“Children of the Corn” Beware!

Beware of the (GGM) Green Giant Monsanto, and GMO’s (genetically modified organisms)

Here is an excerpt from a must read!

” Ultimately, there are better, healthier ways to make cheaper food. Until then the best thing we can do is to demand further investigations and buy organic products whenever practical.
And if you can’t afford to buy organic, O’Brien recommends, “A great first step, given how pervasive these ingredients are in processed foods that often use these ingredients to extend shelf life, is to reduce your exposure to processed foods and stick with pronounceable ingredients and foods that your grandmother would have served her kids.”

Meanwhile, let’s endeavor to make Monsanto a household name. But not in a good way.

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/04/monsanto-the-evil-corporation-in-your-refrigerator/?icid=main|main|dl6|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F02%2F04%2Fmonsanto-the-evil-corporation-in-your-refrigerator%2F

READ YOUR LABELS,  research you food products, and SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARMS!!

Eating Organic

Find organic farms in your neighborhood (also includes info on local restaurants buying and serving organically grown dishes):

For organic produce (fruits, vegetables and herbs) to grow or buy – www.localharvest.org

For organically grow meats to buy – www.eatwild.com

Great information for fingding your hometown farming community!

How to Grow Your Vegetable Garden-GMA

 For those who did not catch a great segment on GMA 

How to Grow Your Vegetable Garden

Eat Healthier and Cheaper by Growing Your Own Veggies

By JOE LAMP’L
DIY Network Guest Contributor
March 26, 2009

 

If you’re one of the 7 million gardeners taking a stab at growing your own vegetables this year, or even if you’re a seasoned veteran, a primer on the basics can come in handy. The biggest question on many peoples’ minds today is simply, how do I even get started?

“GMA” explores how to start your own garden.

(Getty Images)

So here are some of the most important things to know for a successful gardening experience:

Before deciding to grow vegetables and herbs, find a sunny spot. These plants do best in full sun, meaning eight hours or more. You can get by with six or so but keep in mind that less sun will affect their performance. The healthiest, most productive plants thrive in all day sun.

If you still want a food garden but just don’t have the space or light, consider growing edibles in containers. So many plants these days have been developed specifically for growing in small spaces and containers. Just remember, use the largest container that is practical for you. Once plants take root, they really grow fast and the more room they have to spread their roots, the better. Check with your garden center for specific varieties ideally suited for smaller spaces and containers.

If you only have a sunny windowsill, don’t be discouraged. Although you may not be able to nurture homegrown tomatoes, give herbs a try. Most do well in containers indoors with sufficient light and dry conditions.

Even if you’re brand new to gardening, I encourage you to try starting your plants from seeds. Six to eight weeks before the last frost in your area is the ideal time to begin. Seeds are inexpensive to buy but even cheaper when you get them from your friends and other sources for free. To get started, you’ll need a box or tray to contain your soil. Although you can purchase trays specifically for this purpose, I like the free route. I use pizza boxes, soda bottles, and take-out containers to plant my seeds. They work just as well and the price is right!

Sow your seeds in seed starting mix. You can find this at the garden center. A 16-quart bag costs about $3.50 and is plenty to fill several trays or boxes. Although saving money is important, this is an area where you don’t want to skimp. This specialty mix is lightweight and sterile, two important components for successful seed germination. Just before sowing the seeds, saturate the soil mix. Then plant your seeds and cover them with about a quarter inch of additional mix and add a little extra water.

Create Your Own Mini-Green House

Now you need to place a cover over the top of the tray. One of my favorite tricks for creating this mini-greenhouse is a used cake topper that you find in bakeries. These tall, clear tops are perfect for allowing light in while locking in the moisture necessary for seeds to germinate. And again, my favorite part is they’re free!

Once your seeds germinate, remove the clear top. Now you have two main jobs. First, never allow the soil to dry out completely. If you’re unsure, stick your finger into the soil. If it feels moist or your finger comes out dirty, there is enough water for now. However, a clean finger after probing means it’s time to add more water.

Your second job is to make sure the seedlings are getting adequate lighting. A bright, south-facing window is good, but a grow light is much better. Don’t worry about the name. I use a shop light consisting of two 40-watt fluorescent bulbs, which I purchased at a box store for less than $10. Hang the light so that is remains within 1 or 2 inches of the seedlings at all times. You’ll need to adjust the height, of course, as plants get taller. To make your work easier, connect the light to an appliance timer set to remain on for 15 hours a day.

In about six weeks, it’s time to transplant the seedlings outside to the garden or container. However, hold off until the last risk of frost has passed. If you’re unsure as to this date, contact your local county extension service, and they’ll be able to provide this information. Before planting, you should condition your tender seedlings to their new environment. In a process called “hardening off,” you gradually expose them to their final destination over a week or so, increasing the amount of direct sunlight and exposure time each day.

Ready to Plant

Now you are ready to plant. Gently remove your seedlings from their tray, being careful not to damage any part of the plant or roots. Nearly all plants should be placed in the garden soil at a depth sufficient to cover the root ball. There is one main exception. Tomatoes can and should be planted deeply enough to leave only the top two leaf nodes out of the ground. Roots will form on the buried stem, making for a larger root mass and more robust plant.But whatever you’re planting, make sure your garden soil is well drained and includes lots of natural soil amendments such as compost. Lightly pack the soil in around the plants and thoroughly water them. Continue to monitor the soil moisture so that it remains constantly moist like a damp sponge but not saturated. On average, an inch of water is about right over the course of a week.

From this point, allow the plants a few days to settle into their new home and acclimate. Then add about a 3-inch layer of mulch. To save money, I collect all my yard leaves and grind them up with my lawn mower or dump them in a trash can and insert my weed eater to shred them, much like a food processor does to carrots. But whatever natural mulch you use, it’s important for many reasons, including weed suppression, moisture retention, moderating extreme soil temperatures and disease control from the soil. And mulch also adds a really finished look to your garden.

Finally, take time every day if possible to patrol and enjoy your garden. You’ll stay in tune with the many wonderful things taking place, plus, you’ll stay on top of any potentially developing problems before they get out of hand.

Joe Lamp’l is the host of DIY Network’s Fresh from the Garden, and founder of joegardener.com. You can download a free how-to “Vegetable Gardening” eBook from the site.

Organic Fresh Foods

Top Fruits and Vegetables You Should & Should NOT Buy Organic !

To make wiser consumer choices here is a list of produce with the highest level of pesticide contamination. The following list is based on information and studies by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Consumer Reports, and the Environmental Working Group.

Nectarines – 97.3% of nectarines sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Celery – 94.5% of celery sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Pears – 94.4% of pears sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Peaches – 93.7% of peaches sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Apples – 91% of apples sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Cherries – 91% of cherries sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Strawberries – 90% of strawberries sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Imported Grapes – 86% of imported grapes (i.e. Chile) sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Spinach – 83.4% of spinach sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Potatoes – 79.3% of potatoes sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Bell Peppers – 68% of bell peppers sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Red Raspberries – 59% of red raspberries sampled were found to contain pesticides.

Here is a list of fruits and vegetables found to contain the least amount of pesticides. Notice that many of these have thick, inedible skins which protect the fruit.

Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Corn (However, almost all corn is genetically modified)
Kiwi
Mangoes
Onions
Papaya
Pineapples
Sweet Peas

There’s lots of reasons to buy organic. First, it’s better for the environment. No pesticides means healthier soil, water, and wildlife. Buying organic supports small farmers. Organic farmers can earn a fairer price for organic produce compared to factory farming. Organic farming is good for biodiversity. Organic farmers are growing a wide variety of non-genetically modified (non-GMO) fruits and vegetables. Organic farmers are resurrecting many heirloom varieties.
Finally, organic foods are healthier for you. The research on whether consuming organic food is healthier for people remains inconclusive. However, the USDA’s own tests show that most non-organic produce contain residual pesticides even after washing. The long term effects of consuming these pesticides has not been sufficiently studied, but they can’t be good for you.

Consuming less food that is contaminated may actually save you money and your health in the long run. If you have children you are investing in their future health too!

Greening the SCHOOL (I)

Protecting our children and the environment:

The first priority of any school must be the health and safety of th children under its care.  Unfortunately, however, many school environments are not safe due to the use of household and industrial strength cleaners. Often the cleaning products that are used within the school contain dangerous chemicals which may be harmful to the health of the children.  Health effects may seem temporary and benign such as headaches, eye and throat irritation, couching and increased susceptibility to temporary illness; or they may be acute, such as triggering of asthma attachs or severe allergic reations.  Unfortunately, there may also be chronic, long term effects from these chemicals such as learning kisabilities and serious illness.

There are two vital ways to greening the schools:

1) Elimate harmful toxic cleaning products within school buildings, thus making them safer and healthier environments, and;

2) By eliminating these harmfull substances the earths environment is also being helped!

 

– Conserve Home Energy, Save Money!

Stock Up!
Keeping your fridge well-stocked means the compressor cycles less often. It’s easier to chill food than the air surrounding it.

Set The Mood… Turning the lights down makes for an inviting atmosphere, and it saves electricity. A compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) has a 10,000-hour lifespan. New low-wattage CFLs work with conventional incandescent dimmers and cost about $20 per bulb. (Visit GELighting.com and Siliconsolar.com ) Another way to save energy is to use natural, organic decorative candles in rooms that need only a little bit of illumination (i.e. after dinner light a natural, made in USA  candle on the counters in the kitchen, or in the family room during TV time.)

Green Energy:

The are a few different ways that green power programs are set up, but generally : you agree to pay for your electricity at the going rate for renewable sources—wind, solar, biomass, or some combination, depending on what’s available in your area. Your utility then adds that much more renewable energy to the grid on your behalf, and decreases the amount it gets from fossil fuels. 

Rates for all of these sources of renewable and non-renewable energy change frequently, which is probably why a lot of programs don’t tell you up front exactly what the price difference is.

the National Renewable Energy Lab recently crunched the numbers for the top ten most-used green energy programs. They found that, in the case of all ten green energy programs, consumers paid less than a penny per kilowatt hour more than they otherwise would have. And when you consider that electricity usually sells at around 8 to 14 cents/kWh, the added cost is really a pittance.

Especially if you’re good about conserving electricity in the first place, by doing things like making sure your home is well-insulated, using passive solar power (windows) to keep your home warm in winter and using sun-blocking shade in the summer, unplugging appliances, and turning the heat and AC down. Sometimes, believe it or not, the renewable rate drops even below the standard rate! Who said going green was too expensive?

Made in the Shade:

According to a study conducted by the American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers, solar radiation through glass is responsible for approximately 20% of the load on an air conditioner. Outside shade products like awnings, and solar shades prevent the solar radiation from penetrating through the glass and substantially increase energy saved when compared to film and tinted glass alternatives. According to the American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers, a fabric awning reduces heat gain by 55-65% during the period of the day when the sun shines directly on southern facing windows/glass doors. For western exposure, the reduction in heat gain is 72-77%. Check out Sunsetter.com (assembled in the USA!)

AND, Shut the Door! – Its FREE!

Especially if you are in a multi-level home, pull down the shades, close the drapes and then close the doors in the morning while it is still cooler in the home. (Especially in the newer home with high ceilings the heat rises to the upstairs rooms, this eliminates that heat from getting to the bedrooms) !! Make sure you have an attic fan to take the warm air out of the attic.  These simple, no cost tips will keep the house cooler thru the day and not require the AC to work as hard.