Organic Food Blog

Yes there’s actually a chart saying who owns certain titles for organic food brands. Check this out.

Go to http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/03/18/who_really_owns_the_organic_food_brands.php for this charts home and more info and news!

Fast food going organic…what? Doesn’t that seem wonderful but crazy check out http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/02/AR2008060202690.html for the info and pictures to back this up!

Ever want to get a discount on some of you organic foods. Wonder where to exchange recipes or find others who have the same wants and ideas as yourself when it comes to buying organic food. Well have you ever thought about joining a club. Here’s a web page that will maybe get you started in the right direction and give you some insight to what Organic Food Clubs mat have to offer you. http://www.azcentral.com/news/green/articles/2007/06/01/20070601things-organicfoodclub0601.html. We are sure you will find it helpful and interesting. Join today or do a search online for other organic food clubs there’s many around waiting for you.

Heres a realy great organic recipe for a childrens desert I found on www.horizonorganic.com. It is sure to be loved and enjoyes by both the young and old. Please check out their website for this and more great recipes.

“Ingredients”

• 2 cups chopped white potatoes, peeled
• 1/8 cup Horizon Organic® 2% reduced fat milk
• 1/2 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 Tbsp. Horizon Organic cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp. Horizon Organic shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/2 19-oz. can black beans, drained

Place potatoes in large sauce pan, cover with water, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes or until soft. Drain water and add milk, garlic, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Mash with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer until creamy.

Scoop potatoes into a pastry bag without a decorator’s tip. Squeeze the ghosts onto a lightly buttered cookie sheet so they stand upright about 3 to 4 inches high. Press two similar sized black beans into each ghost’s head to create eyes.

Just before serving, warm the ghosts in an oven preheated to 350°F for about 5 minutes.

Well we all have heard many benefits of eating and buyin organic foods. But what are some social benefits we ask ourselves? An unusual question but an important one. Organic farmers tend to care more about their land and as they do so through the years if will continue to be a constant giver to their families and customers. They do so by not using harmful chemicals and pesticides. Also they have to worry less about the key factors:

• loss of topsoil
• toxic runoff and resulting water pollution
• soil contamination and poisoning
• death of insects, birds, critters and beneficial soil organisms

These insure the best of organic foods and the farms and land are preserved for future use.

Bugs such as Aphids can be harmful and irritating as your garden is growing. You sometimes wonder how can I keep them away without harming the plants. If my garden is organic wont using pesticides mess that up? The answer is yes so the best solution is to control then the organic way. Here are a few tips as stated by www.cdcg.org.

”

• To deter cucumber beetles, try planting a few radish seeds in each hill of cukes. Let it grow alongside the cucumbers all season. The strong smell or taste of the radish seems to keep the beetles away.
• Homemade garlic or hot pepper sprays can protect your young seedlings from flea beetles and aphids. To prepare, combine finely chopped garlic and onions (or hot peppers) with water, let it steep for a while, then strain out particles. Spray vulnerable plants often, especially after rainfall. You can also sprinkle ground cayenne or other hot ground pepper directly onto leaves to deter chewing pests. This is most effective in the morning when leaves are moist with dew.
• Control powdery mildew and fungi on garden crops by combining one cup of milk with nine cups of water and spray onto affected plants twice a week. Researchers believe the milk has a direct germicidal effect as well as indirectly stimulating the plants to become more resistant. Let us know how it works if you try it. ” (www.http://www.cdcg.org/pests.html)

Ever wonder what the true definition of Organic Food is. Well known Wikipedia states the following ”

Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards, meaning they are grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives.^[1] Livestock are reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.

Organic food production is legally regulated. Currently, the United States, the European Union, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain organic certification in order to market food as organic.

Historically, organic farms have been relatively small family-run farms^[2] — which is why organic food was once only available in small stores or farmers’ markets. However, since the early 1990s organic food has had growth rates of around 20% a year, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in both developed and developing nations. As of April 2008, organic food accounts for 1-2% of food sales worldwide. Future growth is expected to range from 10-50% annually depending on the country.”. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_food for more info.

Check out the Georgia Local Food Guide for Resturants, Farms, Farmers Markets, and more that offer fresh organically grown foods. Visit www.georgiaorganics.org .

Heres a list of the top 10 organic foods in the US. It may make you think about getting these foods organically to avoid this even if its more costly. This list also includes healthy alternatives that deliver most of the same vitamins and nutrients our bodies need. For more detailed info please visit this source: www.care2.com .

"High-pesticide food: Strawberries
Main nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy alternatives: Blueberries, raspberries, oranges, grapefruit, kiwifruit, watermelon

High-pesticide food: Bell peppers
Main nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy alternatives: Green peas, broccoli, romaine, lettuce

High-pesticide food: Spinach
Main nutrient: Vitamins A and C
Healthy alternatives: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus

High-pesticide food: Cherries
Main nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy alternatives: Oranges, blueberries, raspberries, kiwifruit, blackberries, grapefruit

High-pesticide food: Peaches
Main nutrient: Vitamins A and C
Healthy alternatives: Nectarines, watermelon, tangerines, oranges, grapefruit

High-pesticide food: Mexican cantaloupe
Main nutrient: Vitamins A and C
and potassium
Healthy alternatives: U.S. cantaloupe grown from May to December, watermelon

High-pesticide food: Celery
Main nutrient: Carotenoids
Healthy alternatives: Carrots, broccoli, radishes, romaine lettuce

High-pesticide food: Apples
Main nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy alternatives: Watermelon, nectarines, bananas, tangerines

High-pesticide food: Apricots
Main nutrient: Vitamins A an C and potassium
Healthy alternatives: Nectarines, watermelon, oranges, tangerines

High-pesticide food: Green beans
Main nutrient: Potassium
Healthy alternatives: Green peas, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, asparagus"

This information was retrieved from www.care2.com .

Mulch
"A thick layer of mulch keeps light from reaching weeds. "Without adequate light, the plants don’t produce enough chlorophyll to enable further growth. Most of these plants sicken and die before you even notice them," writes Miranda Smith in Rodale’s Chemical Free Yard & Garden. "The few plants that do manage to stick their leaves into the light will be shallowly rooted and very easy to pull."

Hoeing
Annual weeds die when you sever the stems from the roots just below the soil surface. With a sharp hoe, you cut the weeds easily. Forget about the square-headed traditional garden hoe for this job—go for an oscillating or a swan neck hoe instead.

Solarization
You can let the sun help you get rid of persistent weeds, if you’re willing to leave the bed fallow for six weeks in the summer. Get started in late spring or early summer by pulling, hoeing or raking out as many weeds as you can from the garden bed. Then, moisten the soil and cover it with clear plastic, weighting or burying the edges. Leave the plastic in place for 6 weeks. When you remove the plastic, the sun will have cooked weeds that would otherwise have sprouted."

This info sure came in handy for me I hope you can use it as well. These exerts were taken from www.organicgardening.com . If you cant utilize these methods theres always the hand pulling way. Ughhhh it really tends to be back breaking….