Are
you new to whole and
traditional foods or to
"Nourishing
Traditions"? Have
you just gone
gluten/dairy-free and
don’t know what to
eat?
The
menu mailer covers 6
dinners (including side
dishes) and one dessert
every week. It
contains a full menu,
shopping list, a
preparation plan, and
serving suggestions for
each meal. Tips and
information are included
in every mailer as well.
What
makes the Cooking
Traditional Foods menu
mailer unique? A
preparation schedule is
included with every menu
mailer. It reminds
you when to thaw the
meat, prep the crock-pot,
make the stock or soak
the grains. Because
lack of planning is a
major hurdle in getting
healthy meals on the
table, this schedule
helps you make sure
everything is done.
It also contains
blanks so you can write
in your own reminders for
breakfast, snacks and
lunches.
Biblical
Womanhood began in
2005 as a ministry to
encourage and equip women
and young women. Through
our bookstore, articles,
newsletter, and blog, we
desire to promote
femininity and build up
women as they embrace
their Biblical callings.
In this humanistic,
feministic culture, we
want to be a breath of
fresh air to women
seeking after something
greater than what the
world has to offer - to
glorify the Lord in all
they do, say, and think!
Since 1987
Mountain Rose Herbs has
consistently delivered
exceptional quality
certified organic
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emphasis on sustainable
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bulk organic herbs and
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Just wanted to take a minute and update about the soap we made Sunday. We cut in on Tuesday and it was still a bit too wet to cut, so it's not pretty soap, but it's drying well now and it will be fine.
I can't wait for it to be ready so we can give it a try!
Monsanto & Others Stand to Make Billions in Profit from Growing Global Food Crisis
Multinationals Make Billions In Profit Out of Growing Global Food Crisis
Speculators blamed for driving up price of basic foods as 100 million face severe hunger
By Geoffrey Lean
The Independent/UK, May 4, 2008 Straight to the Source
Giant agribusinesses are enjoying soaring earnings and profits out of the world food crisis which is driving millions of people towards starvation, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. And speculation is helping to drive the prices of basic foodstuffs out of the reach of the hungry.
The prices of wheat, corn and rice have soared over the past year driving the world's poor - who already spend about 80 per cent of their income on food - into hunger and destitution.
The World Bank says that 100 million more people are facing severe hunger. Yet some of the world's richest food companies are making record profits. Monsanto last month reported that its net income for the three months up to the end of February this year had more than doubled over the same period in 2007, from $543m (£275m) to $1.12bn. Its profits increased from $1.44bn to $2.22bn.
Cargill's net earnings soared by 86 per cent from $553m to $1.030bn over the same three months. And Archer Daniels Midland, one of the world's largest agricultural processors of soy, corn and wheat, increased its net earnings by 42 per cent in the first three months of this year from $363m to $517m. The operating profit of its grains merchandising and handling operations jumped 16-fold from $21m to $341m.
Similarly, the Mosaic Company, one of the world's largest fertiliser companies, saw its income for the three months ending 29 February rise more than 12-fold, from $42.2m to $520.8m, on the back of a shortage of fertiliser. The prices of some kinds of fertiliser have more than tripled over the past year as demand has outstripped supply. As a result, plans to increase harvests in developing countries have been hit hard.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation reports that 37 developing countries are in urgent need of food. And food riots are breaking out across the globe from Bangladesh to Burkina Faso, from China to Cameroon, and from Uzbekistan to the United Arab Emirates.
Benedict Southworth, director of the World Development Movement, called the escalating earnings and profits "immoral" late last week. He said that the benefits of the food price increases were being kept by the big companies, and were not finding their way down to farmers in the developing world...
I had a question last week about our chicken tractor, so I thought I'd give a little tour of the 2 style of chicken tractors my husband designed and that we are using. This is a picture of one of our larger chicken tractors. It's made out of metal tubing, corrigated tin, plywood and chicken wire. This one is the one we usually use as a more perminant chicken housing. It turned out a bit heavy to move easily.
The back lifts up over the nesting boxes to make it easy to gather eggs.
The food and water are suspended by wire attached to screws on the outside top of the tractor. This keeps the chicken feed & water much cleaner and makes it much easier to get them in and out.
Our very low tech way to suspend the feed & water....wrap the wire attached to the feeder/water around a screw in the top of the tractor.
This is a photo of one of our smaller chicken tractors. After the chicks are too big for the brooder, they get moved into one of these tractors. These tractors are made out of plywood and have windows covered in hardware cloth wire (smaller openings than chicken wire). They also feature a self feeder and a light. The light is only used when it's still chilly outside. Right now, it's nice and warm, so we don't use the light.
This is a picture of the built on self feeder. We fill the feeder with feed and check it every couple of days. We just put a waterer inside the tractor and check it daily.
The lid is on top.
Well that's the tour of our chicken tractors! Marty is planning on building some larger ones that are not as heavy, so they will be easier to move. But for now, this is what we're using.
I mentioned a while back about our wood fired water heater, and since then, I've had several questions. So here is a little info about it, along with more pictures. We are not experts, this is just how we did it. Whenever you working with something like this, do so at your own risk and with lots of care. It can be extremely dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. This is a full view of our water heater. The green & yellow foam are the water lines going into the house. We used foam "noodles" (for use in swimming pools) to help insulate the lines. The water heater it's self is covered with insulation to help it retain heat. The water heater is just an old gas water heater set on top of a sheet metal fire box.
this is the fire box that the water heater sits on
This is the valve to release water from the water heater (this is an emergecy valve)
This is the smoke stack on top of the water heater and a better picture of the insualted water lines that go into the house.
Here is a picture of the inside of the fire box. Marty is just starting to lay in the wood for the fire.
Here the wood is all layed in the fire box...all ready to be lit.
The fire is lit and the water will start heating!
Now here is some information that Marty wrote down for me...LOL!
1. Cut the sheet metal bottom off of the gas water heater. Build the fire box and set the water heater on top. Be sure and leave the T&P valve on the water heater.
2. Learn to make the right size fire. Don't depend on the T&P valve to release excess steam/water. It's both dangerous and wasteful. If you have any questions, email me and I'll see if I can get an answer from Marty :-)
I've never made soap from scratch before. I've done a lot of handmilling soap...taking already made soap, melting it down and adding scent and additives. That's easy and fun, but I've never actually mixed the lye together with oils to make actual soap. I've been wanting to do it for a long time, but I admit, I was a bit scared of handling the lye. I'm a bit of a klutz and the thought of ME handling was a bit scary. I finally broke down this weekend and we made out very first batch of soap!
Here I am all geared up to make soap. I've got on my safety glasses, one of Marty's old work shirts, and I've got my rubber gloves.
First thing, I weighed out all the water, lye and oils....okay...Marty weighed out the lye (LOL!)
Then we mixed the lye into the water...okay, I'm chicken little....Marty did this too :-)
Once Marty did this and I saw that all went well, I think I'll be able to do it myself from now on...I'm such a chicken! We melted/heated the oil to 110 degrees and then held it at that temperature until the lye reached 110 degrees. Then we poured the lye into the oils.
After that, we took turns stirring the soap. Took over an hour to trace because we were stirring it by hand...but trace it finally did.
Then we poured it into a rubbermaid shoe box, put on the lid and wrapped it with a towel. We then set it on top of the refrigerator to incubate for 48 hours. I don't have any pictures of this step...sorry! After 48 hours, we'll check it and if all is well, we'll cut it into bars. Then it's got to rest for 4-6 weeks to dry and for the lye to turn into soap! It was a lot of fun making the soap. I don't know why I've been so scared of the lye, because with just a little care, it's really simple to use. I'm going to be making more soap and next time, I won't need Marty to deal with the lye for me....LOL! I can't wait to see how our soap turns out!!
1/4 cup arrowroot powder or corn starch (I used corn starch, as I didn't have arrowroot powder available...health food store was out)
5 tbsp. coconut oil
Just a note: I ended up having to add more baking soda & cornstarch, I think I ended up using 1/2-3/4 cup of each.
In a bowl, add the baking soda...
and corn starch.
Stir the baking soda and corn starch together with a fork (in my case, a spork...lol!)
Add the 5 tbsp. coconut oil
Mix the ingredients together well. Add more baking soda & corn starch as needed. You want this to be the consistence of stiff mash potatoes or playdough.
Place into smaller containers. I used some 1/2 cup sized mini Gladware bowls.
Since I really did not like the idea of spreading this on with my fingers, I added one of those "cosmetic rounds" that are used for putting on makeup. I think these are made from latex, but you can use other things as well. I just had these on hand and they work great for me. You can also put this concoction into an old rollup deodorant tube.
I just store the "cosmetic round" right on top of the deodorant and then...
Pop on the lid and label it! All done! Now, I've just made this deodorant today, so I can't verify how well it works. I've heard some good things about it and so I will be giving it a try. I'll report back to let you know how it works!
We are pleased to welcome 15 Black Australorps and Dominique (Dominickers)!! I'm not sure how many of each we have, as they look pretty much alike. We now have 30 chickens!! WE have 9 cuckoo marans and barred rocks (can't tell them apart, so I don't know how many of each we have!). We also have 5 Americanas.
I don't have time to update today, but I've had several questions from readers, I'll be answering them probably on Monday, we just have a really full weekend ahead! Look forward to a picture filled post on Monday!!
My husband loves bean sprouts. He doesn’t get to eat them very often because we don’t have anywhere local to buy them. So, I decided to try my hand at sprouting so he can have them whenever he wants and because I also want to try my hand at sprouted grain bread. So after much research, this is how I went about sprouting my own seeds.
First of all, you have to have the right kind of seeds. You don’t want to use any seeds that are poisonous, such as apple, sorghum, Sudan grass, potato, or tomato. Some seeds that are safe and tasty are alfalfa, clover, mung beans, chickpeas, wheat, barley, millet, corn, buckwheat, radish, broccoli, and celery. You also don’t want to use any seeds that have been treated with dyes, chemicals, pesticides or fungicides. Often, seed sold for planting have been treated with these substances to prevent mold and infestation. You should only use seeds that are certified edible. You can buy your seeds at the grocery store in the form of dried beans, peas, and lentils. These are meant to be cooked and have sometimes been overdried. They will sprout, but they won’t yield as much as other types of seeds. You can also purchase seeds for sprouting at your local health food store. Most have a pretty good selection of the most popular sprouting seeds. The best way, in my opinion, is to grow your own. The only drawback is that you have to wait a year to get them. You plant the varieties that you would like to sprout, raise them, and then harvest them when they are mature. They you will need to dry them, either in a food dehydrator, oven, or by solar means. Then you will store the seeds in airtight containers until you are ready to sprout.
So, you’ve got the seeds, now what do you do? You can purchase all sorts of sprouting appliances and equipment, but they are not really needed. You can simply sprout your seeds in old canning jars with a minimal of equipment. After doing this, I would add, that I do think that some purchased sprouting trays would be convenient, but until I can afford them, I’ll continue to use the canning jar method. You will need a clean, wide-mouth, one quart canning jar that has been scalded in boiling water, a screw on canning jar ring (you don’t need a lid), and a piece of panty hose has been cleaned really well.
Now that you’ve gathered your equipment, it’s time for the fun part…sprouting! For these instructions, I’m going to be using Alfalfa seeds. Put 2 tablespoons of the seeds into your quart jar. Fill it half full of lukewarm water. Next, stretch a layer of the pantyhose over the jar and screw down the jar ring until it’s snug, you can also use a rubberband to hold it down. Now let this sit overnight, about 12 hours. In the morning, pour off the water and rinse the seeds in lukewarm water twice, draining completely. Turn the jar horizontally and tap to distribute the seeds evenly, but be sure to keep them away from the pantyhose. Lay the jar on its side in a dark cupboard that doesn’t get too warm. Around lunchtime, rinse the seeds again and thoroughly drain. Spread them back out and place back in the cabinet with the jar lying on its side. Repeat this step in the evening as well. You will need to rinse them three times a day until they have sprouted the required number of days. On the morning of the third or fourth day, rinse them as usual, and then place the jar in a sunny window until the spouts turn green. When they are ready to eat, rinse them and drain well. You can store them in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container for four to six days.
So, why go through all this trouble for a few measly spouts? When you eat sprouts you are eating food that is at it’s highest in both nutrients and enzymes. They are also an excellent source of fiber. They are easy to grow in your own kitchen and will provide you with fresh food all winter long. Sprouts contain higher amounts of proteins, minerals and vitamins because they are young and fresh. They are also easy to digest, so they are really good for those who have trouble digesting certain seeds and grains. They are highly nutritious and can be really inexpensive, especially when you grow your own seeds for sprouting. So, if you have a sprout lover in your family, give sprouting a try. And if you don’t, introduce sprouts to your family and see if you can make some new sprout lovers!
This year we had a bumper crop of tomatoes, but the funny thing is, we didn’t plant them where they’re growing! We had several volunteer plants pop up in a garden we were letting rest for a year. It was the same garden where we usually plant tomatoes and I guess a few of the seeds hung around over the winter and decided that they liked us. So, late this summer I looked out the kitchen window and saw red all over a tall sunflower. I went outside to check it out, and sure enough, we had tomato vine all over my sunflower stalks! These tomatoes didn’t grow really big; most were no bigger than large marbles. There were cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes and roma tomatoes growing. My youngest son, who’s three, would go out side and eat them as a snack, he LOVES tomatoes.
Well, this fall, we went to a garage sale where we bought an older Excalibur Dehydrator for the exorbitant price of twenty-five cents. The only thing wrong with it was that the door was broken and you have to tape it closed for it to stay on. My husband asked me what I was going to do with it, as he really didn’t think that we needed it. I told him that I was going to dry all those volunteer tomatoes. One thing you have to know about me, I love a bargain and free stuff thrills be like nothing else. I just couldn’t see those free tomatoes go to waste! You see, there wasn’t enough of them to can as sauce, so drying them offered the perfect opportunity to preserve them for use over the winter. Once dried, they will be the perfect quick addition to soups, stews and chili. And, did I mention they were free?
So one afternoon, I gave each of the boys bags and told them to pick until there were enough of those tiny gems to fill up the five dehydrator trays. While the kids picked, I washed them, sliced them in half, and placed them on dehydrator trays. The kids made four trips after those tomatoes, just to get enough. My oldest usually bringing in a good sized bag of them and my youngest bringing back tomato seeds on his cheeks and lips. All in all, they had a good time out in the sunny, autumn day. So, now I have five trays of tomatoes drying and am happy with the knowledge that I was able to preserve a surprise gift from God for use when tomatoes aren’t so plentiful or free. Ain’t God Grand!
I don’t like using any product with fluoride in it. In the past, I had purchased expensive organic, fluoride-free toothpaste. I knew there had to be a better way to take care of my teeth that would be healthy and inexpensive. I did a bit of research and tried several things. I finally have found something that works well for my family and me and is so cheap that everyone can do it. Since I’ve been using this system, I have noticed that my teeth and gums are in much better shape than they have been in a long time. I have bad teeth; they run in my family (like father, like daughter). In the past I’ve had problems with my gums bleeding and things of that nature. But, since following this system my teeth are doing great!
What you need:
Baking Soda
Hydrogen Peroxide
Toothbrush
Floss or one of those flosser things
Here’s my system:
1. I place a bit of baking soda in the palm of my hand and then dip my wet toothbrush into the baking soda
2. I brush my teeth with this for 2 minutes
3. Then I take one of those flossers and floss my teeth with it
4. Then I take 2 tsp. Of hydrogen peroxide and mix it with 2 tsp. Of water. I swish this around in my mouth and then spit out. Be forewarned….the foaming of the hydrogen peroxide takes some getting use to! I try to keep the hydrogen peroxide in my mouth for a 30 seconds.
5. Spit out the hydrogen peroxide and rinse mouth with fresh water.
I do this 2-3 times a day, especially in the morning and night. It has worked wonders on my teeth. It’s both healthy and inexpensive…something anyone can afford to do.
Canning season is fast approaching, so I thought I'd share some of the ways in which I save money on canning jars.
1. Garage Sales - I live in a rural area, so I often run into jars at garage sales. These can usualy be had very cheaply. Just last weekend I bought over 4 boxes of jars for $20. These boxes contained well over 60 jars (mostly jelly jars which is what we really needed), rings & lids (brand new still in boxes). Plus the boxes also contained 4 antique canning jars with zinc lids, which I collect, so I was really excited to see!
2. Family & Friends - Check with family and friends who use to can to see if they still have jars they're no longer using. I got quite a few this way from my Mom (plus a lot of other canning stuff), when I first started canning. I'd also post a notice at church or ask around church to see if anyone had any to offer. Most of the time you can get these jars for free or very little cost.
3. Freecycle - Post a notice on your local Freecycle group. I got a lot of jars this way for free...all I had to do was go pick them up. Because of gas prices, I took in consideration how many jars a person was offering and how far I had to drive to get them. If they were pretty close, I'd go get whatever they had to offer, but if they were farther away, I'd just go get larger quanities.
4. Recycle Jars - I often reuse mayonnaise jars and other commercial jars that my rings & lids fit on. I only use them in water bath canning, as I'm afraid they will shatter in the pressure canner. My Mom has done this for years and it works really well. This is how I get a lot of my jelly sized jars and also my hot sauce jars.
5. Thrift Stores & Flea Markets - I occasionally can find canning jars at our local thrift stores & flea market. They cost a little more generally than all the above ways, but are still cheaper than buying new.
6. Clearance - Watch out for canning jars on clearance at Wal-Mart toward the end of the canning season. Last year, I picked up quite a few boxes, rings & lids for pretty cheap. I found all the canning stuff on clearance there around the end of the Summer and September & October. I grabbed what I thought I could use and what I could afford. I got jars, pectin, rings, lids, a big water bath canner, jelly bags, and a couple of other things then while on clearance.
Some Safety Concerns:
Any time you re-use jars or rings, you should do the following...
1. Check the jar opening for chips. Do not use any canning jars that have chips on the openings, as they may not for a good seal and the food can spoil. Save these jars for storage or for gifty items like mixes and such.
2. Check the jars for hairline crack and such. If they have any cracks, don't use them for canning as they may explose while canning or again, let the food spoil.
3. Check your rings for rust. If they have a lot of rust, don't reuse them. A little rust is fine, but if they're heavily rusted, toss them.
4. NEVER reuse lids! They may not reseal properly causing food to spoil. Lids are cheap...use a new one every time.
5. Whenever you open a jar, smell the food and check for any strange textures or colors. If you have any questions about food in a jar, it's safer for you family to toss the contents than get food poisoning from it.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 2, 2008; Page D01
Poultry giant Tyson Foods has 14 days to dismantle a national multimillion dollar ad campaign centered on the claim that its chickens are raised without antibiotics, a federal appeals court in Richmond ruled yesterday.
Tyson, based in Springdale, Ark., will have to remove posters and brochures from 8,500 grocery stores nationwide.
"We're disappointed the motion for a stay has been denied and are evaluating our legal options," said Gary Mickelson, a spokesman for Tyson Foods. "We continue to believe we have acted responsibly in the way we have labeled and marketed our products and intend to stand our ground."
The ruling is a setback for Tyson in its ongoing battle with two of its competitors Sanderson Farms, based in Laurel, Miss., and Perdue Farms, based in Salisbury, Md. The two companies jointly sought an injunction to stop Tyson's ad campaign, arguing the "raised without antibiotics" claim misleads consumers by making it appear Tyson's chicken is safer or more healthful.
Sanderson and Perdue initially based their legal challenge on Tyson's practice of feeding chickens ionophores, an antibiotic used only in animals raised for food. Sanderson and Perdue also use ionophores.
Then during trial in federal court in Baltimore, Tyson officials acknowledged they also inject eggs several days before they hatch with antibiotics that are approved for use in humans. Dave Hogberg, Tyson's senior vice president for consumer products, said it is a common industry practice.
Hogberg said injecting eggs with antibiotics did not undermine the "raised without antibiotic" label because the term "raised" is understood to cover the period that begins with hatching.
More consumers are becoming concerned about the use of antibiotics in poultry, swine and cattle because they and many public health experts think that it contributes to the rise of antibiotic-resistant viruses in humans.
The dispute between Tyson and its competitors began last year, when Tyson announced it would raise its chickens without antibiotics, as part of a larger effort to relaunch its brand. It sought approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the use of the label "raised without antibiotics." USDA initially approved the language, then last fall reversed itself, saying it had made a mistake.
Tyson came up with a new label that said, "raised without antibiotics that impact antibiotic resistance in humans" that the USDA greenlighted.
The resulting advertising campaign proved a huge success. In a February conference call, Tyson chief executive Richard Bond told analysts the company has had double-digit increases in sales of fresh chicken raised without antibiotics, totaling an additional 70 million pounds of chicken a year.
But Tyson's success came at a high cost for its competitors, said Randall K. Miller, a partner at Arnold and Porter and lead counsel for Sanderson and Perdue. The companies sued in January seeking to force Tyson to stop making claims that its products were antibiotic free.
Sanderson blamed Tyson's ad campaign for the loss of a $4 million account, and Perdue blamed it for a $10 million loss in revenue. Greater damage, however, was done to the companies' reputations, Miller said. In seeking an injunction against Tyson's ad campaign, Sanderson and Perdue argued that Tyson's "raised without antibiotics" claim caused irreparable harm by implying its competitors' products contained antibiotics or dangerous additives and were therefore less safe.
Separately, Sanderson and Perdue also petitioned USDA to rescind its approval of Tyson's "raised without the use of antibiotics that impact antibiotic resistance in humans" label, citing both the use of antibiotics in unhatched eggs and in chicken feed.
In an April 30 letter to Miller regarding the companies' petition, the USDA said the egg injecting practice was "of serious concern."
"Rather than discuss any specifics to this particular case, [the Food Safety and Inspection Service of USDA] has requested additional information to help us determine what the facts are in this situation," FSIS spokeswoman Amanda Eamich said.
Hogberg said Tyson has been forthright with regulators. He said he hopes Tyson and USDA can resolve the matter quickly.
"As we did in working with them on the qualified claim last fall . . . we would hope the process would be similar so we can preserve this benefit for the mainstream consumer," he said.
ALERT: Genetically Engineered Candy for Mothers Day
This Mothers Day may be the last time you can buy mainstream candy for Mom on Mothers Day that isn't made from genetically engineered (GE) sugar. (scroll to the bottom of this page to take action)
Background Information: American Crystal, a large Wyoming-based sugar company and several other leading U.S. sugar providers have announced they will be sourcing their sugar from genetically engineered (GE) sugar beets beginning this year and arriving in stores in 2008. Like GE corn and GE soy, products containing GE sugar will not be labeled as such.
Since half of the granulated sugar in the U.S. comes from sugar beets, a move towards biotech beets marks a dramatic alteration of the U.S. food supply. These sugars, along with GE corn and soy, are found in many conventional food products, so consumers will be exposed to genetically engineered ingredients in just about every non-organic multiple-ingredient product they purchase.
The GE sugar beet is designed to withstand strong doses of Monsanto's controversial broad spectrum Roundup herbicide. Studies indicate farmers planting "Roundup Ready" corn and soy spray large amounts of the herbicide, contaminating both soil and water. Farmers planting GE sugar beets are told they may be able to apply the herbicide up to five times per year. Sugar beets are grown on 1.4 million acres by 12,000 farmers in the U.S. from Oregon to Minnesota.
Meanwhile candy companies like Hershey's are urging farmers not to plant GE sugar beets, noting that consumer surveys suggest resistance to the product. In addition the European Union has not approved GE sugar beets for human consumption
(NaturalNews) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has renewed its approval for 46 non-organically produced substances to be used in foods and beverages that are labeled "organic." At the same time, the agency withdrew its approval for a type of food coloring and a food additive.
Under the Organic Foods Production Act, the USDA's National Organic Standards Board is required to renew approval every five years for any non-organic ingredients that are allowed into organic foods.
The products renewed include five agricultural non-organic products and 41 non-agricultural, non-organic products. The agricultural produced products are corn starch, kelp, pectin, unbleached lecithin and water extracted gums. Some of these are not individual products, but categories; water-extracted gums, for example, include arabic, carob bean, guar and locust bean gums. Kelp may only be used as a thickener or a dietary supplement.
The 41 allowed non-agricultural products include common ingredients such as citric and lactic acid; calcium carbonate; calcium chloride; carnauba wax; bakers, brewers or nutritional yeast; dairy cultures; flavors; sodium carbonate; glycerin; mono- and diglycerides; and xanthan gum.
The USDA withdrew its approval, however, for colors derived from non-synthetic sources and for potassium tartrate derived from tartaric acid.
The organic industry is the fastest-growing agriculture sector in the United States, currently accounting for 3 percent of all food and beverage sales. Retail revenues have risen 20 to 24 percent each year since 1990, from $1 billion to nearly $17 billion in 2006. They are expected to reach nearly $24 billion by 2010.
At the same time, acreage of organic agriculture operations more than doubled from 2001 to 2005, to a current 4.05 million acres. The number of organic operations increased by more than 18 percent in the same period, to a 2005 value of 8.500 crop and livestock operations and 2,900 handling operations.
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Sues Estee Lauder and Others Over "Organic Cheater" Labeling
(NaturalNews) Following the Organic Consumers Association's revelations that so-called "organic" or "natural" product brands were actually made with toxic chemicals such as 1,4-dioxane, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps has sued numerous companies in the industry that it accuses of using misleading labeling to deceive consumers. The lawsuit is meant to encourage the named companies (see list below) to either reformulate their products to eliminate the petrochemical materials, or to change their labeling and stop using the words "organic" or "natural" on their products.
Companies sued by Dr. Bronner's include Estee Lauder, Ecocert, OASIS, Stella McCartney's CARE, Jasön, Avalon Organics, Nature's Gate, Kiss My Face, Ikove and others. Each of the companies being sued, says Dr. Bronner's, are using potentially dangerous chemicals that certainly don't quality as natural or organic. The product categories include shampoo, body wash, liquid soap, skin cleansers and other personal care products.
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps have remained a steadfast defender of honesty and integrity in the organic products business, and NaturalNews continues to strongly recommend Dr. Bronner's liquid soap products to its readers (that's the soap I use for just about everything). The fact that so many other companies are acting like "organic cheaters" is sad to see in this industry, and it emphasizes the importance of defending the integrity of the organic label. If the word "organic" is allowed to be slapped on products containing synthetic petrochemicals and potentially cancer-causing substances, then it only serves to mislead and potentially harm consumers. Sadly, many of the companies in the "organic" products industry are flatly dishonest, and they're jumping on the organic bandwagon as a clever tactic to make a quick buck rather than formulating their products with genuinely honest organic ingredients that put consumer health first.
NaturalNews encourages consumers to boycott all the "organic cheater" brands and choose only genuine, trusted brands that are supported by the Organic Consumers Association (www.OrganicConsumers.org)
Here is the original press release from Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps announcing this news:
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Files Lawsuit Against Major 'Organic' Cheater Brands
Offending Companies Claim "Organic" or "Organics" on Labels But Main Cleansing Ingredients Are Based on Conventional Agricultural and/or Petrochemical Material
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The family owned Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court today against numerous personal care brands to force them to stop making misleading organic labeling claims. Dr. Bronner's and the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) had warned offending brands that they faced litigation unless they committed to either drop their organic claims or reformulate away from main ingredients made from conventional agricultural and/or petrochemical material without any certified organic material. OCA has played the leading role in exposing and educating consumers about deceptive organic branding.
David Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps says, "We have been deeply disappointed and frustrated by companies in the 'natural' personal care space who have been screwing over organic consumers, engaging in misleading organic branding and label call-outs, on products that were not natural in the first place, let alone organic." Dr. Bronner's has determined, based on extensive surveys, that organic consumers expect that cleansing ingredients in branded and labeled soaps, shampoos and body washes that are labeled Organic", "Organics" or "Made with Organic" will be from organic as distinct from conventional agricultural material, produced without synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides, and free of petrochemical compounds.
For example: The major cleansing ingredient in Jason "Pure, Natural & Organic" liquid soaps, body washes and shampoos is Sodium Myreth Sulfate, which involves ethoxylating a conventional non-organic fatty chain with the carcinogenic petrochemical Ethylene Oxide, which produces caricinogenic 1,4-Dioxane as a contaminant. The major cleansing ingredient in Avalon "Organics" soaps, bodywashes and shampoos, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, contains conventional non-organic agricultural material combined with the petrochemical Amdiopropyl Betaine. Nature's Gate "Organics" main cleansers are Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate (ethoxylated) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Kiss My Face "Obsessively Organic" cleansers are Olefin Sulfonate (a pure petrochemical) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Juice "Organics", Giovanni "Organic Cosmetics", Head "Organics", Desert Essence "Organics", and Ikove "Organic" all use Cocamdiopropyl Betaine as a main cleansing ingredient and no cleansers made from certified organic material. Due to the petrochemical compounds used to make the ingredient, Cocamidopropyl Betaine is contaminated with traces of Sodium monochloroacetate, Amidoamine (AA), and dimethylaminopropylamine(DMAPA). Amidoamine in particular is suspected of causing skin sensitization and allergic reactions even at very low levels for certain individuals. Organic consumers have a right to expect that the personal care products they purchase with organic branding or label claims, contain cleansing ingredients made from organic agricultural material, not conventional or petrochemical material, and thus have absolutely no petrochemical contaminants that could pose any concern.
Dr. Bronner's products, in contrast to the brands noted above, contain cleansing and moisturizing ingredients made only from certified organic oils, made without any use of petrochemicals, and contain no petrochemical preservatives. The misleading organic noise created by culprit companies' branding and labeling practices, interferes with organic consumers ability to distinguish personal care whose main ingredients are in fact made with certified organic, not conventional or petrochemical, material, free of synthetic preservatives.
Lawsuit Also Names Estee Lauder, Stella McCartney's CARE, Ecocert and OASIS
Ecocert is a French-based certifier with a standard that allows not only cleansing ingredients made from conventional versus organic agriculture, but also allows inclusion, in the cleansing ingredients contained in products labeled as "Made with Organic" ingredients, of certain petrochemicals such as Amidopropyl Betaine in Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Even worse, despite Ecocert's own regulations prohibiting the labeling as "Organic" of a product containing less than 100% organic content, Ecocert in practice engages in "creative misinterpretation" of its own rules in order to accommodate clients engaging in organic mislabeling. For instance, Ecocert certifies the Ikove brand's cleansing products to contain less than 50% organic content, noted in small text on the back of the product, where all cleansing ingredients are non-organic including Cocamidopropyl Betaine which contains petroleum compounds. Yet the product is labeled "Organic" Amazonian Avocado Bath & Shower Gel. Another instance is Stella McCartney's "100% Organic" CARE line certified by Ecocert that labels products as "100% Organic" that are not 100% Organic alongside ones that are; the labels of products that are not 100% organic simply insert the word "Active" before "Ingredients." In allowing such labeling, Ecocert simply ignores the requirements of its own certification standards. Furthermore, the primary organic content in most Ecocert certified products comes from "Flower Waters" in which up to 80% of the "organic" content consists merely of just regular tap water that Ecocert counts as "organic."
Explicitly relying on the weak Ecocert standard as precedent, the new Organic and Sustainable Industry Standard ("OASIS")-a standard indeed developed exclusively by certain members of the industry, primarily Estee Lauder, with no consumer input -- will permit certification of products outright as "Organic" (rather than as "Made with Organic" ingredients) even if such products contain hydrogenated and sulfated cleansing ingredients such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate made from conventional agricultural material grown with synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, and preserved with synthetic petrochemical preservatives such as Ethylhexylglycerin and Phenoxyethanol. [Reference: OASIS Standard section 6.2 and Anti-Microbial List] The organic content is required to only be 85%, which in water and detergent-based personal care products, means organic water extracts and aloe vera will greenwash conventional synthetic cleansing ingredients and preservatives.
The OASIS standard is not merely useless but deliberately misleading to organic consumers looking for a reliable indicator of true "organic" product integrity in personal care. Organic consumers expect that cleansing ingredients in products labeled "Organic" be made from organic not conventional agriculture, to not be hydrogenated or sulfated, and to be free from synthetic petrochemical preservatives. Surprisingly, companies represented on the OASIS board, such as Hain (Jason "Pure, Natural & Organic"; Avalon "Organics") and Cosway (Head "Organics",) produce liquid soap, bodywash and shampoo products with petrochemicals in their cleansers even though use of petrochemicals in this way is not permitted even under the very permissible OASIS standard these companies have themselves developed and endorsed.
Ronnie Cummins, Executive Director of the OCA, said: "The pressure of imminent litigation outlined in cease and desist letters sent by OCA and Dr. Bronner's in March prompted some serious discussion with some of the offending companies, but ultimately failed to resolve the core issues."
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About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health author and technology pioneer with a mission to teach personal and planetary health to the public He has authored more than 1,500 articles and dozens of reports, guides and interviews on natural health topics, impacting the lives of millions of readers around the world who are experiencing phenomenal health benefits from reading his articles. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a manufacturer of mercury-free, energy-efficient LED lighting products that save electricity and help prevent global warming. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a veteran of the software technology industry, having founded a personalized mass email software product used to deliver email newsletters to subscribers. Adams also serves as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer protection group, and pursues hobbies such as Pilates, Capoeira, nature macrophotography and organic gardening. Known on the 'net as 'the Health Ranger,' Adams shares his ethics, mission statements and personal health statistics at www.HealthRanger.org
Since changing over to grass-fed beef only, it has been a challenge to stay within my grocery budget, but still afford to purchase the very best. I have become an expert at stretching my grass-fed ground beef, so I don't break the bank. All of my boys are meat & potato guys, so the trick is to spread the meat as far as I can, but to still leave them feeling like they had a meat meal. This can really be a challenge at times. The grass fed beef we purchase costs us $4.00 per pound, so I try very hard to keep our dinner's meat portion to 1 pound or under. This allows us to purchase the healthier grass-fed beef, while still keeping us on budget. The guys are willing go with less meat, as long as it's tasty, filling and helps us to stay on budget. Here are some of my families favorite ground beef stretching recipes.
Susan's Stir Fry Stuff
1 lb. grass fed ground beef
Organic celery, chopped into 1/2 slices
Organic green bell pepppers, cut into rings
Organic onions, cut into slices
Organic carrots, cut into thin slices
Organic broccoli, cut into florets/spears
Organic garlic, finely diced
1/4-1/2 cup Organic naturally fermented soy sauce
1/4-1/2 cup Organic worchestershire sauce
Okay, I don't really measure for this, I just add enough veggies to fill up a large stockpot and I use what I have on hand or what is in season. In a large stockpot (I don't have a big enough wok), brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. Add in all the remaining veggies and the soy sauce and worchestershire sauce. Stir fry until veggies are crisp tender. Serve alone or over brown rice cooked in the Nourishing Traditions way.
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Lentil Chili
Originally, I posted this recipe using 1 pound of ground beef. Since then I've tried making it with 1/2 a pound of ground beef and the guys didn't notice a difference. I just wanted to note that you can use 1 pound if you'd like, but I'm now fixing this recipe with 1/2 pound ground beef
1 lb. Organic Lentils
6 cups filtered water
6 tbsp. whey
1/2 lb. Ground grass-fed beef
6 cups organic chicken broth or water
1 (15-oz) can organic tomato sauce
1 can organic diced tomatoes, undrained
1 organic onion, chopped
1 tbsp. organic chili powder
1 tbsp. organic taco seasoning
1 tbsp. organic dried garlic
sea salt & pepper to taste
Place the lentils in a bowl and cover with filtered water and whey. Let soak for at least 12 hours. After the soaking period, drain off the liquid. In a big stock pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes, until lentils are done all the way through. Chili is best the next day because flavors have a chance to mingle. I like to serve this with Nourishing Traditions cornbread or soaked grain biscuits. It's also good served rolled up on sprouted grain tortillas.
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Spaghetti
1/2 lb. grass-fed ground beef
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can organic diced tomatoes (you can also use 1 pound fresh diced tomatoes)
1 can organic tomato paste
1 (16 oz.) can organic tomato sauce
1 organic green bell pepper, diced
1 organic onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 cloves organic garlic, diced finely
1/2 tsp. organic black pepper
1 tbsp. dried organic oregano
1 tbsp. dried organic basil
beef stock (optional)
Sprouted grain spaghetti, sun-choke flour spaghetti, or spaghetti squash
In a skillet, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. Add the ground beef mixture into a crockpot. Add all remaining ingredients and cover. Turn crockpot on low and let cook until dinner time. I usually start this first thing in the morning and cook until dinner time. Add beef stock a little at a time if mixture gets too thick during the cooking time. Add just enough to make it the consistency you like. Serve over spaghetti or spaghetti squash. I like to serve this with a fresh green salad.
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Stuffed Cornbread
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
2 tbsp. organic taco seasoning
1 can organic diced tomatoes with chilies
1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 recipe cornbread (I use Nourishing Traditions recipe)
1 pkg. grated organic or raw cheese
Make cornbread according to instructions in Nourishing Traditions. Brown the meat in a skillet along with the garlic and onion. Add the taco seasoning and canned tomatoes with chilies. Heat through. Spray 1 casserole dish with non-stick spray. Pour 1/2 the cornbread mix into the bottom of the dish. Pour in meat mixture. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Top each pan with remaining cornbread mixture. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake at 425 for 25-3- minutes, until top is golden brown. Serve with beans (Nourishing Traditions Style) and a green salad.
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Susan's Shepherd's Pie
1 lb. ground grass fed beef
2 cup hot, freshly mashed potatoes (also good with mashed sweet potatoes or mashed sun-chokes)
4 oz. organic or raw yogurt cheese
1 cup organic or raw cheddar cheese, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups organic frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup beef broth, thickened with arrowroot
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, brown the beef. In a separate bowl, mix together the potatoes and yogurt cheese. add 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese and garlic; mixing well. Into the meat, stir in the mixed vegetables and thickened beef broth. Spoon into a square casserole dish. Cover with the potato mixture and then sprinkle with rest of the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. I like to add a green salad or cole-slaw
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Pizza Rice Casserole
2 cups Nourishing Traditions cooked brown rice
1 lb. grass-fed ground beef
1 organic onion, chopped
1 can (16 oz.) organic tomato sauce
1 tbsp. organic garlic, diced
1 tsp. stevia
1 tsp. sea salt
dash organic pepper
1/4 tsp. organic dried oregano
1 tsp. organic dried parsley flakes
1-1/2 cup organic or raw cottage cheese
1/2 cup organic or raw shredded cheese
Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet. Add the tomato sauce, galic, salt, pepper, oregano and parsley flakes. Cover and let simmer 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cottage cheese and rice. Put 1/3 of the rice mixture in a buttered 2 qt. casserole. Top with 1/3 of meat-tomato sauce. Continue to alternate layers, ending with tomato sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. I like to serve with a green salad. (Adapted from a recipe in More With Less Cookbook)
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Beef & Bean Burritos
1 lb. organic dried beans cooked according to Nourishing Traditions, drain and rinse.
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 can organic diced tomatoes
1 organic onion, chopped
1 tbsp. organic garlic, diced
2 tbsp. organic taco seasoning
sprouted grain tortillas
organic or raw grated cheese
In a skillet, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. Add remaining ingredients (except tortillas and cheese) and cook until heated through. Mash all ingredients together (I run through the blender). Serve rolled up in tortillas topped with cheese.
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These seven recipes use only 5 1/2 pounds of ground beef, which end up costing us about $22, which isn't too bad! They allow us to use the healthier grass-fed ground beef and still be able to stay within our budget. But, most importantly, my family loves these recipes and they are very filling. Which is really important when are feeding a bunch of guys with hollow legs!
Whey is the liquid that remains after you make cheese and it is extremely healthy to consume. Even most people who are sensitive to dairy can consume it. If you have read "Nourishing Traditions" then you can see how often whey is used in "Nourishing Traditions" cooking.
One of the benefits of whey is that it is digested easily and quickly by the body. It also boosts your immune system and metablolism. It can also help you decrease your body fat. Whey is an excellent source of protein, minerals, and vitamins. The protein found in whey is from Lactoferrin. Lactoferrin has antibiotic, antioxidant, antifungal and antiviral properties. It fights infection and inflammation. It is even being studies as a treatment for cancer! You can save your own from cheesemaking, some grass-fed dairies sell it, or you can even purchase powdered whey. You want to look for whey from grass-fed milk cows only, as this is the healthiest.
So, as you can see, whey is extremely healthy for you to consume, but just how do you use it? That's easy! You can use in to replace most liquids in your recipes. Try cooking your rice in whey, adding it to baked goods, and adding it to shakes & smoothies. You can also make ricotta cheese out of whey only! Here's instructions of drying your fresh whey into a powder. Lots of the recipes in "Nourishing Traditions" use whey as well. Also you can go here to find some other ways of using your whey (you'll have to scroll through the list as there are several suggestions for using it in your garden or feeding to animals). You can find recipes there for making a salad dressing and whey lemonade.
Carcinogenic 1,4-Dioxane Found in Leading "Organic" Brand Personal Care Products
ANAHEIM, CA - A newly released study commissioned by the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), a watchdog group with over 500,000 members, and overseen by environmental health consumer advocate David Steinman (author of The Safe Shopper's Bible), analyzes leading "natural" and "organic" brand shampoos, body washes, lotions and other personal care products for the presence of the undisclosed carcinogenic contaminant 1,4-Dioxane. A reputable third-party laboratory known for rigorous testing and chain-of-custody protocols, performed all testing.
Ethoxylation, a cheap short-cut companies use to provide mildness to harsh ingredients, requires the use of the cancer-causing petrochemical Ethylene Oxide, which generates 1,4-Dioxane as a by-product. 1,4-Dioxane is considered a chemical "known to the State of California to cause cancer" under proposition 65, and has no place in "natural" or "organic" branded personal care products. 1,4-dioxane is also suspected as a kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant, among others, according to the California EPA, and is a leading groundwater contaminant. Although previous studies have revealed 1,4-Dioxane is often present in conventional personal care products, this new study indicates the toxin is also present in leading "natural" and "organic" branded products, none of which are certified under the USDA National Organic Program. The products/brands tested are listed on the attached page with the level of 1,4-Dioxane detected, if any, along with ethoxylated ingredients listed on the label.
Some of the Leading Brands Found to Contain 1,4-Dioxane:
JASON Pure Natural & Organic
Giovanni Organic Cosmetics
Kiss My Face
Nature's Gate Organics.
Both the OCA and Steinman are calling for misleadingly labeled "Organic(s)" brands which include ethoxylate ingredients or otherwise utilize petrochemicals in their ingredients, to drop all organic claims from their branding and labeling. "The practice of ethoxylating ingredients or using other petroleum compounds must end for natural personal care, and is that much more outrageous in so-called 'organics' brand products," says Ronnie Cummins, Executive Director of the OCA. "At a time when our nation is dangerously dependent on foreign oil and attempting to wean itself off unnecessary dependence on petroleum-based ingredients in major consumer products for national security reasons, it is self-defeating that we are literally bathing ourselves and our children in toxic petroleum compounds," says Steinman. "But consumers should also take heart in the emergence of a growing number of companies who've received the message and who are seeking to completely avoid petrochemicals in their cosmetic and personal care products. Your best bet is to purchase products whose ingredients you can pronounce or better yet are certified under the USDA National Organic Program."
Brands Found not to Contain 1,4-Dioxane: All USDA Certified brands tested in this study were 1,4-Dioxane-free, including:
Dr. Bronner's
Sensibility Soaps (Nourish)
Terressentials
