Sustainable Crops I

It is naive to believe that our actions do not affect others.  That includes things that you do on your property, which can and do affect others, even thousands of miles away.  Although I subscribe to the idea of  freedom to do with your property as you see fit, I also believe that we should take care of what we have for the next generation.  One of the best examples of far reaching consequences is the impact of growing more corn in the Midwest to meet ever increasing demands.  An increase in this crop has resulted in a massive influx of fertilizer into the Mississippi Delta brought downriver from farms in the Midwest, which has created a "deadzone" where there is little or no oxygen in the water, and wildlife cannot survive.  No wildlife means no seafood crop for fishermen in these waters.

In my humble opinion, corn is one of the most important crops on the planet.  It is a huge cash crop; we can find corn in many products, from high-fructose corn syrup as food sweeteners to ethanol for cars.

While I am amazed at science's ability to find so many uses for a plant, and that must be considered to be better on our environment than a synthetic alternative, our growing reliance on corn has caused some disturbing trends.

First, we are becoming more dependent on a few crops instead of maintaining a diverse food supply.  This year when the Midwest was struck by a drought, the all-important corn crop suffered and I predict we'll see increases in the price of many products as a result.  So much food and many other products use corn.  It is unfeasible to find an adequate substitute when faced with a corn shortage.  Right now ranchers cannot afford the corn feed for their cows, so they are feeding their cows gummy bears, stale candy, and chocolate bars to make up for it.  http://www.radioiowa.com/2012/09/27/cattle-producers-use-cast-off-food-products-to-help-supplement-feed/

Corn in Kansas "twists" because of drought.

Next, using corn for other products takes it away from our food supply and creates greater demand for the crop.  That also goes for Third World countries who depend on the import of U.S. corn.

Corn is a crop heavily dependent on fertilizer.  Greater demand for the corn crop and rising prices encourage more farmers to grow it, which in turn increases the amount of fertilizer used.  Oh, and by the way, don't forget that most corn grown in the U.S. is a GMO.

More fertilizer for the corn crops of the Midwest means more runoff into our streams, lakes, rivers, and eventually the Gulf of Mexico, which has not had such a good run the last few years.  Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, anyone??  Evidence of our dependence on corn can be found in the Gulf of Mexico's "dead zone".  Cause and effect:  growing one food crop has killed another one downriver.   (There are other crops that also have this effect - they all use up lots of nutrients in the soil and needs lots of fertilizer.)

It seems that once again a solution for one problem - a cheaper food supply and a new, renewable fuel source, has created a different problem with long-lasting effects.

Credit:  http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/topics/deadzone/advanced.html.  Hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The brown water is enriched in nutrients and sediments from the Mississippi River. Algal blooms from the enriched water create the hypoxic zone. Image courtesy of Nancy Rabalais (Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium) and can be found on the Southern Regional Water Program web site.

How do you eat Thanksgiving dinner without becoming a butterball?

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  Besides seeing my family, it usually gives me the opportunity to get into the kitchen and cook on a grand scale.  I love making both the tried and true dishes, such as Waldorf Salad that my Mama insists on, as well as trying out new recipes.  This year I might try a roasted red cabbage salad:  http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-roasted-cabbage-slaw-with-hazelnuts-lemon-recipes-from-the-kitchn-178256 (thanks to Jessica C. for sharing the recipe!).  Even though Mama's menu is set, I think I can get her to add one more salad if we have time to make it....

With all that food comes a little apprehension about whether my clothes will fit the next day.  Most of us don't eat the way we used to, and I certainly don't serve that much food on a nightly basis in my home.  In addition, my metabolism isn't what it used to be, and I know I can't allow myself to eat everything in sight, unlike the good old days of skinniness.  So, what to do?

This year I am going to try planning ahead.  I suppose you can call it eating in moderation.  I have made a few boundaries for myself to get maximum enjoyment with a minimum (notice I didn't say small or tiny) amount of calories.

1.  Pre-dinner:  Slim down my recipes.  Since I get to help cook, I'll try to use low fat ingredients instead of full fat, as long as the flavor is still there.  That Waldorf salad is definitely going to have low fat mayo.  Our all natural turkey will be grilled instead of slathered with butter and baked.

2.  At dinner:  I am only going to taste the food that I really enjoy, look forward to, or want to try.  It is even easier if the food is served from a buffet instead at the table.  At all the Thanksgivings that I attend, there is so much food that there isn't enough room on my plate to try each dish, even with small helpings.  So, since I don't really like a particular dish that is always served, I'll skip it.  There is no need to get additional calories from something I don't even want to eat.

3.  Avoid the bread.  I love bread, but unless it is homemade bread that I really love or that was made especially for me, I'm going to try and skip it.  I can eat bread any time I want, so I'm not going to fill up on those calories on Turkey Day.  By the way, dressing is not considered bread in my book.

4.  Get small portions.  Just in case that casserole I've been dreaming of didn't really turn out well this year, I don't have a huge amount on my plate to eat.

5.  Drink water instead of sweet tea.  This is for others, I'm going for the tea with real sugar.  It's a treat.

6.  Don't eat a big breakfast.  I'm saving my calories for the special meal later on.

7.  Pick a favorite dessert and only eat one slice.  I'm not sure I can only eat pumpkin pie if there is also a pecan pie staring at me, but I'll give this idea a shot.

8.  Go for a walk.  I hope to be able to get outside after dinner and move around a little bit, so that I won't feel so guilty about leftovers later that night.  Perhaps chasing my 2 year old will also do the trick?

9.  There's always leftovers!  I can get to try something again at home on another day, so no need to overload myself at that one meal.

If you have any tried and true techniques to get the most satisfaction during your Thanksgiving Day with less fattening results, please share them!

(This is one of several buffets we had one Thanksgiving; there wasn't enough room on this enormous sideboard for all the food.)

Turkey Time

Thanksgiving is coming and we are all giving some attention to where we will be and what we will be eating.  If you are going to have the traditional Thanksgiving feast, have you thought about where you will be purchasing your turkey?  Some of you have already bought a frozen turkey from the grocery store and have it safely in deep freeze.  But, for those of us who haven't gotten there yet, there are now other options.  These days you can easily find a fresh turkey (uncooked), or even order one from a restaurant or other organization already cooked.  For the fresh turkeys, they can be conventional, natural (I usually think of this as no additives or preservatives), or even organic (just the turkey, ma'am - no hormones, antibiotics, GMOs in their feed, etc.).  Many health food stores are taking orders for your fresh organic turkey right now, and the prices are not that bad.  I've heard a price range of $4.00 per pound and up.  You can then pick it up the day before Thanksgiving and not worry about defrosting your bird in the refrigerator for days.  If you are lucky enough to have a free range turkey farm near you, they may sell one to you directly, eliminating the middle man.  Each year we usually order a smoked turkey from a barbecue joint, but I'm sure it's probably conventional.  I'm not so excited about it this year, but maybe my solution is to ask around - perhaps there's a delicious organic smoked turkey out there for us.   Do happy turkeys taste better?

(Conventional factory farm)

(Free range farm)

A Birmingham lunch

 Today I am in Birmingham on business and decided to get out of my "I'm traveling so my only choice is a fast food drive-thru" rut.  I succeeded with Brick & Tin (www.brickandtin.com), located on 20th St. N. in downtown Birmingham.  My homemade butternut squash soup and "Tuscan" panini (portobello mushroom, sun dried tomato, walnut and provolone pesto on whole wheat bread) was absolutely delicious, healthy, and prepared within 5 minutes.  It was hard not to say "mmmm" after each bite.   While I waited for my food, I enjoyed looking at the beautiful tin ceiling and rustic decor, with trees lining the street outside.  Next door was a fast food sub shop, where I could have spent the same $8 on a prepackaged lunch meat sub and a bag of chips.  I'd call my effort a success.  Can't wait to find another local restaurant to try on my next trip here. 

Syria...Seriously?

Today I learned from Georgia Organics that Syria is the latest country to ban GMOs.  I had to read the article several times to get my mind around it.  Syria, a country that is attacking and killing "rebels" (who are also Syrians) has decided GMOs are too dangerous to be consumed inside that country.

Not only are GMOs not banned in the U.S., our government doesn't even require our foods to be labeled as to whether they contain GMOs.

What other countries have banned GMOs outright?
Algeria
Egypt
Sri Lanka
Thailand
China
Japan
Philippines
The EU
Norway
Austria
Germany
United Kingdom
Spain
Italy
Greece
France
Luxembourg
Portugal
Brazil
Paraguay
Saudi Arabia
Australia
New Zealand
American Samoa
Cook Islands
Fiji
Kiribati
Federated States of Micronesia
Marshall Islands
Nauru
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu

Many more countries have restrictions on GMOs or require labeling of products that contain GMOs (there may be some that I did not list above).

Thanks to the Center for Food Safety for providing us with this handy map!  (Click here to actually read it:  http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/gmo-labeling-map-of-the-world/#.UJvcduSoPE0)  I don't see any colors near us, do you?

The U.S. is clearly behind many other first world countries when it comes to a) protecting our food supply and b) giving consumers information to make their own choices.  I hope that one day my home state decides to step in and make this change where the Federal government has not.

Eat your vegetables

Everyone has heard "eat your vegetables" at one point or another, but in my experience that is easier said than done.  An expression I once heard has stayed with me:  vegetables are the "intestinal brooms" that help prevent major problems such as colon cancer.  As we all know, they hold many vitamins and minerals. Although fruits and vegetables are supposed to be the largest portion of your diet, they can be difficult to prepare, expensive, and I have not generally found them to be foods of convenience for a busy family.

For example, I can easily sit at my desk and eat a bag of chips with one hand, but it is not so easy to neatly peel a juicy orange.  It is much easier to go by the fast food restaurant and get neatly packaged sandwiches, but it is much harder to prepare a wholesome salad that must be eaten at a table.

Here are some ideas that I have used or heard about others using to get fruits and veggies into your family's diet:

Eat lots of colors - Thinking in terms of color has helped me to easily identify which vegetables and fruits I eat the most of (red) and which ones I eat the least of (dark green).  Take a look at your plate.  Are all the foods tan?  Try adding some color with red bell pepper, purple potatoes, or green spinach.

Juicing - I love my new juicer, and I definitely feel that it gives me a boost of energy as well as vitamins.  It is easy to do and takes less time than food prep and cooking.  I can also slip in vegetables such as carrots and the juice still tastes great.

Smoothies for kids - This is what my daughter and I have named those cute little pouches with pureed fruits and vegetables.  You can get organic ones and they have all sorts of interesting ingredients that are hard to get into a two year old, such as spinach and purple carrots.

Trying something new - I now try to pay attention to different and unusual vegetables and fruits in the store.  If I come across a recipe that looks delicious but has a strange ingredient, I am more willing now to try it than I used to be.  For example, my Romanian friend told me about parsnips, which I had never used.  Turns out they are delicious and look just like potatoes, and they now regularly go into my vegetable soups with minimal complaints at my house.  This winter I plan to try out celeriac, or celery root.

Secretly add vegetables to dinners your family enjoys - I have heard of people adding grated carrot or other vegetables into ground beef, where the flavor is masked.  It sounds like a good idea, but I'm not sure if I would be able to slip it past my husband.

Try to find more convenient fruits and veggies - Once you know which fruits and vegetables you like, see if you can find a way to make them convenient to eat.  You can buy cut fruit, pre-packaged salads, and grapes, apples, and bananas can be eaten with one hand.

Use the vegetable in a pleasing way that your family will like - My husband and I do not like cooked spinach, but we regularly eat spinach salads.  We also eat raw kale and it is delicious, but again we don't like it cooked.  I eat a lot more sweet potatoes than I used to because I bake sweet potato fries, which satisfies my wish for a  "french fry", and olive oil is the only fattening ingredient.

Here is Dr. Weil's recipe for a Tuscan Kale Salad:  http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/RCP02206/Tuscan-Kale-Salad.html#.  As usual, I like to change it up a little for convenience:  I use 1/4 cup of store-bought bread crumbs, regular kale, and only 1/2 cup store-bought grated Parmesan cheese.

Remember to wash your produce, even if it is organic!

Do you have any tips to eat more fruits and vegetables?

(Photo from http://www.organicsoul.com/great-ways-to-integrate-more-vegetables-into-your-diet/)

News from the garden

This summer my husband and I had a great time trying out new plants and planting techniques.  Although plenty of people have probably already "been there, done that", we are enjoying our trial and error gardening.  By far the biggest garden success is still going strong:  our butternut squash.

I bought a squash (conventional) from the grocery store in the spring and decided to see what would happen if I planted the seeds I removed.  I started them in small pots, then transplanted the seedlings to the ground when I felt they could survive red clay on a hill.  Survive they did, and now those little plants have taken over half of our backyard.  They have run up on our patio and over the fence into the neighbor's yard.  Squash are everywhere!  I believe the squash growing on the other side of the fence is payment for our garden overtaking their yard, not to mention their yard is a jungle anyway....

We also thoroughly enjoyed growing our own lettuces, and were really sad when the Georgia heat eventually killed them.  What a huge savings to not have to buy salad each week, and fresh salad from our garden was so delicious.  This weekend I planted some lettuce seeds (organic, non-GMO) and I'm eagerly waiting for some new lettuce.  After the seeds were planted I turned my attention to weeding and later found my sweet daughter helping mommy by digging in those pots.  Hopefully they will live after her gardening efforts!

Lastly, I am a big believer in letting something run its course.  No matter how bad my tomato plants look, I am not taking them down until they have produced as many tomatoes as possible.  It is late October and I'm still enjoying tomatoes and basil from my garden, so those ugly plants will be staying put until further notice.

Tricks about treats

Conventional chocolate has GMOs?  Who knew?  Today I learned that up to 1/2 of the sugar in our food comes from GMO Sugar Beets.

A major candy company in the U.S. (located in Pennsylvania...) has recently made some interesting decisions about its chocolate and candy distribution.  In Europe it will only distribute candy and chocolate that does NOT contain GMOs.  In the U.S. we are lucky to be served candy and chocolate with GMOs.  Aren't you excited?  I know I am.

**A POSITIVE UPDATE!!!*** 
1/5/16:  http://m.startribune.com/hershey-dumps-sugar-beets-because-of-gm-concerns/363498311/

And, oh look, they also depend on child labor cocoa!  http://www.naturalnews.com/033940_child_labor_Hersheys.html

Why and how could this be?  As you know, companies in the U.S. do not have to label their products as containing GMOs.  Apparently they are more strict about this in Europe, with several countries banning the import of GMOs altogether.  I wonder what they are basing their decisions on - are there studies in Europe that pointed governments in this direction, or is it more about the mindset of their populations (healthier, natural-food focused)?

Here's a link to a "Green Halloween":  http://www.greenhalloween.org/2011nongmoguide.pdf

And for those of us who still want to hand out sweet treats, try these non-GMO brands:  http://myhealthygreenfamily.com/blog/wordpress/sugar-sugar-how-to-avoid-gmo-this-halloween/

Happy Halloween!

What's a GMO?

G-M-O.  What the heck does that mean?  A GMO is a Genetically Modified Organism.  Wikipedia defines a GMO as an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.  Sounds like really cool science, huh?

I first became aware of GMOs when I was in college in the 1990's.  In 1999, I was a "cotton scout" where I surveyed cotton fields for bug infestations in Southeast Georgia.  While doing that, I was told that some of the cotton being grown was "Roundup resistant".  That sounded pretty cool:  to think that you could make a plant be resistant to an herbicide, thus helping the farmers keep their crops weeded without hours of backbreaking labor.  Years later I figured out that Roundup resistant cotton is a GMO.  Now weeds (especially pigweed) have naturally modified themselves to also be Roundup resistant.  Scientists and farmers are looking for a new way to kill the weeds instead of the cotton.  The moral of that story for me is that GMOs seemed like an awesome new development for the farmers, but within 15 years it isn't working for them any more.  So was it worth it?  We now have mutated weeds because of a GMO.

GMOs scare me.  I would prefer to not eat any plant or animal that has had its cells played with in a laboratory.  I'd like to eat Mother Nature's design.  That seems to have worked pretty well until this century.  However, I understand that our world's population is around 7 billion people, and we all need to eat.  It may logistically not be possible to feed everyone without the benefit of science and GMOs.  Also, other people think GMO's are great, and they don't at all mind eating them.  My problem is that I want to choose, and I don't know which foods are GMOs.  The big GMO companies and the government seem to think that I don't need to know this information.  There is a growing movement to label foods as GMOs, and all I am asking for is the information to make my own decision.  

In California citizens will soon vote on Proposition 37, which requires labeling of GMOs.  http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/california-considers-gmo-labeling.  It is interesting to watch the virulent campaign by big GMO companies (such as Monsanto) to stop this proposition.  What do they have to hide?  Most likely people will buy their GMO products any way, and they won't mind the label.  Shouldn't Monsanto be proud to label its food, since it is a GMO company and their products are absolutely safe?  Makes me wonder....  

How it all started - problems with pears

This is my first blog ever.

Today I am going outside of my comfort zone and putting my thoughts down on virtual paper, instead of just keeping them to myself.  I hope to start a discussion and journal of sorts to address my growing concerns about our food supply, on a large scale, and the food that I purchase and serve to my family, on a small scale.  I have a lot of questions about food, and this blog is to provide a place where I can post answers to some of these questions, when I finally do find them.  For example:  Do you know what GMO means?  Do you know that food companies do not have to label whether their food contains GMOs, and why are they fighting so hard to keep it that way?  Is industrial scale farming really the best way to feed our country?  The biggest problem that I have right now is that I feel that my government, both state and federal, are taking away my ability to make decisions about what I feed my family, because I cannot determine where food comes from, how it was grown, how long ago it was grown, and what type of seeds/plants were used.

This all came to a head for me a few months ago on Aisle 4 of my conventional grocery store as I was selecting packaged pear cups for my 2 year old daughter.  In my naivete, before that moment I believed that all food in my grocery store was grown somewhere in the United States.  We're the breadbasket of the world!  It could have been grown more than one year ago, freeze dried, preserved, radiated, gassed, etc., but at the very least I knew it had been grown in the U.S.  To my surprise and horror, the pears I held that day were grown in China.  That's about as far away as you can get from Georgia, USA.  This made me even angrier because the brand was as American as apple pie, a name I felt I could trust, and their label stated "distributed in California".

First tip:  "distributed from" does not mean "grown in".

The distribution label was right there in bold print, but the information about being a pear from China was hidden under the label, printed in light ink using tiny dotted letters.  The pear cups did not come home with me and I looked at every product in the store after that moment with suspicion.

I next went to my national-chain "health food" grocery store, where I thought I would have much better results.  I again wanted to buy pear juice boxes for my daughter.  There was the familiar distribution label from an organic brand, but I also found the tiny dotted letter label.  The pears were grown in Argentina.  Yes, they were certified organic by the USDA, but now I wondered what that meant.  Did USDA officials go down to the farm in Argentina and make sure that the farmers were not spraying pesticides all over everything?  Does organic in Argentina mean the same thing as organic in the U.S.?  At the end of the day I bought the pear juice because at least it was grown in the same hemisphere that I lived in, and I also acknowledged that it was not pear season in the U.S.

So, be sure to read your labels, find that tiny dotted print, and try to buy food GROWN in the U.S.  I want to support our farmers and our economy, not outsource my pears to be grown in other countries.  Better yet,  find and buy food that was grown as close to your home as possible.

These pears were grown at Frog Hollow Farms in California.