Archive for the ‘Shop Local’ Category

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Eating Local/Organic: Buy in Bulk

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

by Catherine Haug, Sept 5, 2011

I happened upon an interesting blog while researching the lacto-fermentation of fruits. The author, Jess Lundie, lives in Olympia WA (after living a much faster-paced life in Washington DC), and has discovered that when living on a shoestring budget, the way to afford high-quality local and/or Organic foods is to buy in bulk.

Check out her post: Buying in Bulk;

And her blog: OpenlyBalanced.com

We are lucky to have a lot of local sources of fresh produce in the Flathead, including our own famous Flathead Cherries. Did you know that most of these orchards also grow other fruits including apples, peaches, plums, raspberries, grapes and blueberries? And some also sell veggies from their own gardens.

This year we lost our local CSA (Swallow Crest Farms), as Julian decided to pursue a different business model for his farm. However, rumor has it that he will be returning to the CSA model in 2012. If/when this is confirmed, I’ll write a post about it.

Meanwhile, to find other sources of locally grown/raised foods, check out the Farmhands website & map.

Posted in Community, Food-Nutrition-Health, Shop Local | Comments Closed

Banning Battery Cages for Hens

Saturday, August 6th, 2011
Orange Yolks

Eggs with Orange Yolks

by Catherine Haug, August 6, 2011

(photo by Keith Blaylock)

I just returned from a trip to Portland and was excited to learn that the Oregon legislature passed SB 805 with overwhelming bipartisan support, and was signed into law on June 17. This law, similar to legislation proposed at the national level (see U.S. Egg Industry & HSUS Collaborate on Federal Legislation for Battery Hens) “sets comprehensive animal care standards for hens,” according to the Oregon Humane Society (2). Will our Montana legislature follow suit? (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Home & Ranch, Livestock, Shop Local | Comments Closed

Swallow Crest Farms at Farmers Markets

Friday, June 10th, 2011

by Catherine Haug, from Julian Cunningham

This year, Julian is not operating his farm business as a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Instead he will only be selling his produce at the Kalispell and Bigfork Farmers Markets, at least at this time.

  • Kalispell Farmers Market, Saturdays, 9 AM – 12:30 PM in the Center St. Mall parking lot
  • Bigfork Farmers Market starts Wed June 15, 4 – 7 PM at the Bigfork School Parking Lot (off Commerce St.

Contact Julian at 756-0462 or swallowcrestfarm(at)centurytel(dot)net  if you would like to be added to his email list. [NOTE: email address disguised for security)

 

Posted in Community, Food-Nutrition-Health, Shop Local | Comments Closed

Avoiding Food-Borne Illness (Like E. Coli)

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

by Catherine Haug, June 7, 2011

With all the concern over illness and deaths in Germany and other Eurozone countries from an outbreak of a deadly strain of E. Coli bacteria, I thought it might be good to address how to protect yourself from food-borne illness. While this particular E.coli strain has not been found in the Americas, we have had our own problems with E. coli in the past, as well as other infectious microbes (such as staph and salmonella), and are likely to have more in the future.

In this post I discuss:

  • Buy local
  • Boost your immune System
  • Clean your fresh produce properly

(more…)

Posted in Food-Nutrition-Health, Health, Shop Local | Comments Closed

A Blog for Hunters, Anglers, Gardeners & Cooks

Sunday, January 30th, 2011

by Catherine Haug, January 30, 2011

Is there a hunter or angler in your household? Do you garden or shop local Farmers Markets? Do you forage? If the answer to any of these is YES, then check out this wonderful blog by Hank Shaw on cooking local wild fish and game, and home-garden bounty. Check it out at Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. I’ve added this link to our links column under Food: Local/Organic Links category

I found this blog while googling ‘grouse brine.’ The top two responses were:

It has gourmet-quality recipes for all types of wild game and produce available in the USA and Canada:

  • venison (deer, elk, moose, caribou, bison);
  • duck & goose; upland game bird (grouse, pheasant, quail, partridge, chuckar);
  • dove & pigeon, rabbit;
  • hare & squirrel;
  • boar and bear;
  • fish & seafood;
  • sausage, salami, ham and other charcuterie items;
  • vegetarian recipes.

If foraging is your interest, select ‘foraging’ under ‘Top Categories’ in the right-hand column of his pages.

Posted in Food-Nutrition-Health, Gardening, Shop Local | 1 Comment »

GMO Chicken: Will that be coming soon to a store near you?

Friday, January 21st, 2011

by Catherine Haug, Jan 14, 2010

Researchers in England have successfully produced a live GMO chicken with that will not pass on avian flu (bird flu). It is hoped this modification will stop outbreaks of bird flu from spreading within poultry flocks such as those that caused the slaughter of over 7000 birds a year ago. And it also has the potential to stop new strains of the virus from passing on to humans. (See PhysOrg.com (2) or Time.com (5) for more detail on the research).

At this stage in the research, the bird, once exposed to bird flu virus, will get sick and die; it just won’t spread the disease. But if the bird is butchered for consumption before exposure, it still contains the GMO genetic material. The same is true of the eggs, and chicks raised from those eggs. Do we want this in our food supply?

It’s probably a few years from being introduced in our food supply, but now is the time to start planning ahead if you want to avoid this GMO chicken in your diet.

(more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Food-Nutrition-Health, GMO, Shop Local | Comments Closed

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