Archive for the ‘Food-Nutrition-Health’ Category

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Time to tap (for sugar)

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
Detail of tap & collector

Detail of tap & collector

by Catherine Haug,  February 1, 2012

I just received an email from from Kathie L:

The weather is quite favorable to tap right now.  It’s earlier than I’ve done it the last three years but we’re seeing temperatures in the 40s during the day and freezing overnight and predicted to be so for a while now.

We tapped our trees just this afternoon and the sap is coming out great!

Kathie did the presentation last fall on Sugar Tapping. See Gathering Summary: Sugar Tapping with Kathie Lapcevic for all the details:
  • Selecting a maple or birch tree for tapping
  • When to tap
  • How to tap (includes equipment needed)
  • Collect the sap
  • Cooking down the sap to syrup
  • Pouring off
  • Storage of the syrup

See also Kathie’s handout: Maple & Birch Tapping at Home, by Kathie Lapcevic.

    Posted in Food-Nutrition-Health, Home & Ranch | Comments Closed

    GMO and Antibiotic Livestock Feed

    Thursday, January 19th, 2012

    by Catherine Haug, January 19, 2012

    I’ve written about CAFOs (Confined Animal Feeding Operations) before, but I want to call your attention to a particular aspect of this type of food production. Cows, hogs and chickens are the most common animals raised by this method, which involves tight (confined) indoor quarters without exposure to the outdoors, specially grown and treated food, and often inhumane conditions.

    When you consume the meat, eggs and/or milk from such animals, you intake all the problems associated with the method by which they were raised. Even produce, including organic produce can be contaminated from manure used as fertilizer.

    Are you aware that most meats, as well as commercial eggs and dairy products come from CAFOs? When you buy these foods, you are making a statement that your are OK with the conditions and the risks that come with the food. Are you sure this is what you want to convey?

    View3 minute CBS News video: Antibiotics Risk to Humans embedded below. (more…)

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

    Montana’s Congressional Delegation on GMOs

    Sunday, January 15th, 2012

    by Catherine Haug, Jan 15, 2012

    Senators Baucus & Tester, and Representative Rehberg responded to recent comments from their constituency regarding GMOs. As you can see from the complete responses (below):

    • Tester asserts that GMO foods should be labeled, and that there are unanswered questions regarding these foods that need to be addressed.
    • Baucus supports GMO foods as being good for Montana’s Ag economy.
    • Rehberg takes no stand either way, only saying that we need to be ready to make the right decisions based on sound evidence vs cost.

    If you believe GMOs should be labeled; if you believe we should not approve any more GMO foods until we know more about the long-term affects on the health of our people, animals and the planet, you might address our legislators accordingly, and cast your votes for those who support your position.

    On the other hand, if you believe that GMOs are no different (from a health and ecological perspective) than their non-GMO counterparts, then your address to our legislators or your vote may be different, but no less important.

    If you are undecided on this important issue, you might want to read some of my earlier posts on GMOs; see the following link: Cat’s posts on GMOs.

    For the complete responses from our legislators, read on. (more…)

    Posted in Agriculture, Ecology, GMO, Health | Comments Closed

    New Waxy Coating on Lettuce & Other Produce

    Sunday, January 15th, 2012

    by Catherine Haug, January 15, 2011; updated January 16, 2011,  January 23, 2011, and February 8, 2011

    Thanks to Shelli R. for this article on Reality Blog: Dude, Isn’t that Wax on Your Apple? (1), and 1-minute You Tube Video: Plastic Lettuce (3). She researched this after finding it on red leaf, bib, and romaine lettuce at the Safeway in Polson.

    This is not the all-natural, edible wax typically applied to apples – carnauba or shellac – which is easily washed off with cold water. This is synthetic plastic made from petroleum and other questionable sources as well as animal sources. And it’s applied to more foods than apples. You can find it even on lettuce, such as the head of Romaine in the video.

    It is possible that what may look like an applied film on lettuce may actually be a natural phenomenon called “epidermal peel” or “rib raw” created by the lettuce to protect its rib (stem) from damage resulting from temperature changes, especially frost, according to Tom, the produce manager at Bigfork Harvest Foods (Jan 16 update). This phenomenon is similar to chapped lips resulting from cold weather, according to Dr. Mercola’s recent article: That isn’t wax on your Organic apple (4) (Feb 8 update).

    1/16 & 1/23/12 updates: See What about organics section below.

    (more…)

    Posted in Food-Nutrition-Health | Comments Closed

    Growing Your Own Food, All Year Long

    Sunday, January 15th, 2012

    by Catherine Haug, January 9, 2012

    I just happened upon an interesting website: Landscaping Revolution. It is primarily about permaculture, but has a section on Growing Your Own Food All Year Long. Here’s a list of topics discussed, by page: (more…)

    Posted in Food-Nutrition-Health, Gardening, Landscaping, Permaculture | Comments Closed

    GMOs at Tipping Point

    Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

    Frankenfood

    by Catherine Haug, December 25, 2011

    Image, right, from Organic Consumers’ Association.

    I recently wrote about New Legislation Affecting GMOs: new bills in the US House to mandate GMO labeling, and provide stricter safety protections for genetically engineered (GE) products. This awakening of our national legislators to this important health and environment topic is a strong sign that Monsanto, et. al., are no longer in total control.

    But this is not the only sign that the balance is tilting in the favor of consumers, small farmers, and those who are concerned about our health and environment.  (more…)

    Posted in Agriculture, GMO | Comments Closed

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