Bigfork School Bus
by Catherine Haug (photo, right, by Edd Blackler)
Have you ever wondered what would happen when the cost of fuel gets so high that our schools could no longer afford the fuel for school buses? This is a real concern, and could happen sooner than you think. (more…)
Setting up the press
by Catherine Haug
Today was a gorgeous fall day, just perfect for pressing cider. Jeffrey F. arrived about 10 AM with his pressing apparatus. With several helpers we had it all set up on the deck of La Provence (which we shared with the “Chocolate Desserts” table) before 11 and began pressing.
In the photo, right (by C. Haug), Marc Guizol looks on as the equipment is set up on his deck.
We had lots of helpers which made it a fun time, and pressed at least 44 gallons of cider for 8 different ‘customers’! We packed up and had the deck washed off by mid-afternoon.
One of our helpers, Kathy L., blogged about the event on her Two Frog Home website. She also took many of the photos shown in the remainder of this summary. (more…)
by Catherine Haug
While I think most of us have a passing awareness that livestock are routinely given feed laced with antibiotics to make them grow more meat faster, I wonder how many of us actually let this knowledge sink in, and avoid commercial meats like the plague?
I’m talking about beef, pork, and poultry from the meat counter at Harvest Foods, Costco, Walmart, Safeway, Albertsons, Rosauers, and so on. Also those served in most restaurants.
Do we truly understand the implications of consuming antibiotic-laden meat? And what can we do about it?
by Catherine Haug
Kathie was a member of our canning and dehydrating panel this month, and mentioned she has a blog called Two Frog Home. I have added a link to her blog on our home page. Look in the right hand column under Food: Local & Organic Links.
Check out her blog at TwoFrogHome.com.
Cat's cow-share cow
(Article and photo by Catherine Haug)
While mainstream food production becomes more toxic and inhumane, many farmers and ranchers are looking for a better way. Today the DIL featured an AP story by Matt Volz, about Curt Pate, a 49-year-old Montana cowboy who consulted on the 1998 Robert Redford film “The Horse Whisperer.”
Mr. Pate now turns his talents to showing ranchers a low-stress method of managing cattle. He recently did a demonstration of the old-time, but mostly forgotten technique at the Sieben ranch north of Helena.
You can read the article: Cow Whisperer Aims To Improve Livestock Handling online on the CBS News website.
The article suggests renewed interest among ranchers in this technique was sparked by the online video of cattle abuse on an Ohio dairy farm. You can view this video and learn more at Mercy For Animals. Warning: The video is graphic and greatly disturbing.
As consumers, it is our responsibility to purchase foods from farmers and ranchers who practice humane and life-affirming methods. To do otherwise risks our own health and spiritual well-being. Buy from local food producers you can trust; check out Farm Hands: Who Is Your Farmer? for local, Flathead Valley producers. And demand that local grocers carry more local, humanely-raised foods.
by Catherine Haug
The July 2010 issue of Rural Montana, the Magazine of the Montana Electric Cooperative Association, included two interesting articles, described below. You can download a pdf copy of this magazine issue: Rural Montana, July 2010 Issue.
The point of these articles is that renewable energy options are more costly than that produced by coal or natural gas, but they have a higher “green factor” (eco-friendliness). One of the renewables stands out on all counts: reliability, cost and eco-friendliness. Can you guess which it is? (more…)