Wellness Wednesday

According to Mother Jones, the FDA just gave another reason for those who eat commercially-raised meat to look to local farms - antibiotics. Non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in commercial meat operations is widespread. Big Ag discovered a side effect of antibiotics - it makes animals grow faster and larger - and therefore began pumping them into animals raised for food. While the FDA has pushed for the elimination of non-therapeutic doses of antibiotics in animals, they have allowed industrial operations to continue using them to "prevent" disease, which really has no definition and allows cattle, pig, and chicken operations to continue as they always have.

The article points out that most of the antibiotics used for animals are extremely important for the treatment of human infections. Since over 70% of the antibiotics used in the US go to animals, we're paving the way for more antibiotic-resistant pathogens. 

Here' a snapshot of how humans are affected:

Source

About 23,000 Americans die each year from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Yet the FDA makes the requirement to eliminate the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in animal agriculture "voluntary." Avoid some of the dangers by purchasing local meat from reputable farmers that use chemical-free practices and only use antibiotics as for their intended purpose - on sick animals. (And if a farmer starts having large numbers of sick animals, that farmer needs to re-think his or her agricultural practices.)

Monday Morning Amazement

Unfortunately today's post is "amazement" in a bad way. If only the geniuses out there would use their minds only for the good of the world.

Quote for the Day

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

~Langston Hughes

Farm Friday

Wild plantain

A quick summary of this week on the farm:

• Made our regular deliveries
• Bill picked up our bees so now we have 2 hives again
• Attended a farmers' market vendor training session
• Designed and taught a vision board/SMART goal setting class and craft for the women at the city jail 
• Moved the chicks that we were brooding from the brooder coop to the regular coop now that they're awkward "teenagers" and ready to join the full flock
• Got the new farm banner that I ordered (the previous one had problems that I didn't notice before ordering - but I was able to use it on the farmhouse)
• Cilantro was coming in good so sold several bunches; it doesn't last long this time of year as the warmer weather makes it bolt fast
• Prepared for our 3rd annual open house (including cleaning the farmhouse, weeding and edging the flower and herb beds, making various signs and signup sheets)
• Set up a compost bin at the farmhouse for guests
• Ran an additional clothesline under the back deck on our house so I have more room to try clothes and linens
• Cleaned up the herb beds; removed the sage that died over the winter
• Planted herbs and flowers that I started over the winter (might have transplanted too soon)
• Transplanted some white daffodil bulbs that were growing in one of our fields
• Planted more gladiola bulbs at our house and the farmhouse
• Collected some wild plantain to put on tonight's pizza (and to use later)

Have a great weekend!

Your Money or Your Life

How many years can some people exist

Before they're allowed to be free?

Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head

Pretending he just doesn't see?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind

The answer is blowin' in the wind

~Bob Dylan

Airing my clean laundry

I recently skimmed the classic book Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. I was doing some research for a writing project and I knew this little book was a must for me. Reading part of the book really made me think about how much of our lives are needlessly traded for money in order to pay for the things we don't have time to enjoy or do ourselves.

This week I really got a chance to take advantage of my new outdoor clothesline. Between my two wash days, I only had to put two loads in the clothes dryer and these were towels that didn't have time (or room) to dry outside. As I was hanging out my sheets this morning, I could hear in my head the naysayers who would protest that they don't have time for such nonsense. Yes, there is a value to your time. The problem is most of us trade our time for money that we then need to pay for the things we don't have time to do ourselves.

Think about it as you sit behind your desk or behind the piece of machinery (car or otherwise) that you operate in order to receive money. What do you do with that money? You pay others for the things you don't have time do to. Why? Because you're at work.

As you go about your daily life, consider the following:  Are you so busy working to pay for the things you own and their upkeep that you don't have time to actually enjoy them? Do you, as do many middle- and upper-middle-class Americans, have a part-time housekeeper or cleaner? Or someone to mow your yard? Are so busy paying a large mortgage or rent that you're seldom home to enjoy your personal space? Are you working overtime to feather the nest that you're never in? If so, maybe you need to rethink the value of your time. And then find alternatives to the "swapping your time to earn money to pay for the things you acquire that you don't have time to enjoy" treadmill.

By hanging my clothes to dry, I don't have to work a job for money to pay for the electricity. Instead, I can spend that time at home, quickly hanging out my laundry for the wind and the sun to do their thing. Meanwhile, I relax in my home office, sip delicious hot tea (this time a black tea/rose petal combo), and write a post about the value of time (as well as a host of other things).

 

Earth Day

Source

In honor of Earth Day, I thought I'd share an update of the post I did here where I shared some of the ways I try to live lightly and sustainably on the earth.

Energy

• heat with wood using dead wood from the farm and wood given to us from tree trimming
• turn down the heat at night to save wood
• use flannel sheets in the winter; smooth cotton in the summer
• turn off lights when not in a room
• turn on lights only when necessary
• set thermostat to 81 degrees in summer
• use ceiling fans in summer
• transitioned to compact fluorescent lights for the lights we use regularly
• unplug energy vampires
• plan errands to save on gas
• don't use unnecessary appliances (e.g. electric can opener)

Shopping

• plan/group errands to save on gas
• use own shopping bags
• shop for groceries at Aldi when I can't buy in bulk because shoppers are expected to use their own bags (or pay for them if you don't) and because I like the corporate ethic
• don't buy frivolous items or engage in recreational shopping
• buy used items when possible
• buy paper products made from recycled paper

Pets

• our current cat doesn't use a litter box and goes outside to do his business
• don't use flea preparations unless absolutely necessary
• only get necessary vaccinations for pets
• make dog food from venison and vegetables from farm, supplemented with brown rice and oatmeal
• plan to make dog shampoo using soapnuts, essential oils, and neem oil to deter fleas

Laundry

• have been using 7th Generation powdered detergent that comes in cardboard boxes (need to return to using soap nuts and essential oils)
• use an environmentally-friendly stain remover
• hang most of our laundry to dry by hanging clothes on new outdoor clothesline, hangers in laundry room, and laundry rack set up in bathtub
• wash/dry full loads
• wear jeans and sweaters more than once
• compost dryer lint
• recycle any containers
• still plan to make own laundry soap for heavily soiled clothes

Bathroom

• make my own cleaners
• use rags for cleaning (made from worn out t-shirts, sheets, and towels)
• use toilet paper made from recycled paper

Personal Care

• use bar soap, shampoo, and conditioner (the soap and shampoo are packaged in paper; I need to find a source that packages conditioner bars in paper)
• tried locally made bar soap on my hair with no negative results so I might eliminate the bar shampoo
• might try the "no poo" shampoo method that uses baking soda and apple cider vinegar, although if plain soap becomes a good substitute for the bar shampoo, I might just try the vinegar rinse to replace the conditioner bar
• use carrier oils to moisturize my face and body (I'm using the last of my almond oil and will find a more environmentally friendly oil to replace it)
• make makeup remover
• make deodorant
• make toothpaste
• plan to try olive oil based soap a recommended by Ariana Schwartz in Paris to Go
• make own liquid hand soap
• buy natural mascara
• use other cosmetics sparingly and buy organic when possible
• let hair air dry
• use paper-based cotton swabs
• have embraced my graying hair
• still plan to switch to bar soap for hands in the master bathroom
• Bill uses a safety razor, shaving soap, mug, and brush
• bought a vintage Lady Gillette and use it with regular double-edged razor blades
• shave with bar soap

Kitchen

• grow much of our own food using chemical-free methods, of course
• Bill hunts, fishes, and raises his own animals for meat
• compost
• cook from scratch
• need to return to making rice milk once my replacement part for my blender arrives
• bake bread and do it in bulk to conserve energy
• make croutons from homemade bread
• grow micro-greens and sprouts inside
• make salad dressing
• make vanilla extract
• need to return to making vegetable stock
• brew iced tea from organic, fair trade, loose tea leaves using green and black teas, plus rooibos
• plan to make my own hot tea blends (I bought bulk herbs to do this and did a swap of excess with a friend)
• need to return to buying milk in glass bottles from Virginia dairy
• buy in bulk using own containers
• buy online when it makes sense to save the gas and wear on vehicle, and instead to let the regular UPS truck deliver the goods
• use cloth napkins
• avoid use of paper/plastic cups, plates, utensils when we entertain a crowd
• make my own cleaners
• use rags
• use paper towels made from recycled paper when necessary
• store leftovers in reusable, lidded containers
• wash and reuse ziplock bags when possible
• wash and reuse aluminum foil
• use dried beans most of the time, purchased in bulk when possible
• use kitchen cloths rather than synthetic sponges
• use copper scrubbers that can be recycled when worn out (this I learned from reading Bea Johnson's Zero Waste Home)
• use produce netting (such as from onions) as scrubbers when the copper is too harsh
• use dishwasher to wash full loads of dishes

Office

• buy printer paper made from recycled paper
• use printer only when necessary
• recycle ink cartridges
• print in greyscale/draft mode whenever possible
• use scrap paper
• print 2-sided when possible
• turn off printer when not in use
• turn off laptop at night
• receive paperless statements for credit cards
• pay bills online when possible
• use refillable mechanical pencil
• I've tried using electronic sources for my various lists and calendar but it doesn't work for me; I need to see it on paper

General

• recycle whenever possible
• reduce packaging (especially plastic) whenever possible
• compost whenever possible
• use various used plastic bags to line trashcans
• drive only when necessary and plan trips to take care of several errands at one time
• limit spending to necessities plus an occasional treat
• buy energy efficient appliances and electronics when old ones need replacing
• buy used electronics when possible (just replaced my e-reader with one I bought on Ebay)
• keep vehicles as long as possible by doing routine maintenance
• use library resources, including ebooks and online magazines
• have some living plants in the house to clean the air

Any tips or suggestions?

Monday Morning Amusement

This commercial made me smile: