Slowly, sleepily I am reviving all of my blogs as more than just a few of them are in my name. I admit that I have over the past little while become attached to the convenience of only communicating on facebook. After all, the purpose of my Internet communication beginning in 2003, was and is to connect with a community. Yet, out here in the blogosphere, other than the visibility of a site counter, I have no idea how many people are even interested in what I might find & link, share or even post, except for the occasional comments that are always positive. The only time there hasn't been a positive comment was when a misguided blood relative decided to track me down online after many years without any communication at all_ but that is really not ancient history to share here. That's just it; in a few sentences I have related that our inter-relational human world is way too complex. Are you afraid? This is not the correct response to have. Dear reader, I am attempting to share here that I just discovered I missed the Spring Equinox this year! In my “smaller” cyber-world connections through facebook, no one has mentioned it! Out in the larger world via the news, in the physical surroundings where I reside and through my global blogs, the rhythms of the season almost crept in completely unnoticed! It is spring now!!
Yet, the waxing of the light begins early in February in this corner of the northern hemsisphere, with the advent of Imbolc, Candlemas or Brigid if you prefer. The time of lactation; of a wise woman, a goddess whom poets adore(d). Pause here with me and take in my humble words, art and music of acknowledgement for this precious time of year:
Blessed be the earth, and all who dwell upon it. We give thanks for the season now departing from us, For the blessings it has bestowed upon us, And upon those with whom we share this world.
Blessed be the new season. We pray that it will be a time filled with peace, With abundance, with prosperity, With wisdom, With love.
Blessed be all who share this feast. Let us now prepare for the time ahead By opening our hearts, and our minds, and our spirits.
Looking back I can say during Brigid, I was noticing loads of rainbows, new lambs in the local fields and the bald eagles returning to their local habitats.
Just three days ago, it was the time of the Vernal Equinox and by sheer grace it was via a local classical music station that I was informed of again another near miss. Where is my connection to the rhythms of Mother Nature? No matter what the world of human struggle is about right now, to lose this sense of where one is on the wheel of the seasons is to be completely adrift, I feel. Therefore, I write my humble invitation, to take in a beautiful respite so as to begin the process of grounding and refreshing one's senses and awareness in the ancient rhythms of our Mother Earth. Blessed be!
Remember to use organic ingredients and to substitute unhealthy choices with more nutritionally balanced ones, for the sake of ease of digestion and whole nutrition benefit for the body! Enjoy with a full & glad heart!!
Beware! These are holiday recipes (though not a few are made any time of the year), so think organic nutrition as you prepare the ingredients list for your favorite choice(s) here! And have a Happy Thanksgiving, one and all!
And an early snow forecast for this time of year!! The links for the rest of this traditional little video follow! Watch'em with the kids of all ages!
This call for action concerning state-controlled food safety regulations, is written by our own Rebecca Landis.
I have copy and pasted it here to help spread the word in order to drum up all the support we can muster to call our senators to take favorable action on this bill, and then some!
In the first person, these are Rebecca's own words: "I participated in a conference call yesterday with the organizations working to modify the federal food safety bill so that it is not such a burden on small farms and food processors. Sharon Thornberry, my co-chair on Issues and Advocacy, asked that I post a summary to this list so you’ll be ready to call your U.S. Senators next week. I’ll try to remind you on Sunday.
I know this is all both confusing and tedious, but it’s really important. Even people in Congress who say they support small farms and local agriculture are likely to vote the wrong way on this issue if they don’t get the message loud and clear that the Tester-Hagen amendments really matter to us.
Some in Congress think they have “fixed” the smaller folks’ problems with some nice words about making the FDA consider how to make things easier for small farms and processors. I don’t think the FDA would have the foggiest idea how to do that. Most small farms and processors now are regulated only by the state and not the FDA. Those that have found themselves under FDA jurisdiction have been treated poorly.
So the election is over, and the “lame duck” Congress is back in Washington DC is starting Monday Nov. 15. The best guess is that there will be what is called a cloture vote on Nov. 17 or 18. One Oklahoma senator, unless he has changed his mind recently, would block the bill from hitting the floor by the “unanimous consent” pathway. The cloture vote usually takes 60 get it moving. Whichever way it gets there, we want the Tester-Hagen amendment to be voted into the bill – and not messed with thereafter.
Tester-Hagen has opposition from United Fresh and from something called AMI that sounds like big ag and livestock. But most of our concern is focused on the Make Our Food Safe Coalition, which came out with lengthy and bad arguments against our amendments. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition has rebutted these arguments in detail. I'm worried this group’s efforts will give our two senators an excuse to either not vote for our amendment or to go along with watering it down.
MOFS is looking for a senator to sponsor a secondary amendment, if we do get Tester-Hagen in, they will probably try to have it say that in case of an outbreak FDA could wipe out any exemptions that jeopardize the health of vulnerable populations. It's a victim-focused approach – each life matters so everyone must be made subject to the FDA. We can’t say lives don’t matter, but we can counter by saying: 1) we are not eliminating existing state and local regulation; 2) it's not likely that the FDA’s regulation will be the best mechanism to prevent outbreaks on small farms.
This MOFS coalition feels everything should be solely about whether the foods are high or low risk and not at all about how or by whom they are grown – even though small farms are not causing all the recalls and food scandals. An example would be spinach picked by hand on small farms by humans who can see if it has animal feces on it vs. 1,000+ acres of spinach picked by combine-like machines and going into huge processing plants commingled with many farms' spinach such that it take weeks or months to trace anything. So under this MOFS approach, once spinach is implicated, even if it's at a huge spinach operation, suddenly small farms are thrown in with larger farms under whatever approach FDA decides to take.
Our Sen. Jeff Merkley is a particular target, and I think Sen. Ron Wyden will be leaned on also. We need to have our voices heard too.
*****So on Nov. 15 or 16 (Monday or Tuesday), you should call both Oregon senators and those in any other state where you might have some sway.*****
PLEASE tell them you want Tester-Hagen amendment, and you do NOT want them modified by the Make Our Food Safe coalition’s proposals. Point out that Tester-Hagen does not exempt anyone from state and local regulation, and that adding another layer of government (the FDA) won’t improve the safety of small farms and processors, who are already doing a much better job than the larger food system."
On Halloween night, when trick-or-treaters in peaked hats and green makeup roam the neighborhood streets, a roomful of real witches sit in silence at a dinner table illuminated by candlelight.
The witches, and members of the area Pagan Group gather in silence for "Dumb Supper," during which the hope is to summon up spirits.
During "Samhain," an ancient, pre-Christian celebration of honoring -- and hopefully reuniting -- with the dead, pagans gather with friends and family at home for the feast.
An extra place at the table will be set for the ancestors, who, in Silicon Valley, for example, might include such luminaries as Charles Babbage, the 19th-century inventor who originated the concept of the programmable computer. Pagans eat in silence and wait, watching for signs of the departed souls. Pagans typically practice nature religions. Some seek connection with ancient African ancestors; others are witches or goddess worshipers, pagan revivalists and re-constructionists who study ancient texts to learn about the roots of pagan rituals and practices, she said.
On Halloween night, some pagans will go all out, planning to welcome costumed visitors with "lots of treats."
"A lot of pagan religions assume reincarnation. From the perspective of reincarnation, the child asking for treats is seen as the ancestor reborn. Halloween is the festival of ancestors, and it is also the festival of children."
The veil between worlds is thin at Halloween and children personify the trickster spirits. At Samhain, the supernatural is most likely to appear. Sometimes there is the sense of a presence, more like a thing seen with the mind's eye.
Sightings are relatively rare; some people have only one clear encounter with a deceased person during the dinner ritual. But the experience can be unmistakable. An ephemeral human form hovered in the darkness, for example.
"I had never seen a ghost or 'shade.' I looked to my friend who was sitting next to me. He was staring and pointing and nodding."
The ghost made a sound like bats do.
"You read Shakespeare, and he talks about the 'gibbering ghost.' I always thought that was a metaphorical phrase."
Far from gatherings over boiling cauldrons of foul-smelling brews, pagan groups meet to learn about pagan practice.
Some practitioners have a scholarly bent, sharing information about rituals and picking up practices or reviving others based on archeological transcriptions of ancient texts. When Greek papyri about ancient rituals were finally translated in the 1990s, they provided a gold mine. On a recent weekend, some members gathered to make masks for Halloween. Such gatherings are often a family affair, including children.
"Pagan religion is about practice and values. It's unusual to say, 'What do you believe?' Everything changes. The assumptions you make change based on experience. It's more about, 'Do you value some things in common?'"
The bonds in the pagan community mirror the kinds of social benefits people get from churches and other groups, helping each other or volunteering.
"Many people work with and for our local community. Those are things that not only do good for the community but foster the more genuine bonds between people."
An excerpted article, to make the point in order to broaden horizons on All Hallows Eve, Samhain & Halloween! Have a happy & fulfilling one!
The egg recall taught us how little we know about the origins of our food—and how dangerous that can be. How can you find out where your food is coming from?
by Phil Howard
posted Oct 11, 2010
Where is your food is from? What happened to it before it reached your plate? More people are asking these questions, in large part because it is increasingly difficult to answer them. We now know so little about our food, particularly its ecological and social impacts, that it’s easy to feel like we’ve lost control over it.
The recent recall of eggs contaminated with Salmonella has underscored just how opaque the origins of our food have become. The accompanying diagram illustrates how eggs from just two farms in Iowa were sold in 22 states under more than 40 different brands. Other food recalls, such as peanuts contaminated with Salmonella in 2008-2009, and spinach contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 in 2006, revealed similar patterns: dozens of different brands packaged in one processing plant, which were then shipped across the country, or even internationally.
The number of firms responsible for producing most of the food consumed in the United States gets smaller every year.
Unfortunately, in the absence of a recall, we have no way of knowing who is really producing foods like these. Companies that own the brand names are becoming less involved in farming, processing, and packing. Like the shoe company Nike, these “virtual” food companies may contract out the production, focusing instead on the marketing aspects of their business. They frequently keep the name and location of the producers a trade secret to prevent competitors from learning where they source their products. This confidentiality could be considered excessive, when recalls illustrate that so few facilities are now responsible for producing so much of our food. Two companies control approximately 80 percent of the bagged salad market in the United States, for example, despite the appearance of many more “competing” brands on retailer shelves.
The challenge of consolidation
The number of firms responsible for producing most of the food consumed in the United States gets smaller every year.
This consolidation is a result of the largest companies buying out their closest competitors, with many of the remaining companies going out of business. The result is that markets become less competitive, giving dominant companies the power to artificially raise prices for consumers—or lower the prices they pay farmers and other suppliers.
In addition to this economic impact, consolidation gives a rapidly shrinking minority the power to determine other aspects of food production, such as how food is produced; how much is produced; where it is grown, processed, transported, and sold; and ultimately, who gets to eat. And, as the recent egg recall taught us, an overly consolidated food system makes the whole country vulnerable to the dangerous practices of just a few farms.
Animation: How the international seed market consolidated, 1996-2008:
There are alternatives to this highly consolidated food system, though some of the most successful are now threatened by consolidation, as well. Organic food, for example, is intended to promote more ecologically sustainable production practices. But as organic became more mainstream, it attracted the interest of multinational corporations. Scores of pioneering organic brands were acquired by these corporations, starting in the late 1990s, though very few make these ownership ties apparent on their labels. As a result, while “organic” remains a less chemical intensive alternative to conventional agriculture, the label may fall short for other ethical ideals. Organic foods may still be heavily packaged, highly processed, shipped thousands of miles, and produced by exploited laborers.
What can you do regain control of the food you eat?
There are many possibilities, ranging from becoming more informed about the products at your local supermarket to growing your own food.
Research the companies behind your food.
One tool for becoming more informed is GoodGuide. This searchable website has a large and growing database of food products, each one scored according to its health, environmental, and social impacts. There is even an application that allows you to scan a barcode with a mobile device to look up ratings on that product. GoodGuide also provides corporate ownership information for most items. Although this won’t necessarily tell you who really produced it, or where, it will let you know which companies you’re supporting with your purchases.
Another source of information on corporate ownership specifically for organic foods is a series of graphics that can be found on my website. They show the consolidation and “stealth ownership” that has occurred in the organic food processing industry, as well as the distribution and retail sectors. If you are interested in supporting independent organic food producers see the sidebar for a list of major North American brands. These companies are frequently presented with lucrative buyout offers, but have remained committed to maintaining control of their business.
Pay attention to labels
In addition to organic, there are other ecolabels that represent standards less typically embodied in food production. Some of these include Fair Trade, Biodynamic, American Grassfed, and several third-party certified humane labels. Although not all of these standards preclude large-scale operations, they will provide you with more information about some of the ethical implications of your purchases.
Join a food co-op
A good place to find ecolabeled foods is a retail food cooperative, or cooperative buying club. While some of the products they carry have ties to multinational corporations, as a member-owner of your cooperative you have more control over what is sold, as well as a greater voice when communicating with food producers than you would on your own.
“Local” is not as carefully monitored as some other ecolabels, so maintain a healthy degree of skepticism and ask for more details when such claims are vague.
Cooperatives have historically supported local food producers, and remain some of the best places to find products made by small farmers and food processors. Recently, however, more mainstream retailers have started emphasizing their supply of local foods. Even Wal-Mart is joining this trend. The demand for local foods is rising for many reasons, including interest in freshness, taste, supporting local economies, protecting green space, reducing fossil fuel consumption, and simply knowing more about where our food is from. But “local” is not as carefully monitored as some other ecolabels, so maintain a healthy degree of skepticism and ask for more details when such claims are vague.
Know (or be) your farmer
To find out even more about your food, talk directly to the producer. Ways to do this include buying a share of a farm (Community Supported Agriculture), shopping at farmers’ markets or roadside stands, or picking the produce yourself. Two great sources for finding these types of farms or markets in your area are LocalHarvest and PickYourOwn.
In our current food system, finding out where your food is from is not easy. In fact, some journalists and documentary filmmakers have made successful careers of becoming “food detectives,” and informing their audiences of the stories behind the food on their plates. You may not want to go that far yourself. But taking small steps to learn more, buy directly from food producers, or even grow some of your own food, can add up to quite a bit more control.
Egg recall infographic:
Phil HowardPhil Howard wrote this article for /">YES! Magazine, a national, nonprofit media organization that fuses powerful ideas with practical actions. Phil Howard is assistant professor at Michigan State University, where he teaches and conducts research on community, food, and agriculture. His visual representations of our changing food system have been featured in numerous outlets, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Sierra Magazine.
Interested?
* A Month Without Monsanto: April Dávila wondered what it would take to cut the GMO giant out of her family’s life. She found that it was far more entrenched than she’d ever realized.
* My 10-Mile Diet: Vicki Robin blogs as she spends the month eating only locally grown food.
* 3 Pillars of a Food Revolution: As marketers learn to fake climate-friendly food, how do we spot the real thing? Anna Lappé says it's a question of values.
