Farm Friday

One of our gardens retired for the season

A quick update today since the time has gotten away from me - again.

We continue to have visitors. My sister-in-law and her husband spent the weekend on the farm and we had friends from Florida who are looking to relocate to the area in order to run a sustainable farm. We're looking forward to having more like-minded people in the area.

We're having to confront yet another problem in our community. First, we have the uranium mining and milling issue that we've put to rest - at least for now. Then we had the coal ash spill in the river - and all the legal and environmental mess it created. So now we've had some of the powers that be decide that a poultry complex would be a good idea for our community - dangerous jobs and lots of chicken poo. That's what they think our people deserve. We had to attend two meetings on the topic. More on that later.

The farmers' market wrapped up and we have mixed feelings about it. It's nice to not have to rise at 4:30 on Saturday morning, but we'll miss the people - and the revenue. But we have lots in and coming in the gardens so we're continuing our weekly deliveries as long as we have the food to sell. We keep hearing that we're in for another polar vortex this winter - keeping my fingers crossed that this prediction is wrong. We have one goat to sell tomorrow, then I think I'm taking a couple of days off.

Have a great weekend!

Good to Know

This is brilliant! I hope it goes into production!

Monday Amusement

Don't you just want to do this sometimes, too?

Quote for the Day

“What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.” 

~Mahatma Gandhi

Farm Friday

Our radishes are amazing this year!

We've had lots of visitors to the farm lately so haven't had as much time to add posts, especially "Farm Friday." Last week Bill's old college roommate, who lives in Spain, visited with his parents and one of his brothers. We hadn't seen him since we visited him and his wife in Spain 11 years ago. We also had friends from Florida - whom we met at Wild Goose in Hot Springs, NC a couple of years ago - visit with their son and his girlfriend. 

Tomorrow is the last day for the market and we spent a good part of today getting things ready. Bill spent most of the day harvesting and washing. I ran our usual errands this morning and spent this afternoon packing the produce, making granola, and picking/packaging herbs. We won't be going back to the market until May 2015; however, we'll continue deliveries until the gardens quit for the winter. The greens are really starting to come in good and right now we have some of the most beautiful herbs we've ever grown. As long as real harsh weather stays away, the greens and other fall plantings will continue to produce.

With two craft shows approaching, I've been busy sewing aprons. I finished 7 this week but still have a lot to go. I also have some other craft items that I need to finish. One good thing about crafts is that they don't go bad; whatever I don't sell this season will be available to sell at a spring show or at the market when it reopens. 

Have a great week!

Wellness Wednesday

Since we grow (and forage for) mushrooms on our farm, I did a little research to see what health benefits are provided by these fungi. Depending on the variety, studies have shown that mushrooms give a boost to your immune system, help regulate blood pressure (due to the potassium content), lower cholesterol, fight cancer and diabetes, and assist in weight loss. The cholesterol and cancer facts caught my attention since I recently read about a study that found statin medication more than doubles your risk for cancer. (Disclosure:  as is always the case with studies that show problems with popular pharmaceuticals, there were also counter-claims, saying other studies prove that statins lower your risk of cancer. Claims of "scare mongering were made.)

Here's an interesting video that shows how mushrooms are cultivated and processed commercially:

Quote for the Day

"Autumn is a second spring

when every leaf is a flower."

~Albert Camus

October Is Breast Cancer Industry Month

Source

It seems to get worse every year. October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month is just a way for corporations to separate well-meaning people from their money. Breast Cancer Action calls this whole culture "empty awareness." Who on this planet is not "aware" of breast cancer - or been touched by it in some way? Awareness is not a cure. Pink appliances, pink shirts, pink football players, pink yogurt lids, pink buckets of fried chicken, and - now, wait for it - pink oil drilling bits do not cure cancer. Neither do the expensive treatments - cutting, burning, and poisoning. Um, I mean surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. These are not cures, they are barbaric treatments that may or may not save lives. What is guaranteed is that the medical community will continue to make money. 

The elephant in the room during this month is prevention. While prevention doesn't make anyone any money - and that is the legal purpose of corporations, to make money - it will save lives and misery. Scientists and health care professionals know that some substances and lifestyle choices increase the risk of cancer. Phthalates in cosmetics? BPAs in water bottles? Chemicals (benzene, etc.) from fracking in ground water? Pesticides and herbicides on produce? Unpronounceable ingredients in processed food ? Tobacco products? Avoid them! 

Shame on the Susan B. Komen Foundation for taking money from Baker Hughes, a company that fracks. At least Baker Hughes has had the decency to take down the pages about its pink partnership. Go to Breast Cancer Action or Ms. Magazine and then try the link (and to read more about pinkwashing). The link gone from the Baker Hughes web site. (You can also read more at Salon.)

As a side note, the New England Journal of Medicine published a Swiss study that found that mammograms do not prevent or reduce the risk of cancer (detection is not prevention), nor do they prolong life. The study concluded:

It is easy to promote mammography screening if the majority of women believe that it prevents or reduces the risk of getting breast cancer and saves many lives through early detection of aggressive tumors.4 We would be in favor of mammography screening if these beliefs were valid. Unfortunately, they are not, and we believe that women need to be told so. From an ethical perspective, a public health program that does not clearly produce more benefits than harms is hard to justify. Providing clear, unbiased information, promoting appropriate care, and preventing overdiagnosis and overtreatment would be a better choice.

If you want to learn more about the pink ribbon culture, I highly recommend watching Pink Ribbons, Inc. Here's a link to the trailer for this documentary.

Want to really help? Stop buying the overpriced, unnecessary, often carcinogenic products that sport the pink ribbon. As Breast Cancer Action points out, these campaigns are a distraction to the real work that needs to be done. And they make a pile of money for the corporation, as evidenced by Kohls' campaign that required customers to spend at least $5 million for the company to "donate" $1 million.

Instead, begin a campaign to educate your family,friends, and neighbors about choices they make that can cause cancer. If you really want to put money towards the cause, take what you would spend on that cute pink product (that you don't really need) and donate it all to Breast Cancer Action, an organization that is all about prevention and cure rather than medicate and accumulate (dollars that is).

Monday Amusement

Better late than never. :) I can sooo relate to this article from BuzzFeed. (FYI, I'm not very techie so not sure if the way I added it was the best way.)

19 Awkward Moments Every Vegetarian Understands

1. When everyone with you at a restaurant is trying to help you figure out what to order.

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“You could get the Caesar salad, but without anchovies!” “Eggs, can you eat eggs?” “Or the chicken parm sandwich, but with no chicken!” “Oooh, look, steamed kale!”

2. Whipping out your box of Morningstar at the barbecue.

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Not to mention silently freaking out about your veg patty being grilled in the same spot where a juicy hamburger was just chilling out.

3. Telling someone you’re veg.

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Pretty much sums it up.

4. When your friends want to share small plates at restaurants.

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Brace yourself for paying $50 to eat one small plate of olives and some too-tough ciabatta.

5. People who crack jokes about vegetarians because they think it makes them edgy and hilarious.

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Haha. “What about the feelings of plants?” So clever!

6. Family members who don’t get it.

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Sigh.

7. “So, what DO you eat? Salad?”

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Yes. Just dry arugula. Nothing but dry arugula.

8. Going to French restaurants.

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*looks at menu* “Oh… I guess i’ll just have the French onion soup? Oh, beef broth? I guess just bring me some asparagus.”

9. When someone invites you over to their house for dinner.

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Your options:
1. Let them know you don’t eat meat, which makes them feel obligated to cook them something special and/or makes you sound presumptuous.
2. Don’t tell them, and so make them feel bad when you can only eat the side dishes.

10. Going on road trips with non-vegetarians.

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You’re constantly torn between not wanting to derail everyone’s fast-food desires and knowing you’re just not going to be able to eat anything.

11. When the waiter is hovering by your table listing off the (all meat) specials.

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*smiles and nods*
Nope, not gonna order those.

12. The prix fixe menu.

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Hmm, which should I choose, the chicken or the steak? *cries*

13. Two words: holiday dinners.

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14. When the token vegetarian entree is just a pile of roasted veggies, and you have to pay $18 for it anyway.

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15. Lectures.

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16. Having to ask for the ingredients of EVERYTHING.

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17. Stores with in-house butchers.

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18. Toting your own snacks everywhere.

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19. People who talk constantly about how they’re obsessed with bacon.

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Wow, you’re so original! Cool.