes up 70% of the world. With out water nothing would be able to survive. These days it seems that no one cares about it, big companies are dumping into the rivers, which flow into the ocean. Resulting in wild life and water life dying.
A lot of the pollution is caused by farmers, plowing fields, loggers clear cutting and causing land slides which go into creeks and rivers, and from eroded river banks. When it rains all these areas contain either sediment or commercial farming products which clog the river and kill of wild life species because of the blockage of the river.
Globally, water pollution is a huge problem.
In conclusion, I feel that farmers need to use less polluting sprays, and logging needs to slowly disease, and we need to take care of our wild land, forests and cities. As long as we keep the crap out of the water we will all survive but as of now, it seems that we are on a steady down grade of polluting our waters!
Terran Ahern
http://www.umich.edu/%7Egs265/society/waterpollution.htm
http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/water/h2oindex.shtml
A lot of the pollution is caused by farmers, plowing fields, loggers clear cutting and causing land slides which go into creeks and rivers, and from eroded river banks. When it rains all these areas contain either sediment or commercial farming products which clog the river and kill of wild life species because of the blockage of the river.
Globally, water pollution is a huge problem.
In conclusion, I feel that farmers need to use less polluting sprays, and logging needs to slowly disease, and we need to take care of our wild land, forests and cities. As long as we keep the crap out of the water we will all survive but as of now, it seems that we are on a steady down grade of polluting our waters!
Terran Ahern
http://www.umich.edu/%7Egs265/society/waterpollution.htm
http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/water/h2oindex.shtml
Kvass
For any of you who have enjoyed kombucha or any live cultured drink, kvass could be just the beverage for you. not only is it an easy drink to prepare by yourself at the convienience of your own home, but it is rich with health benefeits.
Kvass is an age old traditional drink originating in russia around 989 AD. The drink is a mildly alcoholic, fermented beverage made from either rye bread or black bread. In older times, it was said that in eastern europe and the stan regions kvass was often drunk more than water.
Kvass boosts your metabolism and improves digestion. Also, it helps prevent infection and aids your circulatory system.
here is an easy Kvass recipe:
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Rye Bread
1/2 c. Sugar
1 Packet of Yeast
10 c. Boiled Water
Raisins to Taste
1. Cut bread into thin slices. Dry bread slices in a pan without oil or in an oven until dark brown and crisp.
2. Put the bread into a large bowl and pour in boiling water. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 4 hours.
3. Dissolve yeast in some lukewarm water. Add sugar and mix well.
4. Strain bread mixture through a sieve or colander lined with cheesecloth and save the liquid.
5. Stir sugar and yeast into the liquid, cover and leave in a warm place for about 10 hours.
6. Strain kvass through cheesecloth into clean bottles, add a couple of raisins to each bottle, cork and leave in a cool place for 3 days.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Pedal Power!
Nearly 98% of the energy used to pedal a bike is directly transformed to forward motion of the bike. The 2% loss is due to friction of all the components. Many sources suggest the road bike is the most efficient human powered machine we have, (for some perspective, the combustion engine uses only about 20% of the potential energy created by burning fossil fuels, losing most of it in heat and friction.
Due to inginuity and invention, we are starting to see some very creative ways to make pedal power work for us. For example, in Ashland Oregon, our local Heartsong Chai has fashioned a bicycle powered spice grinder for their chai hut to use in their production. This simple contraption probably saves huge alone on replacing an industrial sized grinder that would have been shipped from somewhere likely out of state, (which is another place where some energy spending can be cut out). But there is only inventors with higher aspirations for pedal power, such as the creators of the aquaduct (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U-mvfjyiao). The aquaduct is a bike that can filter and hold water while you ride. Many people in 3rd world countries have to walk extremely far for their water and can only return with as much as they can carry. With this bike, they may not have to travel nearly as far because they can filter their water instead of finding a cleaner source, and they can bring much more than could be carried comfortably.
By Stuart Trivers
Due to inginuity and invention, we are starting to see some very creative ways to make pedal power work for us. For example, in Ashland Oregon, our local Heartsong Chai has fashioned a bicycle powered spice grinder for their chai hut to use in their production. This simple contraption probably saves huge alone on replacing an industrial sized grinder that would have been shipped from somewhere likely out of state, (which is another place where some energy spending can be cut out). But there is only inventors with higher aspirations for pedal power, such as the creators of the aquaduct (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U-mvfjyiao). The aquaduct is a bike that can filter and hold water while you ride. Many people in 3rd world countries have to walk extremely far for their water and can only return with as much as they can carry. With this bike, they may not have to travel nearly as far because they can filter their water instead of finding a cleaner source, and they can bring much more than could be carried comfortably.
By Stuart Trivers
World Food: Growing Despair
International food security could become a serious problem in the coming years. The global population has grown beyond 6.6 billion now, and although the rate at which it increases has dropped, the world population is still growing significantly. Food riots have erupted in several countries around the world just recently. Most of the 3 billion people projected to be added worldwide by mid-century will be born in countries already experiencing water shortages. Africa, it seems, has been starving since long before I was born. In the face of climate change, for which there is now plenty of evidence, and more coming out of the woodwork, global society stares down a foreboding path at the potential of mass-hunger in the days to come.
Some scientists in the field of agriculture, and the tradition of the Green Revolution following World War II, seem optimistic that advances in biotechnology are going to pave the way to feeding the entire world. Some suggest that GMOs hold the key, along with other processes that are still being explored, to providing plentiful nutrition for generations to come. It can be argued—quite soundly—that the industrial model of food production that has fed the demand of food for the population over the last 60 years is ultimately unsustainable.
Over time, the fertilizers that have enabled farmers to produce outstanding amounts of food damaged the soil, aquifers, and the surrounding ecologies. In monoculture practices pesticides are required because a single species of plant has a difficult time defending itself against insects and diseases; pesticides have similar implications as fertilizers. The environmental impact expands far beyond the immediate vicinity, into water and ecosystems.
Another concern is that the production of food and its distribution is so heavily dependent on oil. In some cases it requires more than 50 times the amount of energy in calories to grow, process, and ship the food. Most of that energy expended, comes from fossil fuels, and fossil fuels produce the gases that are directly causing climate change.
In turn, climate change is affecting the availability of water for many countries and people all around the world. Irrigating our crops depends on water, and it is no longer clear whether it will be available when we need it.
The only way to feed the eminent 7, 8 or 9 billion, that will be living on this planet, without altering the face of the Earth beyond what’s already changed, is to turn to sustainable agriculture, which must be modeled off of the biodynamics that already exist between organisms; this is local, polycultural, permacultural, sustainable, organic, loving farming.
Growing and buying foods locally hugely reduces the energy deficit that globally marketing food requires, supports local economies rather than distant corporations, and reduces our dependency on fossil fuels.
Permaculture is based upon principles that are aligned with the natural systems of life in our biosphere. It uses the advantages of growing more than one crop in an area, utilizing the symbiotic relationships that already exist among many species which serves to enhance production, preserve soil nutrition, repel pests and diseases without the use of toxins, and support the local ecology as well. As members of the global community of life, we are dependent on an intricate web of species, which in turn are dependent on others, and others, and so on… We must honor and respect the Earth’s creatures as a priority if we are to continue to survive.
May we find our way before it is too late.
-Dash B!
http://www.energybulletin.net/5045.html
Sustainable Chili
Vegan Chili
Serves 8
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup each chopped carrots, green, red and yellow bell peppers
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. chopped garlic
2 chopped seeded jalapeño peppers
1 tablespoon ground ancho chili (or, in a pinch, 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes)
1 chipotle in adobo, chopped (these canned smoked chilies are in the Spanish foods sections of most supermarkets. If not available, add extra ancho)
1 Tbsp. cumin seeds, toasted briefly in a dry pan and ground, or 4 tsp. ground cumin
One can (28-ounce) plum tomatoes, roughly chopped, juice included
Three cans (16-ounce) beans: one each red kidney, cannellini and black beans, rinsed and drained, or an equal amount of home-cooked beans
1 cup tomato juice
Tofu sour cream (optional)
Finely chopped red onions
Chopped fresh cilantro
1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onions, carrots, bell peppers and salt; cook 15 minutes over medium heat, until the onions are soft.
2. Add the garlic, jalapeños, anchos, chipotle and cumin; cook five minutes more. Stir in tomatoes, beans and tomato juice. Simmer about 45 minutes. Serve garnished with tofu sour cream (if using), red onions and cilantro.
This Vegan chili is a sustainable recipe because vegitarian and vegan food is less damaging to our earths ecosystem. The meat industry,especially beef, is one of the country's main sources of water pollution, soil erosion, and—indirectly through huge amounts of grain feed—pesticide and petroleum-based fertilizer run-off into our soil and land. Not to mention the huge amount of fossil fuel it takes to transport. By eating vegan and vegitarian, as well as organic,you can eat gourmet while being y an enviromentalist, supporting sustainabilty and plus a little healthier too!
Serves 8
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup each chopped carrots, green, red and yellow bell peppers
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. chopped garlic
2 chopped seeded jalapeño peppers
1 tablespoon ground ancho chili (or, in a pinch, 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes)
1 chipotle in adobo, chopped (these canned smoked chilies are in the Spanish foods sections of most supermarkets. If not available, add extra ancho)
1 Tbsp. cumin seeds, toasted briefly in a dry pan and ground, or 4 tsp. ground cumin
One can (28-ounce) plum tomatoes, roughly chopped, juice included
Three cans (16-ounce) beans: one each red kidney, cannellini and black beans, rinsed and drained, or an equal amount of home-cooked beans
1 cup tomato juice
Tofu sour cream (optional)
Finely chopped red onions
Chopped fresh cilantro
1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onions, carrots, bell peppers and salt; cook 15 minutes over medium heat, until the onions are soft.
2. Add the garlic, jalapeños, anchos, chipotle and cumin; cook five minutes more. Stir in tomatoes, beans and tomato juice. Simmer about 45 minutes. Serve garnished with tofu sour cream (if using), red onions and cilantro.
This Vegan chili is a sustainable recipe because vegitarian and vegan food is less damaging to our earths ecosystem. The meat industry,especially beef, is one of the country's main sources of water pollution, soil erosion, and—indirectly through huge amounts of grain feed—pesticide and petroleum-based fertilizer run-off into our soil and land. Not to mention the huge amount of fossil fuel it takes to transport. By eating vegan and vegitarian, as well as organic,you can eat gourmet while being y an enviromentalist, supporting sustainabilty and plus a little healthier too!
To Label or Not to Label
Should US foods be labeled as to whether they contain GMOs?
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been in our food supply for years now, yet US consumers have no sure way of knowing whether the food they buy contains genetically modified organisms. Yes they could research every candy bar or cracker that they buy but that’s completely unrealistic. Right now there is a big push in the United States of America to follow in the footsteps of other nations including all the European Union nations, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand to require mandatory labeling of foods that contain genetically engineered ingredients.
Some people may ask, what’s the big deal? GMOs aren’t bad for you. But do they really know that? GMOs have not been safely tested on humans yet, and the FDA does not require new GMO products to be tested before being released to the public, unlike other drugs and food additives. Companies don’t even have to let the FDA know that their food contains genetically engineered ingredients. The USA is the biggest producer of GMOs right now with 88 million acres of genetically modified crops planted in 2001, and over 70 per cent of the food in our grocery stores contains GMOs. Yet there is still no way to know whether or not you are consuming genetically modified ingredients. The labeling debate also brings up trade issues between the countries that require labeling and the countries that don’t.
Looking at the other side of the issue, labeling is incredibly expensive. A few ideas to address that have been to pass a labeling tax or simply make the companies pay for it themselves. Another suggestion is to allow voluntary labeling where companies can label if they want to and give consumers a choice on some products, but it is highly unlikely that any companies will choose to do so, with the high cost. Another criticism is that some companies are afraid that it will cause unnecessary alarm and delay advances in biotechnology, although to those opposed to GMOs in the first place that could also be considered a pro.
In the end the only con to GMO labeling is the cost, and although that is a big deal for the companies and our economy, it is far more important to know what we are putting in our bodies and giving to our children. Genetically Modified Organisms should be labeled and as soon as possible.
Cites
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GMO+uncertainty+means+more+testing.-a096696171
Obesity and Malnutrition
"Epidemic"
By Kelsey Rose
Two hundred and ten
And she’s only twelve years old
She weighs as much
As a middle aged whore
They point and laugh
Yes children are mean
But it’s not her fault
That this is the way
In this world she’ll be seen
They call it an epidemic
“Super size me” we say
So many deaths are being created
By the fast food industry
But far, far away
In a broken home
Another young girl
Sits all alone
She’s withering away
Nothing but lose skin and bones
There’s no food in the house
And no one knows
When mom is coming home
Her brothers and sisters
Are skeletal and frail
She can’t help but cry
When she sees their faces broken and pale
Both girls are doomed
For a life of struggle and pain
But in this world
Not everyone wins the game
Molly will get bigger
Her family doesn’t see
That she is absolutely miserable
That this is not a healthy way to be
She will be sad
Have many complications in life
Heart problems and weight problems
And she’ll chose to go under the knife
Mari will die
Before she turns eighteen
She was arrested three times
For being a thief
All she wanted to do
Was feed those who were dear
But the youngest got sick
Didn’t make it through the year
And Mari blames herself
She tries and tries and tries
To help her family stay alive
But they are struggling to survive
She’s sixteen years old
And weighs eighty three pounds
The essence of her beauty
Gone with the dropping pounds
Authors Note: Obesity affects millions of Americans, so much so that we are calling it an epidemic. We have become a culture dependent on “Fast Food” but stop and think, where did the meat, which was cooked in a minute and a half to make your cheeseburger, come from? Does it have any nutritional value at all? And if it does, does it even count next to the extra large fries you have just ordered? AIDS was an epidemic, smallpox was an epidemic, obesity is not an epidemic it is a lifestyle choice. There are many factors that contribute to obesity but in the end, only you can chose who you want to be and how you want to live your life. And while middle class America chows down on Wendy’s and Burger King there are children all over the world starving because they are too poor to afford food or there simply is no food sanitary enough to eat. Gandhi once said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world,” and I could not agree with him more.
By Kelsey Rose
Two hundred and ten
And she’s only twelve years old
She weighs as much
As a middle aged whore
They point and laugh
Yes children are mean
But it’s not her fault
That this is the way
In this world she’ll be seen
They call it an epidemic
“Super size me” we say
So many deaths are being created
By the fast food industry
But far, far away
In a broken home
Another young girl
Sits all alone
She’s withering away
Nothing but lose skin and bones
There’s no food in the house
And no one knows
When mom is coming home
Her brothers and sisters
Are skeletal and frail
She can’t help but cry
When she sees their faces broken and pale
Both girls are doomed
For a life of struggle and pain
But in this world
Not everyone wins the game
Molly will get bigger
Her family doesn’t see
That she is absolutely miserable
That this is not a healthy way to be
She will be sad
Have many complications in life
Heart problems and weight problems
And she’ll chose to go under the knife
Mari will die
Before she turns eighteen
She was arrested three times
For being a thief
All she wanted to do
Was feed those who were dear
But the youngest got sick
Didn’t make it through the year
And Mari blames herself
She tries and tries and tries
To help her family stay alive
But they are struggling to survive
She’s sixteen years old
And weighs eighty three pounds
The essence of her beauty
Gone with the dropping pounds
Authors Note: Obesity affects millions of Americans, so much so that we are calling it an epidemic. We have become a culture dependent on “Fast Food” but stop and think, where did the meat, which was cooked in a minute and a half to make your cheeseburger, come from? Does it have any nutritional value at all? And if it does, does it even count next to the extra large fries you have just ordered? AIDS was an epidemic, smallpox was an epidemic, obesity is not an epidemic it is a lifestyle choice. There are many factors that contribute to obesity but in the end, only you can chose who you want to be and how you want to live your life. And while middle class America chows down on Wendy’s and Burger King there are children all over the world starving because they are too poor to afford food or there simply is no food sanitary enough to eat. Gandhi once said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world,” and I could not agree with him more.
Honey Bee Decline by Krista Sonenshine
Bee Decline Haiku
The bees give us food
But we are killing them now
Why aren't we smarter?
The honey bees are responsible for 15-30% of the food that U.S. consumers are eating. We may not know it, but we rely heavily on the hard work of these bees. Sadly, in the last 50 years the bee population has declined by 50%. Analysts believe this decline is from the toll of the long time spraying of pesticides and also because of diseases spread as a result of mites and other parasites that infect the adult honey bees by cutting off their air supply, basically asphyxiating them.
The bottom like is, if we want to keep producing all of the food that us as consumers are demanding, we need to lay of the pesticides and take better care and have more respect for our bee friends.
Sources: National Geographic News; www.canteach.com
Sunday, May 11, 2008
CSA's: Building Community, and Providing Local Organic Food!
What is a CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture is when farms offer produce subscriptions where buyers receive monthly or weekly baskets of a variety of different goods, raw or processed. For example; vegetables, fruit, eggs, milk, coffee, etc. This is a great way for food buyers to create a direct relationship with a farm. CSA subscriptions usually last from spring through early fall.
By charging members beforehand, and selling directly to the community, farmers are provided with working capital in advance. Growers often receive better prices for their crops and even gain a bit of financial security as well as being relived of a lot of the burden of marketing.
Some CSA’s require that members work a small number of hours during the growing season, and some farms let members work in exchange for food. Not only do CSA’s help to build community, but they provide fresh organic local produce!
Beginners Guide to Going Vegetarian - By Juliet
Why go vegetarian? Raising animals for food is “one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global. ... [I]t should be a major policy focus when dealing with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution and loss of biodiversity. Livestock’s contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale ….”
Raising animals for consumption requires mass amounts of land and water. Nearly half the water and 80% of the agricultural land in the United States are used for farming animals. These animals create 130 times the waste as the entire human population of the USA. These farms don’t have a functioning sewer system for the waste, so it ends up concentrating and polluting our water, destroying topsoil, and contaminating the air. Every second meat eaters are responsible for 86,000 lbs of waste. By making the pledge to go vegetarian you could reduce this number drastically!
Good alternatives to meat -
• Tofu
• Tempeh
Vegetarian brands -
• Amy’s – A selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes sometimes using tofu. Makes a wide variety of frozen microwave dishes and vegetarian soups, including “No Chicken Noodle”. Dishes range from lasagna to stir fry to enchiladas.
• Quorn – Meat and soy free alternative. The main ingredient in a variety of mushrooms. They make fake chicken nuggets, patties, cutlets, meat grounds, and even turkey roasts.
• Boca – Soy alternatives that taste amazing! Comes in a wide variety of products, including burgers, chicken patties, sausages, grounds, and lasagna.
• Stonewall’s Jerquee – Soy jerkey, comes in a variety of flavors with up to 14 grams of protein per serving.
• Boca – Soy alternatives that taste amazing! Comes in a wide variety of products, including burgers, chicken patties, sausages, grounds, and lasagna.
• Stonewall’s Jerquee – Soy jerkey, comes in a variety of flavors with up to 14 grams of protein per serving.
Vegetarian Food Pyramid -
When going vegetarian, many people get worried about protein. However, by simply drinking more milk, eating more nuts, or subsituting your meat with a soy alternative, you have nothing to worry about! The average recommended intake of protein is 50g. An 8oz serving of milk has 8 of those grams, and 1oz of cheddar cheese has 7 grams. Getting your protein is easy as long as you're aware of where it can be found.
Links to Recipes -
Resources -
GoVeg.com
http://www.formerfatguy.com/articles/almonds.asp
H. Steinfeld, P. Gerber, T. Wassenaar, V. Castel, M. Rosales, and C. de Haan, “Livestock’s Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options,” Livestock, Environment and Development (2006) http://goveg.com/environment.asp.
http://www23.netrition.com/rdi_page.html
Images -
Cow - http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2007/09/21/cows_69.jpg
Food Pyramid - http://www.vegsource.com/nutrition/pyramid.htm
Some Stats/Facts about Fish Farming by Jake
Close to 40% of the seafood we eat nowadays comes from aquaculture; the $78 billion industry has grown 9% a year since 1975, making it the fastest-growing food group, and global demand has doubled since that time.
To create 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) of high-protein fishmeal, which is fed to farmed fish (along with fish oil, which also comes from other fish), it takes 4.5 kg (10 lbs.) of smaller pelagic, or open-ocean, fish.
A staggering 37% of all global seafood is now ground into feed, up from 7.7% in 1948, according to recent research from the UBC Fisheries Centre. One third of that feed goes to China, where 70% of the world's fish farming takes place; China now devotes nearly 1 million hectares (close to 4,000 sq. mi.) of land to shrimp farms. And about 45% of the global production of fishmeal and fish oil goes to the world's livestock industry, mostly pigs and poultry, up from 10% in 1988.
Source: Time Magazine online
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1663604,00.html
To create 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) of high-protein fishmeal, which is fed to farmed fish (along with fish oil, which also comes from other fish), it takes 4.5 kg (10 lbs.) of smaller pelagic, or open-ocean, fish.
A staggering 37% of all global seafood is now ground into feed, up from 7.7% in 1948, according to recent research from the UBC Fisheries Centre. One third of that feed goes to China, where 70% of the world's fish farming takes place; China now devotes nearly 1 million hectares (close to 4,000 sq. mi.) of land to shrimp farms. And about 45% of the global production of fishmeal and fish oil goes to the world's livestock industry, mostly pigs and poultry, up from 10% in 1988.
Source: Time Magazine online
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1663604,00.html
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Kombucha: The Immortal Health Elixir!
Around 252 BC in China, Kombucha was given the name "immortal health elixir". It was believed that it balanced the spleen and the stomach, and aided in digestion. It has been used for over 2000 years.
Kombucha is a symbiosis of an acetic acid bacteria, and yeast. The culture itself looks a lot like a mushroom, but it is in fact a zoogleal mat. It contains many different cultures along with organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids, anti-oxidants, and polyphenols.
It is made by combining the culture with a mixture or black tea and sugar. These are let to frement for 7-10 days. Cultures once brewed, and be passed along to make more.
The home brewer has to be very very careful, because if any contamination occurs whithin the brew, than it becomes not very good for you...
However scientific studies show not negative health effects of the beverage. It has been claimed to even aid in level 2 liver detoxification.
Even though kombucha kind of tastes like vinegar, it has been proven to be very good for you.
www.wikipedia.com/kombucha
www.kombucha.org
-Alison
Chocolate Chip Flax Seed Cookies, by Surge
Since a flax seed recipe is in such high demand, here is a cookie recipe that is to die for. Enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Flax Cookies
Cream Together: (take a spoon, and using the back of it mix everything together) use a large mixing bowl.
1 cups brown sugar
1 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup applesauce
Add:
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal (blend in blender fast until powder, it makes the cookies nice and chewy)
1 cups ground flax
Mix together: 6 ounces dark chocolate chips. If you like add raisons, nuts, and cinnamon for flavor. You may need to add a little more flour at the end if it seems to need more body.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Flax Seeds: What's the Rage, by Surge
Flax seeds come from the common flax plant, which is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. Lately, flax seeds have become wildly popular. It’s hard to walk down the cereal aisle and not see brightly colored boxes advertising that the cereal inside contains flax seeds (if you frequent big corporate supermarkets you may not have seen this phenomena). So what is with all this flax? Well, the flax seed is naturally high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Well what does that mean? I know, it does sound scary, but foods high in Omega-3’s work wonders on your health. Foods such as oily fish, like salmon, kiwifruit, butternuts, walnuts, and flax. Flax not only contains high amounts of Omega-3’s but also lignans, which act as antioxidants, and lots of fiber. Some studies have linked flax seeds with the prevention and treatment of all of the following:
- Heart disease and stroke
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Constipation
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Autoimmune disorders
- Irregular periods and breast pain
- Some cancers
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
Sources
The Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2003192279_flax13.html
American Heart Association: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4632
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid
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