When Organic isn't Good Enough

What an appropriate name... "Shady Maple Farms".

Yes- it's certified organic, but upon closer inspection it is not maple syrup. It's main ingredient is organic corn syrup! I'll give them props for using organic, but come on!

Ingredients (re-written due my blurry photo): organic corn syrup (glucose), organic sugar, water, organic maple syrup, natural flavor, caramel color.

And it is not cheap at $11.99 a bottle. You can buy real maple syrup for about the same price! So let it be known in this case of organic corn syrup vs maple syrup... go with au natural, not some processed organic crap. This is shameful! eeks!

Grass Fed at Fairway

Upon walking into Fairway in Redhook (Brooklyn, NY) we were very pleased to see a sign letting us know all of their milk is grass fed. Also, very cool that they are using local farms, no hormones and no antibiotics. We did a dance of joy!

The crazy thing is... grass is exactly what cows should be eating, so the fact that we need labeling letting us know- well it just shows you how far off our food supply is. Now if only they wouldn't pasteurize it and kill off all it's goodness. In the meantime, it's great for milk kefir. I hope more stores adopt the labeling and practices of grass fed. It's better for all of us.

p.s. Here are two great sites, Pure Indian Foods and Eat Wild, with some really good information on Grass Fed. Click HERE and HERE.

Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn by Fritz Haeg

(All photos courtesy of Fritz Haeg + Inhabitat)

You might have already heard about this project? Fritz Haeg, in 2005 founded the Edible Estates Project. The project proposes the replacement of the domestic front lawn with a highly productive edible landscape. This is quite similar to the Path to Freedom- but I think the more the merrier.

Inhabitat has been posting a bit about it. Since, I think we need to spread the word I wanted to share too. Plus, they are looking for additional submissions for a 2010 version... click HERE for more information.

The book documenting the project is now available... HERE. And if you live in the NY area- on September 14th they are going to have a "Harvest Opening Event". Looks fun! Details found HERE. Cheers!

Local Grass Fed Fresh Eggs vs Organic Cage Free Eggs

(Pardon the pepper)

Lately, we have been spoiled with very local and very fresh food. I am lovin' it! :)

While in Minnesota we loaded up with farm fresh eggs- all from grass fed free-range chickens from the local country store that was selling them for a limited time (in season). Of course, we brought some back with us. When we do not have access to them we generally either buy from the NY local Farmers Markets or Trader Joe's brand of Organic Cage Free eggs.

Both are "organic" per se, but the difference is quite clear. The eggs from Minnesota are bright orange and the ones from TJs are not. There is quite a difference in the nutrients when they are out really roaming and eating grass and bugs of the season. One thing I will say is that the one's from TJs have a good shape- they should be round and plump like that. While you can... definitely take advantage.

Oh Crap! Sigg Bottles Contain BPA!

You probably like me have a SIGG bottle. Well, apparently those manufactured before August of last year actually DO contain BPA. The press release by Sigg CEO Steve Wasik is HERE. They have images HERE to help decipher which one you have. I want to know if they are going to refund my money or exchange them out for ones without BPA.


At least there are many other options out there now. Klean Kanteen is one and there is always the trusty glass jar though breakable I know. Just BEWARE of those copies that are made of aluminum- you DO NOT want those. Make sure it's a stainless steel container.

Balancing Brazil's Forests + Cows

(Image from NYT video)

I just watched a great video from The New York Times... "Brazil's Forests: Reducing Deforestation to Fight Climate Change". Unfortunately, they do not have a direct link, but if you go HERE and then look for this video I am sure it will pop up.

One thing is for sure... GMO corn and soy are destroying too many things. If only they would stop feeding corn + soy to cattle! Aside from being "cheap", and cheap only in the short term- it makes NO sense.

(Cows...as nature intended)

A cow's natural diet is grass. They are grazers and should be able to roam freely outside. They eat and poop all day long. It makes for a good fertilizer.

When cows eat corn it messes everything up. In a nut shell... it is not their natural diet, their gut flora gets all messed because of it, and they cannot digest their food. This unnatural diet (grains) makes them vulnerable to sickness, which is partly why they are given antibiotics. The other reason is because most are in cramped feedlots suseptible to disease.

The cows are given hormones because it will make them grow faster since they need to kill (yes- very sad, but part of nature I'm afraid) them sooner as their life expectancy drastically goes down due to living in these conditions and eating this diet. This is the same for all feedlot animals. This is the same for us as well. Grains are hard on our bodies as well. Limit it. Try spelt and do not eat GMO.

(Corn we eat. Corn cows + animals eat. Soy animals eat.)

We listened to a great interview the other day... oneradionetwork.com (it's free- you just have to sign up) with Patrick Timpone and Jerry Brunetti and they talk at length about this. Check it out- was really interesting and very informative. Also, if you haven't already check out the movie, King Korn please do. They also talk at length about what happens to the cow when it eats corn too and the corn industry in general.

(Cows in a Feedlot. Image from here)

I also wanted to mention the whole climate change and cattle thing. Cows have been blamed for what perhaps the oil companies need to take care of... There probably is too much methane and I agree that their waste pollutes the rivers (think of what our waste does). But there should be a BIG differentiation between grazing cows and those in feedlots.

Cows are basically soil producers which grown healthy fruit trees, vegetables and so on. We need them. What we do not need is feedlots, with animals being fed an unhealthy diet, filled with hormones and antibiotics. Who wants to eat that stuff anyways??? Think of what it does to you if it does that to the animal- eeks!!!!

The real culprit I think is the vast amount of corn and soy being grown. It is completely unnecessary! It is not good for the animals, it is not good for us, and it is not good for the soil. It actually depletes the soil as many chemicals are used since there is no biodiversity- they are stripping it of it's nutrients. Look at the list of ingredients in the store... I bet you will find "high fructose corn syrp" and "soy" in almost everything. People should limit their consumption of meat as well... and will have to if it is going to be "au natural" (ie all grazing animals).

All in all the whole system needs allot of work. It has to be brought back to nature. The good thing is there are people out there doing it the natural way. Support those local farmers who are against chemical farming and feedlots. Let's get it back on track.

Another Spring: Barkeyville Run, PA

(Spring: Barkeyville Run, PA)

En route back to NY we managed to stop at another spring... Barkeyville Run in Pennsylvania. We found it on findaspring.com and the direct link is HERE.

The water is good. It was right off the road, though easy to miss so look out for it. The TDS meter read 130, but last time Anthony was there it read 100. I guess it varies a bit. The flow of the water was good too- making it a quick fill up.

Free Apples... En Serio?

(Glorious Apples)

One of the great things about having neighbors, family, and friends with fruit trees and/or a large garden is most of the time they have so much abundance they are begging you to come over to help them out. This was the case we experienced lately. Free apples that have never been sprayed (basically "organic")??? We were over there in a heartbeat!

(Check out that smile... ear to ear)

(Here's the provider)

(Lots of them on the ground)

The apples that didn't get picked in time were all over the ground. Good for animals (Don + Aggie give them to their horses) and also good for compost.

We picked approximately 60 lbs of apples and there was tons more waiting to be picked. Generally in NYC the cheapest non-sprayed apples we find are $1.50- $2.00/lb. So we just got $100 worth of apples for free. Crazy!

(Just as good)

What's really crazy is that most of the time apples are sprayed (chemicals) for bugs, worms, etc. We know this is unnecessary, because there are many apple farmers who do not spray. These apples are not perfect looking. They have little dimples and some are oddly shaped but they are just as good as others.

We gave some away, have been juicing them, and also making apple sauce (simply blend up the apples), which I was using in place of sugar in my zucchini breads.

What benefits! Plant a fruit tree. :)

Life, Art and Chickens, Afloat in the Harbor

(Photo: Michael Nagle For The New York Times)

Something different and pretty cool! Check it out HERE.

Is Becoming A Farmer The New American Dream?

(A Farm in Minnesota)

Huffington Post has a some interesting thoughts about this HERE.

More Wisdom from Dallas Flynn... Extending Your Growing Season

(Tomatoes Growing in a High Tunnel at Forest Glen Farm)

The high tunnels extend Flynn's growing season from 90 days per year to 240-270 days- thus giving him more produce. Most growers average 5 to 10 pounds of tomatoes off one plant in a season and Flynn's plants yield 35 to 50 pounds. You can see why there's a bit of interest in what Flynn is doing. He shared some links with me - below.

There is an article and an audio interview you can listen to HERE from MPR News with Dallas Flynn about Extending Your Growing Season.

High Tunnel Craze Feeds Farmers Markets article from UMN HERE.

Original article HERE and Flynn's 11 very good Reason's to Buy Local food HERE.

Montreal's Bike Sharing Program Expanding to Boston + London

(From: Bixi Website)

I am very happy to report that Bike Sharing Programs are expanding! I spied this article from the New York Times and a couple of excerpts are below.

From the beginning, Montreal officials had ambitions for the new Bixi bicycle-sharing system that went beyond the borders of that Canadian city. On Wednesday, Gérald Tremblay, the Montreal’s mayor, announced that the Bixi system will be implemented in Boston and London.

In selling Bixi, Montreal has emphasized that its solar-powered, WiFi-enabled docking stations are self-contained, eliminating the need for construction or utility work. The design also enables operators to remove the stations for winter, and to relocate them easily in accordance with demand.

I am hopeful we will have a better one in New York sooner than we think. In case you missed my original post on Bike Sharing you can find it HERE. To read the full NYT article please click HERE.

Grandparents + Nourishing Traditions + Fermented Pancakes.

(Anthony with his Grandparents, Don + Aggie)

Visiting with the Grandparents is always enjoyable. Aggie and Don are really cute with cheery dispositions and we tried as much as possible to be polite while declining their offer of Hi-C ("it's fruit juice") to drink.

Side note: have you ever read the ingredients? Yikes! And how is it that Hi-C is able to label itself as so, when it is clearly high fructose corn syrup???

So we told them we'd make them fresh apple juice with apples from their trees and make pancakes to go with it.

(Grandpa helping Anthony pick the apples)

(Nice little apples- sweet and tart)

(Gads of fresh apple juice)

We got the idea for the pancakes from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD. We picked up the book because it had been referenced to quite a bit lately in the audios and other books we have been reading. Plus the book covers quite a bit about fermentation- which is timely with the kefir introduction into our diets.

Nourishing Traditions is a good sized book with tons of "old fashioned" recipes and loads of good information. Both authors have backgrounds in nutrition; Enig is also an expert in lipid chemistry, and Fallon founded the Weston A. Price Foundation.

(We got this copy from the Library)

Even if you are vegetarian (like us) or even vegan - we think you should read it. Why not read something out of the usual mind-frame? It's full title after all is, "Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats". For those that do eat flesh- you should read it as well. The standard fare of food these days is definitely below par and I think everyone will learn something from this book. At the moment we are still exploring it... but the pancake recipe caught our eye.

(Fermented batter- we used spelt flour and yogurt)

The biggest difference in this recipe versus other pancake recipes is that the spelt, kamut or whole wheat flour needs to be soaked overnight in buttermilk, kefir or yoghurt for 12- 24 hours before mixing in the other ingredients so it can ferment. This is good as it helps with digestion. Fallon notes in her book that almost everywhere in the world people ate fermented foods on a daily basis up until the beginning of the 20th century.

(These pancakes cook more slowly than "normal" pancakes)

(Before we ate them...)

The pancakes were VERY good and we didn't get that heavy feeling one might expect after eating pancakes. We enjoyed them with maple syrup and the homemade freshly juiced apple juice. Don said to us- "I thought all pancakes were the same, but I guess they're not".

"Top 11 Reasons to Buy Local Food" by Dallas Flynn

"Buying locally is more important than organic. Local organic, if possible is the ideal way to go." - Dallas Flynn

1. Locally grown food tastes better.
Food grown in your own community was probably picked within hours. It's crisp, sweet and loaded with flavor. Produce flown or trucked in from California, Florida, Chile or Holland is quite understandably, much older. Several studies have shown that the average distance food travels from farm to plate is 1,500 miles! In a week-long (or more) delay from harvest to dinner table, sugars turn to starches, plant cells shrink, and produce loses its vitality.

2. Local produce is better for you.
A recent study showed that fresh produce loses nutrients quickly. Food that is frozen or canned soon after harvest is actually more nutritious that some "fresh" produce that has been on the truck or supermarket shelf for a week. Locally grown food, purchased soon after harvest, retains its nutrients.


3. Local food preserves genetic diversity.
In the modern industrial agriculture system, varieties are chosen for their ability to ripen simultaneously and withstand harvesting equipment; for a touch skin that can survive packaging and shipping; and for an ability to have a long shelf life in the store. Only a handful of hybrid varieties of each fruit and vegetables meet these rigorous demands, so there is little genetic diversity in the plants grown. Local farms, in contrast, grow a huge number of varieties to provide a long season of harvest, an array of eye catching colors, and the best flavors. Many varieties of heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation, because they taste good. These old varieties contain genetic material from hundreds or even thousands of ears of human selections; they may someday provide the genes needed to create varieties that will thrive in a changing climate.

4. Local food is GMO-free.
Although biotechnology companies have been trying to commercialize genetically modified fruits and vegetables, they are currently licensing them only to large factory-style farms. Local farmers don't have access to genetically modified seed, and most of them wouldn't use it even if they could. A June 2001 survey by ABC News showed that 93% of Americans want labels on genetically modified food- most so they can AVOID it. If you are opposed to eating bioengineered food, you can rest assured that locally grown produce was bred the old-fashioned way, as nature intended.
5. Local Food support local farm families.
With fewer than 1 million Americans now claiming farming as their primary occupation, farmers are a vanishing breed. And no wonder commodity prices are at historic lows, often below the cost of production. The farmer now gets less than 10 cents of the retailer food dollar. Local farmers who sell direct to consumers cut out the middle man and get full retail prices for their food- which means farm families can afford to stay on the farm, doing the work they love.

6. Local foods builds community.
When you buy direct from the farmer, you are re-establishing a time-honored connection between the consumer and the grower. Knowing the farmer gives you insight into the seasons, the weather, and the miracle of raising food. In many cases, it gives you access to a farm where your children and grandparents can go to learn about nature and agriculture. Relationships built on understanding and trust can thrive.

7. Local food preserves open space.
As the value of direct-marketed fruits and vegetables increases, selling farmland for development becomes less likely. You have probably enjoyed driving out to the country and appreciate the lush fields of crops, the meadows full of wildflower, the picturesque barns. That landscape will survive only as long as farms are financially viable. When you buy locally grown food, you are doing something proactive about preserving the agricultural landscape.


8. Local food keeps your taxes in check.
Farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services, whereas suburban development costs more than it generates in taxes, according to several studies. On average, for every $1 in revenue raised by residential development, government must spend $1.17 on services, thus requiring higher taxes of all taxpayers. For each dollar of revenue raised by farm, forest or open space, governments spend 34 cents on services.

9. Local food supports a clean environment and benefits wildlife.
A well-managed family farm is a place where the resources of fertile soil and clean water are valued. Good stewards of the land grow cover cops to prevents erosion and replace nutrients used by their crops. Cover crops also capture carbon emissions and help combat global warming. According to some estimates, farmers who practice conservation tillage could sequester 12-14% of the carbon emitted by vehicles and industry. In addition, the habitat of a farm- the patchwork of fields, meadows, woods, ponds and buildings- is the perfect environment for many beloved species of wildlife, including bluebirds, killdeer, herons, swans, loons, bats, rabbits, deer, etc...

10. Local food is about the future.
By supporting local farmers today, you can help ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow, and that future generations will have access to nourishing, flavorful, safe and abundant food.

11. Encourages local food producers.
Buying local food increases community food security by encouraging local food producers. The USA is mostly sadly lacking in community food security: in (God forbid!) an avian flu pandemic, our community- for example would really hurt.

There are very few food producers in our country- very very few. If those trucks with food stop coming, this whole country would be in deep, deep trouble within one week. And the trucks would probably stop coming during a pandemic. So then not only would we have the avian flu to cope with, but most people would have no food.

Even a relatively minor event as an ice storm could play havoc with our area's food supplies.

The Flynns + Forest Glen Farm, Frazee Minnesota

(Scottish Highlander Bull)

Inspired is how we feel after spending time at Forest Glen Farm in Frazee, Minnesota with Dallas and Mary Flynn. We also feel very lucky as they are quite busy with many projects and appreciate them taking time to show us around. Thanks Dallas and Mary!

Forest Glen Farm is "Certified Naturally Grown" - which is just as good as produce that is "Certified Organic"- possibly even better.

Why? CNG's Certification Standards take as their starting point the USDA Organic Standards, but Certified Naturally Grown is an independent program not accredited by or in any way affiliated with USDA's National Organic Program. It is a non-profit tailored for small-scale and direct market farmers, and the plus is it removes the financial barriers, while preserving high standards for natural production methods.

(A Happy Chicken)

Financial Barriers? When USDA's Organic program was implemented in 2002, many farms earning more than $5,000 per year were forced to make a difficult choice: either pay high certification fees and complete mounds of paperwork to become Certified Organic, or else give up using the word "organic" to describe their produce and/or livestock.

So look out for this certification as well. I hope we see more of it!

(Inside a Hoop House)

Forest Glen Farm produces tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, chickens, Highland cattle, lettuce, leeks, garlic, and more. They have outside gardens and also hoop houses to extend the growing season. Just recently they started to heat the high tunnels with solar energy (solar panels) which store the heat and then pump warm air back into the soil when necessary.

(Featured in Going Green)

The Flynn's were recently featured in the, Going Green section of the Detroit Lakes Tribune. This image is the best I could do to share it with you as I cannot locate it online, but there are a couple of quotes from Dallas, I'd like to close with...

"Buying locally is more important than organic. Local organic, if possible is the ideal way to go."

"Over the years, I've found there are two types of people - those who want quality food and those who want cheap food. Now they're going to quality."

Thank Goodness! :)

Organic Consumers Organization

Many of you are probably aware of the Organic Consumers Association. If not, you might want to check them out as they have a wealth of information. More about them HERE.

I subscribe to their newsletter via email. Good stuff. I posted two hot topics from their August 12th newsletter. The first I thought was well put, since I am always trying to convince people of the same. The second shows the power of the consumer and why it is still best to buy local and know the source.

Read up + enjoy!

How Can You NOT Afford Organic Foods? OCA web forum user Greg B posted the following: "Invariably, when I encourage friends and relatives to eat organic, the response is 'I can't afford it'. My reaction is 'You can't afford NOT to'. Two sayings come to mind in this regard: 'Penny-wise and pound-foolish' and 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'. Need I elaborate? Americans eagerly guzzle rivers of soda pop, which I recently learned is the #1 source of dietary calories in the US! Yet, when confronted with actual food, say an organic apple, the price all of a sudden becomes a big obstacle. Meanwhile, we all pay through the nose for all the hidden costs of industrial food production. Health costs, environmental costs, subsidies to agribusinesses that put family farmers OUT of business (agribusiness = aggravation!). It's quite a racket, really. The food industry makes us sick, the health care system fixes us up and everyone make out like a bandit - well, almost everyone... " Read more and join the discussion

Whole Foods Market Bows to OCA Pressure--Promises to Sell Significantly More Organics in 2010
The emperor of natural foods, Whole Foods Market (WFM), has no clothes. Throughout the 2009 summer months, OCA has been alerting organic consumers to the troubling fact that the overwhelming majority of grocery items (approximately 2/3) sold by WFM, even their private label "365" brand, are not certified organic, but rather so-called "natural" products that are typically just conventional products in disguise. After being defensive and unresponsive at first (basically saying "we sell more" organic food than any other retailer), and after putting pressure on OCA's advertisers to stop supporting us, WFM seems to finally be "seeing the light."

After thousands of emails from OCA members demanding that the company stop selling so many bogus "natural products" and embrace its stated mission to sell healthy organic foods, WFM's executives apparently realized last week that OCA will not shut up, and that they have a major problem on their hands. You can't just simply proclaim that you are a leader in selling organic foods, you must actually walk your talk. Last week, WFM announced it was launching a new "healthy eating" initiative with a greater emphasis on organics. In a highly publicized speech in the UK, John Mackey confessed the company's product selection had veered off course. The OCA will be monitoring WFM's practices closely to make sure that the giant retailers' actions match its rhetoric. Instead of 2/3 of its sales being so-called "natural" products, (with only 1/3 certified organic), OCA wants to see 2/3 of WFM's sales be organic by the end of 2010. Click HERE to find out more...

The Land of 10,000 Lakes

One of the many wonderful things I enjoy in Minnesota is their lakes... they were not kidding about the "10,000" either. I remember my first visit- Anthony was pointing out all the lakes- this is lake this and across the road is lake that- TONS of lakes.

Due to the overwhelming signs of climate change this year it has been tough to enjoy "summer" weather- it's seriously lacking. However, we got lucky today and sped off to the lake with our $5 rafts in hand. Got a little sun and just laying on the raft and floating in the water is the best! Afterward... I felt like I just enjoyed an hour long massage. Guess what we're doing tomorrow?

The Best Zucchini Bread- EVER!

(I went a little overboard with the pictures)

Zucchini Bread has always been one of my favorite things to make and eat. I'm always one to add in more zucchini too and love that it is in season now. I just perfected the recipe with less sugar but more delicious goodness. :)

How? I used apple sauce and date sugar to sweeten. Both are natural and less refined than the normal sugars. Date Sugar is made from dehydrated dates and apparently has a high tryptophan content which makes it a good sweetener for hyperactive children- the amino acid has a calming effect.

(think I was trying to convey the smell... )

What inspired this investigation? The cookies we made the other day- though yummy were definitely too sweet and we both got a "sugar" buzz after eating just one. Not good.

Ingredients:
Pretty much everything was organic, local if possible and the butter and eggs were grass fed/ pasture raised adding more nutrients to the mix.

2/3 Cups Butter
1 2/3 Cups Apple Sauce
1 Cup Date Sugar
4 Eggs
2/3 Cup Spring Water
3 1/3 Cup Spelt Flour
2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Table Spoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Nutmeg
5 Cups Shredded Zucchini
2-4 Cups Chocolate Chips and/or Nuts (optional)

The original recipe also called for 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder, but I eliminated due to it's "aluminum" content and it's absence was not noticeable.

If you haven't tried spelt flour yet- it's really good. Spelt is an ancient grain from the wheat family and people with allergies generally fair better with spelt. It is said to be easier to digest as well.

(you'll just have to believe me)

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Butter (grease) 4 loaf pans (shorter loaves and cooked through nicely). Mix all ingredients together except for the shredded zucchini and optional chocolate chips with a hand mixer. Once well mixed add in zucchini and chocolate chips if desired. I split the batter in half- and put in 2 cups of Chocolate Chips... so 2 loaves are plain zucchini bread and 2 loaves have chocolate chips. Shake the loaf pan to even out the mixture.

Bake for 60- 70 minutes. I like the tops to be golden brown and a little crispy. Let cool for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Devour!

Organic... How Much is Too Much?

Lately, I have been scouring the net for a couch- preferably an "organic" couch and there are unfortunately not too many choices out there right now. This one, the Santa Barbara by Vivavi is a beauty and other than not being able to sit and test it out ahead of time what holds me back is the price... a whopping $8900.00! Yeeks! In case you are unware of couch prices- a brand new couch at Crate and Barrel for example will cost about $2000.00- though it will off gas for about 4 years.

In all fairness this one is definitely made with good stuff not to mention it has the "ingredients" I am looking for... The sofa frame is made of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood. The springs and screws are made of recycled steel. All glues and stains are non-toxic, water-based and formaldehyde-free. The cushions are made of natural latex wrapped in 100% organic wool and organic cotton with pillows of natural feathers. A wide range of upholstery options are available using natural fabrics such cotton, linen, hemp, and bamboo... but is it worth it?

I had this dilemma while deciding on biting the bullet for an organic bed- which I did indulge in and haven't regretted for a moment. It should be noted though... that the price difference between an organic bed and one that's not- well there is not as big of a gap.

This gap is the reason many people still have trouble buying organic food- even though the gap is quite closer and less expensive than say a couch. I realize it can be summarized as more expensive overall (pocketbook wise), but it's like preventative insurance for your health and a better bet. Isn't that enough? For some, it is not... they continue to look at the cost.

Well here is my reasoning... aside from better health which I think is just a starting point, it is a statement that you support a better earth that has clean and nutritious soil void of chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, hormones, etc. You are also supporting local farmers and local food. It is a statement that you do not support those who pretend to be good for us and then sell us chemical weed killers too. Why support those companies using poisons in their products????

And then when I think of all this... the couch doesn't seem that expensive. Though the jury is still out...

Minnesota in August + Local Food

(Ain't she a beauty?)

I love taking pictures in the morning- when the sun is coming up and it's really quiet and still- everything sort of sparkles and glows. I get that ahhhhh feeling all over. Really so peaceful and full of beauty... and in particular this describes Anthony's "garden". Referring to it as so (hence the quotes) cracks me up because it is really quite massive. I haven't had a chance to see it till now and am quite impressed. Everything's healthy and lush and growing like crazy.

(Some pretty tall cucumber plants)

(Anthony in the middle of his well loved Persimmon + Fig trees)

We went to the local farmers market the other day- very small albeit it was lovely to witness it's presence and be able to pick up a few things. We also picked up some grass fed, free-roaming chicken eggs from a local farmer.

Eating local is not only ideal for all the environmental + health benefits it offers, but also because it is so very tasty (seriously the best eggs ever), and eating from your own garden is that much better. The tomatoes from Anthony's garden were divine... and we picked them about 5 minutes before we made them into some yummy salsa.

This is off topic a bit, but there is something about "yellow" of late... the yellow tomatoes and golden raspberries were definitely tastier than their red counterparts. I bet it has something to do with the glow!