bio-dynamic (2)

Organic VS NON-Organic

First, I would like to say, if you are trying to eat organic I am extremely proud of you.  The important thing is that you take it slow so you do not feel overwhelmed with the difference in your budget.  I always suggest that people start with the dirty dozen list when it comes to buying produce.There is a list of produce that  shows certain fruits and vegges you should stay away from if you buy them non-organically.  Then it also shows you the ones that have less agricultural chemicals in them.   My next suggestion is to buy clean meat,  make sure it is NOT from a feed lot.  Stay away from deli meats etc. Make sure it is pasture raised and GMO Free,  Then you eventually move on to organic meats..  I constantly advise people to buy from the farmers markets, support local co-ops that support small farmers.  Organic produce from your local organic farmer is so full of nutrients that it is the best health insurance that you can buy. 

Farmers markets, farmers markets, farmers markets,  I just can't say it enough.  Please support your local organic farmer! It is important to note that not all farmers at farmers markets are organic. Please ask the farmer about their practices before buying.

No one should ingest agriculture chemicals. 

My health is way better today eating organic than it was when I did not eat organic.   Every time someone new comes  to my farm, they are totally amazed  at how awesome the food is that they have just eaten..  Is it all my food that I have grown?, No.  It is my food, a local farms organic food, and big organic farm food.  

Time For My Rant

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Recently. I saw a post someone put up that deeply disturbed me for many reasons..The post was an article about how there is no difference between organic and non-organic. He was pushing that non-organic food was even better,  It was disturbing that he could post such lies.    I decided I would put my anger into a few invasive weeds that have popped up on the farm due to non-organic farm practice's from the farmers  down the road.   I ripped  those super invasive weeds out and cut them down to nothing (this is a great method to get rid of weeds), it was great therapy. 

First thing, to me the person who shared this article is more worried about their pocket-book, then keeping the waters clean, the frogs safe, the birds healthy, the dragonflies breeding, the bats flying and eating the mosquito, they are more worried about their pocket-books then trying to keep our cancer rates down.  I personally feel that  if you are looking for a way out of taking personally responsibility you will look for an article like this just so you do not have to make a change.   Only a moron would think there is no difference between eating organic and non organic.  The best thing you can do with anyone who wants to prove that there is no difference between eating organic and non organic is ask them this.  Would you like to taste test an herbicide?    I can give you a teaspoon of the herbicide, Round-Up and you can take it weekly.  The same goes with pesticides, insecticides, fungicides and synthetic fertilizers.  Then they can tell you there is no difference

The other thing is there is no-way anyone would know if the author of this article did not take money from a chemical/biotech company.   

See when you spray toxic chemicals like herbicides and herbicides that are combined with 2-4-D, you create super weeds.  Therefore those non-organic farmers spray even more toxic chemicals to kill these super-weeds.  In the mean time a little birdy picks up this super-weed seed, eats it and then decides to fly over to my property and poop that seed out.  Then several of his friends and relatives come and visit, they then decide to have a bathroom party at the Mountain Mama Farm and poop super invasive weed seeds on my land.  Is it their fault?  No Way, the fault lies on the non-organic farmer who is spray toxic cancer causing chemicals on his property.  

Now this same farmer is spraying the ditches along his land  that have water run through them.  This water that runs through them now carries these toxic chemicals that the non-organic farmer just sprayed down to a creek and into a river, then into the ocean.  These chemicals that are now in the water, play with the endocrine systems of the aquatic breeds (vertebrates, invertebrates etc.) mammals (which means humans are included) .  You now have frogs, fish and other water creatures feeling a little confused at what sex they are and that the fact they are having a hard time find a mate due to the fact their populations are dying off.  

Endocrine Disruptors are chemicals that at certain doses, can interfere with the endocrine (or hormone system) in mammals. These disruptions can cause cancerous tumors, birth defects, and other developmental disorders. Any system in the body controlled by hormones, can be derailed by hormone disruptors. Specifically, endocrine disruptors may be associated with the development of learning disabilities, severe attention deficit disorder, cognitive and brain development problems; deformations of the body (including limbs); breast cancer, prostate cancer, thyroid and other cancers; sexual development problems such as feminizing of males or masculine effects on females, etc

The critical period of development for most organisms is between the transition from a fertilized egg, into a fully formed infant. As the cells begin to grow and differentiate, there are critical balances of hormones and protein changes that must occur. Therefore, a dose of disrupting chemicals may do substantial damage to a developing fetus (baby). The same dose may not significantly affect adult mothers.

This same farmer decides he can mix as many toxic chemicals that he is allowed to  and kill weeds, supper weeds, insects and now super insects, or so called fertilize his land.  He can do this because he took is class.  As long as he took this class he can apply toxic chemicals.  Never mind the fact that these classes are run by the government who takes orders and rights the rules according to Monsanto, Du-pont, Sygentia, Dow and any other chemical company out there.  

I am sure the Malathion ( used for non-organic farming) that was sprayed all around our houses when I lived in the bay area at the age of 10? was safe right?  I am sure it was safe to go outside and play in the morning, touching everything outside.   I am sure all that fast food that I have eaten in my life that was laden with agriculture chemicals  did not contribute to my Chemical Injury/Environmental Injury,   I am sure when my daughter almost stopped breathing at the age of 3, and was in two ambulances and two hospitals had nothing to do with the chemical laden fast food and Halloween candy she ate the night before, and  chemical farming/agriculture has nothing to do with the higher cancer rates that we are experience in the year 2013.   Yes this is sarcasm at it best.   All of those things contributed to my health problems of today..... 

I did not get a Chemical Injury/Environmental Injury by eating organic food.  I did not get a Chemical Injury because I lived a chemical free life,  Eating organic is what has brought me back to health.   

Can you tell I am just seething.  ....

Before anyone goes to believe a crap article like this, they should do some research themselves.  Just because it comes from a well know writer does not mean it is true.  When it comes to what you are eating this is a serious subject.  Research it.  

Ask yourself or that person, this:

Have you farmed Bio-Dynamically?

Have you seen or smelled the poop of animals that have been fed GMO Food?

How much do they grow of their own food? If so, how much? 

What are their eating habits like?

Are they addict to fast food, junk food, soda, etc.?

I have done  bio-dynamic farming, when I do this practice, it is truly magical.  The results I have seen doing bio-dynamic farming is amazing.  It is hard and time consuming to learn and plan to apply it again next year.

I have seen and smelled animal poop that comes from animals that live off of GMO Food.  It is terrible! This means they are unhealthy!  

My animals get organic food and there is a difference, there is even a big difference when I make sure their food has no soy no corn. Their poop is way better! 

Side note, just because someone eats all organic does not mean they will live long, be disease free or cancer free.  In my life I have had so many people come up to me and say (they want to prove me wrong and make fun of me) I know someone who eats organic and they died early, or they got cancer.  It is like they have to find something wrong with it so they can feel better about not eating organic.  

I proceed to ask them questions about this person's life.  

Did they use soaps, cleaners, laundry soaps, that were petroleum free? No hmm?

Did they use scented candles, air fresheners, oven cleaners, Yes, hmmm

How much plastic use was in their life? A lot, hmm

Microwave? Yes, hmmm

Pharmaceutical drugs? Yes, hmm

New car? Yes, hmm?  

Did they die their hair? use hair spray, paint their toe nails finger nails, use cologne, use perfume,  Yes, hmm?

What types of organic food did they eat?  Did they eat lots of veggies or did they live off of organic sugar, organic peanut butter and organic grains. Eating like that would not give you a healthy PH level. 

Did they manage their stress?

Did they make time to play, have community and relax? 

I could keep giving you a detailed list that I would ask,but, it is to long. After talking to them they realize that even through that person ate organic they had a toxic life style with the products that they used.  They also had  high stress in their life that was not managed.  Stress kills.

I have been to organic farms that have intern students from colleges working and living on the farm, I have seen what products they use for their bodies and  on their laundry and it is toxic.   I have had discussions about this with their teacher, and he say I know that just don't get it.....  

Eating organic is not enough, to keep sickness away, you have to do more.  But it is vitally important that you start their.  Just read my article about how your body re-builds itself.  If it does not have the proper care and organic nutrients, it can't rebuild correctly, therefore disease hits.  ......

One last thing, please do the research yourself.  I am going to make it easy for you.  First, I want to say stop relying on things like snopes or any other site that is similar to that.  There is so much dis-information out there it is crazy!

Researching:  When it comes to understand chemical agriculture, just go and find the safety material data sheets.    Then go to the store and read the back of the bottles of these toxic ingredients.  

1.  Look at the Material Data Safety Sheet.  Who does the  product harm, what side effects does it give, what are the emergency procedures if it is ingested, on your skin (remember your skin is an organ)?.  What does it do to ground water, rivers, lakes, water sources, invertebrates, vertebrates, dogs, cats, bats, BEES.    

2.  Don't ever let anyone tell you that it will wash off, that is hog wash! 

But hey non-organic agriculture is no different then organic right.   NOT!

How can we change the world if people look for a way out of taking person responsibility? 

 

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Mountain Mama Wellness Box-Fifth Week

Rosemary, basil, onions, beet greens mixed with swiss chard, stir fry mix of brassica,peas,cauliflower and broccoli, cabbage,kale, celery, mustard,lettuce mixed with argula,spinach, nettle, comfrey, wild mix of lambs quarter, sheep sorrel, tea mix of mint,catnip mint, calendula and st. johns wort, garlic and scapes (curly garlic tops)

Rosemary is used  for culinary, for beauty and for herbal healing

What is Rosemary?

16 health benefits of rosemary that'll make you want to use it on a regular basis.

Cancer Prevention
Rosemary contains carnosol which has been found in studies to be a potent anti-cancer compound. Researchers have had promising results in studies of its efficacy against breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, leukemia, and skin cancer. In one study, researchers gave powdered rosemary to rats for two weeks and found that it reduced the binding of the carcinogen given to the rats by 76% and significantly inhibited the formation of breast tumors.

Improved Memory
Rosemary has long been believed to have memory-enhancing properties. In 1529, an herbal book recommended taking rosemary for "weakness of the brain." Today, research has found that rosemary contains a diterpine called carnosic acid that has neuroprotective properties that researchers believe may protect against Alzheimer's disease as well as the normal memory loss that happens with aging.

Remarkably, even the smell of rosemary has been found to improve memory. Test subjects in cubicles were given essential oil of rosemary to smell and they had better quality of memory and better overall memory than the control group, though their speed of memory was slower compared to the control group.

Mood Elevator
The same study that found that smelling rosemary improved test subjects' quality of memory also found that their mood was significantly improved compared to the control group.

Migraine Help
Rosemary has been a popular natural migraine remedy for centuries. Boil some rosemary in a large pot of water and pour it into a bowl. Place a towel over your head and lean over the pot to inhale the steam for about 10 minutes. Because smelling rosemary has been found to improve memory and mood, this method may also help with memory function and put you in a better state of mind.

Pain Relief
It not only helps relieve the pain of migraines, but essential oil of rosemary can also be applied topically as a natural treatment for arthritis, sore muscles, and other joint and muscle pains.

Anti-Inflammatory
Rosemary contains two potent anti-inflammatories, carnosic acid and carnosol. One study found that these two compounds inhibited COX-2, an enzyme that causes pain and inflammation in the body. They also inhibited the production of excess nitric oxide, which also plays a role in the inflammatory process.

Immune Booster
Rosemary boosts the immune system thanks to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. Because it is healing in so many ways, it boosts the overall health of the body.

Antibacterial
Studies have found that rosemary has powerful antibacterial properties against H. pylori (the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers) and Staph infections.

Digestive Health
Rosemary is often used to help treat digestive problems such as upset stomach, constipation, indigestion, and almost any other digestive related problem. It also helps to prevent foodborne illnesses when ingested with foods such as meat or eggs.

Hair Growth
There is a possibility that rosemary may stimulate hair growth. One study found that people with alopecia, a disorder that causes the hair to fall out, had significant hair regrowth after rubbing rosemary, lavender, thyme, and cedarwood into their scalps for seven months. However, it is not clear whether it was the rosemary or the other herbs that caused the regrowth.

Better Circulation
Essential oil of rosemary is often applied topically as a natural remedy for poor circulation, though there have been no studies to prove this effect.

Fresh Breath
Rosemary can be used as a natural mouthwash and is said to work very well. To make the mouthwash, steep fresh rosemary in a pint of heated water. Strain it and use it as a mouth rinse as often as you like. It will keep in the fridge if covered.

Diuretic Properties
Rosemary is a mild diuretic, which means that it can help get rid of bloating and water retention in the body. When rosemary is used regularly, it may help in the increase of urine flow and help the kidneys function at optimal levels to help get rid of excess water in the body.

Respiratory Health
Rosemary is a great natural remedy for respiratory problems. Breathing in the scent of the essential oil may help with congestion due to colds, allergies, respiratory infections, and the flu. You may also boil fresh rosemary in a pot of water, place it in a bowl, and breathe in the steam to help clear the lungs and throat. This will also help with any sinus or head pain associated with respiratory conditions.

Liver Detoxification
Rosemary has been used to treat liver problems for hundreds of years. Hippocrates prescribed it for this purpose. One study found that rosemary extract reduces cirrhosis in rats given thioacetamide, a toxic compound that is toxic to the liver. It also prevented liver damage from tetrachloride in rats and mice.

Anti-Aging
Rosemary is a popular ingredient in anti-aging skin creams because it helps reduce puffiness, stimulates cell regeneration, increases firmness, and improves overall skin tone. It is a natural anti-inflammatory and increases blood flow to the skin. 

Precautions

Women who have heavy periods should avoid excessive use of rosemary, since it may stimulate menstrual flow. The herb should not be used medicinally during pregnancy. Small amounts of rosemary used in cooking, however, are safe for pregnant women and for women who have heavy periods.

More on Rosemary:http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/rosemary.php

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Rosemary Hair Care: 

Before name brand shampoos, women turned to their gardens, woods and fields for plants that met all of their beauty needs. Whether it be a cure to dandruff, premature balding, dull strands or a desire for a new color there was a plant that they knew could meet their specific demands. I think that as the world is beginning to become more synthetic the less we truly understand the implications of allowing such chemicals, toxins and mad men creations into our bodies. It is important to be knowledgeable and at the very least know that there are natural alternatives to every single demand that humans require whether in sickness or health. 

When it comes to it's contributions to hair Rosemary seems to be all purpose. Here is a brief list of its uses and benefits to hair

-Stimulates and improves circulation to the scalp thus encouraging hair growth
-Due to it's antibacterial quality it gently cleanses hair
-Increases shine
-Fights premature graying
-Relieves irritated, dry, flaky, dandruff ridden scalps

Rosemary Hair Care: 

Rosemary Infusion-It's a simple as a cup of tea. Actually, it is like a cup to tea! simply boil water and add your rosemary to the water. Allow it to steep for 15-30 mins and then sift away the leaves. You are left with rosemary infused water. The water can then be used for a rinse for any of the following; cleansing rinse, treatment for shine, treatment for graying, treatment for dandruff and scalp irritation. DO NOT RINSE OUT! 
 
Rosemary Oil- There are two ways that you can achieve an oil infused with rosemary. The first which is the quickest but not necessarily the cheapest is purchasing rosemary essential oil (which is a highly concentrated) and adding a few drops to your oil which you use daily. The second option is buy fresh rosemary and crush it within your hands to bring out the aroma. Put the crushed herb into a GLASS bottle (beer bottle, jelly, jars etc) and pour your choice of oil (olive, jojoba etc) over top the herbs. Try to pick a herb that is not tempature sensitive like coconut oil. Put the bottle in a cool, dark space and allow it to sit for 2-4 weeks. You can then apply this rosemary infused oil to your hair and scalp for the following;dandruff, scalp irritation, stimulate hair growth, scalp massage, added shine and luster.
 
Rosemary Vinegar- Crush fresh rosemary and add to a jar of organic apple cider vinegar.  Follow the same steps as the oil and store in a cool, dark space for 2-4 weeks. After shampooing hair, combine 1/4 cup of your rosemary vinegar to 1-2 cup of water and rinse hair with it. DO NOT RINSE OUT. This is best used for the following; gentle cleanser, hair treatment for Ph balance, shine and conditioning.

Scapes-Curly Garlic Tops

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Scape Pesto Recipe
1 cup (or less) freshly grated Parmesan cheese or other sharp Italian cheese
1–2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice, adjusted to taste
1/4 pound roughly chopped scapes 
1/2 cup olive oil
salt to taste

Puree scapes, olive oil, and juice in a blender or food processor until nearly smooth. (You can make a smooth paste if you prefer, but most people like a little texture in the pesto.) Gently stir in the cheese or gingerly pulse the cheese into the mixture; take it easy as you mix in the cheese to avoid making the pesto gummy by over blending. Taste and then adjust juice and salt to taste.

Store in the refrigerator to use within two or three days; freeze for longer storage. Scape pesto freezes well, and it holds its appealing green color when frozen even better than the traditional basil pesto.

Garlic Scape Hummus

2 cans of chick peas (garbanzos), drained
1 cup sesame seeds or tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh chopped garlic scapes

Place the ingredients in a blender and mix on high until a thick paste forms. Salt to taste.

Variation: Add your favorite curry, to taste.

Sheep Sorrel:http://www.motherearthherbs.com/sorrel.html

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Also known as:  Rumex acetosella, Common Sorrel, Garden Sorrel, Dock, and Red Sorrel

Introduction

Sheep sorrel is widely regarded as a noxious weed with 45 of the fifty states reporting it as an intruder, but the small, creeping plant has a long-standing reputation as a medicinal herb. Sheep sorrel does have some culinary value as a garnish and a tart flavoring agent in salads and soups, and is one of the main ingredients in Chinese hot and sour soup. It is one of the main ingredients in Essiac blend.

Constituents

Glycosides: Hyperoside, quercitin-3d-galactoside, Anthraquinones: Emodin, aloe emodin, chrysophanol, rhein, physcion, Vitamins: A, B complex, C, D, E, K, Oxalates, tannins

Parts Used

All aerial parts

Typical Preparations

In tea, soup and chilled beverages. As an extract or capsule and commonly found in Essiac.

Summary

Sorrel does make a wonderfully cooling beverage and soup, and its tart flavor is a perfect foil for hot and spicy herbs and seeds.

Precautions

Because sheep sorrel contains oxalic acid, it is recommended that it not be used in large amounts for extended periods of time as it can cause mineral deficiencies and liver damage. People with rheumatism, arthritis, gout or kidney stones should avoid sorrel as it can worsen their conditions.

For more recipes and ideas: 

http://mcminnvillehealthdefense.ning.com/profiles/blogs/mountain-mama-wellness-box-fourth-week

http://mcminnvillehealthdefense.ning.com/profiles/blogs/mountain-mama-wellness-box-thrid-week

This recipe rocked!  Sage Pesto

http://mcminnvillehealthdefense.ning.com/profiles/blogs/sage-pesto

Have a great day! 

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