S pring is here, the weather is warmer and probably the most asked question I get is, “How can I lose weight?” or “Which diet works?” When thinking about losing weight, it’s not always the decreased number on the scale that we are looking for. It is the way it makes us feel: the increased energy, the lithe movements, how our clothes fit and our skin feels. It is not simply the weight but the health too! With so many diets in the media now, how do you know which is the best choice for you?

Well, “diets” never work because they eventually end and we go back to eating the same bad food choice s. When considering weight, health and all those good feelings, a “lifestyle change” is most important. These choices can really vary too, so in my next few articles I will walk you through some interesting diet choices that you may have never thought of.

Acid and Alkaline Balance Diet.  The goal of this diet is to help your body maintain a healthy pH level for all organs and systems to function optimally. This is an interesting theory that I have struggled to understand for years. Many Acid/Alkaline advocates believe that this diet will cure all kinds of diseases. I’m a little more skeptical on that part. We are too complex of a system for it to be that simple. It is imperative, however, that our body maintain its pH; otherwise, cells die…we die. So how could a diet help when our body has so many checks and balances to stabilize pH on its own? Well, some of those checks and balances are dependent on minerals. Where do we get minerals? Our bones, muscles, teeth or our food. If our food isn’t balanced then our body steals what it needs from other areas (bones, muscles and teeth) to correct the imbalance in the blood. So you can see, our health can really decline if our body has to work hard to compensate for our poor food choices.

All foods have acid and alkaline forming properties. Again, it is the balance within that food or meal that matters. Foods that cause an overly acidic condition are foods high in animal fats, animal proteins, sugar and refined grains like white flour products and white rice. Artificial chemicals, flavorings and additives can also create an acidic condition. Foods that increase an alkaline condition are fruits, vegetables and organic whole or sprouted grains. This can be confused with healthy foods that are acidic themselves. Citrus, kiwi and bell peppers contain acids and can be irritating to an ulcer but they create an alkaline condition when absorbed by the body because of other beneficial nutrients. Coffee, alcohol and sugar…well, they are acidic to an ulcer and your body.

Generally, alkaline-forming foods should make up at least 75% of our diet to maintain optimal health. There are many lists available in books and on the internet if you are interested in a further look. My thoughts: alkaline foods are healthy choices, high in nutrients and low in calories, and are non-inflammatory foods. It may be worth a try.

Stay tuned for the next article on the Raw Foods Diet.

by Rebecca Dirks, N.D.

Associate Physician, NW Center for Optimal Health

Marysville, 360-651-9355

Producer & Co-Host, Healthy Living, KSER FM 90.7

from www.thefoodsection.com
Serves 3           

Ingredients
1 pound fresh pasta, (preferably brown rice pasta)
2 tablespoons butter
4-5 stalks garlic greens, finely sliced
Salt (to taste)
Black pepper, freshly ground (to taste)
Parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated (to taste)

Directions
Boil water for the pasta.
Melt butter in a sauté pan, being careful not to let it brown, and add the green garlic.
Sauté on medium to medium-low heat until the green garlic has softened (but don’t let it brown). Remove from heat.
Cook the pasta.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it (reserve cooking liquid), and set pasta aside.
Return the sauté pan to the range, set to medium to medium-high. When the butter starts to bubble, add about 1/4 cup of the water the pasta cooked in and whisk until the butter and water forms an emulsion. Keep whisking while the butter/water reduces slightly (around a minute).
Add pasta to the pan and toss, adding more water if too dry, and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Plate and serve the pasta with grated parmigiano reggiano on top.

As a farmer, I need to be a full-time lobbyist for common sense.  The USDA and folks in Washington D.C. can create a lot of extra work for us small farmers!  One seemingly little law or rule change can seriously impact our lives, farms, and future.  Currently, there is one such proposed bill going through the US Senate and also a rule change being considered for beef cattle and grazing with the USDA. 

I’ll admit that I barely have enough time to run the farm, let alone the country! I rely upon a few key groups to highlight the big concerns that require a little more attention. I pay attention to the Cornucopia Institute and American Farmland Trust as my primary sources of information when it comes to healthy food and farmland preservation.

While I am busy raising food, the folks in Washington D.C. are busy making life a little more interesting.  Currently, there is a food safety bill going through the US Senate that will do nothing, in my opinion, to improve food safety, but it will certainly be easier for the large food processors and large farms to comply with.  Why do most laws seem to benefit the large multinational corporations?

The same goes for the USDA.  Currently, the USDA is considering allowing certified organic beef cows an exemption that allows them to be raised for up to 120 days in a feedlot.  This is a rule that is purely being considered to make it easier for feedlot owners to be able to label their animals as certified organic.  As a farmer who is concerned for the animal’s welfare and the environment, the feedlot is the last place I would send my animals!  (Granted, there are seasons when animals need to be confined, like during heavy rain storms and the wetter months, to protect the grass and grazing pastures during their vulnerable stage.)  But this loophole is not designed to protect the environment, it is so the feedlot owners can “finish” the beef before harvesting them in a conventional way and still get the benefit of using the organic label.

I am firmly committed to the “Know your Farmer, Know your Doctor, Know your Mechanic” concept.  The more people with whom we have relationships, the more tangible and authentic the service and/or products will be!  This country is too big to expect Washington D.C. to manage or micromanage everything.  Somehow, some way, we the citizens need to have more input, and it needs to be at the local level. 

I have posted these two e-mail alerts I received from the Cornucopia Institute on our Box of Good blog. As a farmer I can respond, but to really affect change, I need voters to “chime” in and support local, sustainable farming!  These laws and rule changes affect me as a farmer and my livelihood, but they also affect your health and, potentially, your access to healthy food.

Tristan

Action Alert:

National Organic Program’s New Organic Standards Exempt Beef Cattle from Pasture

Support New Alternative Three-Tiered Label System

Comments due April 19th, 2010

Should organic ruminants such as a dairy cows and beef cattle — which have evolved to eat grass — be permitted to be kept in feedlots or should they be required by USDA organic regulations to obtain at least a portion of their feed directly from pasture?

According to the USDA’s new organic pasture rule, released in February 2010, pasture grazing is required in organic dairy production, but organic beef cattle may be exempt from obtaining any of their feed from pasture during the last four months of their lives.

The New Pasture Rule’s Exemption for Beef Cattle

The rule states that organic producers must “maintain all ruminant animals on pasture,” but, in an apparent contradiction, may simultaneously also utilize “dry lots, yards or feedlots” for grain finishing of slaughter stock, such as beef cattle, during the last 120 days or one-fifth of the animal’s life, whichever is shorter. During these 120 days, these organic animals are exempt from the requirement to obtain at least 30% dry matter intake (DMI) from pasture.

The USDA is seeking comments as to whether or not the current language should be strengthened or weakened. The final determination on this language will more clearly define how organic beef is produced.

A comprehensive analysis of this issue can be found at: http://www.cornucopia.org/2010/04/position-paper-organic-feedlotgrass-based-beef/

Current Practices in the Organic Beef Industry

To gain a deeper understanding of current practices in the organic beef industry, Cornucopia surveyed organic beef producers from across the nation. Results of the survey revealed that 80% of organic beef producers graze their beef cattle on pasture until slaughter, never confining them to a feedlot. In fact, 60% of organic beef producers never feed any grain to their cattle (100% grass-fed), while 20% maintain their cattle on pasture but provide small amounts of grain. The new rule’s exemption for ruminant slaughter stock from obtaining feed from pasture is therefore not needed by the vast majority of organic beef producers.

Yet, the remaining one-fifth of the nation’s organic beef producers are currently using feedlots for finishing, The Cornucopia Institute understands that there is support from some stakeholders for an exemption from obtaining 30% DMI from pasture for ruminant slaughter stock. These farmers, ranchers and feedlot operators currently likely produce a majority of the nation’s organic meat supply.

Cornucopia’s Proposal for Three-Tiered Labeling System

Given the well-documented benefits of pasture grazing, for environmental protection, animal welfare, food safety and consumer health, Cornucopia proposes a three-tiered labeling system for organic meat from ruminants.

Under the proposed system, three labels would be used for organic meat from ruminants:

1. “Organic – Grain Finished” – For meat from animals that needed the exemption from pasture during the last 120 days (might include finishing in feedlots).

2. “Organic – Pasture/Grain Finished” – For meat from animals that were maintained on pasture until slaughter, obtained at least 30% of their feed intake from pasture during the grazing season but received small amounts of grain supplementation at some point.

3. “Organic – 100% Grass Fed” – For meat from animals that were 100% grass-fed, never receiving any grain in their diet.

Rationale for Three-Tiered Labeling System

Since organic farmers are making arguments on behalf of the three production systems (all currently in use), it would be beneficial for organic producers and consumers to be able to easily differentiate them in the marketplace, with a clear label for each one.

Consumers are increasingly interested in grass-fed meats, and some might be surprised to find out that “organic” and “grass-fed” are not synonymous. The environmental advantages of grass-based livestock agriculture, its nutritional superiority as well as animal welfare benefits, are reported not only in scientific articles, but are also covered extensively in the popular media, ranging from Mother Earth News to Time Magazine, Forbes and the Oprah Winfrey Show.

On the other hand, promoters of organic grain-fed beef strongly believe that consumer preference and the marketplace dictate their production practices. American consumers are accustomed to the texture and flavor of meat from corn-fed feedlot cattle, and the USDA’s grading system for meat rewards high levels of intramuscular fat in beef—which is more easily achieved through finishing cattle on grain instead of grass.

A three-tiered labeling system will allow the marketplace to determine the viability of each production system, as well as creating economic opportunity for farmers who want to raise organic beef matching the demands and desires of organic consumers.

There are arguments in favor of each production system, which are outlined in greater detail in The Cornucopia Institute’s full-length position paper, available at:

http://www.cornucopia.org/2010/04/position-paper-organic-feedlotgrass-based-beef/

Send Your Comments to the USDA

While the exemption, allowing organic beef producers to use feedlots for grain finishing, has been published in the final rule, the NOP is accepting comments until April 19th from organic beef and other ruminant producers and the general public.

We urge both organic producers and consumers to share their thoughts with the USDA before the April 19th deadline, including expressing their support for a three-tiered labeling system.

Send your comments to the USDA before the April 19th deadline.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SENDING COMMENTS

To send comments electronically:

1. Visit www.regulations.gov.
2. Select “Submit a comment”
3. Enter “AMS-TM-06-0198” in the search bar
4. Click “Submit a Comment” (to the right of the first search result)

To send comments by USPS mail:

Address mailed comments to:

Toni Strother, Agricultural Marketing Specialist
National Organic Program, USDA–AMS–TMP–NOP
Room 2646–So., Ag Stop 0268
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20250–0268

Clearly identify your comment with the docket number: AMS–TM–06–0198; TM–05–14FR.

MORE: USDA’S request for comments:

The USDA asks that comments “clearly indicate whether you support §205.239(d) as published in this final rule, in full or in part, and the reason(s) for your position. Please include only relevant information and data to support your position.”

The new rule’s exemption, §205.239(d), reads as follows:

(d) Ruminant slaughter stock, typically grain finished, shall be maintained on pasture for each day that the finishing period corresponds with the grazing season for the geographical location: Except, That, yards, feeding pads, or feedlots may be used to provide finish feeding rations. During the finishing period, ruminant slaughter stock shall be exempt from the minimum 30 percent DMI requirement from grazing. Yards, feeding pads, or feedlots used to provide finish feeding rations shall be large enough to allow all ruminant slaughter stock occupying the yard, feeding pad, or feed lot to feed simultaneously without crowding and without competition for food. The finishing period shall not exceed one fifth (1/5) of the animal’s total life or 120 days, whichever is shorter.

USDA definitions added in new rule:

Dry lot: A fenced area that may be covered with concrete, but that has little or no vegetative cover.
Feedlot: A dry lot for the controlled feeding of livestock.
Graze: (1) The consumption of standing or residual forage by livestock. (2) To put livestock to feed on standing or residual forage.
Yard: An area for feeding, exercising, and outdoor access for livestock during the non-grazing season and a high traffic area where animals may receive supplemental feeding during the grazing season.

USDA existing definitions of interest:

Pasture: Land used for livestock grazing that is managed to provide feed value and maintain or improve soil, water, and vegetative resources.

The full action alert on the organic beef cattle exemption can be viewed at: http://www.cornucopia.org/2010/04/national-organic-program%E2%80%99s-new-organic-standards-exempt-beef-cattle-from-pasture/

The Cornucopia Institute P.O. Box 126 Cornucopia, WI 54827 www.cornucopia.org

Action Alert:

Rescue Local/Organic Farming in the Food Safety Bill!

Urgent—Call your Senator Today

Next week, as early as Tuesday, April 13, the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on a sweeping overhaul of federal food safety law – S. 510. The House food safety bill passed last year (HR 2749) included several measures that threaten small-scale organic producers, including a registration fee of $500 and blanket application of complicated monitoring and traceability standards — regardless of one’s farm size.

There’s no doubt that industrial agriculture needs better oversight. But, family-scale local and organic farms are probably the safest in the nation — they are part of the solution, not part of the problem — and need to be protected!

Now is your chance, as a supporter of sustainable family farming, to help fix these problems! Senator Tester (D-MT), a certified organic farmer himself, is proposing an amendment to S. 510 that would exempt small-scale farmers and food processors from the most burdensome regulations.

We need your help TODAY, please call your U.S. Senators in support of these proposals.

The vast majority of recent food safety scandals in the U.S. — E. coli on fresh spinach, melamine in dairy products, Salmonella in peanut butter — were all linked to industrial agribusiness practices, and these large-scale operations clearly warrant more federal food safety oversight and strict enforcement action. What is NOT needed is a “one-size-fits-all” approach that poses unfair costs and onerous reporting on local and organic farmers.

Safer, healthier food options provided by local, organic, and sustainable farmers should not be punished for their responsible work with expensive and complicated new rules. These rules may make industrialized food production safer, but offer no real food safety gains to consumers of local and organic foods. Small-scale operations are already subject to adequate regulation by local and state agencies. Smaller farm size inherently poses less risk (they are almost always owner-operated), and direct marketing also offers consumers better quality food with more transparency and accountability — and easy traceability.

Taking Action is Easy:

Call your Senators today, and tell them that you support Senator Tester’s amendment to S. 510.

To reach your state’s Senators,

1. Search his/her phone number online: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

2. Or call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

Sample Talking Points:

Specific talking points you can share with your Senators from Tester’s proposed amendment to S. 510 include:

1) With respect to the hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls, add the following new section to Section 103:

 (l) EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN FACILITIES – This section shall not apply to a facility for a year if the average annual adjusted gross income of such facility for the previous three-year period was less than $500,000.

 2) With respect to traceability, add the following new section to Section 204:

(f) EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN FACILITIES – The traceback and recordkeeping requirements under this section shall not apply to a facility for a year if the adjusted gross income of such facility for the previous year was less than $500,000.

With respect to the produce standards, add the following new section to Section 105:

 (g) EXCEPTION FOR DIRECT MARKET FARMS – This section shall not apply to farms whose annual value of sales of food products directly to consumers, hotels, restaurants, or institutions exceeds the annual value of sales of food products to all other buyers.

Thanks for your support of organic, local and sustainable farmers!

The full action alert can be viewed at: http://www.cornucopia.org/2010/04/action-alert-rescue-localorganic-farming-in-the-food-safety-bill/#more-2770

The Cornucopia Institute P.O. Box 126 Cornucopia, WI 54827 www.cornucopia.org

This time of year is filled with such eagerness and new beginnings. The cold, gray winter is fading fast and we welcome the sunny, cool days of spring. With each coming season new joy and excitement emerges.

For me, spring is marked with the planting of seeds. Our windowsills are lined with little pots studded with seeds of carrots, ground cherries, tomatoes, and spring onions. In our “petite” garden patch we’ve already planted sugar snap peas and arugula. Each day, with anticipation, my sons and I check the status of our seedlings and dream of hot sunny summer days playing outside and eating the sweet-as-candy peas from the vine.

My next step in welcoming spring is rhubarb. Its bright red stalks roasted in the oven with a touch of sugar and orange zest make the most decadent compote that tops anything from ice cream to oatmeal. My mouth puckers at its tart bright flavor and I smile at this memorable taste that, to me, screams spring.

The recipe I have for you this week highlights what this season has to offer. A variety of citron green vegetables are stirred into fresh eggs then topped with cheese and broiled until golden brown. A frittata is the perfect weekday dinner. Served with a simple green salad, this dish is a welcoming light meal after a long winter of heavy and hearty foods. “Frittata” is basically just a fancy way of saying omelette (those Italians always know how to fancy things up a bit). A frittata, however, is usually a bit lighter, as the eggs are whipped more than a traditional omelette. The resulting texture is lighter and more fluffy. Nearly any vegetable can be substituted and diced ham, bacon, or turkey can easily be added. I’m sure you too will add the frittata to your weekly meal plan.

What a joy to live in this beautiful green area that produces an abundance of fresh produce. From the slender, sweet stalks of asparagus to the pungent and peppery garlic greens – I welcome it all with open arms and an open mouth.

by Ashley Rodriquez
Chef, food blogger, and full-time mom. You can read more of her writings at www.notwithoutsalt.com

Photo of the asparagus from http://marvelousgirl.files.wordpress.com

This naturally sweet stalk makes a brief appearance in the Spring. The growing season is about 6-7 weeks in the Spring and early Summer. Once planted it takes three years before you can harvest the first crops. This allows the plant to develop a strong root system. After that point a healthy Asparagus plant should produce for about 15 years.

The temperature determines how often Asparagus can be picked. Early in the season when the temperature is still cool it could be 4-5 days between pickings. Later, when the temperature has warmed a bit, they can be picked every 24 hours.

Asparagus is loaded with a naturally sweet flavor that is enhanced with a quick roasting in a hot oven or on a grill. Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which in high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.

My favorite way to eat Asparagus is either grilled or shaved thin and raw with a simple Vinaigrette.

by Ashley Rodriquez
Chef, food blogger, and full-time mom.
You can read more of her writings at www.notwithoutsalt.com

adapted from  Bon Appetit 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

1 cup chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)

1 12-ounce bunch thin asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup garlic greens, chopped

8 large eggs

1 cup diced Fontina or cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese  

Directions

Preheat broiler. Melt butter in heavy broilerproof 10-inch-diameter nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté 4 minutes. Add asparagus and sprinkle lightly with salt, and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add garlic greens. Whisk eggs, 3/4 cup Fontina or cheddar cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Add egg mixture to skillet; fold gently to combine. Cook until almost set. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Fontina or cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese over. Broil until frittata is puffed and cheese begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve. 

by Ashley Rodriquez
Chef, food blogger, and full-time mom.
You can read more of her writings at www.notwithoutsalt.com

Stephen, the now big brother to our little Joanna Prayse, is my farm helper.  (Now, I really think he is helping mom by helping me, but nonetheless, I enjoy spending time with him!) Stephen, like most of my children, and probably like many of your children, loves to work with his daddy. 

The other day, when I was doing the initial pruning on the Honeycrisp and Chehalis apple trees, Stephen was working alongside me. When pruning trees, the first thing I do is decide what branches are going to stay and then I start cutting. I always make up my mind before I start pruning. I want to prune the branches so that light will be able to get into the tree canopy to help the fruit ripen. I also want to consider places for my ladder to get close to the tree. Even though I won’t need a ladder for a few more years, I need to leave an opening for them now while the tree is still establishing fruit bearing branches. So, you see, a little training now will be helpful later…which is why Stephen is my helper. Training trees and children will not happen unless I am hands on.

As I was pruning, Stephen was asking, “When is it my turn?” I was able to find branches that he could prune for me on most trees. I try and let him actually prune the tree, involving him in valuable work, not busy work. We were finishing up the Honeycrisp apples when I snapped this picture of Stephen pruning the tree. We had picked out a good branch to prune. I stepped back to capture the moment as he cut the branch, and just as I was finished taking the picture, I realized that Stephen had cut a branch that I wanted to keeeeeep!!! All is not lost. The tree will grow another branch and, most importantly, it was a very good cut.

Tristan

from:  www.fresh365online.com/winter

Serves 4

This dish is a favorite. You will enjoy the combination of the beans, fresh avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, and cumin. The endive and the lightly-salted tortillas provide a satisfying crunch. And its effortless to prepare.

Ingredients

4 nine-inch tortillas
3/4 t cumin
2 T white wine vinegar
3 T olive oil (or oil from sun-dried tomatoes)
1 19-oz can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
2 scallions, or yellow onions chopped
1 c cabbage, shredded (or rainbow slaw)
2 c lettuce

Directions

Spray both sides of tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Broil 3-4 minutes, flip and broil reverse side until lightly browned. In a small bowl, whisk cumin, vinegar, olive oil and salt. In a large bowl, combine beans, sun-dried tomatoes, scallions or onions, avocado and cabbage. Add dressing and lightly toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. To assemble, place lettuce on tortillas and top with bean mixture.