Dear Folks,
I am particularly drawn to old fashioned ideas - when they make perfect sense most of the time. There is something comforting to me about terms like 'made over' and 'market town.'
The former (made over) is an old fashioned term for using 'left overs.' Now a days more recent terms referring to left overs are Rachel Ray's "cook once, eat all week." Yesterday I made a rif on an Italian pasta fagioli (bean) soup, using a couple of left overs, to 'make over' into this outstanding soup. (Recipes below.) Made over foods are the ultimate in recycling and if done with creativity, no one has to know you used left overs unless you tell them. Growing up in a financially challenged family, I had a negative 'thing' about anything hand-me-down or leftovers. I have matured in both age and appreciation for making complete use of something, or even planning ahead to consider the other uses for things down the road.
What Is A Market Town?
The phrase has history in both England and other countries in Europe and other areas of the world might call these marketplaces bazaar or souk. Whatever the term it means a central place to come together to sell and buy things.
I like the term 'market town' because to me it means community. While England is known for its market towns operating as a hub to the smaller residential villages and towns surrounding it, the need for market towns was utilized here in the US, although not always under that name. Any rural farming or ranching area had a place where residents "went to town" weekly or monthly to buy or sell supplies, visit and catch up with other residents and then return home with their purchases.
In this day and age the concept of a "market town" for centrally located merchandise sources might be called a "mall" (shudder) but really should be looked as "your neighborhood" community.
The valley does not have the advantage of several centuries of community history like some areas of the east coast. The almost ancient areas there had to forge extensive community reliance in the 16 and 1700s in order to literally survive. That history made it a little easier to form communities where most people knew each other, and share not only commerce, but social interaction.
Here is the valley while there is a rich history of cultural diversity, there is less community because we are soooo spread out.
Where am I going with this? I would like our valley folks to look at their neighborhoods as their community, not just the city at large, although that is certainly a part of it. There are a lot of reasons for choosing to look to neighbors and most it has to do with a kind of survival resource. In a disaster who would you turn to first? What if you can't call or drive or even bike to help? Most of us would either call for help to our neighbors or we would see that our neighbors need help.
This past week's earthquake and then hurricane Irene on the east coast made me contemplate community a lot more - I have extensive family all up and down the eastern seaboard. So far all reports are they are all safe and un-injured. Some may be without power until early September, some can't go to work because the roads are either blocked or the companies themselves shut down. On a side note I am very angry at those who think the hurricane was over-hyped. You can't over-prepare for a hurricane or other potential natural disaster. If you are lucky enough to survive with extra, store it or donate it!
So the community I envision is my neighborhood. If you think, as I do, about what my neighbors do for a living or are good at in retirement, I can think of my neighborhood as a 'market town' and by extension as "my community" where I might get help from a plumber or Deane can help someone start their car, or . . . I help them. I like to share my meals with neighbors, particularly an elder one. One neighbor and I do cookie/candy making at the holidays and deliver trays to those we know. We bring fresh things from our garden to newbies. My neighbor and I going to organize a cookie swap for the holidays. What can you do in your neighborhood that would make it your community? It does not have to be houses. An apartment complex or dormitory is a community. Years ago I lived in a small garden apartment complex and we all routinely got together for parties and holidays, going in and out of apartments like a huge progressive party.
I hope you see what I mean here. Who are your neighbors and what can you and they share?
Besides a 'market town' for buying and selling things, your community can also be your participation with your neighbors in a neighborhood community garden. I have written about this before. A community garden, can certainly be a lot set aside by the City (Mesa Community College also has a community garden), but it can also be several neighbors growing what they are either good at or have space for and then getting together for a good old harvest gathering and sharing. And during that event you can find out what each do, and plan for a cookie or candy swap during the holidays.
More on community gardens.
Here is a new buzz word SPIN -- Small Plot INtensive farming. Deane's son Travis has launched a tour with his gal-friend Morgan highlighting gardeners, small farmers and others with great ideas on permaculture and sustainable agriculture. The SPIN concept is to make use of urban lands either by lending, renting or purchasing them for sustainable farming, to create a small commercial farm in an urban environment. A 'community farm'. The main "Eco-Jaunt" site is here.
The feature on SPIN is here.
Learn more about SPIN here.
While you might not be interested in staring your own commercial farm the ideas in the SPIN concept of utilizing local and urban areas for community are worth learning.
Made Over Recipes.
CATHERINE'S POTATO, PASTA, BEAN & CHICKEN SOUP
Home made chicken broth (sure you can use store bought)
Boiled Dressing (see below for recipe)
1 Left Over Cooked Chicken Breast (see directions)
1 can organic northern white beans or cannellini beans (more power to you if you cook your own from scratch - save about 2 and a half cups worth of cooked with some of the liquid)
1 large potato (I used a very large new red) - I always leave healthy skin on potatoes while cooking
1/4 cup stellinie or pastini pasta (small star type)
1 heaping tablespoon of corn starch
water as needed
Herb blend of choice - I used rosemary, garlic and black pepper
salt to taste (I used a total of about 1/2 teaspoon)
Optional: Other vegetables to add more depth and color - carrots, celery, parsnip, sweet potatoes. The extra veggies should be added at the same time as the potatoes and the liquid increased to completely cover them while cooking.
BOILED DRESSING
A boiled dressing is an old fashioned recipe where you thicken a liquid mixture of flavors to create a sauce which can be used hot like a gravy or cold like a salad dressing. The beauty of this recipe is at your choice there can be no fat at all, it has a lot of flavor depending on what herbs and spices you put in it and the citrus brings out better flavor in most foods. This is an unsweetened lemon or limeade.
2 ounces of fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice
6 ounces of water
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 heaping tablespoon of corn starch.
Herb/spice mixture - I used about a half teaspoon of a mix of dried rosemary, garlic and black pepper.
Mix juice with water, and place 3/4 of it in a sauce pan with salt and herbs and bring just to a boil, reduce to simmer. Make a slurry of the remaining cold liquid with corn starch and blend well (the easiest way I have found to mix the corn starch slurry is to put in a jar, cap tightly and shake well.)
Slowly poor the slurry in the simmering pot, stirring - simmer for about 2-4 minutes until thickened. At this point you can use while hot or chill and use later for heated gravy/sauces or tossed with salads.
CHICKEN NOW AND LATER
3-4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 recipe of the boiled dressing
1 teaspoon of olive oil
To a hot skillet add oil and then the chicken breasts, cook on medium high heat uncovered. Turn after 1 minute. Cook other side 1 minute, turn once more and add dressing all at once. Add more herbs if you like. Cover and cook on medium turning the chicken every few minutes until done. It usually takes me a total of 20 minutes for this dish.
Save 1 chicken breast and some of the sauce for the soup on another day. Sever dinner tonight with either a salad or a colorful mix of sauted vegetables. You can saute the vegetables in a bit of the sauce to keep the flavor theme going.
SOUP DAY
Dice the raw potato. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside. Open the can of beans, but do not drain.
Bring 3 cups of chicken broth to a boil and add the liquid from the beans, setting the beans aside.
Add the potatoes and about a quarter teaspoon of the blend of herbs. Add a shake of or pinch of salt. Cover and cook the potatoes for about 7 minutes on a low boil. A knife or fork should get just a bit of resistance. Add the pasta, stir and continue cooking covered for 6 minutes. Add the beans, chicken and reserved sauce all at once. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Meanwhile to some chicken broth or water, add the corn starch and make a slurry. Slowly add to the pot while stirring. Taste for any additional salt or herbs. Serve with crusty bread. A very hearty and satisfying soup - we had it yesterday and it was delicious - keep the recipe for cool or cold fall / winter meals.
If those of you of Italian heritage are wondering why no tomatoes -- I love tomatoes, tomato sauces and lots of foods cooked with them. I just want some wonderful soups and stews which allow other flavors to come forward.
Hope you can expand your community!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Check out my books at the publisher's site
Showing posts with label permaculture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label permaculture. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
USDA Sued Over Deregulation of GMO Alfalfa - and Backyard Gardening Tips
Dear Folks,
This blog is about the lawsuit over the deregulation of GMO alfalfa , demanding choices from the USDA and FDA, and also about getting you more serious about gardening at home.
. . .
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A lawsuit filed in California is challenging the federal government's deregulation of alfalfa that is genetically altered to withstand the popular weed killer Roundup.
Attorneys for the Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice filed the federal lawsuit Friday in San Francisco arguing the U.S. Department of Agriculture's approval of Roundup Ready alfalfa in January was unlawful.
Attorneys for the groups say the USDA failed to provide adequate oversight of biotech alfalfa. They also say genetically altered alfalfa causes significant harm to the environment and conventional crops, and threatens the nation's organic industry.
A federal court barred the planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa in 2007. The U.S. Supreme Court lifted the ban last year.
USDA officials say they are reviewing the lawsuit.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
Read more about the lawsuit and the issues surrounding it at the two links below.
http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/22/new-lawsuit-filed-over-gmo-alfalfa/
Contamination Certain from Unregulation
While the lawsuit proceeds, folks, it is important that we all make our voices heard both with our representatives and also with our chosen food supplies. That at the very least we want labeling to know when the foods we purchase contain GMO components.
Go to my previous posts on the USDA's decision to de-regulate GMO alfalfa without safeguarding organic and natural famers fields.
gmo-choice-voice-open-letter
USDA approves contamination of organic foods?
To summarize -- USDA and FDA requirements for organic certification is tough and complex and requires the producer to guarantee there are no GMO products in their fields or farm production. With the USDA's decision to deregulate GMO alfalfa WITHOUT safeguards many organic food producers will be put out of business because THEY will not be able to guarantee freedom from GMO contamination. The perfect "gotcha" from the USDA and FDA. In conjunction with the refusal of the FDA to require labeling of GMO foods, the consumer loses all the way around. No freedom of choice.
Read up on the First Lady's decision to grow an Organic garden on the lawn of the White House -- the information in this Wikipedia article indicates how Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack embraced the idea (he is now saying the USDA "can" regulate the contamination of GMO-Alfalfa).
"The day Michelle Obama broke ground on the new White House vegetable garden, a letter arrived for her from MACA, Mid-America Croplife Association, urging the Obamas to consider the need for traditional agriculture in America.[14] MACA went on to urge the use pesticides in their garden, to and increase crop yield so they could feed more people. "
White House Vegetable Garden
To help you get in touch with people, I have put a mailing list at the bottom of this blog for your convenience. Writing is more time consuming but more effective - with the internet techno stuff, many political people do not pay any attention to emails or computer generated post cards.
. . .
Your Urban Edible Garden
The problem with statements like - "you can't feed ... with home or organic produce", is just not a fair depiction of home or local gardening. Could you feed your family of say 4 from a backyard garden?
Personally I resent folks like Jeff Stier and Tom Vilsack, "telling" me I can't have a choice by making home gardening, organic or natural gardening, sound out of the capacity and range of the average American. T'ain't so!
About.Com has a nice article on doing some planning for growing some or all of the produce you eat in your backyard. Make sure you consider how to 'put by' some of the harvest for off-season use. In the past I've dried herbs, made them into flavored vinegars and teas, and canned peaches, apricots and apples. I've also put together fruit pie 'kits' in the freezer for enjoyment in the winter. When I had my goats and hens I drank the milk, made yogurt and ate the eggs.
If you have a lawn, then the water used to water that lawn could be used to grow edibles. A few dollars of seed, some elbow grease and family involvement can give you a productive garden. AND here in the desert if you pay attention to the basic rules for success in the desert I'm always writing about, you can be harvesting year-round seasonal bounty.
Don't forget the three sisters/companion planting of corn, beans and squash to maximize protein along with vitamins, minerals and fiber.
BACKYARD BARNYARD
How about adding hens for egg production to your backyard garden? The term "chicken feed" probably does not apply anymore because the cost has gone up substantially. However since you would not be housing your hens in a cage with only what you choose to feed them off the shelf, they can do triple duty for you which goes beyond the basic cost of feed. (And of course like preparing the garden, you have to prepare their quarters for their health and production.)
Chickens will eat many garden weeds, they will help you clean up the end of season garden mess (there are some plants they should not eat because they could be toxic), and they will keep garden bugs under control. And they can be fun and amusing.
You have options in choosing whether to feed your hens organic feed (preferrable) or non-organic. If you are currently purchasing organic eggs from local farmers markets or suppliers, you "may" save some money over what you pay directly, and you have the hens for their other qualities.
If you buy non-organic eggs and decide to raise hens on non-organic feed you may also save a little money. If you want to continue the idea of Non-GMO support then you need to go organic, because like or not you have to presume all non-organic feed may be GMO.
Current prices for Organic Laying Feed for hens is around $29 (including tax) for a 40 or 50 # bag and winds up costing you about $1.16 a week to feed each hen her primary feed (there are other minor expenses AFTER you set up their quarters). Non-Organic feed will cost you about half that. 6 month old to 18 month old hens will give you 5-7 eggs a week, and then start to taper off as they get older.
For a preferred list of supplies go to the Valley Permaculture Alliance keeping chickens page.
I got prices from two organic suppliers:
Noble Beast in Scottsdale
And
Anita's Organic Feed - Prescott
Anita's is about 25% more expensive than Valley prices, but convenient for Prescott (Skull Valley) area residents.
You can consider raising your own meat animals - that is a choice which needs to be carefully considered with all family members, so do some research if this is something you want to consider. Rabbits and chickens are options - not mine personally, but many folks want more control over everything they consume.
Check out the Valley Permaculture Alliance for a really helpful group of nice folks. They are all about urban sustainability and permaculture to enhance your lifestyle. I am a member of their soil builders and micro-livestock groups.
. . .
Write The People Who Have a Say in Your Food Choices:
The Honorable John McCain
United States Senate
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-0303
The Honorable Jon Kyl
United States Senate
730 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-0304
The Honorable Paul A. Gosar
United States House of Representatives
504 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0301
The Honorable Trent Franks
United States House of Representatives
2435 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0302
The Honorable Benjamin (Ben) Quayle
United States House of Representatives
1419 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0303
The Honorable Ed Pastor
United States House of Representatives
2465 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0304
The Honorable David Schweikert
United States House of Representatives
1205 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0305
The Honorable Jeff Flake
United States House of Representatives
240 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0306
The Honorable Raul M. Grijalva
United States House of Representatives
1511 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0307
The Honorable Gabrielle Giffords
United States House of Representatives
1030 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0308
NOTE: While Representative Giffords is healing (for which we are all grateful) her staff keeps up with everything and therefore you can write and voice your opinion.)
For All Other States Go To:
http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
This blog is about the lawsuit over the deregulation of GMO alfalfa , demanding choices from the USDA and FDA, and also about getting you more serious about gardening at home.
. . .
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A lawsuit filed in California is challenging the federal government's deregulation of alfalfa that is genetically altered to withstand the popular weed killer Roundup.
Attorneys for the Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice filed the federal lawsuit Friday in San Francisco arguing the U.S. Department of Agriculture's approval of Roundup Ready alfalfa in January was unlawful.
Attorneys for the groups say the USDA failed to provide adequate oversight of biotech alfalfa. They also say genetically altered alfalfa causes significant harm to the environment and conventional crops, and threatens the nation's organic industry.
A federal court barred the planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa in 2007. The U.S. Supreme Court lifted the ban last year.
USDA officials say they are reviewing the lawsuit.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
Read more about the lawsuit and the issues surrounding it at the two links below.
http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/22/new-lawsuit-filed-over-gmo-alfalfa/
Contamination Certain from Unregulation
While the lawsuit proceeds, folks, it is important that we all make our voices heard both with our representatives and also with our chosen food supplies. That at the very least we want labeling to know when the foods we purchase contain GMO components.
Go to my previous posts on the USDA's decision to de-regulate GMO alfalfa without safeguarding organic and natural famers fields.
gmo-choice-voice-open-letter
USDA approves contamination of organic foods?
To summarize -- USDA and FDA requirements for organic certification is tough and complex and requires the producer to guarantee there are no GMO products in their fields or farm production. With the USDA's decision to deregulate GMO alfalfa WITHOUT safeguards many organic food producers will be put out of business because THEY will not be able to guarantee freedom from GMO contamination. The perfect "gotcha" from the USDA and FDA. In conjunction with the refusal of the FDA to require labeling of GMO foods, the consumer loses all the way around. No freedom of choice.
Read up on the First Lady's decision to grow an Organic garden on the lawn of the White House -- the information in this Wikipedia article indicates how Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack embraced the idea (he is now saying the USDA "can" regulate the contamination of GMO-Alfalfa).
"The day Michelle Obama broke ground on the new White House vegetable garden, a letter arrived for her from MACA, Mid-America Croplife Association, urging the Obamas to consider the need for traditional agriculture in America.[14] MACA went on to urge the use pesticides in their garden, to and increase crop yield so they could feed more people. "
White House Vegetable Garden
To help you get in touch with people, I have put a mailing list at the bottom of this blog for your convenience. Writing is more time consuming but more effective - with the internet techno stuff, many political people do not pay any attention to emails or computer generated post cards.
. . .
Your Urban Edible Garden
The problem with statements like - "you can't feed ... with home or organic produce", is just not a fair depiction of home or local gardening. Could you feed your family of say 4 from a backyard garden?
Personally I resent folks like Jeff Stier and Tom Vilsack, "telling" me I can't have a choice by making home gardening, organic or natural gardening, sound out of the capacity and range of the average American. T'ain't so!
About.Com has a nice article on doing some planning for growing some or all of the produce you eat in your backyard. Make sure you consider how to 'put by' some of the harvest for off-season use. In the past I've dried herbs, made them into flavored vinegars and teas, and canned peaches, apricots and apples. I've also put together fruit pie 'kits' in the freezer for enjoyment in the winter. When I had my goats and hens I drank the milk, made yogurt and ate the eggs.
If you have a lawn, then the water used to water that lawn could be used to grow edibles. A few dollars of seed, some elbow grease and family involvement can give you a productive garden. AND here in the desert if you pay attention to the basic rules for success in the desert I'm always writing about, you can be harvesting year-round seasonal bounty.
Don't forget the three sisters/companion planting of corn, beans and squash to maximize protein along with vitamins, minerals and fiber.
BACKYARD BARNYARD
How about adding hens for egg production to your backyard garden? The term "chicken feed" probably does not apply anymore because the cost has gone up substantially. However since you would not be housing your hens in a cage with only what you choose to feed them off the shelf, they can do triple duty for you which goes beyond the basic cost of feed. (And of course like preparing the garden, you have to prepare their quarters for their health and production.)
Chickens will eat many garden weeds, they will help you clean up the end of season garden mess (there are some plants they should not eat because they could be toxic), and they will keep garden bugs under control. And they can be fun and amusing.
You have options in choosing whether to feed your hens organic feed (preferrable) or non-organic. If you are currently purchasing organic eggs from local farmers markets or suppliers, you "may" save some money over what you pay directly, and you have the hens for their other qualities.
If you buy non-organic eggs and decide to raise hens on non-organic feed you may also save a little money. If you want to continue the idea of Non-GMO support then you need to go organic, because like or not you have to presume all non-organic feed may be GMO.
Current prices for Organic Laying Feed for hens is around $29 (including tax) for a 40 or 50 # bag and winds up costing you about $1.16 a week to feed each hen her primary feed (there are other minor expenses AFTER you set up their quarters). Non-Organic feed will cost you about half that. 6 month old to 18 month old hens will give you 5-7 eggs a week, and then start to taper off as they get older.
For a preferred list of supplies go to the Valley Permaculture Alliance keeping chickens page.
I got prices from two organic suppliers:
Noble Beast in Scottsdale
And
Anita's Organic Feed - Prescott
Anita's is about 25% more expensive than Valley prices, but convenient for Prescott (Skull Valley) area residents.
You can consider raising your own meat animals - that is a choice which needs to be carefully considered with all family members, so do some research if this is something you want to consider. Rabbits and chickens are options - not mine personally, but many folks want more control over everything they consume.
Check out the Valley Permaculture Alliance for a really helpful group of nice folks. They are all about urban sustainability and permaculture to enhance your lifestyle. I am a member of their soil builders and micro-livestock groups.
. . .
Write The People Who Have a Say in Your Food Choices:
The Honorable John McCain
United States Senate
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-0303
The Honorable Jon Kyl
United States Senate
730 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-0304
The Honorable Paul A. Gosar
United States House of Representatives
504 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0301
The Honorable Trent Franks
United States House of Representatives
2435 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0302
The Honorable Benjamin (Ben) Quayle
United States House of Representatives
1419 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0303
The Honorable Ed Pastor
United States House of Representatives
2465 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0304
The Honorable David Schweikert
United States House of Representatives
1205 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0305
The Honorable Jeff Flake
United States House of Representatives
240 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0306
The Honorable Raul M. Grijalva
United States House of Representatives
1511 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0307
The Honorable Gabrielle Giffords
United States House of Representatives
1030 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0308
NOTE: While Representative Giffords is healing (for which we are all grateful) her staff keeps up with everything and therefore you can write and voice your opinion.)
For All Other States Go To:
http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Greening - Various Tools to Help You Shop and Live Wisely
Dear Folks,
If you have been following me, you are probably already trying to shop at your local farmers markets, do more cooking at home to control your menu ingredients, enhance your family quality time, and experiment with all those cool recipes you see on cooking shows.
To add to your tools and information sources, I tripped across a couple of sites I found helpful.
The Sustainable Table site has a variety of kits (in PDF file form) which can be used as teaching or display tools and for your own family information use.
They also have a kit for the Sustainable Dinner Party which can give you some ideas for Supper Groups.
(I have been thinking off and on of potentially setting up 'secret suppers' -- it would require quite a bit of planning, but is fun to contemplate. I will let you all know if I get serious!)
Another site to visit for information is the Animal Welfare Institute, which certifies humanely raised livestock farms. They are dedicated to supporting the small-scale and family farm. http://www.awionline.org/
The troubling issues with factory farming continue to, finally, get more and more attention. Even when a farmer wants to do things right if they make the mistake of getting into contracts with large processors -- the real manufacturers when you come down to what you are buying -- they are trapped in unconscionably egregious contracts which leaves them captive to corporate whims or in bankruptcy.
Read what some chicken farmers are up against.
http://www.sustainabletable.org/2010/05/chicken-farmers-describe-a-system-of-extortion-and-economic-slavery/
How can you get more control over what you buy? I have noticed more and more food manufacturers are getting the message. I just saw an ad for Hunts Ketchup which loudly proclaimed on the label 'no high fructose corn syrup' -- good start!
They are listening. The real challenge to getting healthier and better quality foods is to make sure you are clear about what you want them to offer to you.
I participate in online consumer surveys. I am troubled when the elimination questions (I don't have the ability to complain about the questions) are frequently aimed at getting the survey participant to use emotions to explain how they purchase something. That is not to say there are no questions about what do you purchase - recently I had a survey on dairy and cheese and how much was organic, or natural, or other - that was a good one.
One good thing I noticed about the surveys in the last 6 months are the options in prepared goods or shelf-stable foods which offer more environmental, natural, local, family farm options for selections in answering the survey.
So why might that be a problem? Because those buzz words can be grabbed by food processors to label something which amounts to bait and switch - "So and so's family farm produces only naturally prepared..."
Back in January, 2010 "Tyson Foods Inc. has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the poultry giant of falsely claiming its chickens were "raised without antibiotics."
"In 2007, Tyson began advertising and labeling its poultry products as having been "raised without antibiotics." The following year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered Tyson to remove the labels when it found that the company had injected its chickens with antibiotics before they hatched. Tyson argued the labels were accurate because chickens aren't "raised" until after they're born."
So how do you like that corporate logic?
Isn't that enough to make you want to scream at them! The quote attributed to Voltaire goes something like "If you wish to converse with me, define your terms." Don't you wish we could tell corporate food producers they need to define their terms so we know what they are really saying?
What is a consumer to do? You need to know your suppliers like your grandparents did, your local farmers, meat producers, egg sellers, and cheese makers.
Some of the material on the sustainable table site are sheets of questions to ask sellers of food.
Oh, and on the subject of organic - organic picked green and shipped hundreds or thousands of miles is not a whole lot better for you than "somewhat" regional and non-organic.
Organic and natural are two words used at your local farmers market. Here is what THEY mean:
Organic means it was grown locally in a USDA certified program, picked local and sold local.
Natural for most of our local small-scale farmers means they grew the foods or produced the foods in much the same way as organic producers but without going through the expense of official certification.
Our farmers market vendors and farmers are happy to tell you all about their foods and origins - they are proud of their products. Ask them questions.
There is now a "Certified Naturally Grown" label for small-scale farmers and food producers. Check them out at: http://www.naturallygrown.org/
What is a natural flavor or anything proclaimed natural?
AND don't forget about growing some of your own food, raising a couple of chickens for eggs, or even consider having a dairy goat or two (you need to know your areas zoning limitations).
You may wish to join the Phoenix Permaculture Guild forum - they have groups on different subjects. I am a member of the micro-livestock group and soil culture group. Nice people, made up of newbies, getting there, experts - who still learn - and all are very helpful with answering questions.
http://www.phoenixpermaculture.org/
If you have an interest in my books, the publishing site is still offering free shipping on orders totaling 19.95 shipped to USA addresses.
If you have been following me, you are probably already trying to shop at your local farmers markets, do more cooking at home to control your menu ingredients, enhance your family quality time, and experiment with all those cool recipes you see on cooking shows.
To add to your tools and information sources, I tripped across a couple of sites I found helpful.
http://www.sustainabletable.org/spread/kits
The Sustainable Table site has a variety of kits (in PDF file form) which can be used as teaching or display tools and for your own family information use.
They also have a kit for the Sustainable Dinner Party which can give you some ideas for Supper Groups.
(I have been thinking off and on of potentially setting up 'secret suppers' -- it would require quite a bit of planning, but is fun to contemplate. I will let you all know if I get serious!)
Another site to visit for information is the Animal Welfare Institute, which certifies humanely raised livestock farms. They are dedicated to supporting the small-scale and family farm. http://www.awionline.org/
The troubling issues with factory farming continue to, finally, get more and more attention. Even when a farmer wants to do things right if they make the mistake of getting into contracts with large processors -- the real manufacturers when you come down to what you are buying -- they are trapped in unconscionably egregious contracts which leaves them captive to corporate whims or in bankruptcy.
Read what some chicken farmers are up against.
http://www.sustainabletable.org/2010/05/chicken-farmers-describe-a-system-of-extortion-and-economic-slavery/
How can you get more control over what you buy? I have noticed more and more food manufacturers are getting the message. I just saw an ad for Hunts Ketchup which loudly proclaimed on the label 'no high fructose corn syrup' -- good start!
They are listening. The real challenge to getting healthier and better quality foods is to make sure you are clear about what you want them to offer to you.
I participate in online consumer surveys. I am troubled when the elimination questions (I don't have the ability to complain about the questions) are frequently aimed at getting the survey participant to use emotions to explain how they purchase something. That is not to say there are no questions about what do you purchase - recently I had a survey on dairy and cheese and how much was organic, or natural, or other - that was a good one.
One good thing I noticed about the surveys in the last 6 months are the options in prepared goods or shelf-stable foods which offer more environmental, natural, local, family farm options for selections in answering the survey.
So why might that be a problem? Because those buzz words can be grabbed by food processors to label something which amounts to bait and switch - "So and so's family farm produces only naturally prepared..."
Back in January, 2010 "Tyson Foods Inc. has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the poultry giant of falsely claiming its chickens were "raised without antibiotics."
"In 2007, Tyson began advertising and labeling its poultry products as having been "raised without antibiotics." The following year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered Tyson to remove the labels when it found that the company had injected its chickens with antibiotics before they hatched. Tyson argued the labels were accurate because chickens aren't "raised" until after they're born."
So how do you like that corporate logic?
Isn't that enough to make you want to scream at them! The quote attributed to Voltaire goes something like "If you wish to converse with me, define your terms." Don't you wish we could tell corporate food producers they need to define their terms so we know what they are really saying?
What is a consumer to do? You need to know your suppliers like your grandparents did, your local farmers, meat producers, egg sellers, and cheese makers.
Some of the material on the sustainable table site are sheets of questions to ask sellers of food.
Oh, and on the subject of organic - organic picked green and shipped hundreds or thousands of miles is not a whole lot better for you than "somewhat" regional and non-organic.
Organic and natural are two words used at your local farmers market. Here is what THEY mean:
Organic means it was grown locally in a USDA certified program, picked local and sold local.
Natural for most of our local small-scale farmers means they grew the foods or produced the foods in much the same way as organic producers but without going through the expense of official certification.
Our farmers market vendors and farmers are happy to tell you all about their foods and origins - they are proud of their products. Ask them questions.
There is now a "Certified Naturally Grown" label for small-scale farmers and food producers. Check them out at: http://www.naturallygrown.org/
What is a natural flavor or anything proclaimed natural?
The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or flavoring rather than nutritional...”
When a company says it is selling you something based on what they KNOW you want, but if it is in-fact selling you a substitute or inferior product isn’t that bait and switch?
The manufacturers of Splenda were sued for claiming their product is sugar. It is not and they had to concede that or face losing the lawsuit.
When the high fructose corn syrup producers revved up their protectionist marketing campaign to tell us that it was our own over-eating that was the problem and not their product, they left out the science which shows that consuming foods containing HFCS does not trigger the “you are full” chemical leptin. And their throw-away tag line “in moderation” is a slap in the face when you look at the sheer volume of foods manufactured with HFCS -- how do you moderate eating something that is in almost every processed or manufactured food and which has no eating cut off command?
Oh, and the FDA does not object to the corn syrup producers calling HFCS ‘natural’ - natural hmm, - HFCS has been found to be toxic to honey bees fed it. (In cold winter areas bee keepers feed their bees sugar water or even honey to help sustain them through the cold time.)
See my blog on sweeteners:
I have also been concerned about the very useful plant-based Stevia being ‘hijacked’ by the corporate giants.
In looking at labels on packages of some of the newest offerings purporting to be Stevia, most are a combination of stevia and sugar alcohols -- the sugar alcohols being used to add baking capabilities and additional taste. Not necessarily a bad thing although some people are allergic to some sugar alcohols like sorbitol (I for one am).
What bothers me is when one of the big giants (or two) get into the act and make some part of it proprietary with the disclaimer "trade secret." Truvia is a partnership of Cargill and Coca Cola, and they have stevia and sugar alcohol listed on their ingredients. And then they say “natural flavors” but won’t tell you what they are - it is a trade secret.
Remember HFCS can call itself natural. Splenda tried to call itself something it wasn’t.
Bottom line - if you can’t tell what the ingredients really are and you don’t know enough about the company's history in truthful advertising, back away.
AND don't forget about growing some of your own food, raising a couple of chickens for eggs, or even consider having a dairy goat or two (you need to know your areas zoning limitations).
You may wish to join the Phoenix Permaculture Guild forum - they have groups on different subjects. I am a member of the micro-livestock group and soil culture group. Nice people, made up of newbies, getting there, experts - who still learn - and all are very helpful with answering questions.
http://www.phoenixpermaculture.org/
If you have an interest in my books, the publishing site is still offering free shipping on orders totaling 19.95 shipped to USA addresses.
And for you Mac iPad, iPod and iPhone users my Edible Landscaping in the Desert Southwest is now available through iBook.
Have a great weekend,
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Free Shipping Offer On My Books - Expires May 1st - Hurry!
Dear Folks,
If you have been contemplating purchasing my "Edible Landscaping" or "101+ Recipes" book, my publisher is offering free shipping on a single book purchase (print).
Free shipping always gets my attention, and I do benefit from this of course, but usually free shipping offers require you to buy $25+ to get the freebie, my books start at $12.25.
1) good to any US address
2) good on a single book purchase only, one to a customer**
3) there are 2 versions of each book - standard and a 'trade" version which is a lighter-weight, and less expensive version (I actually like the paper on the trade version better)
4) you must use the code below on check out, until you put the code in it will show the full shipping price.
and here is the big point:
5) GOOD only until 5/1/10 at 11:58 PM - it expires 1 minute before midnight.
** But you can pass the code around to family and friends
CODE:
FREEMAIL305
And here is the site where you can scroll through the books:
http://stores.lulu.com/herbs2u
Have a nice day,
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
If you have been contemplating purchasing my "Edible Landscaping" or "101+ Recipes" book, my publisher is offering free shipping on a single book purchase (print).
Free shipping always gets my attention, and I do benefit from this of course, but usually free shipping offers require you to buy $25+ to get the freebie, my books start at $12.25.
1) good to any US address
2) good on a single book purchase only, one to a customer**
3) there are 2 versions of each book - standard and a 'trade" version which is a lighter-weight, and less expensive version (I actually like the paper on the trade version better)
4) you must use the code below on check out, until you put the code in it will show the full shipping price.
and here is the big point:
5) GOOD only until 5/1/10 at 11:58 PM - it expires 1 minute before midnight.
** But you can pass the code around to family and friends
CODE:
FREEMAIL305
And here is the site where you can scroll through the books:
http://stores.lulu.com/herbs2u
Have a nice day,
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
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