Archive for the ‘Post Topics’ Category

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Good News on labeling of GMO/GE farmed salmon

Friday, December 18th, 2015
Frankenfood

Frankenfood

by Catherine Haug, December 18, 2015 (Image, right, from Organic Consumers Assoc., used with permission)

GMO salmon to be labelled when available for sale!

Back on November 21, I wrote an article on FDA approval of GMO salmon without mandatory labeling, despite reliable polls showing 89% of voting Americans support mandatory labeling of GMO/GE foods in an easy-to-read format. But that is about to change as congress has directed the FDA to write guidelines for mandatory labeling of the fish. (more…)

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Posted in Food-Nutrition-Health, GMO | No Comments »

‘QR code’ to label GMO foods?

Monday, December 14th, 2015
QR code

QR code

by Catherine Haug, Dec 14, 2015; updated Jan 15, 2016 (image, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

Can you translate the sample QR code image (right)? More importantly, do you want a QR code as the only type of  GMO label on GMO-containing foods?

Or do you want the product label to state clearly in English: “Contains Genetically Engineered (GMO) Ingredients”? (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, GMO | No Comments »

Kitchen Hint: Homemade tooth-powder

Thursday, December 10th, 2015
Cinnamon bark scrolls: True cinnamon (left); Cassia (right)

Cinnamon bark scrolls: True cinnamon (left); Cassia (right)

By Catherine Haug, December 10, 2015 (photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

Back in 2006 when I went to Sweden and Norway, airports were checking baggage for things that could be a bomb or other destructive device. All travelers were required to use only small containers of personal care items like hand-soap, toothpaste, shampoo, mouthwash, etc., and to put them together in a small plastic bag. My tube of Tom’s of Maine toothpaste was too big, as were other items. What to do?

I decided to make my own toothpowder, but other than using baking soda (which is what my Dad had used), I had no idea what to combine. I ended up buying a tiny bottle of Eco-Dent tooth powder for the trip. I love using a powder – I find it does a better job than toothpaste. If only I had known of the recipe below, I could have made my own. (more…)

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Bigfork Community Center Events for December, 2015

Saturday, December 5th, 2015

By Catherine Haug, Dec 5, 2015

The Bigfork Senior Center, at 639 Commerce St., across from the Bigfork Elementary School, is being revamped and reinvigorated as the Bigfork Community Center, with several interesting events planned for December (see below). Note that parking on the Center property is limited, but you can park on the street as long as you don’t block access to the school parking lots and busses. (more…)

Posted in Community, Events: Other | No Comments »

Toxic industrial waste in chemical fertilizers, compost, and potting soil

Saturday, December 5th, 2015
Canola Field in Lower Valley, Bigfork MT

Canola Field in Lower Valley, Bigfork MT

By Catherine Haug, Dec. 3, 2015 (photo, right, by D. Morgan)

A vast majority of commercial farms use chemical fertilizers rather than Organic methods to grow large-scale commercial crops such as potatoes, peas, wheat corn and soy. Most of these chemical fertilizers contain ‘biosolids,’ another name for “treated sewage sludge … intended for agricultural use as a soil conditioner.” Sewage sludge is the solid material that settles out at wastewater treatment plants. (1)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have found that “biosolids can contain measurable levels of synthetic organic compounds, radionuclides and heavy metals.” (1) Where do these come from? How do they get into the sewage sludge? (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Ecology, Gardening | No Comments »

Importance of Regenerative Agriculture

Sunday, November 29th, 2015

by Catherine Haug, Thanksgiving, 2015

I first learned of ‘Regenerative Agriculture’ last spring when I watched a PBS documentary (1) on the subject. That 26 minute video is still available to watch online (1).

Our modern farming methods treat soil like dirt, instead of giving it the love and respect it deserves. We don’t understand how important microbes are to the soil, that they convert nutrients in the soil to a form the plants can utilize. To flourish, they need carbon (and oxygen) in the soil, but we let the carbon escape into the atmosphere, warming the earth and leading to climate change.

Regenerative agriculture is about giving back to the soil with rich compost, humus, and biochar, to return carbon to the soil and provide microbes that connect the plants to the nutrients in the soil.
(more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Compost, Ecology, Gardening, Home & Ranch | No Comments »

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