A Meal in Itself

This winter squash soup takes just 90 minutes to prepare and simmer, not counting the stock-making, this colorful, uniquely-flavored soup is well worth the effort for its nutrient-density and delectable taste. more »

Many of us, on occasion, will throw out old computers, cell phones, and other electronic equipment. If we’re really good, we take it to a facility that promises to dispose of it safely. To us, this reads “green” and a safe way of disposing of our electronic stuff.

It came as a surprise, then, to read CBS News’ Following The Trail Of Toxic E-Waste, wherein the crew of 60 Minutes tracked some of this e-waste to China: more »

I’m sharing with WWOF the following material derivative of a small package insert (printed on recycled paper) that I found in a 6 pack of delicious farm-fresh brown eggs while traveling through New England last weekend and was written by Kathy Moran for The Country Hen Farm News, 2008. Thanks, Kathy and crew, for taking the time to share your care – it matters! more »

I’ve been feeling that we’re doing a little too much ranting against what’s happening with raw milk in California, and wanting to write about anything else — there I was, sitting on my porch and wondering what had happened with SB 201 when a fellow called. Seems he’d seen my name on a forum somewhere, and his deal was that he was from New Jersey and wanted to move out here to become a dairy farmer because California is one of the states where you can actually sell raw milk in stores — but he was a little concerned about what was going on with the legislation here.

I, of course, gave him what I could, checked the OrganicPastures.com site, which didn’t have a current update (I was hoping to read that SB 201 had passed), and so turned to TheCompletePatient.com, which had this to say: more »

Having found out that agave is processed put a damper on our sweet tooth and our intake of "organic" ice cream. We found out the hard way that, although agave is a step down the glycemic index — meaning it doesn’t make your body spike as hard with the insulin as does sugar — it will nevertheless make your body produce enough insulin that one will put on weight, no matter what you eat. That’s what insulin does. It tells the body to store for a rainy day. Sadly, it’s akin to living in Seattle where it rains a lot. And the pounds accumulate!

So! What to do? more »

Since we are very interested in growing our own food, I thought I would write about what I’ve found. And the first thing for me to learn about is: what is the definition of organic soil?

So I went on the internet, a lovely thing to have access to, and found the following definition from aboutorganics.co.uk: more »

Passing the Assembly Appropriations Committee, SB 201 — the Fresh Milk Act of 2008 — travels next to the Assembly floor and then tothe Senate. And if it passes, it is sent on to the Governor to sign into law.

This proposed law effectively sets up a sane relationship between organic dairies and the CDFA, where the people of California who wish to consume organic raw milk can do so with a high level and expectancy of safety. It’s called confidence in the product, from a consumer’s point of view. Not only that, we can consume something that’s actually healthy for us because it hasn’t been processed down to near uselessness. more »

A law is taking shape in the State of California, which brings raw, organic and fresh milk to the people of California who wish to drink it. It’s unanimously passed two committees and heading for the next step toward becoming a law. It’s called SB 201.

Not only is this good for the people of our State, because we get to consume NON-processed milk, but it is also a time where we get to observe our State government legislate into existence a law on NON-processed milk based on up-to-date information that dispels a mountain of false information about raw organic milk. And we the people get to benefit from such a law. more »

A poster with a succinct idea concerning the why of local foods at yesterday’s Farmer’s Market (an especially pastoral picture captioned, HOMELAND SECURITY — Eat local foods), made me remember the Tufts University Food Awareness Project data:

"The average mouthful of food in the U.S. travels 1300 miles before it is finally eaten!"

At this Midsummer season of rising fuel and transport costs, buying from your local farmer will not only be more nutritious but less expensive, especially when you consider the environmental and social costs associated with eating non-locally grown foods. more »

Talk to almost anyone about raw milk, and you’ll probably be told that raw milk is "dangerous" — followed tentatively by … "Isn’t it?"

Thing is, people don’t know. We’re not all chemists or food-ologists. The presumption is that we consumers have been protected from various health hazards by the safety measures provided by pasteurized milk.

But I had also heard that the negative publicity about raw milk arose in the 1930’s due to poor sanitary conditions at an inner-city dairy at that time. So it was time to determine where this came from. Which is true? more »