Posts tagged Organic
Occupy Organic Veggie Gardens – Rebirth of the Victory Garden
May 16th
16th May 2012
By JB Bardot - naturalnews.com
During World Wars I and II, private citizens were encouraged to plant Victory gardens in an effort to support the war effort and take the strain off the food industry, providing more food for citizens living at home. Little gardens popped up all over the country and they were called Victory gardens because people envisioned a victorious end to strife, sadness and hardship. Victory gardens in the U.S. produced a staggering 40% of the food supply. The Victory garden campaign resulted in 5 million gardens tended by over 20 million Americans, providing over $1.2 billion in food by the end of WWII.
Victory gardens were planted on every available plot of land — whether postage-stamp sized or covering several acres. The gardening campaign took the country by storm, with people being empowered by raising their own fresh, organic (because there wasn’t anything else back then) fruits and vegetables; coupled with the hope of victory over adversity and better times to come.
Continue Reading – Occupy Organic Veggie Gardens – Rebirth of the Victory Garden
Recipe: Organic Macadamia Nut Burgers W/Minted Plum and Red Bell Pepper Salsa
Apr 19th
19th April 2012
Guest Writer for Wake Up World
Rice accounts for 80% of the total calories consumed by half of the world’s population.
This makes rice a very important crop to look at as far as its impact both on the health of the planet and ourselves. Besides the chemicals used in crops like insecticides and herbicides, another practice used on conventionally grown rice is fumigation. According to The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) on January 14th, 2012, “…Sulfuryl fluoride is currently also registered in Australia as a fumigant to control insects in buildings and other structures including those used for storage of some food commodities.” It is not necessary to remove the food before treatment.
Continue Reading – Recipe: Organic Macadamia Nut Burgers W/Minted Plum and Red Bell Pepper Salsa
Recipe – Organic Broccoli Soup
Apr 11th
11th April 2012
Guest Writer for Wake Up World
No need for dairy if you eat broccoli!
One of the concerns I hear voiced frequently is how does a vegetarian get enough calcium, especially if they don’t eat dairy products?
With high levels of both calcium and Vitamin K, eating foods like broccoli will ensure proper calcium levels and bone health.
This green gem will also boost your immune system with beta-carotene and Vitamin C. Research has shown for years how broccoli and other vegetables from the cabbage or brassica family are excellent cancer inhibitors and protectors. Raw is always best and our family enjoys growing our own and use the young leaves in green smoothies and salads. The heads we either lightly steam or use in a variety of chopped salads. Each fresh broccoli spear contains 102 percent of the RDA of vitamin A , 53 percent of the RDA of folate, and 186 percent of the RDA of vitamin C.
Recipe: Dreamy Organic Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Apr 2nd
2nd April 2012
Guest Writer for Wake Up World
Conventionally grown avocado trees are treated with growth inhibitors and insecticides. Root rot is a common complaint and it is controlled by trunk injections of potassium orthophosphonate. Once the fruit is picked it is passed through another pesticide spray treatment and then gassed to promote ripening. Organic growers look to work with strengthening the plant and enriching the soil naturally and is the only choice for those of us who demand that our food is nutritious and free from toxic substances.
The body needs good fats for good health. And the beauty of an organic whole food like avocados as opposed to a fractionated food like bottled oil is that it is full of many other nutrients that work together to give your body what it needs to function optimally.
High in Vitamin C and E, avocados help keep your immune system strong and offer cell protection from free radical damage as well as help to build collagen which keeps your skin strong and elastic. Avocados contain a high amount of the carotenoid called Lutein. Lutein has an antioxidant effect that may protect your skin from UV-B-induced damage. Lutein also protects against macular degeneration and cataracts, two age-related eye diseases.
Continue Reading – Recipe: Dreamy Organic Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Why GMO And Organic Can Not Co-Exist: Lateral Gene Transfer
Jan 23rd
23rd January 2012
By Sayer Ji – Wake Up World
One of the most disturbing, though commonly overlooked properties of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is their documented ability to transfer genetic information horizontally into those who consume them.
This process actually occurs quite commonly in nature, especially among bacteria, which do not reproduce sexually and therefore have evolved a number of mechanisms through which to transfer genetic information directly between one another directly. Viruses themselves can essentially be described as ‘pieces of genetic information in search of chromosomes,’ their very “infectivity” being examples of horizontal gene transfer between species. The whole field of genetic engineering, in fact, would not exist were it not for the science and technology that harnesses and/or co-opts processes of horizontal gene transfer.
Continue Reading – Why GMO And Organic Can Not Co-Exist: Lateral Gene Transfer
Kirlian Photography Demonstrates Organic Uncooked Food Have Stronger Energy Fields
Jan 19th
By Ethan A. Huff - naturalnews.com
Food is food, some might claim, and it does not really matter whether or not it is cooked or raw, conventional or organic. The nutritive value remains the same regardless. Or does it? A recent report from Activist Post explains that, based on analysis using a technique known as Kirlian photography, researchers have discovered that the energy fields surrounding raw, organic produce are stronger and more uniform than the energy fields surrounding cooked, conventional produce.
This discovery was made possible by an earlier one stumbled upon by the late Semyon Kirlian, a Russian inventor, back in 1939. Kirlian learned that, when connected to a source of voltage, an object placed in contact with a photovoltaic plate will produce a corresponding image of that object on the plate. And the resulting image will also contain a visual display of the object’s electrical “aura,” of sorts, that both surrounds and emanating from it.
Extensive List of Organic Pest Control Remedies
Dec 6th
List compiled by Australian Organic Gardening
ORGANIC BUG SPRAY FROM ONION SCRAPS
You can make your own organic bug spray from kitchen leftovers! Simply save your onion skins, peels and ends then refrigerate in an empty margarine-sized tub or ziplock bag until the container is full. Once you have enough, place the onion pieces in a pail and fill with warm water. Soak for a few days, up to a week. You can keep this on the patio in the sun to steep but this is optional. After one week, strain the onion bits out and store the onion water in spray bottles.
Bury the onion bits around plants that are prone to aphids, spiders and other pests. Just spray both house and garden plants with the water to fight aphids and pests. You can also mix your garlic trimmings in with the onion pieces, bugs hate garlic too!
CURE FOR WHITE/BLACK SPOT (mildew)
Add *1 litre of FULL cream milk to an *8 litre watering can, watered on Roses or mildew attracting plants, will kill white/black spot
Continue Reading – Extensive List of Organic Pest Control Remedies
Single Lady Transforms Her Urban Garden into a Productive, Organic, Tropical Paradise
Dec 5th
By Nicola Chatham - permaculture.org.au
You don’t have to know her street number to find Rosina Buckman’s place. All you need is the street name. Winner of the Edible Landscape Award from Australia’s Sunshine Coast Council in 2009, her garden spills out into the nature strip, bursting with plants.
Her driveway, once a barren front lawn, is now edged with strawberry runners, passionfruit vines, chilies and edible greens.
“Before we get started, I want to show you something that saved my life!” exclaims Rosina.
In front of us are a wheelbarrow, a piece of timber and a rather imposing cleaver.
I wonder if one of her chickens is about to have a very bad day, but no, this is Rosina’s new movable workstation and mulching system. With terrifying dexterity, she holds a palm frond in her left hand and chops furiously with her right. Pieces of the dried frond fly everywhere.
Government Forces Private Citizens to Pour Bleach on Home-Grown Organic Food
Nov 14th
14th November 2011
By Laura Bledsoe - farmtoconsumer.org
When an over-zealous regulator shows up at a farm dinner demanding that food be destroyed as hungry guests await, who do you call? Here’s Laura’s account written as a letter to her guests who had come to Quail Hollow Farm expecting a meal of foods harvested from local small family farms.
This incident shows the value of the 24/7 legal hotline for farmers like Laura who need help…even on a Friday night! A member benefit like the hotline is available thanks to the financial support of the many FTCLDF members and donors.
Dearest Guests, (You have all become dear to us!)
What an evening we had this last Friday night! It had all the makings of a really great novel: drama, suspense, anticipation, crisis, heroic efforts, villains and victors, resolution and a happy ending.
The evening was everything I had dreamed and hoped it would be. The weather was perfect, the farm was filled with friends and guests roaming around talking about organic, sustainable farming practices. Our young interns were teaching and sharing their passion for farming and their role in it. (A high hope for our future!) The pig didn’t get loose.
Our guests were excited to spend an evening together. The food was prepared exquisitely. The long dinner table, under the direction of dear friends, was absolutely stunningly beautiful. The music was superb. The stars were bright and life was really good.
And then, …
for a few moments, it felt like the rug was pulled out from underneath us and my wonderful world came crashing down. As guests were mingling, finishing tours of the farm, and while the first course of the meal was being prepared and ready to be sent out, a Southern Nevada Health District employee came for an inspection.
Because this was a gathering of people invited to our farm for dinner, I had no idea that the Health Department would become involved. I received a phone call from them two days before the event informing me that because this was a “public event” (I would like to know what is the definition of “public” and “private”) we would be required to apply for a “special use permit”.
If we did not do so immediately, we would be charged a ridiculous fine.
Stunned, we immediately complied.
Continue Reading – Government Forces Private Citizens to Pour Bleach on Home-Grown Organic Food
Corporate Cereal Aisle Crimes: How Companies Fool You To Think Their Products Are Healthy
Nov 3rd
Here’s the tricks that big breakfast barons use to fool you into believing their products are pesticide and GMO-free.A trip to the supermarket is an adventure into a tempting and treacherous jungle. The insatiable hunger for a ready-made breakfast that nourishes our bodies and our social conscience has made our morning bowls of cereal a hiding place for corporate charlatans. A new report, Cereal Crimes (see the below video), by the Cornucopia Institute discloses the toxic truth about “natural” products and unmasks corporate faces like Kellogg’s hiding behind supposedly “family-run” businesses such as Kashi.
When these breakfast barons forage for profit, we eaters are the prey. But what are the laws of this jungle? And how do we avoid being ripped off by products that are hazardous for our health and our environment? Let’s have a look at some of these corporations’ sneaky strategies.
First, there is intentional confusion. With so many different kinds of cereal lining the shelves, figuring out which is the best requires detective work. Many make claims about health, boasting “no trans fats,” “gluten-free,” and “a boost of omega three.” Others play to environmental concerns declaring “earthy harmony,” “nature in balance,” and “sustainable soils.” With the legion of labels, separating wheat from chaff seems impossible, but the report offers one rule of thumb: Don’t confuse organic with “natural.”
Organics, certified and recognizable by the green USDA label, are required by federal law to be produced without toxic inputs and genetically engineered ingredients. “Natural,” on the other hand, is defined by the producers themselves to mislead shoppers and protect shareholders. Cornucopia’s report found that, “When determining their ‘natural’ standards, companies will consider their profitability. Environmental concerns are unlikely to weigh heavily, if at all, in this profitability equation.”
Too bad we’ve been falling for it. The report cites a 2009 poll showing 33 percent of the public trusts the “natural” label while 45 percent trust the organic label.
Seeds Are The Key to a GMO-Free Food Future
Nov 1st
A single food seed can be as tiny as a grain of sand. Yet many say the fate of the entire organic industry rests upon our efforts to protect the integrity of these small, but vital agricultural inputs.
“Seed is the first resource in our food production chain, so its integrity is vital to the success of organic farmers. Yet little has been done to address the issue of genetic contamination,” says Kristina Hubbard, director of advocacy for the Organic Seed Alliance. “I don’t think seed is getting enough attention.”
As the natural foods industry gears up for an unprecedented assault on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), much emphasis has been placed on convincing government to label foods containing GMOs and on swaying grocers and manufacturers to rid them from the retail shelf. But Hubbard and others say those actions will mean little if farmers can’t find clean, GMO-free seed to plant in the first place.
Thanks to floating pollen, stowaway seeds on delivery trucks, and the fact that even organic farmers must turn to conventional seed due to a shortage of organic varieties, seed experts say the vast majority of corn growing in the United States already contains some degree of genetically modified (GM) material. Soy, canola and alfalfa are also high on the list for possible contamination.
Even non-GM seed breeders—forced to buy their genetic material from biotech companies in an age of increased seed company consolidation—can’t guarantee that their seeds are genetically pure anymore, says OSA founder and consultant Matt Dillon. Furthermore, because funding for university research into natural, non-GM alternatives is a fraction of what it once was, Dillon says that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find innovative solutions to protect the non-GM seed that still exists.
Meanwhile, organic consumers are growing outraged that even when they buy “organic” or “non-GMO” products, they may still be eating genetically altered food.
So what’s the answer?
Continue Reading – Seeds Are The Key to a GMO-Free Food Future
How To Make Organic Cat & Dog Food
Oct 25th
Humans benefit a lot from eating organic food like grains, fruits and vegetables. It is the same with animals when they are fed an organic diet that contains vegetables, raw meats of the right kind, whole grains and specific raw vegetables as well. Anyway, before trying your preferred organic pet food recipe, make sure to differentiate between what is suitable for cats and what is appropriate for dogs.
Cats may not benefit from dishes made by using certain types of organic pet food recipes, since a cat is not able to digest whole grains as well as vegetables properly. Therefore the organic pet food recipe for cat food needs to contain plenty of good quality proteins and fewest possible byproducts of meat.
The Top Five Benefits of Natural Organic Pet Food for Your Dog
1. Reduction of skin ailments and allergies. If your dog suffers from allergies or an irritating skin condition, you’ve probably tried “everything” hoping to provide your pet some relief. Special dips, sprays, shampoos, creams and medications may or may not help. Premium brands of dog food recommended by vets still leave some dogs scratching or bald. Why doesn’t anything work, and why should organic food be any different?
Organic dog food may provide your pet with the best chance combating skin infections and allergies long term. It is free of artificial colors and flavor enhancers, chemical additives and toxic pesticides that could be the source of your dog’s allergies. Organic dog food contains quality protein and grain sources of exceptional nutritional value. This supports your dog’s immune system to help build resistance to skin infections.
2. More energy and a healthy weight. Plump pugs may be cute, but when your dog suffers from diabetes, organ failure, a back ailment or hip dysplasia, it is a serious, heart-breaking matter. Like humans, overweight dogs tend to have less energy for the exercise that could improve their health and physical condition. How can organic dog food help?
Once again, it is the superior nutritional value of organic dog food that can make a difference. Since it is naturally more nutritious, many owners report their dogs eat less organic dog food than other commercial varieties. Organic food doesn’t contain bulk-fillers, so your dog consumes only what it needs to maintain healthy energy levels and life functions. It probably tastes better to your dog, too! Dogs feel more satiated eating smaller amounts of tasty, nutrient-dense foods. An organic diet can help your dog lose weight and exercise more.
