Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Damaging affects of cross pollination from terminator genes in crops


Check out this great article by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger of NaturalNews.com:

Corporations like Monsanto are playing God with the food supply. Did you ever wonder what happens when all the genetically modified, pesticide-compatible, gene-terminated, laboratory-concocted Frankenfoods end up genetically contaminating the natural crops we depend on for a sustainable food future? In this comic, I explore this important concept by showing the plight of a farmer fretting over an empty bag of seedless watermelon seeds.

You may find this surprising to learn, but U.S. corporations have actually designed, patented and aggressively promoted "gene terminator" plant technology that causes second-generation plants to self-destruct. By doing this, the corporation can control intellectual property (seed patents) and demand royalties on seeds from poor farmers in third world countries. It eliminates the whole practice of "saving seeds" and propagating food from one plant generation to the next -- a practice that humankind has depended on for survival since the beginning of human history.

In doing so, this gene terminator technology is a crime against both nature and humanity. To deny farmers the ability to propagate seeds from one generation to the next is to enslave humanity in a system of corporate control that violates the laws of nature and God. Care to take a guess which U.S. corporation is engaged in this activity? If you guessed Monsanto, you're right. Click here to read news about Monsanto's terminator gene at the Organic Consumers Association.

You can also follow the news on this topic at BanTerminator.org.

If you buy seedless watermelons, or seedless grapes, or GM soy products, you're already supporting the corporations that are altering the food supply. Seedless grapes are not natural, and they remove the very part of the grape that contains powerful cardiovascular medicine. Have you ever heard of the nutritional supplement called grape seed extract? Guess where it comes from? ... Grape seeds, of course. It's some of the best cardiovascular medicine known to modern science, far more potent than any prescription drug, yet with zero negative side effects. Yet food companies have removed it from the food supply and promoted "seedless grapes" as a benefit to consumers! (Of course, grape skins also contain powerful medicine called resveratrol, but grape seeds contain different medicines called proanthocyanidins and PCOs, which you can read about at the Physician's Desk Reference).

What's at risk: the future of human life on planet Earth

In this cartoon, the farmer character is fretting over something the entire human race is going to suddenly realize one day: Playing God with seeds and the food supply for the purpose of extracting maximum corporate profits is to plae the very future of humankind at extreme risk. Suppose the terminator gene crops somehow cross-pollinate staple food crops that now feed the world... what happens then? Imagine all the wheat grown in the United States suddenly self-destructing after a single growing season. Mass starvation would quickly ensue, followed by economic collapse, military action and quite possibly the collapse of the nation itself. And the same is true in Europe, Australia, Asia and South America, too.

This is what's at stake with terminator gene technology. For the sake of maximizing corporate profits, the Monsanto corporation is willing to place the very future of humankind at risk. But it's no surprise to learn Monsanto is behind this crime against nature -- this is the same corporation that tried to patent the pig, claiming it owned the genetic code of hogs. This is also the same corporation that promoted aspartame to the world by purchasing a company called Searle, whose CEO was a man named Donald Rumsfeld. He strong-armed the FDA to get aspartame approved as "safe," and we've seen alarming increases in brain tumors and neurodegenerative diseases ever since.

I believe there is no natural law that evil corporations led by greedy men will not violate in order to increase their own power or profits. Corporations have proven they will poison the environment, kill members of the public, bribe politicians, violate federal law, engage in competitive espionage, threaten critics, bribe the media, endanger lives, wipe out animal species and sacrifice the very future of life on planet Earth in order to squeeze out one more quarter of filthy profits. And they will do it with a straight face, while actually claiming they are "green."

There will be a day when the people will rise up against the corruption and overreaching power of the corporations. In time, they will reclaim their natural right to seeds, a clean environment, and natural health remedies. Today's patent laws -- which give ownership over virtually all commonsense ideas to corporations -- will crumble, and governments that colluded with corporations to strip power, health and dollars from the people will pay the price.

Until that day, of course, it's business as usual in the free market: Screw the people, violate the planet, desecrate nature and keep that share price propped up as high as possible. That's business as usual in the United States, a nation that has sold its soul to the highest bidder on eBay and now stands as an alarming historical example of what happens when a free market economic abandons basic ethics and human rights.

Must-see documentary: The Corporation. Watch this if you really want to know the truth about how corporations threaten the very future of humankind.

What can you do about all this? Grow heirloom plants, buy organic, non-GM foods and refuse to do business with corporations that use GM foods.

Inform yourself with these online resources:

Seed Savers Exchange

The International Seed Saving Institute

Save Our Seeds

See the movie The Future of Food or buy the DVD.

Read this great article by Devvy Kidd on the future of food.

Eating organic frozen food? Buy from Amy's Kitchen, which uses no genetically modified ingredients.

Wildflower Enthusiasts Gather for Flora-Quest







Many of Ohio’s foremost botanists will be leading field trips the weekend of May 1-2, 2010 in the beautiful hills of Shawnee State Forest in southern Ohio. Flora-Quest is a botanical retreat geared towards learning, meeting like-minded people, and above all, appreciating the most spectacular flora in all of Ohio.

The rugged, hilly landscape and steep forested slopes are blanketed with an incredible array of flora. Botanically, Shawnee represents the northern most outposts for many Appalachian plants that one would otherwise have to go to the Great Smokey Mountains to find. Early May is peak for wildflowers, and the hills will be cloaked with trillium, over a dozen species of violets, native magnolias, wild azaleas, orchids and many more. As an added bonus, well over 100 species of birds occur in the forest in spring, including scores of our most colorful jewels like Scarlet Tanager, Hooded Warbler, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Bring your binoculars!

Guest speakers representing Ohio State Parks, The Nature Conservancy and the Ohio Heritage Botanists will highlight recent efforts for botanical conservation. Jenny Richards and Pete Whan know their subjects well, as they live within this region and are intimately familiar with the flora. Dr. Harvey Ballard will present an evening program on Violets, including Ohio’s arguably most beautiful and rare Bird-foot Violet, Viola pedata. Greg Schneider from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will also present on the fascinating work of the Ohio Heritage Botanists. A special FREE program Friday evening April 30th will preview the diversity of Shawnee State Park.

There will be other bonuses, too, such as special evening field trips, vendors, and an optional trip to The Eulett Center and more. The center of activities will be the beautiful Shawnee Lodge and Resort, located in the heart of the forest. Take this opportunity to hike the newest properties in TNC’s Sunshine Corridor, visit a private preserve, improve your photography skills or kayak the Scioto Brush Creek. You will be amazed to discover the diversity in southern Ohio!

Please, visit the website at www.flora-quest.com for more information. Registration and complete trip descriptions are available on-line.

Flora-Quest will be May 1 & 2 at Shawnee State Park.


Photo: Bird-foot Violet, Viola pedata credit John Howard

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Organic Baby Spinach Salad with Coconut-Lime Dressing


INGREDIENTS:

Dressing:

- 2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut milk

- Grated zest of 1 lime

- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

- 2-1/2 tsp sugar

- 2 tsp grated fresh ginger

- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

- 1/4 tsp Asian chile sauce

- Sea salt, to taste


Salad:

- 5 oz organic baby spinach

- 1 small organic carrot, coarsely grated

- 1/2 cup each julienned mango & papaya

- 1/3 cup julienned jicama

- 1/4 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds

- 2 Tbsp shredded sweet coconut


DIRECTIONS:

Make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a jar and shake

vigorously.


Place the spinach and carrot in a large bowl. Add two-thirds of the dressing

and toss. Divide the dressed mixture between 4 plates and garnish each

serving with some of the mango, papaya, jicama, sunflower seeds, and

coconut. Drizzle the remaining dressing atop each salad and serve

immediately.


Source: Earthbound Farm Organic

http://www.ebfarm.com/recipes/recipeView.aspx?rID=58


1. Glass reformed from recycled glass instead of raw materials reduces air

pollution up to 20% and water pollution by 50%.


2. Americans use 50 million tons of paper per year, consuming a little more

than 850 million trees.


3. If 25% of families replace 10 plastic bags with reusable bags, it would

reduce production by at least 2.5 billion bags per year.


4. By turning your central heating thermostat down by one degree, your fuel

consumption can be cut up to 10%.


5. In Malaysia, 125 acres of tropical forest has more species of trees than

the entire continent of North America has.


Monday, March 1, 2010

March Promotion: Organic Vegetable Garden Supplies Giveaway!

At the end of March, we are giving one lucky person an Organic Vegetable Garden Supplies Package from Marvin's Organic Gardens! Here are the details of what you can win and how:

TO ENTER:
Tell us what your favorite veggie is and how you like it prepared. You can post this information on our Facebook Fan Page or you can comment directly on this blog entry. Either way, your veggie and preparation will count as one submission. You may enter up to 2 times per person. You must enter by March 31, 2010.

At the end of the month, Marvin, owner of Marvin's Organic Gardens, will pick his favorite entry. You could post a recipe or a picture of your family eating the veggie. Originality and creativity are highly encouraged!

WHAT YOU WIN:
An Organic Vegetable Garden Supplies Package! You will receive 1.5 yards of Marvin's Organic Garden's homemade compost, 1 yard of shredded leaf mulch, 10 organic vegetable plants and 4 packets of organic seeds. We will also include 1 roll of our NEW Control Roll to help control weeds and watering needs. Value of $175.00.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Organic Strawberry Rhubarb Compote with Streusel Topping









INGREDIENTS:
Compote:
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 Tbsp of potato starch
- 6 Cups strawberries, trimmed & halved
- 4 Cups rhubarb stalks, cut crosswise into 1/2” slices
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp grated fresh lemon zest

Streusel Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp grated orange zest
- 8 oz butter, @ room temperature
- 1/2 cup of walnuts

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425°. Prepare compote: Stir together sugar & potato starch. Toss with strawberries, rhubarb, lemon juice & zest. Transfer mixture to an ungreased shallow 3-qt (13x9x2) baking dish. Prepare streusel and bake: Combine flour, sugars, salt cinnamon and zest. Work butter into mixture with your fingers until combined into a crumbly mixture. Add nuts, stir to combine. Spoon topping over compote. Bake on a sheet pan (to catch the juices) until top is browned and filling is bubbly, about 30-45 minutes. Cool to warm on rack before serving. This can also be served with vanilla bean ice cream.







1. Food is the #1 least recycled material.

2. The average American produces 4 lbs. of landfill waste per day; that’s more than 50 tons over a lifetime!

3. Food and paper are biodegradable in nature, but not in landfills due to lack of oxygen.

4. Food and paper are the two largest contributors to landfills and make up more than half of all landfill waste.

5. One ton of recycled paper can save up to 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water and 4,000 kilowats of electricity.

(Source: www.smarthome.duke.edu/downloads/compost facts)