USDA Hoop Houses

What do you think? Should farmers take hoop houses (i.e. government funding) from our wonderful friends at the capitol?

You Dropped Food on the Floor: Do you eat it?

Source

The Makers Diet: Tilt some Steryeotypes

"In case, by observing this title, you have categorized this book and have classified me as "just another wimpy vegetarian health guru", allow me to tilt some stereotypes for you:

1. I am in favor of eating beef, lamb and other "healthy" red meats.
2. You should spend time in the direct sunlight.
3. Make sure you take you children out to play in the dirt.
4. You will be healthier if you consume saturated fat every day."

Buy the book here!

The Makers Diet

Dear Foodies,

I am starting this book today. My Mom has recommended it as a great overview of nutrition.

Have any of you Foodies read this book?

What do you think of it?

Comment/Question

The Comment

Can drinking raw milk hurt me or my family?

Yes.

Raw milk can cause serious infections. Raw milk and raw milk products (such as cheeses and yogurts made with raw milk) can be contaminated with bacteria that can cause serious illness, hospitalization, or death. These harmful bacteria include Brucella, Campylobacter, Listeria, Mycobacterium bovis, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, Shigella, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Yersinia enterocolitica. From 1993 to 2006, 69 outbreaks of human infections resulting from consumption of raw milk were reported to CDC. These outbreaks included a total of 1,505 reported illnesses, 185 hospitalizations and 2 deaths. Because not all cases of foodborne illness are recognized and reported, the actual number of illnesses associated with raw milk likely is greater.

(From CDC web site)

I have nothing against those that want to drink raw milk, I have had it on occasion, and I think it should be legal and all that. But I would rather just drink less milk. (There are many other beverage choices. Why are we so stuck on milk?) -Mrs. B

My Answer

Mrs. B,

Honestly, what the CDC says about drinking raw milk really doesn't bother me. The CDC also says that more people died from the common flu since 1993-2006 (about 36,000 or more) than from drinking raw milk. This is only in the USA.

That being said, milk can be rather over-rated. We could always drink beer like the Pilgrims...

:-)

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Raw Milk and Raw Eggs--Can you safely eat them?

Eggs Etc.

Dear Foodies,

Today the topic of discussion is the egg.

In my home, eggs are a staple. We have them every morning. Scrambled usually, but sometimes fried, hard/soft boiled, toad-in-a-hole style, omelets (rarely), Greek eggs, and a few other ways too.

Some say, "But, eggs are high in cholesterol!

"Patients with severe burns are often force-fed huge quantities of whole eggs and egg concentrates as a source of protein to rebuild large areas of lost skin. During this egg therapy, however, there is no significant increase in their serum cholesterol. In one study, volunteers fed 18 eggs per day actually showed reduced levels of cholesterol. Perhaps it is because when you are full of eggs you do not have room for sugar and junk foods--the real culprits in the cholesterol scenario. Eggs are one of the healthiest foods on the planet. They provide protein of the highest quality plus all known vitamins and minerals (except vitamin C)."

David W. Rowland Health Naturally

Source: Nourishing Traditions

So you are right. Eggs are high in cholesterol. But is that so bad for you?

"In Framingham, MA, the more saturated fat one ate, the more cholesterol one ate, the more calories one ate, the lower people's serum cholesterol . . . We found that the people who ate the most cholesterol, ate the most saturated fat, ate the most calories weighed the least and were the most physically active."

William Castelli, Director
The Framingham Study

Source: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

What I have learned is that your body makes cholesterol to make up for shortages of cholesterol that you don't have from eating eggs, and other food with cholesterol. When you are eating eggs, your body doesn't have to make cholesterol, and can do other things instead.

White or Brown?

Most would say that the color makes no difference in the egg taste or quality. But, that being said white eggs from the store are not OK. I would suggest that you watch Food Inc. to find out how those eggs are being raised. That will give you a better picture of why you don't want to eat eggs from the store.

Why Egg Beaters Are Evil

Egg Beaters are manufactured in St. Louis MO. How coincidental.

Their logo:

"The Real Thing. Only Better"

"Egg Beaters. The Egg Perfected™"

"With all the publicity about eggs and cholesterol causing heart disease, the food industry quickly responded in making a preparation that looked and tasted like eggs . . . one such product was called Egg Beaters. An experiment was conducted at the Burnsides Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, by Menna Kasmau Navidi and Fred A. Kummerow in which on group of lactating rats was fed exclusively on fresh shell eggs and another on Egg Beaters. The rats on fresh shell eggs thrived, were perfectly healthy, and grew normally. Those on Egg Beaters did not grow normally, were stunted and all died long before reaching maturity."

H. Leon Abrams Vegetarianism: An Anthropological/Nutritional Evaluation

Source: Nurishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

Obviously I am not a rat. And, a rat is not a human. But, rats and humans share many of the the same diseases. That’s because humans and rats have similar organs, and similar body plans. We both control our body chemistry using similar hormones, we both have nervous systems that work in the same way, and we both react similarly to infection and injury.

Here are a few links on eggs that I hope will be both helpful and interesting!

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Where to buy farm fresh eggs

Health Benifits in Raw eggs Part 1
Health Benifits in Raw eggs Part 2

Questions About CSA's

Benjamin,

What is a good price to expect to pay for a CSA membership? I have never heard of them before.

Thanks, Sallie


Sallie,

A full years share can range from $300-up to $700. Most CSA's have serveral options though. You can get a half share, a quarter share, a share without eggs, or meat, etc. Some farms have a pay as you go, type of approach, and some (get this!) will even drop your cost if you work on their farm sometime during the week.

Personally, I think the best way to have vegetables is to grow them yourself! But, that being said, many families don't have the want to, or the know how, when it comes to raising a garden. Some don't have the property to grow veggies on.

I hope this answers your question. If you have any others please ask!

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

P.S. Farmers Markets are always a great option too! : )

So what is a CSA?

I'll betcha that some of you are already apart of one, but for those who don't know...

A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is, 1. A Farmer, 2. A Consumer, and 3. A whole lot of produce that goes from 1 to 2.

Each consumer pays for a share of the years veggies (sometime meat and eggs too), and then each week, the farmer and the consumer connect and the consumer walks away with the goods. It's a pretty simple and beneficial setup for all parties concerned. The consumer knows where their food is coming from and the farmer is creating (hopefully) long-term customers.

Now the reason I'm telling you about CSA's.

Vesterbrook Farms (of Clarksville, MO) is having a $50 discount off the regular price for just one more week. The sale ends the 31st of this month. So if you want to get some incredible veggies, or eggs, or beef, or lamb, or turkeys... this is the place to sign up.

Make sure to mention my name when you sign up. You'll be helping to keep this blog going!

Plus, just for signing up...

With your paid 2010 CSA membership you receive this

wonderfully useful cookbook as a gift!

From Asparagus to Zucchini
A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh, Seasonal Produce

Sign up for Vesterbrook Farms CSA shares here.

(If you don't live in MO, but want to find a CSA near you, here is a great resource for finding one.)

Take care, and HURRAY FOR CSA'S!!!

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Milk Board in Jefferson City (1 of 5)

Raw Milk Rally: Recap

Dear Foodies,

Here is a great article that covers the Milk Board Meeting in Jefferson City. Working on some more stuff. Hang in there!

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Honey, I'm Home!

Dear Foodies,

After a quick visit to Wisconsin, the land of cheese, Packer's fans, and Lake Michigan(?), I am finally home. Posting should be back to "normal" : )

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

I'm in WI

Dear Foodies,

I am in Wisconsin. Therefore, I probably won't be posting till I get back...

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Bringing Home the Bacon Gets Tougher in the Age of Terror

Dear Foodies,

Here is a must read post, from the Wall Street Journal, about chefs smuggling donkey sausages, and other delicacies, into the USA. Check it out here! It's absolutely hilarious!

Benjamin

Fluoride...

Dear Foodies,

OK. I'm doing something a little different tonight. This is a post by a friend of mine, Joseph. So here it goes.

Fluoride. You know, that harmless, helpful additive found in toothpaste and our water supply. We've been told it's an essential mineral that prevents cavities and helps maintain healthy teeth. Right? ....Right?

Wrong.

First of all, there are no recorded benefits of fluoride. In fact, there is far more conclusive evidence that it is indeed harmful. The fact is, fluoride is a cumulative toxic waste that is more toxic than lead! It has been banned in 13 countries like Germany, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Italy, and Austria to name a few. It causes birth defects, cancer, osteoporosis, and it can actually cause your teeth to erode and discolor.

So, if fluoride is really a terrible, harmful toxic waste, why do we put it in our water and toothpaste? For decades we have bought the lie of fluoridation. This lie has not only weakened tens of millions of immune systems, but has lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths. Federal health agencies have known these facts for years, but they have been controlled by manufactures to keep it a secret. Manufactures of what, you ask?

In the 1920's, aluminum manufacturing was booming due to aluminum cans. Dealing with large amounts of toxic fluoride waste was a growing problem. Fluoride waste was very costly to safely dispose of. ALCOA, an aluminum company in Pittsburgh, decided they needed to find a way to cut some of their costs. At the time, a man by the name of Andrew W. Mellon was over the jurisdiction of the U.S Public Health Services. He was also a founder and major stock holder of ALCOA.

So, in 1931, a PHS dentist was dispatched to 300 small towns in Texas where wells contain organic, natural fluoride. His mission was to determine just how much fluoride people could tolerate without taking damage to their teeth. He found that people's teeth were often discolored and eroded, but he also reported that they apeared to have fewer cavities than average.

I think you can probably connect the dots. This group of people (and others) devised a plan for this apparently worthless product. They launched a propaganda campaign to sell fluoride to the masses in toothpaste (despite any real evidence that it is beneficial). Apparently, they weren't making enough money on their newly launched sales campaign of selling fluoride in insecticide and rat poison.

In 1945 the American Dental Association decided to pump water into the Grand Rapids to do an official 15 year comparison study to determine if there really were benefits from fluoridation. But six years later, 6 more American cities were given the go ahead to pump fluoride into their water. The so called "15 year" study was abandon after only six years and the results were inconclusive.

Thus, manufactures of aluminum turned this once costly drag on their companies into a huge money maker.

Also, note that there are 2 types of fluoride. Calcium fluoride is found naturally in plants and water. The fluoride being added to our toothpaste and water is not calcium fluoride, but sodium fluoride, hydrofluorosilcic acid, or silicofluorides (all three are toxic wastes).

Have you ever seen the warning label on a tube of toothpaste that says "keep away from children". If a child ingested an entire tube of toothpaste, the dose would likely be fatal.

The first occurrence of fluoridated drinking water was found in Germany's concentration camps. The Gestapo was worried about little children in the camps getting cavities...um- NO! They used sodium fluoride to sterilize people and force them into a calm submission.

I could go on about the negative effects that fluoride has on our bodies, but I think you get the picture. Fluoride has been in dripped in our American water supply for close to 50 years and our toothpaste just as long.

So what should you do? I recommend buying toothpaste and mouthwash that doesn't contain fluoride. (Try www.vitacost.com)

I'd also recommend finding a filter that will filter it out of your water (something we have yet to do, as it can be expensive to find filtering systems that do). In case you were wondering, Brita filters aren't much good, but they do make the water taste good!

Anyway, I hope I didn't scare anyone too badly. Awareness is good though, right? You can click here for the article, 50 Reasons to Oppose Fluoridation.

Until next time,
Joseph

Thanks Joseph for a great post!

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

Action Item: Rally in Jefferson City

Dear Foodies,

Tomorrow, I will be traveling to Jefferson City, MO with my friends from Vesterbrook Farm, to attend a rally for the Bechard Family.

Why?

Read all about it here.

H1N1 Ingredients

Click on the picture to see full size.

Glass Lock Dishes

Dear Foodies,

The ever present problem with eating is leftovers. Of course they some times get left a little too long, as mentioned here : )

We found out about these nifty, glass storage containers, after both of my sisters registered for them on their wedding registry's. Why glass? Not only do they last longer, but plastic containers have been shown to leach BPA (Bisphenol A) into the food inside. Read the article* to find out why BPA is bad for you.

It has been found that some plastic containers are "safe" to store food in.

• Polypropylene, designated "#5 PP"
• High-density polyethylene, designated "#2HDPE"
• Low-density polyethylene, designated "#4 LDPE"

So pay attention to the container you store your water or food in. If you can’t use glass, only use one of the above "safe" plastic containers.

Thanks for reading!

Benjamin Serven, Foodie

*Source

Art In My Coffee

Check it out here.

Dear Foodies,

This picture is really cool.

But I am not a coffee drinker. Honestly, it doesn't taste very good to me. Now I am glad that I never got to the point of having it on a regular basis.

This is why.

Deep In Our Refrigerator-A Poem

Deep in our refrigerator,

there's a special place

for food that's been around awhile . . .

we keep it, just in case.

“It's probably too old to eat,”

my mother likes to say.

“But I don't think it's old enough

for me to throw away.”

It stays there for a month or more

to ripen in the cold,

and soon we notice fuzzy clumps

of multicolored mold.

The clumps are larger every day,

we notice this as well,

but mostly what we notice

is a certain special smell.

When finally it all becomes

a nasty mass of slime,

my mother takes it out, and says,

“Apparently, it's time.”

She dumps it in the garbage can,

though not without regret,

then fills the space with other food

that's not so ancient yet.

Source

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!