Enumclaw Farms and Local Food

Onions

2011-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

I love onions, and can hardly wait to plant them this month---enough to last through most of the Winter. Last year our garden onions were sweet, delicious and stored well. Did you know........

"The onion species is a subset of the lily family? They may have first been cultivated in Asia or India, but wild onions are native in may localities including North America. The Great Lakes Indians called them She-khe-ony, and it is from this Indian word that the city of Chicago derives its name. Onions are valued for their distinct flavor, which enhances the flavors of other ingredients in any dish; and are a particularly good marriage with bland, starchy foods, such as legumes or potatoes.

Onions contain carotenoids, B complex vitamins---including all-important B6---and vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, potassium and sulphur compounds. They are universally valued for their medicinal properties, which include improvement of kidney function and antibacterial qualities. According to some researchers, half of a cup of raw onions per day is an excellent means of protecting the blood from a tendency to coagulate and clot. Onions also have been shown to lower elevated blood sugar levels in test animals. Pasteur was the first to recognize that onions have strong antibacterial powers; onions are also helpful in breaking up mucus in the throat, lungs, and nasal passages. Finally, recent research indicates that onions, with their concentrated sulphur compounds, can be useful in treating cancer in some people. Onions also concentrate germanium when it is found in the soil. Germanium acts as an oxygen transporter and has been useful in cancer therapy.

On the other hand, certain yogic diets prohibit the onion because it is said to 'increase body heat and appetites.' This may be because the onion acts as a stimulant to the adrenal glands. Those with weak adrenal grands should eat sparingly of the onion family as should individuals sensitive to sulphur-containing foods.

To peel small onions, remove ends and plunge briefly into boiling water. Skins will then come off easily.

Baked Onions with Pecans
Serves 8

4 large onions, peeled
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon paprika
sea salt
1/2 cup crispy pecans

Cut onions in half along the equator and place cut side up in a buttered glass baking dish. Mix stock, butter, honey, lemon rind, and paprika and heat gently until well blended. Season to taste. Pour over onions. Bake, covered, for about 50 minutes at 350 degrees, basting occasionally, until onions are just tender. Remove cover, sprinkle with pecans and bake another 10-15 minutes until lightly browned."

Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon
Click here to purchase this book from Amazon.com

A Perspective for the Future

2011-02-04T22:23:00.001-08:00

by John Jeavons

in the book How to Grow More Vegetables than you ever thought possible on less land than you can imagine.

"We 'farm' as we eat. For example, if we consume food that has been grown using methods that inadvertently deplete the soil in the growing process, then we are responsible for depleting the soil. If, instead, we raise or request food grown in ways that heal the Earth, then we are healing the Earth and its soils. Our daily food choices will make the difference. We can choose to sustain ourselves while increasing the planet's vitality. In the bargain we preserve resources, breath cleaner air, enjoy good exercise, and eat pure food.

"It has been estimated that about 1/3 of the health care costs in the United States could be eliminated through an increase in exercise and by eating a nutritious diet. Gardening and mini-farming provide both of these, resulting in a win-win proposition. By doing something that is wondrous and fun--growing food--each individual becomes important again in the face of an otherwise overwhelming global environmental challenge. The Earth, the soils, and each individual will be better as a result of these efforts."

My Feelings Exactly

2011-01-21T13:14:00.000-08:00

Aspartame

2010-11-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Propaganda: The American Diabetic Association recommends the use of aspartame to lower blood sugar. Consuming aspartame, as opposed to sugar, can reduce body weight.

Reality: Aspartame is linked to many nervous system disorders, as well as to brain cancer, and can exacerbate some symptoms of diabetes. The American Cancer Society has noted that those who use artificial sweeteners gain more weight than those who don't and there is evidence that aspartame is addictive.

Tips: If you suffer from migraines or fibromyalgia symptoms, try eliminating all aspartame and MSG from your diet.

Since nearly all 'diet' or 'sugar free' products contain a harmful sugar substitute, opt for raw honey, maple syrup, molasses, or stevia."

- Politically Incorrect Nutrition: Finding Reality In the Mire of Food Industry Propaganda by Michael Barbee. Available through KC Library system or purchase on-line through Amazon.

Click here to order this book from Amazon.com.

Sweet Potatoes

2010-11-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

"There's probably no vegetable with a higher betacarotene content than the sweet potato. This is the betacarotene that protects us against cancer, colds, infections and other diseases. The carotene content of sweet potatoes actually increases as the vegetable is stored throughout the winter. But remember that our bodies can only convert carotene to vitamin A in the presence of bile salts. That's why it's so important to eat sweet potatoes with butter, egg yolks or cream. These fats stimulate the secretion of bile and help the body to convert carotenes to all-important vitamin A. These wonderful fats also make sweet potatoes taste delicious.

The sweet potato is a good source of iron, potassium, niacin and vitamin C. It contains fiber and is very rich in vitamin B6, a vitamin that is highly protective against heart disease. Last but not least, the sweet potato is rich in magnesium, another nutrient that protects against heart disease.

Sweet Potato Pancakes
serves 4-6

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 parge potato, unpeeled, washed and grated
2 tablespons whey or lemon juice
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 medium oniln, minced
1 small carrot, grated
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons spelt or whole grain flour
pinch of nutmeg
sea salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
3tablespoons extra virgin oil oil

Soak grated potato in water plus whey or lemon juice and salt for sever hours or overnight.
Drain and squeeze dry in a tea towel. Mix eggs with flour and nutmeg and season to taste. Stir in grated vegetables. Use a 1/3 cup measure to scoop out batter. Saute until golden on both sides in butter and olive oil.

Variation: Add 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro to batter. Omit nutmeg."

Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon.
Click here to purchase this book from Amazon.com

Food, Inc.--The Movie

2010-10-16T22:06:00.000-07:00

I just watched Food, Inc. for the second time. I think it should be required viewing for everyone who eats food. It discusses several topics you have seen on this blog: meat processing, GMO foods, the real cost of food, and much more.

The first time I saw this film, I was appalled at the mess that is our food system. This time, though, I felt more empowered to do something about it. The movie ends with a silent series of sentences. Maybe you too will find some ideas of what you can do to effect change.

"You can vote to change this system...Three times a day."

"Buy from companies that treat workers, animals, and the environment with respect."

"When you go to the supermarket, choose foods that are in season. Buy foods that are organic. Know what's in your food. Read labels."

"Know what you buy. The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to the supermarket. Buy foods that are grown locally. Shop at farmers' markets. Plant a garden. (Even a small one.)"

"Cook a meal with your family and eat together."

"Everyone has a right to healthy food. Make sure your farmers' market takes food stamps. Ask your school board to provide healthy school lunches."

"The FDA and USDA are supposed to protect you and your family. Tell Congress to enforce food safety standards and re-introduce Kevin's Law."

"If you say grace, ask for food that will keep us and the planet healthy."

"You can change the world with every bite. Hungry for change? Go to takepart.com/foodinc."

Click here to buy this DVD from Amazon.com.

My First Year as a City Chicken Owner

2010-10-04T23:34:00.000-07:00

or What I Wish I'd Known 12 Months Ago :)

It's been just over a year since I inherited my first chickens. I now have six hens, two of them new this year. Here's what I would tell someone who is considering chickens. (Please add your comments too!)

1. City chickens are healthiest when housed on the lawn, but it doesn't work so well in the Enumclaw winter. My chickens love the lawn and the greens make their egg yolks a bright orange color. However, moving my chicken tractor around in soggy weather just tears up the grass! Although it's not ideal, I have a permanent pen where my hens stay in the winter. I spread straw on the ground to minimize the mud. The chickens do enjoy a chance to dig in the dirt.

2. Grow lots of cool-weather greens! (See this post.) Kale and chard during the rainy season help to make up for the hens not being on the grass.

3. Three square feet per (full-size) chicken isn't really enough. (That was a measurement I got from the Chicken Tractor book.) My hens grew A LOT over their first winter, and seemed to totally fill their tractor by spring! They also produced more manure than they had in the fall, so I had to move the tractor more than once a day if I wanted them to be able to find any grass on the ground.

4. Introducing new hens to the flock is a tricky business. I was oh, so careful, but my two new girls are still sometimes picked on even after six weeks. The "pecking order" is a real thing!

5. Keep your chickens entertained. Vary their food, let them run a bit (I have some portable fencing that I use to give them more space), or visit them often. Bored chickens get into trouble--like picking on each other and eating eggs. I learned this the hard way, and had to take an egg eater to the auction. :(

6. Be patient when your girls are molting. For some, it is a long process. They don't lay well, and they're grumpy. This, too, shall pass.

7. Chickens breeds are not all the same! I have three kinds now, and I think my favorites are the Buff Orpingtons. Every breed has its fan club, however.

While I would LOVE to have a more land and the chance to let my chickens run free, life with city chickens is pretty good too.

Permaculture: Farms for the Future

2010-09-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Below is an excellent and beautiful film by a woman farmer about the future of farming. I guarantee the 48 minutes it takes to view will be well worth it. Even though the film has not been easy to access, it is provided here by http://www.permaculturevisions.com/links/

Enjoy... and leave a comment afterward!

BP's oil spill and organics

2010-09-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

"The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is one of the worst environmental disasters in history but we should not forget the damage done to the Gulf from chemical agriculture. Runoff from petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides created the massive 'dead zone' unable to support marine life---demonstrating the ills of an industrial food system dependent on fossil fuel.

Agriculture and our food system use nearly 20% of all the energy consumed in the US. Energy is used to manufacture fertilizers, pesticides, tractors and other machinery, and to transport refrigerate and store food. All this results in an astounding fact: It takes seven to 10 time more energy to produce your food than the energy you gain from eating it.

Organically produced food is more energy efficient than chemically grown food. Research shows that organic methods use 30% less energy and emit fewer greenhouse gases. That's because organic standards prohibit synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, which account for 40% of all energy for agriculture.

The BP oil spill in the Gulf is a reminder of how important it is to rethink how we produce food. We can make decisions that help our nation transition away from fossil fuel. Choosing foods that are organic, local, seasonal and unprocessed can help protect the Gulf, and improve food and energy security in the future."

Source: The Center For Food Safety
PCC #447

For all you local Gardeners and New Farmers

2010-09-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

GRCC will be offering a “Tilling The Soil” Agricultural Business Planning class on the Enumclaw Campus starting Oct 11. The class will run for ten weeks and will meet on Monday evenings from 6-9 pm. There will be two farm tour dates in addition to class sessions. The cost of $250 also includes an excellent text book from Nxlevel, lots of resource materials, and guest speakers. This opportunity to learn and share locally is jointly sponsored by WSU Ext and GRCC.

Contact GRCC - Enumclaw Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm by phone or in person for more information and to register.
Phone: (253) 288-3400
1414 Griffin Avenue
(Friday, Sat. & Sun they are closed.)

Tell the FDA you won't eat GMO Salmon

2010-09-15T06:00:00.001-07:00

Click on the following address to automatically sign your name to the petition demanding that the FDA halt approval of GMO salmon. Then click on the salmon picture in upper, left-hand corner:

www.fooddemocracynow.org/

"On September 3rd, a panel of three Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials declared that genetically modified salmon were “safe” for human consumption. [1] Somehow, the elite FDA panel arrived at this "decision" based on “scientific research” provided by AquaBounty Technologies, the same company that stands to profit from introducing its patented genes onto our plates.

Known as “macro-mutants”, AquaBounty’s GMO salmon are designed to ignore natural cycles of food sources and wild fish mating patterns that have existed for eons. [2]

While AquaBounty's GMO salmon are only days away from being approved, the FDA has only seen scientific studies provided by the company that stands to profit from these patented genes. Since AquaBounty's GMO salmon are being regulated under the FDA's new animal drug provision, real independent scientific studies were not required. [3]

If history and the law of unintended consequences has taught us anything, the FDA’s approval of transgenic GMO mutant fish will be a disaster. For years independent scientists have been warning us about the dangers posed by these GMO salmon.

How will GMO salmon impact human health?

Because independent scientific studies of AquaBounty’s patented salmon have not been allowed, the human health impacts of GMO salmon are not currently known. The FDA is relying on scant scientific documents provided by AquaBounty itself. In fact, the FDA’s own assessment odfAquaBounty’s studies to determine whether GMO salmon are safe for human consumption states that the studies contain “technical flaws” and provide “insufficient data”.

For two of the studies submitted, AquaBounty used sample sizes so small that they have no scientific credibility, with only 12 fish tested for one study, while the study on possible allergic reactions in humans involved only "6 fertile fish and 6 infertile fish.” [7] Despite this scant evidence, the FDA is currently on the verge of approving the companies GMO salmon.

Serious questions remain about eating fish engineered to grow faster and how that genetically manipulated trait can impact human health, especially that of our most vulnerable populations such as pregnant mothers and children."

Click on www.fooddemocracynow.org, then click on fish picture in upper-left-hand corner.

Thank you for participating!

- Food Democracy Now Team, 9/14/2010

What Vegetables are GE?

2010-09-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Corn, soy, sugar beets, and canola are the Primary vegetable crops that are genetically engineered (and a small amount of zucchini and yellow crookneck squash). Unless they're certified organic or Non GMO Project Verified, I would assume that all products with these ingredients contain genetically modified organisms."

PCC Sound Consumer, Sept. 2010

Doctors Prescribing Fresh Produce

2010-09-13T06:00:00.001-07:00

Doctors at three health centers in Massachusetts have begun advising patients to eat “prescription produce” from local farmers’ markets, in an effort to fight obesity in children of low-income families. Now they will give coupons amounting to $1 a day for each member of a patient’s family to promote healthy meals reports the New York Times. Thomas M. Menino, the mayor of Boston, said he believed the new children’s program, in which doctors write vegetable “prescriptions” to be filled at farmers’ markets, was the first of its kind. Doctors will track participants to determine how the program affects their eating patterns and to monitor health indicators like weight and body mass index, he said.

ATTRA Weekly Newsletter, 9/9/10

Urban Farming Approved in Seattle

2010-09-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

A breakthrough!

"The Seattle City Council on Monday passed legislation designed to encourage urban farmers. People would be allowed to keep up to eight chickens per house; roosters would be prohibited. The ordinance, which passed unanimously, also paves the way for urban farms and taller greenhouses. Specifically, it would allow: Urban farms of up to 4,000 square feet in residential zones. Food grown on site can be sold on site. There are limits on sales hours, amount of farm equipment allowed, and size of signs; and Greenhouses dedicated to food production to extend 15 feet above height limits in certain zones."

ATTRA Weekly Harvest Newsletter, 9/9/10

Nuts Improve Cholesterol

2010-09-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Another study reports eating nuts improves one's cholesterol profile. The study looked at 25 clinical trials involving 583 participants and found that eating just 2.4 ounces of nuts of any kind was associated with a 7.4 percent decline in LDL "bad" cholesterol and improved the ratio total of "good" HDL. The effect was most pronounced among people with higher LDL to begin with, and among those who were not obese. The more nuts they ate the greater the effect." (PCC #446)

Eating more nuts has improved my health and helps to keep my HDL higher than LDL.

Surprised?

2010-09-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do any of you make your own ice cream?

"The list of additives in ice-cream sounds like a science project. Many nutritionists now refer to ice-cream as 'the garbage dump food'. These are some additives found in commercially produced ice-cream:

Piperonal - used in place of vanilla - is a chemical used to treat lice.

Diethyl glucol - a cheap chemical used as an emulsifier instead of eggs - is used in antifreeze and paint removers.

Butyraldehyde - used in nut-flavored ice-cream - is one of the ingredients in rubber cement.

Amyl acetate - used for banana flavor - is also an oil paint solvent.

Ethyl acetatee - used for pineapple flavor - is also used as a cleaner for leather and textiles.

Aldehyde C17 - flavors cherry ice-cream - an inflammable liquid used in aniline dyes, plastic and rubber.

The additives in many modern foods combine to form a lethal cocktail. Man is not designed to consume inorganic foodstuffs and the increased consumption of chemical compounds leaves toxic waste in the cells. If we continue at this rate we will soon be positively non-biodegradable."

- Inge Dougans w/Suzanne Ellis
The Art of Reflexology (1992)

Restructuring the Food System

2010-09-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

"I grew up on a 1950's vintage poultry farm. Back then here in New Jersey there were thousands of small poultry farms with a few hundred to a few thousand birds. Every evening we would collect eggs and the whole family would be in the basement washing candling grading and boxing eggs in 30 dozen crates that we shipped to a co-op.

You might be surprised to know that this nightly ritual was repeated in millions of households across the United States. Everybody was small scale, everybody made a little money, nobody got rich or dominated over anybody else. Every county had small feed mills, poultry vet services, and spent bird haulers who shipped birds to soup canneries. The system worked, the supermarkets and food processors were always supplied with eggs.

It was all over by 1970. How did it end? the same way it always ends, somebody got greedy and wanted to dominate the industry in the good honorable guise of progress and efficiency. They destroyed the infrastructure and the system collapsed then they moved on to conquer the broiler, cattle and hog farms. It doesn't have to be this way.

Sadly we have an entire generation of adults in America that never knew a time when corporations did not dominate commerce. When little people work together they have more power than you can imagine."

Bob
Sunny Meadow Farm
Bridgeton, NJ
permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Does your Milk or Cheese have rBGH?

2010-08-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

"Monsanto has been very concerned about the public's reaction and possible mistrust of their new cow drug. And so it is no surprise that a former Monsanto employee, who was rehired by the company after his tenure at the FDA, was responsible for writing regulations prohibiting food labels that would tell consumers whether or not they were getting rBGH-treated products. Monsanto itself got into the act in 1994 by suing two milk processors for try to label their products 'BGH free', and was reported to have sent out about 2000 warning letters to other dairy processors and retailers.

Today, consumers still have difficulty knowing whether their milk, cream, cheese, ice cream, cottage cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products are made from rBGH-treated cows. About 30% of all U.S. cows are injected with this hormone, and much of their milk is blended at processing plants with the milk from dairies not using it.

In some states, however, consumers can find labels stating that the milk or cheese is rBGH (or rBST) free. Look for those products. Demand those products. Or, request and buy only organically produced or raw milk products, particularly from dairies that allow their cows to graze on grass."

(Notice the USDA has labeled large cheese producers rGBH as safe.)

We are lucky in Enumclaw! Meadowwood's Organic Raw Milk Dairy has absolutely delicious, fresh raw milk tomdarsavy@gmail.com, and seven miles out of town on the Veazie/Cumberland Road is a new raw milk producer thehappycowdairy.com. Happy Cow is not organic but they call their milk "near organic", and it is delicious too. Feel free to e-mail either of them with questions.

The active enzymes in raw milk assist digestion, and the cream in it reminds me of the delicious, satisfying milk I use to get as a kid!

- above quote from Politically Incorrect Nutrition: Finding Reality in the Mire of Food Industry Propaganda by Michael Barbee. This book can be borrowed through the KC Library system or purchased on-line through Amazon.
Click here to order this book from Amazon.com.

GE Alfalfa Victory

2010-08-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

"In it's first ruling ever on a case involving genetically engineered (GE) crops, Monsanto vs. Geertson Seed Farms, the U.S. Supreme Court has left a ban in effect against GE Alfalfa.

The Supreme Court declined to overrule a lower court's prohibition against planting and selling Roundup Ready* alfalfa. It agreed also that GE contamination was a sufficient cause of environmental and economic harm to support future challenges on GE crops.

Monsanto unsuccessfully had asked the court to allow planting and not allow contamination of other crops to be considered 'irreparable harm'."

PCC Sound Consumer, 8/2010

Land For New Farmers

2010-08-26T06:00:00.001-07:00

"Beginning farmers have a new option for acquiring farmland. The Washington state Farm Service Agency says farmers can enroll in the Transition Incentives Program---a new program under the 2008 Farm Bill. The program encourages retired or retiring owners or operators with Conservation Reserve Program acres to transition their land to beginning or socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers."

- Washington Sustainable Food and Farming Network

Too Many Farmers' Markets?

2010-08-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

"Too much of a good thing?"

Turns out the last new Seattle farmers' market to open was in 2007 (Phinney Ridge). The article below sheds light on possible reasons why we saw so little interest from food vendors within 100 mile radius for an Enumclaw market. Wade Bennett of Rockridge Orchards in Enumclaw is quoted as saying urban FM's in the Greater Seattle area are reaching and exceeding saturation. Chris Curtis is quoted too. What I get from the article is that farmers are feeling stretched by too many markets, and cannot meet the demand.

What's your response to this? Please leave us a comment!

Does Seattle Have Too Many Farmers' Markets?
by VANESSA HO, Seattle P.I. COM Staff, Monday 8/23/10
vanessaho@seattlepi.com.

"There's a weekly ritual savored by a lot of foodies: Stroll to a farmers market, buy some freshly dug heirloom carrots or richly hued purple potatoes, and feel fabulous about supporting local farmers. Except these days, those farmers are starting to feel stressed out.

As more neighborhoods clamor for their own farmers markets, farmers are watching their revenue shrink, as markets compete with each other and dilute profits.

The recent explosion in farmers markets - including new ones in Bell town and Georgetown this year, and in downtown and South Lake Union last year - have prompted many to ask: In culinary-conscious, urban-ag -loving Seattle, is it possible to have too many farmers markets?

'They have reached and exceeded saturation,' said Wade Bennett, who runs Rockridge Orchards in Enumclaw with his wife, Judy.

'Every little enclave in Seattle - they all want a farmers market. How can you tell them no -- that you can't have fresh food in your neighborhood?' he said.

'But it's becoming a burden. What has happened for most farmers is we're killing ourselves and we're actually making less money.'

Bennett sells his farm's famous cider and Asian pears in nine local farmers markets, but he predicts he'll drop to five or six next year.

'It didn't work for Starbucks either'

Once a novel way of connecting consumers with growers, farmers markets have become a hot commodity for reasons beyond the eating-local movement. There's a social justice piece, in which access to fresh, healthy food is important for under served neighborhoods.

And there's a neighborhood improvement angle, in which communities want a farmers markets to help draw shoppers and spruce up a business district.

'I suppose Starbucks put a store on every corner,' said Chris Curtis, the longtime director of the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance, which operates seven markets in Seattle.

'But it didn't work for Starbucks either,' she said. Curtis noted the coffee company closed hundreds of stores that were cannibalizing profits from each other, after an aggressive expansion.

She said her phone rings constantly from neighborhoods wanting a market, but after hearing from farmers struggling with revenue, she's been holding off. The last market she launched, in Phinney Ridge, was in 2007.

Curtis understands the benefit of a neighborhood market for residents, but thinks it's a bad idea to open one in an area that lacks the density or interest to sustain it.

'The only reason we would open one is if it truly would be good for the farmers,' she said, adding that sales dropped last year with the recession and have been holding steady since.

'We wouldn't rush into a neighborhood if it would only (benefit) the chamber of commerce.'

There are now 19 farmers markets in Seattle. There are markets in Phinney, Wallingford, Ballard and the U-District all vying for shoppers in North Seattle.

There are new markets in City Hall Plaza and Olympic Sculpture Park competing for downtown dollars, in addition to the Pike Place Market. And there are many neighborhood markets that are sparsely attended. A recent King County report found that the number of markets in the county swelled to 39 markets last year, from just nine a decade ago.

'We need to remember that to go to a market costs us money,' said Patty Spahr, the farmers market manager for Full Circle Farm in Carnation. Spahr said she loves having a presence in many communities, and that she and her staffers sell in 24 markets. But it takes resources to pack a truck, drive to a market, set up a booth, and sell produce. And with revenue dropping per market, it makes that effort more difficult.

Full Circle recently dropped out of markets in Mukilteo and the Sculpture Park, and Spahr is finding sluggish sales in Georgetown. 'If we're not going to meet a specific threshold in our sales, it becomes a losing battle,' she said.

Farming now more expensive

One person who doesn't think markets have reached saturation point is Judy Kirkhuff, the market master for the Seattle Farmers Market Association.

Her group runs the popular Ballard market and smaller ones in Seattle, which are seeing growing attendance across the board, she said.

Kirkhuff is also responsible for opening the new markets in Georgetown and the Sculpture Park, where she acknowledged that things are slower, but that's because they're new, she said.

'Starting a market is difficult, and it takes a long time for people to get in the habit of shopping at a new market,' she said. In Georgetown, she said some small farms that signed up to sell weren't able to sustain the effort and have dropped out. In the Sculpture Park, she views this year as prep work for next year.

She said declining revenue for farmers can be attributed to factors other than market saturation. Land and cost of living for farmers have skyrocketed. And more farms are serving up a higher quality and bigger diversity of produce, she said.

'Certain long-term farmers that have been used to being in one place and the center of attraction for many years are often times not responding to those changes,' she said.

'They're getting the effects of additional competition.'

Seattle's Office of Economic Development - which sees farmers markets as necessary tools for developing vibrant commercial districts - has recently begun studying the issue of competition and viability. The city already subsidizes many markets with reduced permitting fees and relocation help.

'Obviously if you add more markets, there's going to be more than one market happening on the same day,' said Karen Selander, the department's neighborhood business district program manager. 'We really want to take a high level view and ensure that these markets will succeed'."

A Movie about Growing Food in Cities

2010-08-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

Soy: No Wonder Food

2010-08-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Propaganda: Soy protects against breast cancer and osteoporosis---so like the Asians, we should eat more tofu and other soy products.

Reality: The Asian diet is not soy based. Unfermented soy products are not digestible. Soy is not a complete protein, and a pesticide-laden, soy-based diet can lead to severe nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalances.

Tips: Use fermented soy products like tempeh, tamari, miso and notto. These may have anticancerous effects. (They can be found at whole food stores or Freddies Health Food section). Avoid soy milk, soy energy bars, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and regular consumption of tofu."

Of all the Soy beans in the World, 90% of them are GMO's.

- Read more on Soy in Politically Incorrect Nutrition: Finding Reality in the Mire of Food Industry Propaganda by Michael Barbee. This book is available through the King County Library system or can be purchased through Amazon.

Click here to order this book from Amazon.com.

Safer Grilling & Marinade

2010-08-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Studies show that adding rosmary to ground beef and other meats before grilling, frying, broiling or barbecuing significantly reduces carcinogenic toxins created by cooking meat at high temperatures. The acid content of marinating lowers the risk by preventing formation of the toxins. Marinades with rosemary have been shown to be particularly effective---due to its antioxidants---but marinades with garlic, onion and lemon juice also are effective." (The New York Times)

Basic Marinade:

Use this marinade for tenderizing and seasoning beef, lamb or chicken. It's sufficient for about 3 pounds of meat.

1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup good vinegar (apple cider, balsamic, red or white) or part lemon juice
2 to 4 garlic cloves, pressed
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh herbs, minced (such as parsley, tarragon, chives, or rosemary, thyme and marjoram) --- if using dry herbs, reduce to 3 to 4 teaspoons.

Combine all ingredients and whisk.

Recipe by Goldie Coughlan,
PCC Nutrition Educator.

Alternatives to Purchased Pectin

2010-08-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you make many jams or jellies, you probably are 1) tired of paying too much for each box of pectin and 2) tired of using so much sugar (but afraid of the warnings that it won't gel if you don't). There are alternatives!

My favorite option is Clear Jel from Barry Farm. Click here to order it from Amazon.com. (Shipping is pricey, so order 2 bags if you plan to make a lot of jam. I got about 30 pints from a 1-pound bag.)

For a berry jam, I use 4 cups crushed berries, 1/4 lemon juice, 7 Tbs Clear Jel, and sugar to taste. I feel so much better about this jam! Specific instructions for this and other Clear Jel recipes can be found here.

Another option is Pomona Pectin. It is also available from Amazon.com right here. It's more expensive than Clear Jel, though much less expensive than the regular pectin from the grocery store. I used this one year, but my family didn't really like the taste.

Or, you can get your pectin directly from fruit. :) My mother-in-law uses red currants to make her own pectin. However, the process sounds really cumbersome and I don't know exact proportions to use. (Yes, I'm a lazy canner!) However, last year I found easy instructions for making pectin from green (i.e. unripe--not green-colored) apples. This blogger actually made apple jelly and then used it to gel her other jams. It sounded good, but I have to admit that the apple pectin jelly was so yummy by itself that I didn't have any left to make this year's jams! (Hence, Clear Jel again this year....) Also, I should add that the apple pectin jelly requires quite a lot of sugar too. If you want to try it for yourself, this is the time to do it while those unripe apples are dropping.

Happy jam making!

A Great Resource for Seed Saving

2010-08-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Seedman whose comment on my previous post introduced me to an awesome website! Check out http://www.seedsave.org/issi/issi_904.html for instructions on all aspects of vegetable seed saving--including which seeds are easiest for beginners, when you need to worry about cross-pollination, and even a little bit about the genetics of various plants.

Saving Seeds--Peas

2010-08-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

By the end of July, those pea vines are looking pretty dead. Don't pull them up, though, because you can save seeds for next year if you have some ripe (or over-ripe) pods still on the vine.

Peas are some of the easiest seeds to harvest, and it saves you from having to buy any in the future. (I haven't purchased pea seeds for 21 years!) Choose the biggest, fullest pods because the best crop from this year will yield the best for next year. Let the pods get as dry as possible, but avoid mildew if the weather is rainy. Save in a cool, dry place until next spring.

A Call to Local

2010-08-05T17:06:00.000-07:00

"One of the biggest topics to receive national attention in agriculture over the past year has been food safety. Though the story goes back to incidents like tainted spinach from California, bad salsa at Chi Chi’s restaurants and terrorist concerns from years past, support in our nation’s capitol for reform was galvanized when household peanut products were implicated in early 2009.

Much of the discussion over the past year has centered on the extent to which food safety problems constitute an omnipresent threat to the public regardless of the food source, or if such factors as the size, location and distribution patterns of production and processing facilities do matter. Debate over new legislation is scheduled to come to a head in the U.S. Senate this week or soon thereafter. Perhaps ironically, this also happens to be National Farmer’s Market Week, as declared by the USDA.

Do you care where your food comes from and how it was raised? If not, then you needn’t read any farther, especially if you also believe our state and federal governments have sufficient knowledge and power to keep us safe, or that this is even possible, and desirable. But if you do care, you’ll want to give careful consideration to one of the relatively unsung advantages of buying your food as locally as possible.

When I speak of “local,” I mean in terms of the farms that produce your food, the facilities where it may get processed and the retail locations where it is purchased. If all three are within a “stone’s throw,” as they say, of your home, you and your family can partake with full confidence that the food is safe, or that problems will almost immediately be identified and addressed if not.

If your food is not produced, processed and procured locally, then let me proffer that your risk is greater. It’s not that there’s necessarily a higher risk of non-local food being tainted somehow (though often this is the case), but your relationship with the entire value chain, from “field to fork” as we often hear, is diminished, just as the task of tracking and solving food safety threats becomes more difficult.

This is to say nothing yet of the risk to the public at large when a particular food item is distributed to 40 states before a problem becomes apparent . . . or the economic loss to communities in all of those states when their food dollars leave town, with only the illusion of wealth left behind. Simply put, even without the occurrence of a food safety incident, we are already pummeled by a poor risk/benefit ratio when the food we eat is shipped across the country, or even around the world, on its way to our dinner tables.

Don’t let them sell you on that “our farmers need to feed the world” line either. If we can’t feed ourselves, and build our own local economies on a sound, locally-based food infrastructure, then we’ve got nothing whatsoever to offer the other, more struggling societies around the planet.

This is serious business, not a public relations game. You can take the first steps toward keeping your families safe, strengthening your communities, saving farmland that you can even bike to on a Saturday afternoon and feeding the world by celebrating at local farmers markets and retailers featuring locally produced and processed products this week . . . and every week."

- Brian Snyder, Executive Director
Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA)
August 3, 2010

GF Squash Pancakes

2010-08-04T11:55:00.000-07:00

Now here's a yummy recipe...

Gluten-free Squash Pancakes

Written by Rachel Shulman

Published on February 8th, 2010

eatdrinkbetter.com

Buzz up!

I recently stumbled upon a great recipe for Spaghetti Squash Pancakes from Mollie Katzen‘s book, The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without. It’s a winner. Although the original recipe calls for spaghetti squash (quite delicious) and gives the option of using all-purpose flour or rice flour, the recipe can accommodate any kind of squash and a variety of gluten-free flours. The topping possibilities are also endless, giving you the option to play with flavor combinations. Happy eating!

Recipe for Gluten-free Squash Pancakes (adapted from Mollie Katzen‘s The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without):

2 cups cooked squash or pumpkin
1 cup minced onion
1/4 cup brown rice flour, white rice flour, chickpea flour, buckwheat flour, almond flour, quinoa flour, sorghum flour, or other gluten-free flour.
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large eggs
Oil for the pan
Butter for the pan (optional)

1) If you’re using cooked spaghetti squash, place it in a bowl and separate the strands with a fork. If you’re using another variety of cooked squash or pumpkin, puree it in a food processor or blender (keep the squash a bit on the chunky side) and transfer to a bowl.

2) Mix in the onion, flour, and salt. Lightly beat the eggs and add them to the squash mixture.

3) Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan with oil (and butter if you’d like). Use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop the batter into the hot pan.

4) Cook the pancakes for 8-10 minutes on each side. You want them very crunchy on the outside – they’ll stay delightfully chewy on the inside.

Topping ideas:

Sour cream or yogurt
Hot sauce or salsa
Tomato sauce
Caramelized onions
Jam
Melted cheese
Hummus
Nut butter
Chopped chives, parsley, or cilantro

Slow Money Alliance

2010-07-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like things are just moving too fast??

With trillions of dollars zooming around the planet, we should not be surprised to end up with cheapened, low-nutritional food, millions of acres of GMO corn and soy, billions of food miles, dying Main streets, kids who think food comes from supermarkets and obesity epidemics side by side with persistent hunger.

There is a better way. It is a new movement that is bringing money back down to earth, appreciating the energy of small food entrepreneurs who are forging new, healthy relationships in our communities. I'm helping them to build a new kind of investing, a new kind of investor, a new kind of economy. Want to join in too?

Google slowmoneyalliance.org and sign their principles to get involved.
Also check out www.acresusa.com - ACRES (The Voice of Eco-Agriculture), Nov. 2009, Vol. 39, ##11 - "Bringing Money Back to the Earth - Slow Money: 'Nuture Capital' for Communities and the Environment."

- What would the world be like if we invested 50% of our assets within 50 miles of where we live?

Slow Money

2010-07-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Free Local Farm Walk

2010-07-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Monday, July 26 * in Puyallup * WSU Field Day and Organic Farm

On-Farm Mock GAP Certification Process: 12:30pm to 4:00 pm.

What is a GAPs audit and do I want one? What are the differences and similarities between Organic Certification and GAP certification?

Join WSDA GAP auditor Chuck Dragoo on a "mock audit" at the WSU Puyallup Organic Farm, as well as WSU soil scientists Craig Cogger and Andy Bary and WSU food safety specialist Karen Killinger. The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) offers a Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) audit to fruit and vegetable producers, leading to the USDA GAP certification.

This voluntary program verifies that operating procedures are in place to minimize risk for microbial product contamination. The audit covers manure management, harvest, worker sanitation, packing house operation, storage, transportation, trace back, and food safety topics. A successful GAP's audit can open new markets for producers.....IF they are interested in selling to institutional buyers who are starting to require them.

If interested google Tilth Producers of Washington, 2010 farm walks.

Pure Country Pork

2010-07-15T06:00:00.001-07:00

"Some families manage restaurants, craft jewelry or build houses. Paul and Karrie Klingeman farm. It's in their blood four generations deep, with the fifth generation ready to take over Pure Country Pork, their all-natural pork business.

'There's a satisfaction in working with the land and animals and knowing that our future generation of farmers will have the skill and knowledge of keeping our farm and environment clean so that 100 years from now, no one will be cleaning up our mess,' the senior Paul Klingeman says. 'We're deeply committed to the health and well-being of our animals and the land.'

Their 100-acre spread in Ephrata, WA near the mighty Columbia River, is awash in sunshine, fresh air and space for their hogs to meander about. They raise their charges on locally grown barley, wheat and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)---an intentional diversion from the usual corn and soy---to be sure the feed is free of genetically engineered organisms.

Pure Country Pork is the first meat vendor in the United States to enroll in the Non-GMO Project. This means the Klingemans are instituting best practices to reduce the risk that the hogs' feed could be contaminated with genetically modified crops."

- PCC Sound Consumer, July, 2010

Honey-Garlic Grilled Pork Chops

2010-07-13T06:00:00.001-07:00

Easy and delicious!

Savory and sweet combine for a memorable marinade with fresh, local, Pure Country Pork.

Serves 4

4 boneless pork chops, 1-inch thick
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons wheat-free soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine chops and marinade ingredients. Refrigerate 4 to 24 hours. Heat covered grill to medium heat. Remove chops from marinade. Grill chops over direct heat for 12 to 14 minutes, turning occasionally.

- Recipe courtesy of Karrie Klingeman,
Pure Country Pork

Ask your local grocer to purchase safe Pure Country Pork!

Comparing Chicken

2010-07-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Consumer Reports magazine tested fresh, whole broiler chickens from 22 states and found two-thirds of them harbored salmonella and/or campylobacter, the leading bacterial causes of food-borne disease. Tyson and Foster Farms chickens were found to be the most contaminated. The test also found most of the disease-causing bacteria from the contaminated chickens were resistant to at least one antibiotic. Store-brand, organic chickens had no salmonella at all and were among the cleanest."

PCC Sound Consumer
January, 2010

Farmers' Markets Protest Safeway Look-Alikes

2010-07-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

- by Amy Radil
KUOW News
7/01/2010

'Farmers markets are hot right now — so hot that big supermarkets want in on the act. But attempts by local Safeway stores to host so–called farmers markets have created an uproar.'

"Martha Tyler says she was driving past a Safeway store in Kirkland recently, when she noticed a large banner. It promoted a farmers market at the store that weekend. Tyler knows many local farmers since she runs the Redmond Saturday Market, so she went in to ask the Safeway manager for details.

Tyler: "And the manager told me that they were going to be setting up tents and selling Safeway produce by Safeway employees farmers–market style."

For Tyler, and many others, that concept violates the definition of a farmers market, in which farmers sell locally grown produce directly to customers.

Tyler: "If they're going to call it a farmers market, yeah, first you need some farmers!"

Tyler alerted other local farmers market organizers, who responded quickly and loudly. Chris Curtis heads Seattle's Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance. She says it's no surprise that retailers want to capitalize on the idyllic image of farmers markets presented in food magazines and on TV.

Curtis: "Farmers' markets are ubiquitous and certainly they're part of the summertime shopping experience. Certainly the words local and fresh are used over and over and over again. So if you're a large retailer you want to tap into that. So it doesn't surprise me that they would co–opt it."

The Washington State Farmers Market Association wrote a letter to Safeway, noting that state law defines farmers' markets as including five or more growers selling directly to consumers. The group said markets are intended to foster connections between farmers and their customers.

Association officials say Safeway executives responded quickly, offering to drop the term farmers market in favor of something like weekend outdoor market. Officials at Safeway referred calls to a spokeswoman who was not immediately available.

Farmers market advocates say they're very pleased with Safeway's name change. But market organizer Martha Tyler says she wishes all retailers would actually buy more from local farms, so the good vibe from farmers markets could be more of a supermarket reality"

- Amy Radil, KUOW News

Washington Farm Disaster Assistance

2010-07-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Gov. Chris Gregoire , while on her “Feeding Washington” tour of Eastern Washington, announced Friday, July 2 that she has asked U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to designate 29 counties in Washington as farm disaster areas due to weather-related losses to agricultural producers. The damage was the result of extreme weather conditions throughout the spring, including severe cold, high winds and excessive rains.

“Conditions this year have been difficult for our growers across Washington, from Clark County to Okanogan,” Gregoire said. “Cold temperatures have harmed our tree fruit crops, while excessive rain made it difficult for bees to pollinate strawberries and other berry crops. A declaration will help our businesses absorb a difficult year and look forward.”

The request includes disaster declarations for Adams, Benton, Chelan, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whatcom and Yakima counties.

The USDA disaster declaration would allow farmers in the primary counties, as well as adjoining counties, to apply for disaster assistance payments through several programs administered by USDA Farm Service Agency. Farmers may also be eligible for emergency low-interest loans from USDA to cover production and farm property losses."

- Office of the Govenor

Fruit fly threatens fruit crops

2010-07-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Armed with $1.2 million in federal funding, Washington State University scientists are trying to beat back the advance of the spotted wing drosophila (SWD) into the Pacific Northwest.

Introduced into California in 2008, SWD is a red-eyed "vinegar fly" that attacks ripening and rotting fruit. The fly has spread rapidly northward along the Pacific Coast into Oregon and Washington and is considered a serious threat to Northwest fruit crops such as strawberry, cherry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, plum, pluot and nectarine, and may be a threat to wine grapes."

WSU
PCC Sound Consumer, July 2010

Hands That Feed

2010-07-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

A documentary film called Hands That Feed has begun filming. The movie will explore the agricultural collapse in Haiti, it's role in the post-earthquake food crisis, and the emerging grass root development models that seek to restore Haiti's food supply and environment. It will focus both on permaculture and sustainable agriculture rural development projects, and hopes to show the world that a different kind of economic development is possible.

Nouvelle Vie Youth Corps http://nouvelleviehaiti.org/ is working to train a new generation of young Haitian leaders in Permaculture design. Also featured is the MPP Haiti (of recent fame for organizing the burning of Monsanto's "gift" of seeds), and a number of other organizations.

Haitian farmers burn out Monsanto

2010-07-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Citizens united can make a difference!

"In Haiti, trying to recover from a crippling earthquake, farmers of the Peasant Movement of Papay (MPP) say they'll burn 475 tons of corn and vegetable seeds from Monsanto.

The seeds were donated through a USAID program and are not genetically engineered (GE), but are hybrid seeds which do not grow "true" from saved seed and must be bought every year for planting. The MPP says the seeds would make Haiti a slave colony for Monsanto and says farmers instead need help establishing seed banks of their own local, organic, Creole seeds."

Organic Consumers Assoc.
PCC Sound Consumer, July, 2010

Fruit Harvest

2010-06-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Early Season: (mid May to mid July)

• Currants • Raspberries • Rhubarb • Strawberries

Mid -Season: (mid July to mid September)
• Apples • Blackberries • Blueberries • Boysenberries • Currants
• Gooseberries • Loganberries • Marionberries • Plums
• Raspberries • Strawberries • Tayberries

Late Season: (mid September to late October)
• Apples • Blackberries • Blueberries • Grapes • Kiwi • Melons
• Nuts • Pears • Pears, Asian • Plums • Quince

Extended Season: (late October to February)
• Apples • Pears • Asian Pears • Quince

(from Puget Sound Fresh Farm Guide)

Things to Ask Your Farmer

2010-06-24T06:00:00.001-07:00

FOOD, Inc. is now a book. (In a very untraditional manner, the book followed the film.) This book has many interesting articles, including a chapter called "Questions for a Farmer" which is a great source of things you might want to ask your local grower about his or her farming practices. The article is arranged according to types of food. For instance:

Questions for a Farmer: Beef

1. Was the animal raised on pasture?

2. Was the animal fed anything else besides grass (supplements, byproducts, additional feed)?

3. How was the animal finished?

4. Was the animal ever given antibiotics?

5. Were hormones, steroids, or growth promoters ever given to the cow?

Questions for a Farmer: Eggs

1. How was the animal raised? On pasture, indoors, confined? Was it caged?

2. How much time do the hens spend outdoors each day?

3. Was the hen force molted?

4. What was the hen fed?

5. Was the hen fed antibiotics?

Each question also has additional explanations as to why that issue is important. This article was put together by the group Sustainable Table. You can find more questions on their website or in the book Food, Inc.

GMO Alfalfa Remains Illegal

2010-06-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you who signed the petition!!

Supreme Court Case was a Defeat for Monsanto's Ambitions

"It should be no surprise that Monsanto's PR machine is working hard to spin the truth in this morning's decision in the first-ever Supreme Court case on genetically engineered crops (Monsanto v. Geertson Seed Farms). Despite what the biotech seed giant is claiming, today's ruling isn't close to the victory they were hoping for.

The 7-1 decision issued today by the Supreme Court was on the appeal of the Center for Food Safety's (CFS) successful suit, which resulted in a ban on GMO alfalfa. And, while the High Court ruled in favor of Monsanto by reversing an injunction that was part of the lower court's decision, more importantly, it also ruled that the ban on GMO alfalfa remains intact, and that the planting and sale of GMO alfalfa remains illegal.

This point, which seems to be lost in some news reports, is actually a huge victory for the Center for Food Safety and---most importantly---for the farmers and consumers who we represent.

The Supreme Court ruled that an injunction against planting was unnecessary since, under lower courts' rulings, Roundup Ready Alfalfa became a regulated item and illegal to plant. In other words, the injunction was 'overkill' because our victory in lower federal court determined that USDA violated the National Environmental Policy Act and other environmental laws when it approved Roundup Ready alfalfa. The court felt that voiding the USDA's decision to make the crop legally available for sale was enough.

A different ruling could had had far-reaching ramifications that might have extended beyond our borders, affecting the health and status of world markets for U.S. alfalfa, and impacting the fastest growing sector of the US agriculture market---organic. But the court clearly saw that, and opted instead to rule very narrowly.

And yet, Monsanto is out there in a public statement saying that they've won a great victory. They claim that they're ready to sell Roundup Ready Alfalfa seeds now, and that they hope that their farmers should be able to plant by fall 2010. It's a canny statement, but neither of those potential situations is by any means possible at this point. The bottom line: the ban on planting Roundup Ready Alfalfa still stands.

The Center is victorious in this case in several other ways: most importantly, the High Court did not rule on several arguments presented by Monsanto about the application of federal environmental law. As a result, the Court did not make any ruling that could have been hurtful to National Environmental Policy Act or any other environmental laws. In addition, the Court opinion supported the Center's argument that gene flow is a serious environmental and economic threat. This means that genetic contamination from GMOs can still be considered harmful under the law, both from an environmental and economic perspective.

This Court opinion is in many ways a victory for the environment, The Center for Food Safety, for farmers and for consumers.....and a defeat for Monsanto's hopes of a green light. To represent this opinion in any other way is just spin.

-by Andrew Kimbrell
Exec. Dir. Center for Food Safety
Huffington Post, 6/21/2010

Tips for Pickin.....

2010-06-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

It seems second nature to some, but to those new to gardening how to tell if fruits or veggies are ripe and ready to pick can be confusing. Do not use size to choose when to pick---as most of us are conditioned to the size and color of supermarket produce---which is not a good measure to use. Most home grown or local produce will be a bit smaller, more colorful and a bit less uniform in appearance than the supermarket equivalent.

Use your sense of sight, touch, smell and taste to determine when (and what) to pick. Gently feel the fruit or produce to know if it is soft and slightly yielding, or still just a bit firm. When in doubt, always take a taste test to see if your other senses need some fine tuning. Fresh locally grown fruit and produce--if safely grown (without herbicides, pesticides, OR poisons in the soil to kill weeds)---are noticeably more nutritious and delicious. They are worth the effort and cost involved for your health and enjoyment! Be sure to ask your farmer (or grocery retailer) if they use pesticides, herbicides or poisonous weed killers. With a little time you will know exactly when everything is at it's peaking flavor. Once you have experienced the magic of a ripening from your garden or a U-pick crop, you will never forget the sights, smells, and taste!! Your body will thank you, and health will follow.

It's usually best to pick on a dry and cool morning, as the evening's growth is completed and flavor is at the day's best. Cool dry evenings are also a good time to pick. Enjoy planning some scrumptious meals, healthy drinks, and preserving possibilities for next Winter.

USDA researcher raises GE alarm

2010-06-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

"It's one thing for environmentalists to say genetically engineered crops are dangerous but now scientists at the U.S. Dept.of Agriculture are sounding the alarm, too.

Microbiologist Robert Kremer has analyzed farm soil for 20 years, the last several studying soil quality and genetically engineered (GE) plant growth. Kremer and his group say they found worrisome problems with glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto's herbicide Roundup.

Kremer say Monsanto's "Roundup Ready (RR) plants sprayed with the Roundup herbicide (glyphosate) appear----on the surface---to be impervious to the pesticide. But Kremer say ravaged roots below ground tell a different story. Glyphosate apparently affects root growth and necessary microbes. Kremer's colleagues report that glyphosate exudes from roots into soil, where it persits and accumulates. It's toxic to soil organisms facilitating absorption of nutrients, and it's not biodegradable. It accumulates in roots, stems and seeds---parts that animals and people eat.

Research shows about 3/4 of applied glophosate stays in a plant and about 1/4 of it is exuded over time. There's an accumulation every time glyphosate is applied.

Reuters news service quotes Kremer as saying, "This could be something big. We might be setting up a huge problem" Kremer expressed alarm that federal regulators are not paying enough attention to the risks of GE technology on farms. He says, "Science is not being considered in policy setting and deregulation."

The first RR seed, soy, hit the market in 1998. At the time, the tolerance for Roundup residues was three parts per million. After RR seeds were introduced, residues reportedly increased up to 20 ppm, indicating farmers used Round-up more liberally since it didn't hurt their GE crops.

Instead of holding the line on residues, the Environmental Protection Agency raised the tolerance to 20 ppm---after Monsanto asked for the increase.

This is why GMO foods will contain higher concentrations of chemicals."

by Trudy Bialic
PCC Sound Consumer, June, 2010

Profitable Farm Workshop

2010-06-03T09:07:00.001-07:00

The folks at RuralRoots.org are offering a self-paced workshop for farmers, teaching how to increase farm profitability, expand into or increase your direct-market sales.

Planning for Profit:

Register Now for this Self-Paced Workshop

How the workshop works:

· Participants Register for the Workshop On-Line or by Mail

($10 for RuralRoots members; $15 non-members)

· Participants receive, by mail, workshop educational materials

· Participants receive workshop instructions, presentations and assignments via the web (for those with high speed internet) or on CD-rom (for those with dial-up or slower internet service)

· Participants can request review of assignments and feedback from trainers (up to one hour of assistance) between June 15 - Sept. 1, 2010.

Topics covered in presentations, assignments and educational materials:

Components of a Successful Farm Business

· Goal-Based Decision Making

· Identifying and Addressing the Weakness in your Farming Operation

· Developing a Financial Plan

· Monitoring to Ensure Profit

Tools for Successful Direct Marketing

· Profitable Marketing Strategies

· Assessing the Market Potential of Your Product

· Maximizing Your Sales

· Identifying and Managing Legal Risks

Understanding the Regulatory Environment

· Food Safety & Good Agricultural Practices

· On-Farm Labor

Workshop Trainers:

Diane Green, Greentree Naturals, Sandpoint Idaho (Direct Marketing, Understanding the Regulatory Environment)

Craig Madsen, Healing Hooves, Edwall, WA (Financial Planning, Holistic Management)

Cost: $10 for Rural Roots members; $15 for non-members. Registration fee includes all workshop educational materials (valued at over five times the price of the workshop!); presentations, assignments and up to one hour of assistance from workshop trainers (via email).

Registration is by farm/family/business and fee is the same regardless of number of participants registering from a particular farm/family/business. One packet of educational materials will be sent the registration address. Please indicate names of all people who will be participating in the workshop on the registration form. Thank you!

Click Here to Register On-Line! Or Download the Workshop Brochure

For additional information and to register, call: Pat Munts, WSU Spokane County Extension, 509-477-2173; Colette DePhelps, Rural Roots, 208-883-3462

Chicken Update

2010-05-28T22:36:00.000-07:00

It's been seven months since I wrote about raising city chickens, and I'm feeling a bit more experienced. I originally planned to write this post about the superiority of homegrown eggs (and the eggs ARE great), but I've learned that raising chickens has many other advantages as well. They make wonderful PETS!

Helping in the Garden

My chickens spent most of last winter camped out on top of various garden beds in my yard. I put their chicken tractor on the raised beds, and "the girls" provided the fertilizer for this summer's crops. (I added straw to balance the high-nitrogen manure.) Within a month of moving the birds off, each bed had beautiful, worm-filled soil.

Creating Companionship

I had never realized how nice it is to hang out with chickens. They make happy little noises all day long. They also make other sounds we've learned to recognize--like what my son translated as "Look, look, look EEEGG!" when they want to make an announcement. They each have a unique personality. I like to be with them!

Being Neighborly

Best of all, chickens are like magnets for attracting friends. There is the man who whistles to the birds every time he walks past my yard. One of my neighbors often brings over "past their prime" fruits and veggies, while another neighbor pokes weeds through the fence for the chickens to eat. A young family stops their car to get a closer look and the kids are excited to be able to pet a chicken. The whole neighborhood comes together around a few little birds!

This YouTube author experienced the same thing:

If you want to learn about other chicken talents, I recommend the book City Chicks by Patricia Foreman. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.

Window Farms

2010-05-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Kelli--the blogger at Plateau Gardening (see our links)--for the heads up on this great idea. Most of us on the Plateau have some space to garden, but here is an informative video for those who want to make garden space in their homes...or perhaps for those who want to grow veggies all winter.

Check out the whole story at the website. Isn't this cool?

Enumclaw Farmers' Market

2010-05-11T16:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Market Friends.....The article below, also published in this week's Courier Herald, ends a third attempt to bring on-going direct sales of locally grown, chemical-free food to Enumclaw and surrounding communities.

No Farms No Farmers' Market

It was beginning to look like Enumclaw was going to have its own weekly seasonal Farmers' Market by 2011, but a dearth of interested food vendors has derailed that possibility. Yes, our Plateau is farming country but surprisingly there are only a few small farms growing produce. In 2008, over 500 Enumclaw residents were surveyed for what they wanted in a farmers market. 98% requested fresh veggies and fruits, without chemicals on them or in the soil, as their top priority for a Farmers' Market. If it is called a Farmers' Market, they do not want it to be a part of a flea market, a garage sale, a craft market, a street fair, a circus or an opening event for dog and horse shows. Shoppers want to purchase a variety of quality food, directly from growers, on their way home to refrigerate it!

Late last fall GRCC Enumclaw Campus agreed to contract with the Enumclaw Plateau Farmers' Market to use their parking lot when school is closed on Fridays. Six years ago DOT 2004 statistics show 6,000 commuters stopped at the Griffin-Porter stop light on Friday afternoons. The landmark site is also easy access for walkers, bikers and strollers. Volume of potential shoppers is essential to sustain any farmers' market. Undoubtedly this location could revitalize the downtown economy. Bravo GRCC! We applaud you as the first community organization to provide solid market support.

Within the past decade there have been two prior attempts for an Enumclaw market. A major learning gleamed from them for this third try is that an abundance of diverse, fresh food must be at market weekly for shoppers to continually return. Of a recent vendor questionnaire to 200 food growers within 100 miles only a handful expressed tentative interest in participating in the Enumclaw Farmers' Market. Conclusion? It's time to begin a Plateau Food Growers Association that draws new farmers to the area, as well as connects and strengthens those already farming here. It is also time for Plateau residents to grow more food on the fertile land that still surrounds us. The quality of our future and a strong local economy is literally in our own back yard.

Asparagus & New Potato soup

2010-05-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from Full Belly Farm in California. Full Belly products are sold to restaurants, at farmers markets and through a CSA.

1 bunch of asparagus
6 cups of vegetable stock, light chicken stock or water
Fresh thyme and bay
Two onions
1 pound new potatoes
Olive oil
1 cup cream

Snap off any rooty ends of the asparagus and simmer it in the stock with the thyme and bay. In a deep soup pot, stew the onions and potatoes in the olive oil and a little water. When the vegetables are very soft, strain the stock into the pot and bring it to a simmer.

Chop the asparagus roughly, reserving the tips to garnish the finished soup. Add the rest of the asparagus to the soup pot. Let the soup simmer for about 5 minutes until the asparagus is just tender. Do not overcook or you will loose freshness and color. Puree the soup and pass it through a sieve into a bowl. The soup should be dense but smooth. To get the right consistency, thin with additional water or stock. Finally, add the cream.

Cut the reserved asparagus tips in half lengthwise and parboil for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the soup garnished with the asparagus tips. It can be served chilled or heated.

Food, Inc.

2010-04-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Radical changes in how we eat have taken place over the past 50 years as opposed to the past 2,000 years. It's time to know what we eat, where it comes from, and why it is cheap. Factory farmed food, cheap to the consumer, has a high potential for disease. Chemically engineered food removes nutrients while restructuring our and animal DNA. Find out what's behind sanitation and additives to make food appealing.

Becoming aware of what we eat allows us to make different choices and create positive solutions.

"Everyone should see Food, Inc." says The Washington Post.
Food, Inc. DVD can be borrowed from the King County Library at Muckelshoot (over 700 holds), rented from Netflix, or purchased at Amazon for $10.
Click here to order Food, Inc. from Amazon.com

The Beginning Farmer

2010-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

* Turning Challenge into Opportunity *

"Having successfully cleared the major hurdle most new farmers face--securing land--Orting Valley farmer and owner of Crying Rock Farms, Joel Blais, now is wrestling with the realities of what it means to be a small-scale organic pork producer. Joel shared the following reflections about his biggest challenges:

'The biggest challenges for a small-scale new farm are twofold: inputs and outputs. Inputs include a consistent network of necessary supplies such as hay, feed, medical treatment and information. Take hay, for example: all the hay was sold off the land before I came on to the property and I need some carbon material for my pigs. Where can I get hay locally? Can I be certain it wasn't treated with things that I'm trying to keep out of my farm? How about feed---who is the nearest organic feed supplier?

Considering outputs, where can I sell one pig's worth of sausage, one time, to generate enough revenue required to hold a slaughter date for the main crop? Where can I sell the rabbits in time to pay for the sausage grinder? The answers are easy for large-scale producers because it's all done at one processing plant.

I resolved not to fit into the factory model for many reasons, and to look at these questions and challenges as opportunities. Now that the ground is drier and the grass growing, my sows are tilling up the new hop fields. This is what I want. I can't afford a tractor, so out of necessity I have found a great process that is very healthy for pigs, and the land.

There are also the operational challenges typically planned for...but you really can't plan ahead for the magnitude. For instance, I never imagined what a diverse and complex predator problem I would be up against, when I buy a pregnant sow who's really pregnant only 10 percent of the time. Serendipitously, this has forced me to focus on smaller and slower growing breeds, most of which are turning into promising boutique offerings. I may have passed that opportunity by if I was focused on the conventional model. '

Joel's experience is not uncommon. As land prices, operational costs and equipment costs continue to rise, the challenges to new farmers are ever-increasing---requiring growers and producers to be creative, nimble and thick skinned. Follow Joel's story on his blog: http://cryingrockfarms.blogspot.com/

- Melissa Campbell
Stewardship and Land Associate, PCC Farmland Trust

Upswing in Washington State Farms

2010-04-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

"The number of Washington State farms rose 6% between 2000 and 2008, with 90% owned by individuals or families. Washington now has about the same number of farms as it did in 1970.

The total acreage in farming has shrunk but net farm income is higher than it's been in nearly 20 years.

Local food processing also has grown, and the number of farmers'markets has more than doubled since 1998.

-The Seattle Times
PCC Sound Consumer, 4/10

Orting Valley Farms

2010-04-04T14:04:00.001-07:00

- PCC Farmland Trust announces the preservation of 100 acres in Pierce County -

"As you make the drive down state route 167 and through the Kent Valley toward Orting, you can see a dramatic evolution of place occurring throughout Washington, and, in particular, areas just outside of Seattle. Preserving Orting Valley Farms means 100 acres of farmland will be producing organic food. Organic farming methods protect water and air quality, prevent soil erosion, provide food and cover for wildlife, and eliminate the problems created by petroleum-based, high-nitrogen fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals used in industrial farming.

In the United States, every minute of every day we lose about two acres of agricultural land. Why should we be concerned about losing large expanses of dirt to concrete and buildings? The American Farmland Trust states it succinctly" 'No Farms, No Food.'

Every year our food becomes less safe. We open our newspapers and Web browsers to more stories about food scares from a massive industrial food system. Add to the mix a vanishing way of life for American family farmers, and a dwindling ability to sustain our country's rich, rural agricultural heritage, and we have created a series of preventable tragedies.

Preserving farmland ensures local, organic food production, opportunities for small farmers into the future, and allows the public to know HOW their food is grown. If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week made from local, organically grown produce, we would conserve one million barrels of oil in one week. Equally as important, research done by Sustainable Seattle found that shifting just 20% of our food dollars to local choices more than doubles the number of dollars circulating among local businesses.

To date, Orting Valley Farms has two of its (eventually) three farm families on the property, already growing an array of produce. Kim and Dan Hulse of Tahoma Farms and Terra Organics were the first to break ground on their 40 acres last Spring, growing a variety of vegetables. Ken and Carrie Little will operate their Little Eorthe Farm on 30 acres, growing berries, flowers, mixed veggies, honey, eggs and organic sees, as well as ingredients for beer, wine and mead. The final parcel is in advance negotiations, and those farmers will be planting in 2010.

Stay tuned for details about a 2010 tour of Orting Valley Farms."

PCC Sound Consumer, 12/09.

For more information visit http://www.pccfarmlandtrust.org/ - "Saving local organic farmland forever."

My Favorite Seed Catalogs

2010-03-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's getting late to order seeds, but there are two great companies I "discovered" this year that are worth looking at:

BAKER CREEK HEIRLOOM SEEDS publishes a catalog that is a visual feast! Page after page of huge colored photos--and not of just ordinary varieties of vegetables--make my mouth water for summer's fresh produce. All of the seeds are non-hybrid, non-GMO, non-treated, and non-patented. There are more than 1,200 fruit and vegetable varieties, many of them collected by owner Jere Gettle on his world-wide travels. One summer squash is described as "the ethnic heirloom pumpkin of the Maori people of New Zealand." One kind of corn is an "old variety reputed to be basically unchanged from the days when Native Americans grew it in New England." Or an onion "from the village of Galmi, a small community in the Ader Valley of Southeast Niger." Fun!

Gettle started his seed company when he was just 17 years old, and is now joined in the family business by his wife and young daughter. (His mom does the art for the catalog covers.) They have a store in Mansfield, Missouri and a "Seed Bank" in an old 1920's bank building in Petaluma, California. Baker Creek gives seeds to schools, orphanages, and prisons--over $50,000 worth in 2009. You can order their seeds at www.rareseeds.com or subscribe to their magazine (The Heirloom Gardener) for $12.00 per year.

Another seed company with a less-flashy catalog, but just as important a mission, is

BOUNTIFUL GARDENS (a project of Ecology Action). These folks, besides selling seeds, are dedicated to teaching sustainable agriculture. That means "creating a system in which the soil will live at optimum health and will produce crops at a rate which can be maintained indefinitely, without degrading the environment." Their catalog outlines the eight steps for their "Grow Biointensive" solution. These steps include things that many home-gardeners do (composting, companion planting) and things that most of us don't do (growing grain crops). I'm starting this year to change to some of these new practices in an effort to be a good steward of my garden.

To support their focus on education, Bountiful Gardens offers many DVD's, books, and other publications. While their orientation is sustainable organic gardening, they offer a variety of resources on food storage and processing, self-sufficiency, solar, and food security. You can see what they have to offer at www.bountifulgardens.org. All of their seeds are open-pollinated to "preserve our agricultural heritage in all its diversity."

As Jere Gettle says, "You are the biggest threat to big, corporate agriculture." Please write back and let us know what are YOUR favorite places to buy seeds.

Eggs

2010-03-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Propaganda: Eating eggs leads to heart disease: throw out the yolks!

Reality: In reality, eggs are high in choline and B6, both of which are used to combat hardening of the arteries. Eggs are nutrient-dense and contain all the amino acids, a vast array of minerals and vitamins, and antioxidants.

Tips:
Good sources of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxamthin: eggs, broccoli, spinach.

Drinking plenty of water (five or more glasses a day) can protect the heart. Try replacing other drinks with pure, filtered or natural spring water flavored with a twist of lemon or lime.

To get the greatest benefit from eating eggs, purchase organic eggs from free-range chickens. They are higher in omega 3's, vitamins A, D, and E; and do not contain the potentially dangerous traces of antibiotics and pesticides that regular supermarket eggs do."

- Michael Barbee, C. D. C.
Politically Incorrect Nutrition: Finding Reality in the Mire of Food Industry Propaganda

Click here to order this book from Amazon.com.

Growing Sun Vegetables on the Plateau

2010-03-10T06:00:00.001-08:00

"I'm a long time gardener and was looking for some new, fun varieties of tomatoes to grow this year. A Google search of tomato varieties for the Pacific Northwest produced a Sound Consumer article for 2003, though it came up as the second link! I chuckled when I read the story of growing tomatoes under a cherry tree. I, too, have found that tomatoes need far less direct sun than some suspect.

I am at about 1,000 feet elevation and I grow Cayenne peppers a plenty, along with Hungarian hot wax peppers and great jalapenos. Just start plants indoors from seed in March and wait to put them out until May. The only pepper that has failed to ripen was habaneros. These results are year after year in a garden that only gets full sun until the afternoon and in the fall even less. Don't believe the books, I even grow okra!"

-Angie Wright, PCC Sound Consumer, March, 2010.

post script......Enumclaw is also about 1,000 feet above sea level.

Monsanto case at Supreme Court

2010-03-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

"For the first time, the U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear a case about the risks of GE crops. Monsanta vs. Geertson Seed Farms involves alfalfa seed engineered to be immune to Monsanto's flagship herbicide Roundup. A federal court ruled in 2006 that GE alfalfa would hurt both organic and non-organic farmers. "

- Genetically Engineered News List

Free-Range Chicken Feed

2010-03-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Question: "Please provide us with information so we may make educated shopping choices regarding Ranger chicken feed. Does the chicken feed contain pesticides and GE crops? I have sadly realized how food/health concerns are now beyond antibiotics, hormones and pesticides. Genetically Engineered corn and soy compound the food choices I make."

Answer: "Ranger chicken is from Draper Valley operation (Mt. Vernon, WA) which does prohibit antibiotics but does not screen for and does not exclude GE soy and corn. It therefore would have no prohibition against pesticides, since Genetically Engineered technology relies on pesticides and herbicides."

- PCC Sound Consumer, letters to the Editor, March 2010.

GE Traits Transfer to Animals

2010-03-04T06:00:00.003-08:00

"For the first time, there's evidence of large concentrations of transgenic DNA---from genetically engineered (GE) corn---in animals. Scientists in Canada found the GE transgene from Roundup Ready corn in numerous soil dwelling animals, demonstrating that GE transgenes do not degrade significantly within the food web. The transgene was found in all animals tested, including anthropods, nemotodes, insects and earthworms. The finding suggest that there's opportunity for genetic transformation into non-GE plants and humans from GE-contaminated soil."

- Miranda Hart, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Are Genetically Modified Foods Safe?

2010-03-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Genetically modified foods have come to your local supermarket, even though most Americans don't want them and many believe they are dangerous. A CBS poll found that 53 % of Americans would not buy food they knew had been genetically modified. But here's the rub---there's no easy way to know which foods contain genetically modified ingredients.

Genetically modified foods are made by inserting genes from another species into a food's DNA. About 60 to 70% of products on grocery store shelves contain at least one genetically engineered element. These foods include corn, strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes, soybean, and canola.

The public is generally unaware when they purchase genetically modified foods---called GM or GMO, short for genetically modified organism---since manufacturers and producers are not required to disclose the information on labels. The European Union, Japan, China, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand require GMO foods to be labeled. And despite a CBS News poll that showed a majority of American want labeling, no such law exists.

Many experts as well as concerned customers want to know if GMO foods are safe. A few troubling reports have been released. A study published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences revealed the parameters of 60 different biochemicals in rats. Rats fed genetically modified corn were compared to their parents who had been feed non-GM corn. The results clearly showed a difference between the two groups. Rats fed GM food had signs of liver and kidney problems. Effects were also found on the heart, adrenal glands, and spleen.

According to Phys.Org.com a Russian study found that 55.6% of the newborns of female rats fed genetically-engineered soy flour before, during, and after pregnancy, died within three weeks. Only 9% of the offspring of rats fed non-GM soy died. In addition, 36% of the rats in the GM-fed group were underweight, compared with only 6.7 percent of the control group. In another study, groups of rats were fed GM tomatoes for 28 days. Seven of 20 developed bleeding stomachs, and seven out of a group of 40 rats died within two weeks.

If you'd rather not eat genetically modified foods, you can take the following steps to avoid them:

Look for foods labeled "100% organic".
Read fruit and vegetable numbers on the produce sticker. Five-digit numbers beginning with an 8 mean it is a GM food. Five-digit numbers beginning with a 9 indicate organic foods. Conventionally produced foods have numbers containing four digits.
Hunt for products that are GM-free.
Buy from small, local farmers. Most GM foods come from large commercial farms.
Avoid processed foods."

- Sylvia Booth Hubbard, January 15, 2010, http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/

A Brief Opportunity.....

2010-03-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

"After years of bureaucratic wrangling, a recently USDA environmental review may finally approve Monsanto's GMO alfalfa. If approved, GMO alfalfa will fundamentally undermine the entire organic industry overnight. Despite massive outcry the USDA says American consumers don't care about the contamination of organics! ACT TODAY: comments are due by close of business this Wednesday, March 3rd.

Please join in calling on Secretary Vilsack to stand up for Organic Family Farmers---and reject approval of Monsanto's GMO alfalfa by signing this petition.

During the Bush administration Monsanto illegally won USDA approval for its GMO alfalfa by convincing USDA regulators to bypass a mandatory environmental review. In 2007, a court reversed this decision, ordering the USDA to complete the legally required environmental impact statement.

Surprisingly, the Obama Administration's recent review would approve Monsanto's GMO Alfalfa.

The draft USDA EIS was issued in December 2009 and is poised to allow Monsanto's GMO alfalfa on the market, despite the fact that the USDA admits these seeds will contaminate organic feed that organic dairy farmers rely on to produce organic milk.

According to the CEO of the largest farmer-owned organic dairy coop in the U.S. 'GMO alfalfa threatens the very fabric of the organic industry.....we can't allow this to happen.'

To tell Secretary Vilsack you care about organic contamination and that you want him to stand up for the organic industry and organic consumers Google 'Food Democracy Now' and click on the 4th link "Act now or kiss your organics goodbye."

Thank you for helping to protect our food chain.

Vegetables You Can Dig

2010-03-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Did you know there are 14 ways to get in touch with your roots?

Well, there are 14 nutritious and versatile ROOT vegetables fun to dig out of your garden, or seek organic and locally grown options. They are beets, cassava, carrots, daikon, Jerusalem artichokes, jimaca, parsnips, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, taro, turnip and yams. Eating root vegetables can be more satisfying than veggies harvested above the ground because of their volume, texture and mild flavors. Rule of Thumb: Buy These Fresh and Never Overcook unless you want them mashed or for a sauce. Tubers (or rhizomes) are easy to prepare: steam, roast, bake, fry, mash or use in soups, stews, or sauces---some are eaten raw. They add variety to vegetable dishes and are tasty with meats. Don't forget the leaves because that's often where most of the vitamins and minerals can be found!

This Winter I tried two new root veggies, rutabagas and turnips, and have been pleasantly surprised. A rutabaga is a cross between the cabbage and the turnip--with edible leaves. They are a good source of Vitamin C and beta carotene. Prior to the popularization of pumpkins, rutabagas were often carved for Halloween. Apparently humans have been consuming the white, bulbous turnip since prehistoric times. The root is high in vitamin C. The leaves are a good source of folate, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K.

For years I have been eating fresh beets which are delicious if cooked properly. In spaghetti sauce they enrich the flavor and color. They are a high sugar veggie in the same family as Swiss Chard, and its greens can be eaten much as you might eat chard. They are an excellent source of the B vitamins and folate--a very good source of magnesium, iron, copper, and phosphorous. When combined with small amounts of vinegar beets aid digestion as well.

Which vegetables do you dig, or rather enjoy and why?

Why Organic Video

2010-02-16T08:13:00.000-08:00

Since 1989, Seeds of Change has been preserving biodiversity and supporting sustainable organic agriculture. They are embarking on becoming carbon neutral, and teach urban permaculture courses in urban gardening basics, design and community gardens.

Click on their site http://www.seedsofchange.com/ for a short video on "Why Organic", how this company operates responsibly, and what is available to you:

Certified 100% organic seed: vegetables, flowers and herbs
Over 1200 seed varieties, many heirloom, native and hard to find
Quality performance in your garden or farm are guaranteed

Choosing organic seeds is smart money-wise too, the prices are equivalent to non-organic.

The Safe Seed Pledge

2010-02-05T22:36:00.000-08:00

Two seed company catalogs I recommend checking are http://www.bountifulgardens.org/ and info@abundantlifeseeds.com. Both are heirloom, untreated, open-pollinated seeds for sustainable growing, and both have signed the safe seed pledge. Type High Mowing Organic Seeds into your search engine for good selection, cost comparison, pelleted seeds, and other resources. More seed companies are signing now due to customer request for tested seeds. Territorial Seed Co has recently become suspect for the future because one of their suppliers--Seminis*--was purchased last month by Monsanto.

*"Seminis controls 40% of the U.S. vegetable seed market and 20% of the world market---supplying the genetics for 55% lettuce on U.S. supermarket shelves, 75% of the tomatoes, and 85% of the peppers, with strong holdings in beans, cucumbers, squash, melons, broccoli, spinach and peas. The company's bigest revenue source comes from tomato and pepper seeds, followed by cucumbers and beans." http://www.seedalliance.org/: seed news.

The Safe Seed Pledge: "Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. The mechanical transfer or genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families, or kingdoms, poses great biological risks as well as economic, political, and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately healthier people and communities."

For a current complete list of all companies who have signed the above pledge go to http://www.organicconsumers.org/ for "U.S. Seed Companies Pledging To Be GE Free" and "Ten Reasons Why We Don't Need GM Foods".

Organic vs. Non-Organic Seeds

2010-02-04T13:41:00.000-08:00

"Are you growing corn, yellow squash or zucchini, which have been genetically engineered? If so choose organic seeds because organic standards prohibit genetic engineering. Beyond that, the vigor and attributes of any plant starts with good, healthy seed. If you are going to be eating your produce, why not start with the best possible seeds---Organic (or tested Heirloom)---from plants grown without synthetic pesticides and toxic sludge in fertilizers?"

PCC Sound Consumer, February 2010

Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

2010-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Environmental Working Group has compiled a recent list of 47 Fruits & Veggies from "worst to least" pesticide load. Adjusting eating habits can lower our intake of pesticides -- sometimes dramatically so. Substitute organic for conventional produce that is consistently contaminated with pesticides. (Better yet, grow your own!) When organic produce is not available, or combining it with non-organic due to budget concerns, the shoppers guide below will help in making healthier choices.

Print out this list for grocery shopping planning. For more information on how to reduce your exposure to pesticides, or to download a wallet size guide, visit http://www.foodnews.org/.

RANK (worst to least) - FRUIT or VEGETABLE - SCORE (highest to lowest)

1. (worst) Peach 100 (highest pesticide load)
2. Apple 93
3. Sweet Bell Pepper 83
4. Celery 82
5. Nectarine 81
6. Strawberries 80
7. Cherries 73
8. Kale 69
9. Lettuce 67
10. Grapes (Imported) 66
11. Carrot 63
12. Pear 63
13. Collard Greens 60
14. Spinach 58
15. Potato 56
16. Green Beans 53
17. Summer Squash 53
18. Pepper 51
19. Cucumber 50
20. Raspberries 46
21. Grapes (Domestic) 44
22. Plum 44
23. Orange 44
24. Cauliflower 39
25. Tangerine 37
26. Mushrooms 36
27. Bananas 34
28. Winter Squash 34
29. Cantaloupe 33
30. Cranberries 33
31. Honeydew Melon 30
32. Grapefruit 29
33. Sweet Potato 29
34. Tomato 29
35. Broccoli 28
36 Watermelon 26
37. Papaya 20
38. Eggplant 20
39. Cabbage 17
40. Kiwi 13
41. Sweet Peas (Frozen) 10
42. Asparagus 10
43. Mango 9
44. Pineapple 7
45. Sweet Corn (Frozen) 2
46. (best) Avocado 1 (lowest pesticide load)
47. (best) Onion 1 (lowest pesticide load)

Investing in a Winter Garden is Profitable

2010-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Enumclaw residents are fortunate to have some---to a lot---of land around their homes on which to grow a modern day "victory garden" for delicious, healthy eating especially in these tough economic times. Victory gardens have also proven to be very effective on porches and roof tops! Watch the video below and see how to continue saving money throughout the year on home grown food, and feeling good about it.

The White House staff have been busy all year with the development, planting, and harvesting of the White House Garden (our "resource links" has the garden's opening video). The first three plantings of the kitchen garden were bountiful---harvesting more than 1007 lbs. of produce!

The Winter Garden soil has been prepared, and with the help of high tunnels or hoop houses spinach, lettuce, carrots, mustard greens, chard and cabbage will be planted now. Here is the latest video showing the White House Garden's hoop houses and discussing the USDA's new hoop house project for small farms.

Seeds for Life

2010-01-15T11:26:00.000-08:00

"We are living in a time of unrest and worry, but the same crocus will grow near the Black Sea as grows in Spain, and these flowers don't need passports and frontiers. The seed is beyond frontiers and beyond nationalities, and the growing of things and tilling the earth is one of the most international...one of the most unpolitical things we can possibly do.

Don't ever forget that the seed is the most important thing in this whole world."

- Clare Leighton, garden writer, 1948
Grandma's Garden Catalog, January 2010

Heirloom Vegetables

2010-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

Heirloom vegetables are gems of nature, passed down for generations by home gardeners who prize them for their flavor. They reproduce true to their parent plants, preserving their taste, appearance, and other unique characteristics from one year to the next.

Industrial farmers don’t have the luxury of breeding vegetables for taste. They have to grow food that can be harvested quickly and transported over hundreds of miles without losing its appetizing appearance. Most of these vegetables never even get to ripen before being rushed to market. Such produce may seem palatable until you have tasted heirlooms, but then you will crave the flavors that have been treasured over time.

Be daring, and try a new heirloom variety this year!

What does 'Natural' food mean?

2010-01-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Natural.......Organic.......Local......Do you ever feel confused about what these words mean in today's world?

Knowing what labels represent helps in making food choices. Let's begin by looking at the label 'Natural' which is often seen at supermarkets on packaged fresh, frozen and processed foods. One's first response at seeing it could easily be that natural must be best...and at a cheaper price! Maybe so---maybe not. There are pros and cons to each of these. Knowing them makes shopping so much easier! Understanding what's in---or not in---the food we choose, helps to determine what and where we buy it, and at what price.

"Natural foods is a widely used term with various meanings and no legal definition. Natural foods typically refers to foods that are minimally processed and do not contain any hormones, antibiotics, artificial sweeteners, food colors, or flavorings. Chemical compounds are often concealed under the term 'natural or artificial flavorings'. A natural substance has been extracted by chemicals. Unrefined cane sugar, raw honey, stevia, agave nectar and maple syrup are sweeteners often used in place of white sugar in a natural foods diet. Sea salt is also preferred over table salt. Proponents of natural food diets argue that refined ingredients promote obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

During the natural food movement, natural foods were made popular in America and Western Europe during the 1970's and began being referred to as 'health food'. It's principles included avoiding artificial ingredients and processed foods such as refined sugar and white flour.

Natural food is not a synonym for organic food, as organic food refers to how the food is grown--without pesticides or other chemicals---while natural food refers to the process of food.

Although in modern times the natural food diet has largely been practiced by a minority, it has frequently influenced the way the wider population eats. Many groceries, restaurants and cookbooks utilize and promote natural foods. Natural foods are sold at natural food stores, food cooperatives, and large food chain stores."

quote from Wikipedia

Consumers Still Buying Organic

2010-01-03T10:03:00.000-08:00

Even during these tough economic times, consumers that buy natural and organic food are staying loyal to foods that are healthy. A recent survey from Mintel, a market research firm, shows that nearly 40% of consumers claim they haven't changed organic product purchasing habits because of the recession, and only a mere 3% have stopped buying organic products altogether.

December 30, 2009 ATTR Weekly Harvest Newsletter, maryt@ncat.org

Super Sprouts

2009-12-28T23:24:00.000-08:00

Winter just barely started and I’m already tired of the limited seasonal vegetables. It’s definitely time for some sprouts--always fresh-tasting and always in season!

Sprouting seeds are an important staple in my pantry. My favorites are mung beans, but I also store red clover seed and fenugreek. I can also sprout the whole wheat and lentils that I keep for other cooking.

To begin, I soak the seeds overnight in filtered water. Then I put them in my sprouting tray. There are many kinds of sprouting trays available, or you can even use a wide-mouth jar. (Lay the jar on its side, and put a strainer or old piece of panty hose over the end when draining.)

I “inherited” this sprouting tray. If I were buying one, I would like one with sections which separate so I can put finished sprouts in the fridge while I continue to grow others.

Once the seeds are spread in the tray or jar, they need a gentle rinsing 3 or 4 times daily. That’s it! After several days you’ll have yummy vegetables to use in salads, to stir fry, or to just toss in your mouth.

Yum!

Eating Local for the Holidays

2009-12-18T16:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks for taking the Pledge and Eating Local for Thanksgiving. The 3rd annual Eat Local for Thanksgiving campaign was a huge success and we couldn't have done it without you. With your help, a total of 3,535 pledges were collected, a 40% increase over 2008.

This year's pledges revealed that approximately 33,000 individuals throughout Puget Sound took pleasure in a local and "low carbon" Thanksgiving meal---resulting in an impressive CO2 emissions savings of approximately 68,000 pounds. Collectively, your pledge promoted eating locally as a way to support local farms, strengthen the regional economy and protect the environment. That is a lot to be thankful for.

Thanks to you, Cascade Harvest Coalition has a fresh collection of hard numbers and compelling stories to share with local governments, partner and funding organizations highlighting the robust and resolute support in our communities for a healthy, local food system.

http://www.cascadeharvest.org/

Onion-Cranberry Compote

2009-12-08T20:53:00.000-08:00

My husband prepared this delicious side dish for Thanksgiving. It is an excellent substitute for sugary cranberry relish, and lends itself to variations! Even though he omitted raisins and thyme because there were none in our cupboard, the tart favor was refreshing and provided a striking contrast to our holiday meal. Try your own version and be pleasantly surprised!

Makes 4 cups:

2/3 cup yellow raisins
2/3 cup dark raisins
1-1/2 cups hot filtered water
2 pounds onions (small white preferred)
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup dry white wine
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 2/3 cups fresh cranberries

Soak raisins in water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, saute' onions in butter until well coated. Add wine and vinegar and boil down for several minutes. Ad raisins with soaking liquid and remaining ingredients except cranberries. Liquid should just cover the onions--if not, add a little water. Simmer, covered, for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove cover, add cranberries and simmer uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes until liquid has thickened. Let cool. May be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

From: Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenages Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon

Click here to order Nourishing Traditions from Amazon.com.

CSA Farmer-Trainees Wanted

2009-12-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

CSA's are bringing financial stability to small, Organic farmers. If you are interested in learning the skills and techniques needed to start, below is a excellent opportunity!

"The Community Supported Agriculture Training Center at Historic Greenbank Farm on beautiful Whidbey Island, WA is seeking eight to ten new farmer-trainees for 2010. The CSA Training Center will select new trainees on a rolling admission through November, December and January. Selected farmer-trainees will be exposed to a diversified cropping system of fruits and vegetables on almost ten acres of organically certified land using a CSA model.

Applications and information about the program can be found on the NABC website: http://www.agbizcenter.org/. This year, housing is also available through the Whidbey Island WISH Foundation. The Wish housing application can be found on the NABC website.

The CSA training program will begin in early February, 2010 and run through October. Farmer trainees receive a monthly stipend of $500 and a $1,000 educational award at the completion of the year for supplies, tools, and/or equipment need to future farming activities. Participants in the program will be expected to work on average 30 hours per week, with most of these hours coming during the summer growing season. Our goal will be 50 CSA shareholders.

Sebastian Aguilar from Port Townsend has been hired as the new CSA Coordinator and will begin his responsibilities in late November. Mr. Aguilar has been farming organic vegetables full time for the past 13 years. He and his wife, Kelly, have three children and have managed farms in New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Washington State. Sebastian's goals of top quality produce, healthy soils, and social outreach have guided his farming practices and are an excellent match for what is being done at the Training Center at Greenbank Farm.

On the Aguilar's farm in Port Townsend, they use minimum tillage, cover cropping, compost and bio dynamic preparations to build and maintain healthy, fertile soils. He has done seed trials for the Seed Alliance and sold produce to the Port Townsend Food Coop. Farm apprenticeships, CSA's youth education and community involvement have always connected Sebastian's farm to the local community, thereby building relationships that strengthen the local food system and the awareness that supports it.

Sebastian grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico and spent summers gardening with his grandfather in France. He started farming full-time at age 20 and has been passionate about developing a model of small scale organic agriculture that is ecologically, economically, and socially healthy ever since. Having started as an apprentice, Sebastian has learned how to host apprentices of his own---striving to offer them a thorough and holistic agricultural education.

The CSA Training Center at Greenbank Farm, the first of its kind in western Washington, is an innovative community response to what is an alarming reality across our nation: the steady decrease in farmland, a food system dangerously dependent on fossil fuel, and an impersonal food chain that transports food items an average of 1,500 miles from the farm to our dining tables.

The second year of this project is made possible by a grant awarded by the USDA Farmer Market Promotion Grant and matched by the Northwest Agriculture Business Center. The partnership funding brings together mentor farmers, food activists, agricultural organizations and local officials as a team growing new farms and more food for direct distribution to consumers.

For application materials, a CSA brochure, or more information, visit the NABC website at http://www.agbizcenter.org/, or contact CSA Project Director, Maryon Attwood at 360-336-3727 or CSA Coordinator Sebastian Aguilar after November 23rd at the CSA training enter Office: 360-222-3171."
(News from Tilth Producers of Washington)

Take the Thanksgiving Pledge!

2009-11-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

As we gather with friends and family this week, please remember to give thanks for our local farmers and the food they help to put on our tables.

This year, many of us in Washington are joining with the Puget Sound Fresh organization and signing a pledge to "Eat Local for Thanksgiving." We promise to have at least one locally grown, produced or harvested item for our Thanksgiving meal. You can take the pledge right here, and find out how YOU are helping by eating locally grown food.

In Defense of Food...

2009-11-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

“That, more or less, is the short answer to the supposedly incredibly complicated and confusing question of what we humans should eat in order to be maximally healthy.

“…it does seem to me a symptom of our present confusion about food that people would feel the need to consult a journalist, or for that matter a nutritionist or doctor or government food pyramid, on so basic a question about the conduct of our everyday lives as humans. I mean, what other animal needs professional help in deciding what it should eat? True, as omnivores—creatures that can eat just about anything nature has to offer and that in fact need to eat a wide variety of different things in order to be healthy—the 'What to eat' question is somewhat more complicated for us than it is for, say, cows. Yet for most of human history, humans have navigated the question without expert advice. To guide us we had, instead, Culture, which, at least when it comes to food, is really just a fancy word for your mother. What to eat, how much of it to eat, what order in which to eat it, with what and when and with whom have for most of human history been a set of questions long settled and passed down from parents to children without a lot of controversy or fuss.”

So begins Michael Pollan’s book In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. In it, he defines what food IS (not quite as simple as you’d think, in today’s world), and how to eat for enjoyment and for good health instead of just for the nutrients.

Click here to order this book from Amazon.com

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food!

2009-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

September 14 of this year was the beginning of a new campaign, sponsored by the USDA, called “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” (KYF2). We at Enumclaw Plateau Farmers’ Market wholeheartedly endorse this initiative! Our goals for the EPFM include “connecting consumers with local and small farmers” and “telling farmers’ stories and the benefits of sustainable farming.” That’s what knowing your farmer is all about.

Buying directly from the farmer gives us food security, because we can know exactly where our meals are coming from. Farmers’ markets offer us a means to improve our own health (with fresh food) AND to invest in our local economies by supporting our farmers. Everyone wins when you “Know Your Farmer.”

The USDA has also launched a new website for the KYF2 campaign to continue the national conversation about developing local and regional food systems and finding ways to support small and mid-sized farms. "We want this website to serve as a hub of ideas, success stories, and USDA resources for linking local producers with consumers, because by rebuilding our local and regional food systems, we can spur economic opportunity in rural communities and strengthen American agriculture," said Kathleen Merrigan, US Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. "Americans are more interested in food and agriculture than they have been at any other time since most families left the farm and we are marshalling resources from across all of USDA to help create and strengthen the link between local production and local consumption." Check it out here.

As our government officials continue to address health care, let’s not let them forget that health begins with good food. Incentives for farmers who practice sustainable agriculture, healthy food for the poor and elderly, investment in farmers’ markets and other sources of fresh food…. Knowing our farmers and knowing our food will do a lot towards making a healthy America.

An Easy, Delicious, Fresh Fall Salad

2009-11-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

Here is a tasty, protein-filled, salad recipe for those remaining beets in your garden. The textures and flavors are excellent together---especially with fresh beets. I recommend doubling the recipe for those wanting 'seconds'.

Harvard Beets and Boiled Eggs

Trim and boil 3 cups of medium-sized beets 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cook, peel and slice. Save liquid.
In a sauce pan cook 1 cup of reserved juice, 1/4th cup vinegar of your choice, and 2 Tblsp. of raw honey.
Add 2 cloves, 1/2 tsp. of salt, 3 peppercorns and 1 bay leaf.
Add soft-boiled eggs and onions as desired.
Marinate for 2 days, covered in the refrigerator, for full flavor.
Serves 3 easily as a side dish.
Enjoy!

BLACK GOLD..... For All You Backyard Gardeners

2009-10-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

FARMER FOCUS SERIES
Enumclaw's
Dinkelman Worm Farm - Part I

Composting animal manures along with plant biomass produces "black gold." Even compost without farm animal manures fosters biodiversity in your garden. Above ground, the good bugs keep the bad ones in check and, below ground, a rich microbial community means more beneficial relationships that improve the soil structure, fight disease, and segregate carbon so plants take up water and nutrients more efficiently. How do we backyard food growers and gardeners enhance compost without manure? WORMS! Vermicomposting is the art of using worms and their castings in composting piles or bins.

Earthworms are incredible creature! They are nature's waste disposal units...or rather...it is more accurate to call them waste renewal units. They don't simply consume the waste, they turn it into nutrient-rich compost. How? The Wikipedia dictionary gives a clear description. "Worms turn large pieces of organic matter (e.g. dead leaves) into rich humus by pulling down the organic matter deposited on dried dirt (such as leaf fall or manure) either for food or when it needs to plug its burrow. Once in the burrow, the worm will shred the leaf and partially digest it, then mingle it with the earth by saturating it with intestinal secretions." Excretion of mucus also allows them to slide through their tunnels pumping air and opening passages for water to traverse. Sounds like a lot of unrewarding work to me, but I guess they simply know what to do and then do it.

A worm cast or vermicast is a structure created in the soil that gives an appearance of multiple worms. "Vermicasts can contain 40% more humus than the top 9" of soil in which the worm is living." According to Nature Watch "earthworm castings have five times as much nitrogen, seven times as much phosphorous, 11 times as much potassium, and 1,000 times more "beneficial bacteria" than the stuff the worm consumes in the first place." Literally speaking, what goes in is far less valuable than what comes out. How did worms get so smart to create gold out of waste? I wonder why we humans don't understand this process.

Earthworms not only restore and make our soil rich for food and plant life, they have the potential to "detox"the organic parts of industrial sludge flowing out of industrial or hazardous waste. According to Indian researchers the method is ideal for industries such as paper, food processing, oil, textiles, dairy, distilleries and agro-chemicals. In other words, these small, underground, neglected creatures also have the capacity to help save life on Earth! Not all worms function at such high levels, however, only vermiculture worms: Tiger worms, red worms, manure worms, red wigglers, and eisenia foetida.

With all this talk about worms you are probably wondering, "How did our hometown people, Duane and Lori Dinkleman, get started in this business? How are their worms farmed and harvested? What do they do with all of them? Can I get some?" Very soon I'll acquaint you with these fine folks in our next issue of FARMER FOCUS. If you can't wait, and want to contact them directly the e-mail and phone numbers are dinksdirt@comcast.net, (253) 632-6184 or (360) 825-2394.

In the meantime here is some worm trivia courtesy of the Dinkelmans.

Worm & Vermiculture Trivia:

Have no teeth or eyes
Eat rotting foods "our garbage"
Do not like bright light or loud noise
Do not like vibration
Like temps 40-75 degrees
Need to be fed once a week
Bins should be odorless
Live 1-4 yrs.
Eat by grinding waste in the gizzard
Can double population in 90 days
Need oxygen to live
"Crawl" if not maintained and fed right
Like environments that are 75% water
Worms are bisexual. They move in clusters. As they "cluster up" they create more.
Produce castings
Castings will not burn plants
Castings are rich natural fertilizer

FARMER FOCUS SERIES

2009-10-27T17:55:00.000-07:00

Enumclaw's
Dinkelman Worm Farm
Part II

The Dinkelman Worm Farm has been a chemical-free environment since 1998 and is certified organic. Lori's father, a third generation dairy farmer, purchased the farm in 1930. Lori grew up on her dad's 120 acres, but as a teenager wanted to leave the farm for city life. Duane's mom's side of the family had a farming heritage too, even though he was a city kid and grew up in West Seattle. It was there he and Lori met and continued to live their city life together. In 1992, one year after Lori's dad died of cancer, she and Duane moved from West Seattle to Glacier Vista. They wanted to work the inherited 33 acres and make something of the farm. A significant side benefit in returning to the farm was noticeable health improvement for Lori who had been diagnosised with Multiple Sclerosis.

Duane and Lori's original idea was to start a nursery. However, they soon realized a waste management problem on the land---an abundance of horse manure. It was Lori's mom who casually suggested cultivating worms because they came naturally. Duane says, "The process is simple. Manure piles into compost, and if there is proper moisture and feeding---worms will go to it." Recognizing their immense waste management problem, and how worms could recycle it into a valuable resource ('black gold') for growing healthy food and plant life now and in the future, clarified how the farm would be cultivated. Here was a solution to no fertile farmlands.....no food.

According to The Ecologist: A Blue Print for Survival "worm compost not only improves soil quality, prevents plant diseases, speeds up seed germination, combats soil erosion, increases the soil's ability to store water (thereby diminishing the amount of water needed by trees and plant life), it also reduces mineral leaching from the soil and fixes heavy metals." Science Daily News informs that "just one pound of (specific species) worms can turn 1.3 million pounds of raw manure into high quality fertilizer in approximately 60 days that will increase plant life to thrive." The Ecologist also publicizes research showing increase in plant yields that are significant from vermicomposting: "40% for broccoli, 80% for tomatoes and as much as 259% for carrots."

Although the Dinkelman's Worm Farm is in it's early stages of development and not yet ready for large-scale commerical use, current indications suggest vermicomposting is finding new fans---some in unusual places. "Around 32% of the European Union's annual municipal waste (around 120 million tons) is food and garden waste," according to Waste Management World. "30% of U.S. waste (announced by the EPA) could have been composted in 2000---representing 92 million tons of organic waste that otherwise sat rotting on landfills." Local governments and companies are grappling with how to safely dispose of waste. "McDonald's aims to decrease the amount of waste it sends to Hong Kong's rapidly filling landfills by 80%-----after signing up for a vermicomposting program that will have 80 million worms feasting on between 50-200 tons of organic waste a day", informs Reuters News Service. Treehugger.com announced another US company, IKEA of Illinois, is conducting vermicomposting trials. If all goes well, it aims to use worm composting to boost its 70% recycling rates to 90%.

The Dinkelman's farming efforts happen on weekends and evenings as they both daily commute (and have for 15 years) to full-time occupations in North Seattle. Since 1992 they have gradually restored a deteriorating 20th century homestead, and have plans to expand their worm farm operations. Their efforts go beyond good farm stewardship. They are committed to helping avert a food crisis by educating children, and all who want to understand, how each of us can be more self-reliant. They speak at schools and community groups, as well as participate in local and Puget Sound fairs. Word gets around about Dink's Dirt vermicomposting. In fact at this point all their advertising is word-of-mouth-----whether for restoring City pea-patches, community and business soil improvements, individuals wanting to amend their soil, or apartment and condo dwellers beginning compost bins on a back porch in order to grow food. Give them a call at (253) 632-6184 or (360) 825-2394, or e-mail Lori at dinksdirt@comcast.net to find out how they can help you.

Even with all of it's demands, the Dinkelmans are excited about farming. Lori said, "We feel it is our moral responsibility to be good stewards of the land before passing it on." They both agree, "Farming is our passion.....we are following our bliss." As I was leaving the farm that beautiful Fall night, Lori showed me a T. S. Elliot poem she lives by:

"We shall not cease from exploration,
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time."

Mmmm, Mmmm Good!

2009-10-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

Outside it's cold and rainy, but inside I still have loads of summer-fresh tomatoes. What sounds good? Here's a solution that's more delicious than any canned soup.

FRESH TOMATO SOUP

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

4 medium tomatoes, peeled* and quartered

1/2 chopped onion

1/2 tsp dried basil

Cook 15 minutes, then puree in blender.

Make a white sauce: 2 Tbs butter melted with 2 Tbs flour. Stir together, then slowly add 1 cup milk, stirring to prevent lumps. Add vegetable mixture to white sauce, then heat (don't boil). Enjoy!

*If you have a tough blender, there is really no need to peel. My Vita Mix can puree tomatoes--peel and all.

My Enumclaw Backyard Chickens

2009-10-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

For a long time, I have wanted to raise chickens. I live in downtown Enumclaw, on a city lot of about 1/3 acre. I learned that it IS legal to have chickens in the city limits, as long as they are fully enclosed and do not have an odor that can bother neighbors. Then a friend offered me some free chickens, and I knew the time was right. That was just a few weeks ago, so I’m still learning. If you have experience and would like to add your comments, please do!

When I knew the chickens were coming, I started researching how to build a chicken coop. I loved the "hen spa," but couldn’t handle its price tag. I eventually found the book Chicken Tractor by Andy Lee and Pat Foreman, which gave me lots of information. A chicken tractor is any kind portable pen—like the hen spa—which is moved frequently to allow the chickens to eat whatever they find on the ground as well as what they are given in their feeder. The authors discuss the benefits of a portable coop (easier cleaning because there’s no floor and taking advantage of the chicken manure to fertilize the garden). They give detailed directions--although there are some errors and inconsistencies in my edition of the book--on how to build your own tractor. Especially helpful are the tips such as hanging the food and water from the roof so you don’t have pick up anything when it’s time to move. The book also gives guidelines such as 3-4 square feet for each laying hen and 9 inches of perch space per hen. Googling “chicken tractor” on the internet brought many more ideas, including a website with photos of almost 200 variations on the idea of a portable chicken coop.

The Chicken Tractor authors estimate a cost of $75 for their coop (without nest boxes). However, our family was able to round up enough 2’x4’s, chicken wire, and plywood (although it is patched together in places) so that all we had to buy was hardware. A friend gave us the fiberglass roofing material. Our total cost was under $20. It’s good to remember that you don’t want a lot of heavy-duty lumber because the coop needs to be light enough to move!

What we finally ended up with looks like this: Module #1 is 8’ x 3’ and is 2’ high. It has 2 beams across the middle for hanging food and water. It has a door in one end which I close to move the coop. It has 2 sections of roof which open to allow access to food and water, and to the door. The roofs are hooked closed when not raised. Module #2 is 4’ x 3’ and 3’ high. I made it taller than module #1 so that the chickens can move UP to roost at night. The interior design is a close copy of the hen spa, with 3 nest boxes and 2 perches. This

module also has a roof which lifts and a door in one end which pulls up to allow access into module #1. There are plywood walls around the top half, for shelter from our Enumclaw winds. I attached 2x2 boards on the outside as handles, because the plywood made it hard to hold on for moving.

During the day, the chickens have free access to the whole coop—a total of 36 square feet of ground for 7 birds. When they are on the lawn, we move them every day. The grass from previous days does look yellow for awhile, but then comes back nice and green. At first I had problems with the chickens digging holes in the lawn, but that got better when I put grit in their food. Chickens need small rocks to help their digestion, and they weren’t getting enough from my lawn. My morning routine of checking for eggs, cleaning the nest boxes, checking food and water, and moving the coop takes me about 10 minutes total.

Moving the coop was interesting at first. The chickens sort of panicked, and one even got her leg caught under the side the first time. (I felt so bad!--though she wasn’t seriously hurt and probably got over it faster than I did.) After a few days, though, the hens had it figured out. Now they just move along slowly with their house and seem to look forward to finding goodies in their new patch of grass.

Right now, my garden is still growing food, but I plan to have my chickens help me with the garden in the winter. My chicken tractor was made to fit on top of my raised beds. When the vegetables are done, I will put the chickens in the garden to eat up the compost and to till and fertilize the soil. The Chicken Tractor book also discusses how to start new raised beds by leaving the chickens in one place for a month or more and just layering in straw or other bedding. Add a thin layer of topsoil when the chickens are done, and you have a fertile garden bed. I have also considered using some temporary fencing to put them in parts of the yard where the tractor can’t go—like in my raspberry patch. I can move module #2 (with the roosts and nest boxes) right up next to the fenced-in area, and they can scratch the bugs and weeds out of any part of the yard.

The chickens enjoy their yard diet, but I need to buy food as well. I purchased Layer Poultry Feed, which has the calcium which chickens need when they are producing eggs. Since my chickens are just starting to lay, I bought oyster shells as an additional calcium source. As previously mentioned, I also purchased grit. It looks like my 50 lb bag of feed ($12) will last my chickens about 4 weeks. I do give them daily treats of garden trimmings or kitchen compost as well. (They know good stuff is coming and always run to greet me when I go out to the coop!)

Chickens are curious and friendly. My kids have named all of them and like to hold them. I enjoy watching and listening to them, and hope they’ll be part of my life for a long time.

Click here to order Chicken Tractor: The Permaculture Guide to Happy Hens and Healthy Soil from Amazon.com

Backyard Sustainably Grown and Fed Chickens

2009-10-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Bob Cannard, of Green String Farm, has farmed sustainably for 30 years. His father Bob Cannard Sr. was an avid advocate of backyard chickens, particularly in Sonoma, CA. We asked Bob Cannard how he would feed chickens locally. He provided the following chicken meal plan.

Free range:
Within a fenced backyard, periodically rotate chickens in your garden. They will scratch the fence up a bit, but will keep the grass mowed.
With larger property, chickens can free range on a rotational pasture.
Orchards are a great place to let chickens run around.
A good Winter ground cover for chicken runs is crimson clover.

Greens:
For egg laying hens provide 60-70% greens.
Too many greens aren't good for growth or egg laying.
They like greens that are soft, leafy and palatable.
Some good greens are: kale, Swiss chard, beet tops, amaranth, and some comfrey (not a lot).
Kale is a source of protein.
Avoid less sweet greens like mustard.
Pick, chop up, drop in.
Greens are great as long as the chickens are not de-beaked.
Phytochemicals come from greens.

Grow an old fashioned crop of corn as a protein source.
Flint or semi-flint type corn is best--never hybrids or GMO's.
Good choice are Semi-Flint, Semi-Sweet, Country Gentleman.
Feed whole corn kernels---just shell off from the cob.
Corn dried on plants will keep for feeding later.
For 20 chicken you need 1/8 acre of corn.

Alternates to Corn are Millet and Milo and are sources of protein easier to grow than corn. Their yield can be lower depending on how it grows on your property.

All kitchen scraps. Everything from the kitchen including cheese and meat.

Garden Waste:
Weeds - a wheal barrow load each day for 20 chickens.
Anything no longer edible for humans (but nothing rotten or moldy)
Melons, squash, etc.
Pumpkins in the winter are a source of protein. Grow pumpkins around the corn. Chop up the pumpkins and feed all winter long. Get full sized pumpkins: i.e. New England Pie or, slightly bigger, Howden.
A couple of dozen plants are needed for 20 chickens.
20 tons of pumpkin can be gotten from one acre.

Any Squash is a source of protein.
In the Winter: Winter Squash and Butternut Squash
In the Summer: Zucchini, which is high in protein

Other helpful information:
You probably won’t be able to grow all the food you need for your chickens, but you can definitely grow most of it. To feed a flock of 20 chickens once a day, it should take on average 10 minutes. (Some days it will be longer and other days just a few minutes.)
Chickens are extremely efficient animals - converting 7lbs of feed to 1 lb of body.

General Sustainability:
Keep the pen clean.
Conserve manure for compost, and put it back on what you are growing for their food. "

Interview by Deborah Grace Craft at http://www.sustainablechicken.com/.
Learn more from an additional interview by Deborah---"Introduction to Robert Plamondon", (Oregon farmer and writer of practical free-range poultry rearing).

Penne with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

2009-09-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Combine in a bowl:
2 Tbs oil
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn in small pieces
6 fresh tomatoes, cut in small squares (Actually, I think the more tomatoes, the better!)
6 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded or cut in small dice
8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped (optional)

Season to taste with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper. Let stand while you prepare the pasta.

Cook 3/4 pound penne until it is “al dente” and drain well. Toss the hot pasta with the tomato mixture and serve at once.

from Linda’s Kitchen: Simple and Inspiring Recipes for Meals Without Meat by Linda McCartney
Click here to order this cookbook from Amazon.com

Is My Pork Okay to Eat?

2009-09-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Question: "We raise pasture pigs and are confused by reports of swine flu. Should we be concerned for our animals and ourselves?

Answer: Most people are aware that the influenza virus is a matter of change. That's why humans are offered vaccinations for the flu with a new strain of virus every year. Not only does the virus change within a species, but it has been known to 'jump ship' and infect new species, such as with the avian flu in Asia a few years ago. There are many species of animals that are susceptible to the influenza virus, including humans, swine, birds, (domestic poultry, ducks, geese, etc.), dogs and horses. Scientists have determined that this new flu outbreak has multiple genes in common with swine, avian and human flu.

There has been some suggestion that the first cases in Mexico were related to people who were working or living near large swine operations. There's no direct evidence, however, that these people contracted the virus from infected swine. As of this writing, there have been no reported cases of swine in the United States infected with this particular strain of the virus. If you maintain a closed herd of pigs (not bringing in any new animals from outside sources), you shouldn't be unduly concerned that your pigs will get infected.

....Pastured-raised swine are generally less immunologically stressed than those raised in indoor, close-confinement operations. Infectious diseases and parasites travel more rapidly in confinement units, as well. At this printing, the USDA and CDC haven't proven that the H1Ni strain is transferred from pigs to humans or vice-versa....."

by Dianne Hellwig, Phd, DVM with Dr. Lyle G. Mc Neal,
Hobby Farms magazine, July-August 2009 http://www.hobbyfarms.com/

What's IN the Beef for Dinner?

2009-09-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

You may have heard that it takes eight pounds of corn to grow a pound of beef—and that the corn would be better eaten in its “pre-beef” form. That’s definitely true, and the poor cow would probably rather not eat that corn either.

Cows are ruminants: animals with multiple stomachs that allow them to convert grass (which most animals can’t digest) into high-quality proteins. The organ which makes this possible is the cow’s rumen, where the grass is fermented by specialized bacteria and then used by the cow. In return, the cow spreads and “plants” the grass seed, then fertilizes it with his manure. Grasses and ruminants form a sustainable, symbiotic system for converting sunlight into protein.

So why don’t we let the system work?

Unfortunately, cows raised on grass take longer to gain weight than cows raised on corn. In the name of “efficiency,” cattle are fed what to them is an unnatural diet so they can be full-grown in about half the time it would take naturally. Of course, cows can’t eat corn by themselves (as they do grass), so it has to be fed to them. Thus feedlots (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations or “CAFO’s”) were invented to house the cattle in small areas, making the process more efficient still.

These days, feedlot cattle are actually being bred to be able to eat large quantities of corn without getting too sick. Still, though, they are susceptible to bloat, acidosis, and a host of other diseases—which is why they are fed antibiotics with their corn in order to live long enough to make it to the slaughterhouse. It doesn’t sound like much of a life.

So, while corn is apparently cheap and efficient, it’s not a good value. There are the public health costs (antibiotic-resistant supergerms and E.coli poisoning from sick cows), the taxpayer-supported farm subsidies to keep the corn cheap, the environmental costs of pesticides and fertilizers for growing the corn, and the cost of the petroleum needed to make it all happen. Ironically, the system that developed to make meat production more efficient has done just the opposite.

It seems like common sense to abandon the feedlots and raise beef in pastures, but it takes a lot to turn around half a century of “progress.” There are fewer pastures than 50 years ago and fewer farmers who know how to replace high-maintenance feeding with grazing. Joel Huesby of Thundering Hooves Pasture Finished Meats (here in Washington) is one of these farmers. He says, “Cattle as part of a holistic system can harvest crop aftermaths such as straw or unharvested vegetables. They can harvest forage on land too dry or steep for farming. The key is good management. Four-fifths of what goes in the front end of a cow goes out the back, enriching the soil for the next cycle of crops….The waste of one is the food of the other.” (Quite a contrast to the feedlots where energy pours in while pollution pours out.)

In nature, herds of ruminants graze in tight groups to ward off predators, and they frequently move to fresh grazing areas where the grass is new and not spoiled by their own manure. Joel Salatin—another farmer raising grass-fed beef--calls this “the mob and move routine,” and he strives to replicate it for his cattle on Polyface Farm.

Of course, grass feeding affects the nutritional composition of beef. Grass-fed beef has less fat than grain-fed, and it has more of the good omega-3 fats. Cattle fed on grass also have twice as many CLA’s (conjugated lineoleic acids) as cattle fed on corn, because their rumens have bacteria that convert grass to CLA’s. CLA’s provide cancer-fighting benefits, prevent weight gain, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and help fight inflammation.

Joel Huesby muses, “I don't kid myself by thinking these broken energy systems can be fixed overnight. We'll need time to restore the grass-based genetics in cattle, time to train people to move cattle in high-intensity, short-duration grazing schedules like wild herds, and time to educate the public and lawmakers who only now are beginning to understand there's a difference.” (“Harvesting Sunlight” in PCC Newsletter, August, 2009)

We’ll also need motivation—incentive for meat producers to go back to a system that’s sustainable. That incentive can come from customers who insist on grass-fed beef for dinner.

Polyface Farm

2009-09-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Polyface, farmed by Joel Salatin in Virginia, is one of the most productive and influential alternative farms in America. This description by Michael Pollan is a fantastic example of what sustainable agriculture is all about.

"Though it was only the third week of June, the pasture beneath me had already seen several rotational turns. Before being cut earlier in the week for the hay that would feed the farm's animals through the winter, it had been grazed twice by beef cattle, which after each day-long stay had been succeeded by several hundred laying hens. They'd arrived by Eggmobile, a ramshackle portable henhouse designed and built by Salatin. Why chickens? 'Because that's how it works in nature,' Salatin explained. 'Birds follow and clean up after herbivores.' and so during their turn in the pasture, the hens had performed several ecological services for the cattle as well as the grass: They'd picked the tasty grubs and fly larvae out of the cowpats, in the process spreading the manure and eliminating parasites. (This is what Joel has in mind when he says the animals do the work around here; the hens are his 'sanitation crew,' the reason his cattle have no need of chemical parasiticides.) And while they were at it, nibbling on the short cattle-clipped grasses they like best, the chickens applied a few thousand pounds of nitrogen to the pasture--and produced several thousand uncommonly rich and tasty eggs. After a few weeks' rest, the pasture will be grazed again, each steer turning these lush grasses into beef at the rate of two or three pounds a day.

"...Salatin's audacious bet is that feeding ourselves from nature need not be a zero-sum proposition, one in which if there is more for us at the end of the season then there must be less for nature--less topsoil, less fertility, less life. He's betting, in other words, on a very different proposition, one that looks an awful lot like the proverbially unattainable free lunch."

(from The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan)
Click here to order The Omnivore's Dilemma from Amazon.com

Sweet Corn Salsa

2009-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick recipe that uses most everything from an Enumclaw garden this time of year!

"There is something almost spiritual about harvesting sweet corn, walking down the dew-covered rows in the early morning hours, the towering stalks blocking your view from all sides. You walk the rows feeling each ear of corn; this one's too small, this one will be ready tomorrow, this one is perfect. And with a swift downward pull you release the stalk. Every harvester has the joy of taking a quick break to shuck a particularly perfect ear and indulge in that divine, dreamy sweetness of just-picked corn. Fortunately, that sweetness can lend itself to this salsa.

Here we combine indigenous foods of the Americas into a most flavorful salsa. The combination of sweet, hot, and sour makes a wonderful pairing with grilled foods, or really, with just about anything. If you have a grill going, you can rub the ears of corn lightly with oil and grill them over a low fire; roll the ears around with a pair of tongs so they cook evenly. A little charring is okay. Homemade salsa is best if used up the day it is made---and left-overs probably won't be an issue.

Makes about 2-1/2 cups

Need:

3 ears of sweet corn
1 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped, rinsed
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro leaves
freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. of salt.

1. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the corn kernels and saute for 3 minutes.

2. Combine the corn and all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Serve warm or chilled."

from Farmer John's Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables, Angelic Organics.
Click here to order this book from Amazon.com

Ever wondered what "Real Milk" means?

2009-09-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

This summer I have had the good fortune to purchase raw milk directly from a certified organic raw milk farm in Enumclaw. This fresh milk is full of flavor, cream, nutrients---and is delicious! Milk doesn't get better than that found at the Meadowwood Farm. Soon our Farmer Focus will feature a three-part series on MEADOWWOOD Organics.

So what do real milk and raw milk have to do with each other?

"Real Milk is milk that is full-fat, unprocessed, and from pasture-fed cows. We do NOT recommend consumption of raw milk from conventional confinement dairies or dairies which produce milk intended for pasteurization. Nor do we recommend the consumption of low fat or skim raw milk--there are important protective factors in the butterfat. Real Milk, that is, raw whole milk from grass-fed cows (fed pasture, hay and silage), produced under clean conditions and promptly refrigerated, contains many anti-microbial and immune-supporting components; but this protective system in raw milk can be overwhelmed, and the milk contaminated, in situations conducive to filth and disease. Know your farmer." (realmilk.com)

There is a lot of controversy over raw milk--as there should be--because not all raw milk is created equal. For those who wish detailed information on the safety and health benefits of raw milk, read your choice of the following articles at realmilk.com.

*Campaign for Real Milk power point presentation.

*Response to the FDA power point.

*Responses to William Marler (including an analysis of all published studies claiming illness caused by raw milk).

*Raw Milk: What the scientific literature really says.

*Response to Anti-Raw Milk summary by Bill Marler.

*Experts defend bacteria in Raw Milk: court testimony.

*Response to recent Anti-Raw Milk article.

MEADOWWOOD Organics - Part I

2009-09-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Local Milk: Raw or Pasteurized

FARMER FOCUS SERIES
By Darlene Silliman

I didn't set out to be an advocate of drinking raw milk. Like many things in life, things happen that mold us as people. I am not the person I was 20 years ago and definitely not the naive person I was 10 years before that.There are certain loves and passions I have had most of my life and one of those may have led to what I do now, run a Raw Milk Dairy with my husband, Tom.

Through our journey of becoming a Certified Grade A Dairy we became aware of the raw milk community. We read a lot of research done by a group called the Weston A. Price Foundation.Dr. Price was a dentist who did pro-bono dental work around the globe during the late 19th and early part of the 20th century. He kept meticulous records of the people he cared for and started seeing distinct patterns in dental health. Cultures that ate traditional foods (non-processed, whole foods and drank raw whole milk) had better teeth and health.

I was thrilled when given a book, titled "The Untold Story of Milk". It chronicles the shift, in the United States, of drinking raw milk from grass-fed cows to cows being moved to confinement facilities inn cities and pasteurized milk becoming the norm. In the days prior to refrigeration, it was hard to keep milk cold and fresh. It became a matter of economics. There was the farmer, up before daylight, milking his herd of cows, chilling his milk in milk cans and then hauling it to town or to sell at a market first thing in the morning or leaving bottles of milk on front doorsteps. It was a lot of work.

When the towns grew into cities, the problems became greater. How do you supply all those people with milk? The answer, move the cows to the city. City cows, however, were not grass fed. They were fed hay that had to be hauled in. When brewery owners realized the cows would eat the spent grain from making beer, it seemed like a win-win situation: a decrease in feed costs for the farmer and no more hauling brewery swill and paying for disposal.

A small problem is that a cow is a ruminant animal and is designed to eat and digest grass. Another problem is that confinement dairies are not very clean and Mothers noticed their babies getting sick. When consulting the doctors, it became apparent milk was the problem. They found that when milk was cooked (pasteurized) the babies did not get sick. It became common practice to pasteurize the city milk. Another economic benefit from pasteurizing the milk is that it increased the shelf life. Pasteurized milk will last several days without refrigeration and several weeks if kept cold. Raw milk turns to natural yogurt if warm for more then a day. It lasts up to two weeks if kept at 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

Eventually, pasteurization became the norm even with the invention of refrigeration. The dairies were moved back to the country but some of the practices from the city continued. Some people found that pasteurized milk made them sick. It wasn't until much later that research showed that pasteurization not only kills the nasty stuff that gets in the milk, but vitamins, enzymes and the good bacteria as well. As with many good intentions, healthy raw milk has been replaced in our culture by pasteurized milk, partly out of necessity which has then been followed by law.

People can be very passionate on both sides of the issue and for me it comes down to freedom of informed choice. Some would have us believe that ALL raw milk will make you sick or even worse kill you. However, cows have been domesticated for over 6,000 years with pasteurization occurring (in the 'civilized" nations) for only the last 100 or more dispelling the belief that raw milk is dangerous. Unsanitary practices at the dairy or processing plant, is what's dangerous, whether the milk is pasteurized or not.

Raw milk can be difficult to find, particularly in states where it is illegal to sell, barter or trade. Washington State allows the sale of Raw Milk, with the correct licenses. In order to sell raw milk a dairy must have a Grade "A" dairy license, as well as a Milk Processing Plant License. For some of you that may be considering Raw Milk, the standard for purity that has to be met with Raw Milk in Washington is the same as that for pasteurized milk, from the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance or PMO. The milk is tested monthly for bacteria and coli form, by the WSDA. Cows are tested annually for TB and Brucellosis. Facilities are inspected every 3 months and farms annually to make sure everything is as it should be. At our farm we test for coli form and mastitis at least once a week.

Raw milk is now available for purchase in many Western WA food coops, Whole Foods markets and a small number of farms. Having dairy animals takes a lot of dedication. There are no sick days, vacation days, holidays or weekends. Twice a day, everyday the cows must be milked. If you know a local dairy farmer, tell them thanks for their dedication next time you see them. No matter how you chose to drink it, pasteurized or raw, enjoy!

Darlene Silliman and her family drink raw milk from their Dairy MEADOWWOOD Organics. Their milk is chemical free and certified Grade A and RAW, the cows graze all day on grass and are part of the family. If you are interested in obtaining raw milk and cream contact Darlene @: tomdarsavy@gmail.com, 360-802-3845 or visit www.meadowwoodorganics.com.

Orignally published in Mindful Intent magazine, Fall 2008.

MEADOWWOOD Organics - Part II

2009-09-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

LOCALLY GROWN

FARMER FOCUS SERIES
By Darlene Silliman

Our prized, locally grown product is our daughter Savannah. As with most parents, we decided when she was born that we would do our best to give her as healthy and fulfilling a life as possible. When we looked at what we have control over, the list is rather small. We determined that we could control what we choose to eat and so decided to grow our food, free of chemicals and pesticides and genetically modified ingredients.

Our small, 13 acre homestead is a reflection of that purpose. Not only do we grow food for Savannah and our family, but local people and friends started asking if we had "extra" that they could buy, If I remember correctly, it started with eggs. We gave some eggs to a friend and after seeing the gorgeous orange yolk and tasting the difference in an egg from a chicken that has been allowed access to clean grass, dirt and fresh air, they were hooked. The flock of chickens grew from five, to ten and up to over 100. Our poultry lives in our posture in movable huts that are constantly moved to fresh, clean grass. They come and go at their convenience. They aerate the pasture and fertilize it for us as thy go about their business being chickens. For their protection, we have their huts surrounded by electrical netting. Not only does it keep the hens in, it also keep predators out.

One of the products we really wanted for our family was pasture based dairy. We milked some goats for a while, and the responsibility of a dairy animal is daily and endless. I was frustrated with the goat milk and the fact that I could not separate the cream easily to make butter. We sold the goats and joined a local Cowshare. The milk was wonderful and the demand for the milk great. A year later, we bought our own Jersey cow and started our own Cowshare. We are now a Licensed Grade A daily with a processing license for RAW milk. We have expanded to 2 cows and have two heifer calves that were born here for future expansion. Our customers come from near and far for the wonderful milk that we package in wide-mouth, glass jars, so every family can skim off the thick cream and make butter if they choose.

We live with the seasons, planting in the spring, watching with excitement as each seedling pushes it way toward the sun or the hatching of each clutch of eggs and the birth of calves, the flowering of the fruit trees and the pollination by our bees. We weed and water all summer. The greatest sense of satisfaction is with the harvest in the fall. We stock our pantry, and fill the freezers to carry us through the winter. During the winter, we rest, renew and plan for the cycle that will start again in the spring. We feel privileged that we can be caretakers and stewards of the land and hopefully leave it in better shape than when we found it. Savannah is right in the middle of it all. Learning about care, compassion, responsibility and hard work as well as where food comes from. She is truly, locally grown.

Darlene Silliman lives with her husband Tom and daughter Savannah on their 13 acre farm MEADOWWOOD Organics. They run a micro-dairy with a farm store where they sell raw milk, cream, eggs, and produce. She can be reached at: tomdarsavy@gmail.com, 360-802-3845 pr visit www.meadowwoodorganics.com.

Originally published in Mindful Intent magazine, Fall 2008.

MEADOWWOOD Organics - Part III

2009-09-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

FARMER FOCUS SERIES

The Sillimans grew up close to the land, although neither one had parents who were farmers. Darlene was raised on her grandfather's farm in Nepal where the family grew their own food. In Nepal not to grow one's own food was abnormal. Tom was raised in Minnesota on his dad's inherited farm. Even though his dad didn't work the farm, Tom helped with the big garden and raising the chickens. Throughout high school in the Mid-West Tom worked as a herd-hand, milked cows, and drove a tractor.

In 1982 Tom and Darlene met in Minnesota at an Avionics technical school, then developed a 20-year friendship as they continued careers in aviation. In 1996 they were married. Both dreamed of their own land to grow food that would sustain their family, with some to share. The dream became an imperative when Tom's mom died early of cancer at age 56 in 1998. It triggered the understanding that food matters and they began an on-going look at what we eat and what we have control over in life.

In 2001 they moved from Illinois to Enumclaw when Darlene was pregnant with Savannah. The land they purchased was a meadow-in-the-wood. It was like a "blank slate" The front 5 farming acres were open pastures--the other 8 acres forested as wet lands. As you can see from Darlene's prior two articles, they are making their dream come true and have been living organically since 2003. All the animal feed, hay....everything is pure.

When asked, "What advice would you give young people considering farming as a vocation--and do you think farming is financially viable for a family these days?

Darlene said, "Start small. One person needs to work full-time...maybe two!! Do not buy a lot of equipment, or the best. It is not simple to farm organically. Farming is physically demanding 7-days/week with no vacations or holidays. The body can only do so much. One infestation of grasshoppers can destroy a whole crop. A farmer must be able to handle disappointment. The price of land in Enumclaw is now $20,000 an acre. Most farmers, especially young farmers, can't afford to farm. You have to love it to do it, because the financial security isn't there."

Stop by the Silliman's Farm store soon to buy fresh eggs, and cream-topped raw milk--with live digestive enzymes and vitamins. Right here in Enumclaw...a wonderful opportunity. Don't miss it! I guarantee you will quickly notice the quality and difference of Meadowwood's safe, nutritious milk and eggs.

There are some cow shares still available for specific days only. If interested in a cow share, OR learning how to make raw cheese, yogurt and butter in Darlene's September class, contact her by e-mail at tomdarsavy@gmail.com, (360) 802-3845 or visit http://www.meadowoodorganics.com/.

Zucchini Milk

2009-08-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you are wondering what to do with all the extra zucchini and want to stretch the budget, here's a suggestion.

"Zucchini milk is a versatile liquid that's ideal for making bread, cakes, and cream soups. Make the milk when zucchini is in season and freeze it in one-cup containers. For a pale, off-white milk, peel the zucchini thickly (or double peel). Unpeeled zucchini will result in green milk.

2-1/2 pounds of firm zucchini, peeled and cut into chunks

PLACE ENOUGH ZUCCHINI in a blender to fill it about one-quarter full. Process to a thick, smooth liquid. Pour into a large saucepan. Repeat to puree all the zucchini.

Heat to boiling over medium-high heat and cook for 1 minute. Cool briefly and pour into four, one-cup canning jars. Makes about 1 quart.

Cooks Tip: This versatile milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 year."

The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook by Marjorie H. Jones, R.N.
Click here to order The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook on Amazon.com

Preserving the Harvest

2009-08-23T06:00:00.001-07:00

If you want to eat all local food, you need to preserve and store food at harvest time to last until the next harvest. Food storage was a fact of life for our forebears, but it's something that we're not always used to thinking about!

Food preservation, however, does not need to be complicated. Most fresh foods can be frozen, dehydrated, or canned. A fantastic website to help you get started (or to answer questions, even if you are an experienced food preserver) is PickYourOwn.org.

*If you want to find U-Pick farms, click on "Start Here" at the top of the page, and find your state.

*Check out "Picking Tips" for how to tell what is ripe.

*Click on "Home canning, freezing, etc." for a wealth of information. There are step-by-step directions and photos on how to preserve almost any fruit or vegetable. (I learned how to can fresh figs, which I tasted for the first time this summer!)

*Also under "Home canning, freezing, etc." there are links to online sources for food storage supplies. I discovered that Amazon has a great price on pectin. Who knew?

Even if you don't want to get into food preservation "Big Time," you can freeze some produce--or even make freezer jam--with no special equipment. Check out this wonderful website, and give it a try!

Eating What We Grow....and the Potato's uprising

2009-08-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Some people experience sensitivities or allergy-like symptoms eating nightshade plants harvested now throughout the Fall---tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers. The degree of food sensitivity varies by person, but greens from nightshade plants should not be eaten by anyone. Due to higher concentrates of alkaloids they are toxic. Green spots or green potatoes, are indications that the potato is toxic and should be avoided.

The humble potato, however, is not to be avoided. For decades it has been demoted to a starchy food causing weight gain. Now it is referred to as one of the healthiest foods in the world. (see whfoods.org) The simple baked potato is credited with photo chemicals that rival those in broccoli, having blood pressure lowering potential, and a good source of vitamin B6 ---which assists brain cell and nervous system activity, helps with athletic performance, and assists the cardiovascular system to protect itself against cancer.

Potatoes, carborhydrate-rich tubers, with skins are an excellent source of fiber. With 2 grams of fiber per serving a potato equals or exceeds that of whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, and many cereals......making it a safe, nutritional and satisfying substitute for those watching their budget and those diagnoised Celiac. Potatoes are easy to grow and can have a high yield. Start with organic potatoes.

The humble potato's nutritional benefits are mostly in the skins which provide fiber. An average potato with the skin contains:

45% of the daily value for Vit. C.

620 mg. potassium comparable to bananas, spinach and broccoli.

trace amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, foliate, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and vegetable protein.

all for 110 calories and no fat.

Avoid buying cleaned potatoes in the store as their protective coating has been washed off making them more vunerable to bacteria. New potatoes are more suscetible to damage so choose ones not discolored.

Storing potatoes is best in a dark, dry place--not the refrigerator (which turns their starch into sugar), nor next to onions---as the gases they each emit cause both to degrade.

Hmmm......nutritious, inexpensive, easy to grow, satisfying, alternative to wheat products, low calories.........the humble potato could once again become a life-sustainer.

Planting for Extended Harvest

2009-08-17T00:04:00.000-07:00

Late summer is the time to plant if you want a longer harvest. You can sow all the "leaf" vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, spinach, arugula, chard, kale) plus onions, Brussels sprouts, and carrots now--for fall, winter, or even spring crops.

Sometimes spring-planted broccoli will continue producing for several months (depending on the severity of the winter). And you can also continue to harvest your root vegetables (carrots, beets, etc.) as long as the ground isn’t frozen. Don't let your harvest end when the weather gets cold!

Vegetable Harvest

2009-08-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Almost every non-animal food we eat comes from a flowering plant, and such plants have predictable life cycles. Thus, so does our food grow in predictable cycles (though some of it is almost year-round, thanks to our moderate Enumclaw climate).

First come the leaves--spinach, kale, lettuce, and chard (beginning in May)

Then come more mature heads of leaves and flower heads—cabbage, romaine, broccoli, and cauliflower (late June).

Next are tender young fruits—peas, baby squash, cucumbers (July), followed by green beans and small tomatoes (late July).

Next, more mature, colorfully ripened fruits—large tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, summer squash (August to September)

Finally, the large, hard-shelled fruits with developed seeds inside—pumpkins and other winter squash (October)

The root crops—beets, carrots, onions, potatoes—are protected in the ground and can be harvested through the summer and into the winter months (June through February)

Adapted from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
Click here to order this book from Amazon.com.

Eating (Really) Local

2009-08-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Calling yourself a 'locavore' may no longer be met with lank stares, requiring you to explain that you prefer eating locally produced food. But lately, boundaries defining "local" are shrinking---from within a 100-mile radius of your home to as little as one block. Ironically, the hub for this trend of "hyperlocal" eating just may be the Web.

"With the help of the new online resource Veggie Trader, Los Angeles resident Robert Moss, for one, is linking up with neighbors to swap fruit he gathers in his backyard for their homegrown produce and preserves. 'This is the ultimate in eating close to home,' says Portland, Ore. - based Rob Anderson, one of the creators of the site, which has registered more than 5,000 users nationwide.

"Connecting home gardeners with their neighbors to swap, buy, or sell excess fruits and veggies, Veggie Trader reinvents bartering, a practice that people who grow their own food have engaged in for millennia. Come Fall harvest, it offers a way to keep cartloads of carrots and zucchini from going to waste. "Veggie Trader is a good ideas because so much stuff in people's backyards just rots," Moss says. Plus, bartering provides an added social benefit: meeting all those neighbors you never knew you had.

"Another Web-based resource draws inspiration from an even more ancient practice: foraging. Fallen Fruit aims to map fruit trees along public streets and sidewalks so that local residents can pick fruit before its reduced to waste. Focused for now on California and New Mexico, Fallen Fruit hopes to motivate people across the country to submit to the site neighborhood maps of public access fruit trees. 'People are starting to realize that you don't have to go to the supermarket for a lemon or an orange,' says Fallen Fruit co founder Matias Viegener, a Californian, 'You can just step outside your door'."

by Kim Conte

Vegetarian Times, Sept. 2009