Searching For Organic~

A share from Organic Consumers...great read!

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_11714.cfm


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CONSUMER TIPS OF THE WEEK:

HOW TO SHOP AT WHOLE FOODS MARKET

The merger of Whole Foods Market with Wild Oats highlights the benefits and drawbacks of this organic retail giant. Although Whole Foods Market certainly provides a "feel good" shopping experience for millions of consumers, it's important to keep in mind that WFM isn't nearly as green as it pretends to be. But of course, for many consumers, Whole Foods Market offers the only access for green and organic products. If Whole Foods Market is the only option available in your area, here are some important tips for the organic-minded shopper:

Look for locally grown produce: Whole Foods offers only a limited supply of local produce, although it is well labeled. Reduce the burden of long-distance food transportant on the planet by asking your WFM produce manager to stock more local produce.
Not everything is as "natural" or "organic" as you might think: Although Whole Foods doesn't carry products with trans fats or artificial coloring, everything else is fair game, including MSG and rBGH, so being a vigilant label reader is still a necessity. Look for the USDA organic label.
Whole Foods has taken the position that unions aren't valid. It is the second largest union-free food retailer, right behind Wal-Mart. Don't assume the employees are all adequately trained in understanding how to distinguish between products that are and are not truly organic and natural.
The OCA always recommends supporting your locally owned food co-op, farmer's market, CSA or independently-owned natural food store, first and foremost, (search for resources near you in OCA's "Local Buying Guide" here:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc/BuyingGuide.cfm
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As with most things...buyer beware~

Bea Kunz
http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com

Scents and Our Diet~

Have an appetite for fun and many chances to win great prizes, then join us for the "WIN-Spring Fling." Feel free to contact me for more information.

http://ryze.com/go/farmgirl2001


~Do you have picky eaters at your dinner table?

Try adding foods that have scents known to stimulate our tastebuds.

Ginger, oregano, fennel, lemon, nutmeg, orange and garlic are all great scents to promote better interest.

Ginger, lemon or orange sprinkled on any green vegetable will entice your younger ones to dive in.

You may have elderly members in your home who have less interest in mealtime due to a loss of appetite.

A little nutmeg, fennel, or garlic will do wonders to increase their intake.

Essential oils are a great way to add scent to your foods. They are healthy, have wonderful medicinal qualities, and safe.

Remember that oils are very strong, so a little goes a long way.

Licorice is a great tea additive...really perks the cup!

Have a delicious spring!

Bea Kunz

Spring Tune-Up~

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Just as spring brings heavy raims to clean and refresh the fields and streams, we should make a practice of cleansing and refreshing our system...inside and out.

Plant a garden, in the ground or in a container.

Lettuces, all manner of veggies and greens can be grown in small spaces.

These are the things that will aid in flushing toxins from our system that have built up over the winter from heavy foods, toxins from heating fuel, and medications that many people take in an attemp to stay healthy.

Get outside, thirty minutes of early morning sun will give you a good dose of vitamin D.
Committ to a daily walk, morning is best, this is when your energy level is the highest.
Sing, meditate, and pray. These things nourish the spirit and the soul.

Do something for someone else every day.
There are always those in our community, church, neighborhood, and family who could use a helping hand.

Don't forget the critters that mother nature loans to us, that is her helping hand to us. Make sure they have safe food, water, and a place to call home for the time they are with us.

Happy Spring from Sage Hill Farms!
Bea Kunz
http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com

Toads, Frogs And Springtime~

Spring has arrived, and amphibians are on the move. Some overwinter where they are,
and some migrate, just like birds. (well, no they don't fly)

A warm, rainy, muggy night will get them on the move by the thousands.
They will travel hundreds/thousands of miles across snow and other harsh conditions to reach their destinations. Most of them will return to the same pond or other water source year after year.

Thousands are killed every year trying to cross highways and roads.
Now you may be thinking what's the big deal with a few squished frogs.

Consider that frogs, toads, lizards, and other amphibians eat all manner of bugs and insects that we do not consider a plus to our surroundings.
They are a very important part of the ecosystem.

Some stats say the global amphibian population has declined as much as 50% since 1950. Frogs and toads make up the largest of this group and totaling more than 5,000 species worldwide. Whatever killed the dinosaurs did not kill the amphibians, but the uv radition is taking a major toll. ( I think there is a lesson for us human species in that statement)

Frogs and toads have some major differences.
Frogs are more aquatic than toads, unless you have a good water source nearby, the little guy in your yard or garden is no doubt a toad.
Frogs also have a smoother skin and somewhat sticky to the touch.
Toads are thicker and warty looking. The warty look is actually granular glands filled with a substance that helps defend them from predators by making them unpalatable.

Frogs are also more agile than toads, this comes from having longer legs and more webbed toes, better for leaping and swimming.

Toads are ...well, stubby.

Frogs and toads are very easy to live with, require nothing more than a well placed water source ( a drain saucer from a plant pot works very well, a little hut of some kind for safe resting, a flower pot turned on it's side, a few rocks and plants or grass and they are as happy as you and I at the Hilton.)

They respond well to human kindness, so get to know a toad this spring

I would like to thank Yvonne Osinga-Bisk, my friend and one heck of a networker for inspiring this article. You can visit Yvonne at her blog, and tell her I sent you.

http://bringhomethespa.blogspot.com/

Happy gardening~

Bea Kunz
http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com

Dandelions-More Than Just A Weed.

Spring has arrived, so have the Dandelions. To many this little yellow/orange flower represents nothing but trouble in the lawn. A weed that has to be plucked and destroyed before it takes over and changes the entire landscape look.

I first enjoyed this little weed ( actually it is an herb ) as a young child. I was lucky to have a grandmother that knew all about wild plants and spent time teaching and introducing us to the many benefits of same.

All parts of the dandelion are edible and have medicinal and culinary uses.

I'll focus on the culinary here.

Dandelion roots can be harvested during any frost free period and enjoyed steamed, roasted, or eaten raw.


They can also be roasted and ground into a coffee substitute. ( my mother did this during WWII, when coffee was on the list of rationed goods.)

The flowers are best known for making wine. They can also be tossed into a salad along with the leaves. The leaves are rich in potassium, antioxidants, and vitamins A and C.

If you wish to grow your own selection and not have them cropping up all over your lawn, this is easy to do.

" Clio " is an Indian variety that produces high yields of upright greens that are easy to harvest.
You can order the seed from: http://www.johnnyseeds.com

Dandelions are self seeding and will always come back , year after year.

Wilted dandelion greens , red onion , thinly sliced avocado , and sweet purple grapes make a marvelous salad.

Enjoy and go wild for a day!

Bea Kunz
http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com

St. Patrick-Man or Myth

Saint Patrick was a missionary credited with converting the Irish to Christianity
in the A.D. 400s.

His real name was Maewyn Succat.

As with many holidays the celebration has become vastly different from it's early beginnings.

Have fun, think "green" and "peace."

To a Mighty March holiday!
EatWell-BeWell~

Bea Kunz
http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com

March Madness-In The Gardens-at Sage Hill Farms

March is that month that gives and then takes away.

I'm speaking of the weather of course. It gives beautiful sunny days and tempts us to go digging in the gardens only to welcome us overnight to the coldest day of the year.

What's a gardener to do to keep from going mad....well, just put the brakes on and go with the flow. On those warm and sunny days, walk through your gardens and get aquainted with every little nook and cranny. Dig a few inches into the soil and meet the little guys that keep your soil rich and workable. ( earthworms) without these your soil will be hard and compacted.

Look for places that are inviting to toads and lizards, what? You don't have any!
Toads and lizzies are a must in the garden, they eat all manner of not so welcomed guest. You can make little homes for them by building a stack of rocks or broken bricks around a large flower pot-drain saucer. Keep the saucer filled with water and the toads and lizzies will thank you by working hard to rid your garden of unwanted pest.

Most every garden has a resident snake, you may not see it often, but know that it is there. Depending on where you live, make a point of knowing the kinds of snakes you can expect to see. There are good ones and bad ones...knowing the difference can be very important to your health and the health of the snake. My hubby thinks the only good snake is a dead snake. While I don't subscribe to that thinking, I also don't go out of my way to make friends with any snake.

What stage is your compost pile at this month?

You should have a bin full that has been working during the winter and ready for spring planting. Composting is the most valuable asset to your soil, right up there with the earthworms, in fact the worms turn your soil into natural compost.

Now, for those days that are dark, rainy and cold.
Curl up in your favorite spot with a good garden book and a cup of warm and nourshing tea from Sage Hill Farms. http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com
Many flavors to pick from and if you want your own blend, just let me and I'll see what I can do.

Make March a Mighty month in your garden!

Bea Kunz
EatWell-BeWell~