Archive for the ‘Post Topics’ Category

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Butter vs margarine

Tuesday, August 12th, 2014
Stick of Butter (Western Pack)

Stick of Butter (Western Pack)

By Catherine Haug, August 12, 2014 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

I recently wrote a post: Butter (and other saturated fats) is a health food!, something which I have firmly believed for over 40 years, and now that belief is finally accepted by the medical and scientific communities. Yet people still encourage using margarine instead of butter, in a belief that animal fats are bad for human consumption. These people just don’t realize how really really bad margarine is.

Now the Alliance for Natural Health has put together a great flow chart to outline the chemical process by which margarine is made; and I put together another flow chart to outline the process by which butter is made. After reviewing these, do you still think margarine is better for your family’s health? (more…)

Posted in Cat's Fats, Food-Nutrition-Health, Home & Ranch | Comments Closed

Biodynamic farming and a documentary film

Saturday, August 9th, 2014
D. Bates Squash Garden in August

D. Bates Squash Garden in August

by Catherine Haug, Aug 9, 2014

We are all aware of farming/gardening organically, and many of us practice this for the health of our families and of the planet. But did you know that there’s an even more earth-friendly method to farm than ‘Organic?’ I first became aware of this when I discovered the milk from Lifeline Dairy in Victor. At that time, the dairy was in the process of becoming truly biodynamic, a goal which they reached several years ago.

But just what is ‘biodynamic’ and how does it differ from organic? It originated in Germany by Dr. Rudolph Steiner, and basically means that everything needed to grow food – both plant and livestock – must originate on the farm, and every waste is reused, including animal urine and feces. In my opinion, it is a food production method to which we should all aspire.

The film: One Man, One Cow, One Planet follows two biodynamic farmers in India – Peter Proctor and Sarvdaman Patel – “who have taken up the biodynamic banner and over 15 years have helped spread this method across India.”(1) You can view this film for free through Aug 15, 2014 on Mercola’s website (1), or view a 9 minute trailer on YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=6Y1xMauClzU (2). Learn more about the film on the onemanonecow.com (3).

However, this is not the only farming method in that country – GMOs also have a stranglehold on many farmers. (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Ecology, Gardening, Home & Ranch, Permaculture | Comments Closed

Refrigerator tips

Tuesday, August 5th, 2014
Antique Ice Box

Antique Ice Box

by Catherine Haug, Aug 5, 2014 (photo, right, from Ruby Lane Antiques (1))

When I was growing up in Bigfork, all of us town kids had a very special playhouse: an old 2-room cabin on the Dockstader property, overlooking Bigfork Bay. It had a parlor room for entertaining guests, equipped with an old floor-model radio from the early 1900s (it still worked), a treadle sewing machine that also worked, a cushioned bench and a wooden rocking chair arranged around the wood heating stove and a braided rug.  The other room served as kitchen, dining area and bedroom. It was equipped with an old cast iron cook stove, a dry sink with pantry shelves above, and an old ice box that could be kept cold inside with a block of ice (the ice house was only a block away). There was also a wooden table that seated four, a dresser, and a creaky old bed.

We girls loved to play pioneers, and even had live chickens and a couple rabbits to take care of (and an out-house for just-in-case). The boys played Indians and gave surprise attacks on the homestead, just to keep us alert. Ah, the good old days.

Most of us don’t have an ice-box – we have a fancy refrigerator-freezer that may even deliver ice through a dispenser. We’ve come a long way, but how many of us know how to use our refrigerators to maximum advantage – to keep foods fresh for the longest time, and minimize the amount of food we throw away?

Take Part has a great article by Sarah McColl (2) that offers tips on how to do this; I’ve condensed it and added a few of my own. (more…)

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

Organic Label Standards in Peril

Monday, August 4th, 2014

organic labelby Catherine Haug, Aug 4, 2014 (image, right from Organic.org)

This post offers a summary of an article in Montana Organic Association’s Organic Matters newsletter, including quoted text. The original article is by Barry Flamm, Former National Organic Standards Board Chair and MOA Lifetime Member. You can read the full article on the MOA Website (1). It’s a long article; even my notes are long. Here’s what it all really boils down to:

  • “Does the organic community and public want a strong NOSB (National Organic Standards Board) as prescribed by OFPA (Organic Food Production Act of 1990)?
  • Does the organic community and the public believe and want the implementation of the overall principle of OFPA that for any product to be labeled organic it must be produced and handled without the use of chemicals with only temporary exemptions allowed and then only after stringent review?” (1)

If you have strong feelings in response to these questions, please contact your legislators and/or the White House (see our page: Government (Contact)). To contact the Secretary of Agriculture see US Secretary of Agriculture Contact Page.

(more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Organics | Comments Closed

Event Notice: Organic Farm Tour at Terrapin Farms, Aug 16, 2014

Monday, August 4th, 2014

by Catherine Haug, August 4, 2014

  • What: Cover Cropping Tour at Terrapin Farms in Whitefish, and MOA’s Fabulous Farm Feast Fundraiser Dinner (optional) after the tour.
  • When: August 16, 2013 at 2:30 PM; Dinner: Hors d’oeuvres and drinks served at 6 PM with dinner to follow at 6:30 PM.
  • Where: Terrapin Farms, 6505 Farm to Market Rd., Whitefish 7 miles west of Whitefish or 18 miles northwest of Kalispell; see their Facebook page (facebook.com/TerrapinFarm) for directions:
  • Who: Farm tour is free and open to the public; children are welcome, but please keep your four-leggeds at home. Pre-registration not required but is greatly appreciated. Visit ncat.org/tours or contact Jeff (see below). Fund-Raiser Dinner: suggested donation of $45 would be appreciated; reservations are requested, with your dietary preference. Contact Nate Brown (see below) to reserve dinner.

Contact information: 

  • To pre-register for farm tour: Jeff at jeffs (at) ncat.org [email disguised for security], or (406) 494-8636
  • To reserve dinner: Nate Brown, g.nathanbrown (at) gmail.com [email disguised for security], or (406) 579-6439

Additional Information

(more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Events: Other, Home & Ranch, Local Food System | Comments Closed

Good News in the battle against GMOs

Sunday, July 20th, 2014
Frankenfood

Frankenfood

by Catherine Haug, July 20, 2014 (Image, right,used with permission from the OCA)

You may be aware that Oregon is the next state to attempt to mandate labeling of GMOs, and just as in California and Washington, Big Ag and the GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association) are pulling out all stops to defeat the ballot measure.

What you may not know is that other measures to limit GMO crops are faring better. Recently, voters in Jackson County, Oregon – led by local farmers – voted overwhelmingly to ban GE crops because they can contaminate other farmers’ crops. This success despite the big chemical companies like Monsanto having spent millions to defeat this county measure.

There’s more than one way to skin a cat (don’t let my cat Charlie hear me type that….), and this is a great example of how grassroots efforts can pay off.

It’s important in another way too: One of the claims made by Monsanto, et. al., say that labeling genetically engineered products will hurt Oregon farmers. This vote in one of Oregon’s agricultural counties proves this claim false. Non-GMO crops are worth more as exports as well as when sold in the US.

>> If you support the effort to label GMOs in Oregon, you can sign a petition by Friends of the Earth (FOE):

We Have The Right To Know What’s In Our Food

Posted in GMO | Comments Closed

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