High-tech tomatoes. Mysterious milk. Supersquash. Are we supposed to eat this stuff?  Or is it going to eat us? 

-Annita Manning

About 70% of the food we eat contains genetically modified ingredients and is not labeled. The biotechnology industry is spending $50 million a year to convince us that this technology is our only hope for feeding the world and saving the environment. Family farmers are disappearing at an astonishing rate as people continue to go hungry both here and abroad.

If you haven’t seen the movie Fed Up … DO!

This extremely informative documentary assembles a formidable array of experts on the current state of agribusiness, as well as amusing and frightening archival footage, to paint a picture of how we eat today. Including information about revolutions both Green and Biotech, the program answers many questions posed by the changing methods of food production and consumption. Interviewees include Marc Lappé and Britt Bailey from the Center for Ethics and Toxics, Ignacio Chapela from UC Berkeley’s Department of Environmental Science, and organic farmers from the Bay Area.

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”

-Sir Walter Scott

Not all is well on the US milk front. Dr. Samual Epstein’s research points to that conclusion and researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health recently sent a strong message to the United States Department of Agriculture challenging the nutrition value in milk. The media makes attempts to alert consumers but government agencies prefer keeping it all hush, hush.

This once pure and unadulterated protein and mineral source for humans has evolved to become a highly pasteurized, homogenized, hormone loaded, antibiotic protected, pus infested product no longer resembling the original natural substance.

Hopefully, the choices will remain ours to buy whole and pesticide, hormone free milk. Currently, our organic milk farmers are being circumvented by the our federal government.

Yes, non-organic milk is cheaper than pasteurized, homogenized organic milk, but then again, you always get just what you pay for.

I think of her as a kind of canary in the mine. Many people don’t know the impacts of the toxins we ingest and breathe in as well as hers does, but these toxins do affect us all. Some are impacted immediately, so many more are affected over time without knowing the cause.

Everything we put into nature eventually cycles into the human body, out back into the environment and returns to the body – an endless cycle. It is a complete, perfect cycle. We are the end-user/loser. Let us embrace this understanding with all of our hearts, in all we do, becoming aware of our vital daily role in the greater scheme of things. What we put down our sinks, drains and sewers recycles back to us. The chemicals, pesticides, poisons we put on our crops and in our soils recycles back into us. The antibiotics, hormones we feed our animals, recycles back into us.

The health of our planet, our water and food, are connected to the health of our body and well being of mind. Let us always remember: What we do to nature, we do to ourselves.  As nature goes, so do we.

“Americans store an estimated 65 million old desktop computers in their homes.” -US EPA

Like virtually every home and office across the nation, my family has accumulated its own small computer graveyard over the years. And this spring as we ponder what to do with our outdated ‘stuff’ taking up precious space in our closets, we discovered the Reconnect program — a joint effort by Dell and Goodwill.

Their Reconnect program recycles any brand of used computer equipment in any condition, and just about anything that can be connected to a computer. Freeing up space in your home is as simple as bringing the items to your local Goodwill. Not only do your donations create jobs and protect the environment, the Reconnect recycling program is free, and you’ll receive a receipt for tax purposes. Find a Goodwill location near you by visiting reconnectpartnership.com.

A few weeks ago my cup took a fatal fall, not just cracking but the plastic shell broke, leaving the aluminum innards exposed through its sharp edges. I finally threw it out. Baristas knew this cup, I tell you. They started to inquire as to its whereabouts as I ordered coffee in paper cups (with plastic lids and cardboard sleeves!!!) as I waited for a new one to magically come into my life. But golly, I’ll be damned if I don’t need a cup of coffee while I’m out and about at least three times a week. I added that up to about a dozen paper cups since my cup broke.

Today I bought a new cup at a coffee shop. Yeah, I could have found one used if I had tried harder or asked some friends. But time is a luxury and I can’t seem to give up coffee.

I found a new product at the grocery store; Kleenex handtowels. No I didn’t buy them, but I did visit their website.

It was so informational: “People in the U.S. dry their hands on cloth bathroom towels approximately 200 billion times a year. The CDC guidelines for hand washing recommends hand drying with a single-use towel. Families have not had a practical alternative to traditional cloth hand towels in their home bathrooms… until now.”

Kleenex may have a point that germs could be spread using traditional cloth towels, I’m sure that Kleenex is selling handtowels to most of the OCD population by now.  In my world, I’d like to believe that more and more people are moving to a greener lifestyle — steering away from disposable and other single use items wherever possible.

There is nothing more disappointing to me than to see a new product enter the market touting it’s disposability and promoting the fear factor.

All of my life we have used a “common” towel in the bathroom to dry our clean hands. Keeping a stock of clean hand towels near your sink may not be convenient, but it comes with the good feeling of saving virgin forests in Canada from being cut down. What could be better than that?!

I thought it would be helpful to share a few tips on what I have learned by providing a list of the best plants and herbs to help you on your way to companion planting in your garden this year. For those making their plans and seed purchases now, here’s a helpful guide from the Iowa State University Extension on planting and harvesting times for vegetables in Iowa.

Asters

Deters most insects

Basil

Basil repels white fly and makes a good companion to tomatoes, in the garden & the kitchen. Use 3 basil plants to each tomato plant. Basil also repels flies and mosquitoes, so useful in kitchen, outdoor barbecues. Don’t plant near rue. Deters tomato hornworm, aphids, flies and mosquitoes. Slows growth of milkweed bugs and acts as a fungicide.Borage – Deters tomato worm – improves growth and flavor of tomatoes

Borage

Plant with strawberries to increase crop. Also good with tomatoes and squash. Attracts bees to the garden. Deters tomato worms, attracts bees, helps growth and flavor.

Calendula (Pot Marigold)

Deters asparagus beetles, tomato worms and general garden pests

Catnip

Deters flea beetle

Celery

White cabbage butterfly

Chamomile

Improves growth and flavor of onions and cabbages.

Chrysanthemum

Deters most insects

Dead Nettle

Deters potato bug – improves growth and flavor of potatoes

Eggplant

Deters Colorado potato beetle

Fennel

Repels fleas, so grow it around dog kennel.

Flax

Deters potato bug

Garlic

Deters Japanese beetle – other insects and blight

Geranium

Deters most insects. Plant near roses, grapes and corn. Repels cabbage worm. Oil of geranium prevents red spider mite.

Horseradish

Plant at corners of potato patch to deter potato bug

Henbit

General insect repellant

Hyssop

Deters cabbage moth, white butterflies, good insect repellant

Lavendar

Lavender bags repel mice, ticks and moths.

Marigold

The workhouse of the pest deterrents. Plant throughout garden to discourage Mexican bean beetles, nematodes and other insects.

Mint

Deters white cabbage moth and ants

Nasturtium

Good insect repellent. Deters aphids, squash bugs, striped pumpkin beetles

Onion Family

Deters most pests

Oregano

Plant near broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower to repel cabbage butterfly and near cucumbers to repel cucumber beetle. Also benefits grapes.

Petunia

Protects beans

Peppermint

Planted among cabbages, it repels the white cabbage butterfly

Radish

Especially deters cucumber beetle

Rosemary

Deters cabbage moth, bean beetle and carrot fly

Rue

Deters Japanese Beetle

Sage

Deters cabbage moth, carrot fly

Salsify

Repels carrot fly

Southernwood

Deters cabbage moth

Summer Savory

Deters bean beetles

Tansy

Deters flying insects, Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs, ants

Tomato

Asparagus beetle

Thyme

Deters cabbage worm

Wormwood

Carrot fly, white cabbage butterfly, black flea beetle

A leap to Des Moines nearly two years ago from Iowa City planted me and my children into an urban apartment. The transition from a home with a garden in the midst of rolling pastures to living downtown in Des Moines was BIG. I’ve wished to have a garden of my own for several months now. Truly, there is nothing more magical than planting a seed, watching it grow, picking vegetables, making nutritious food that feeds my growing children. Things like gardening, children, community … these are all very meaningful too me.

I’m coordinating an urban community garden now, it’s situated on the grounds of Edmund’s Elementary School, in the historical Sherman Hill neighborhood, on the edge of the city of Des Moines. I am proud to serve this school, this community and coordinate the mission that brings gardeners and neighbors together here.

If you are searching for a garden plot now, just follow your way over here to find out more about the garden plots available to friends and neighbors now. Come walk in the garden with us all summer here!

Note to friends in Iowa City:  Get your own community garden plots by the first Monday of April. Find me @morsemusings

And I invite you to investigate it further and research it for yourself. One of the greatest blogs to explain this health threat in common people language is With One Breath. Here’s a fifteen second sampling of what you need to know right now:

According to the results of a study, published directly by the IATP in January 2009, 17 of the sampled items contained “elevated mercury levels”, and at least 9 of them had mercury levels between 100 and 350 ppt. The sampled foods with levels of mercury detected included (mercury amounts expressed in parts per trillion*):

• Quaker Oatmeal to Go, manufactured by PepsiCo (350 ppt)
• Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Sauce, manufactured by Heinz (300 ppt)
• Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup (257 ppt)
• Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce (200 ppt)
• Nutri-Grain Strawberry Cereal Bars, manufactured by Kellogg Company (180 ppt)
• Manwich Bold Sloppy Joe (canned sauce), manufactured by ConAgra Foods (150 ppt)
• Market Pantry Grape Jelly, manufactured by Target Corporation (130 ppt)
• Smucker’s Strawberry Jelly, manufactured by J. M. Smuckers Company (100 ppt)
• Pop-Tarts Frosted Blueberry, manufactured by Kellogg Company (100 ppt)
• Hunt’s Tomato Ketchup, manufactured by ConAgra Foods (87 ppt)
• Wish-Bone Western Sweet & Smooth, manufactured by Unilever (72 ppt)
• Coca-Cola Classic (62 ppt)
• Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt, manufactured by General Mills (60 ppt)
• Minute Maid Berry Punch, manufactured by Coco-Cola (40 ppt)
• Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink, manufactured by the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (30 ppt)
• Nesquik Chocolate Milk, manufactured by Nestle (30 ppt)
• Kemps Fat Free Chocolate Milk (30 ppt)

These are the BIGGIES on the list , there are more at the blog mentioned above. Do stop by and learn a little more. If you’d like movie to engage your family about corn syrup, rent King Corn. This is an issue to rally your family around. Please do it today.

Chances are, if Mr. O knows any of these things he might be crucified in the polls and the media by acknowledging them. The only “change” that America really wants to hear about is evicting George Bush from the White House. They’re sick of him and all the disturbance he has caused in their financial affairs. But beyond that, the American public is deathly afraid of the kind of changes we actually face — such as, the end of the consumer culture, the gross loss of value in suburban real estate (which forms the bulk of the middle class’s private wealth), the prospect of food and fuel scarcities, the need to re-localize our lives, the need to physically shape up to stop the costly and unnecessary drain on our medical resources, to grow more of our own food, to work harder at things that actually matter, and to save whatever we can for a difficult future.

Simplify your life NOW. Live without debt, put yourself in a place where you can enjoy public transportation, buy a bag of rice a week, entertain frugal recipes, reconnect with your neighbors … get back to living.

This week may be a unique opportunity to stop and consider our definitions of wealth. This week saw the UK government double the national debt in an attempt to tackle a crisis that began with bad debts. This weekend is Buy Nothing Day. (Friday in the US, and Saturday in the UK) The event is in its 17th year, but this is perhaps the most significant.

Between these two events, consumerism is suddenly on the agenda in ways it hasn’t been for a long time. We have a window of opportunity to stop and think hard about the unsustainable nature of our economy – socially, financially, and environmentally – and ask some questions about how you really want to live.

The NRDC has released some numbers about video game consoles and their power consumption. If you’re one of the 50% of gamers who leave their consoles on all the time — you may not know this but you’re losing a lot of money.

The NRDC report suggests that video game console manufacturers update the consoles with a power saving mode that would kick in after a period of inactivity — but the quickest fix is for gamers to turn their consoles off (or use the console’s power saving features) when they’re not actively playing them. The NRDC says that consoles use about the same amount of power just sitting there as they do when you’re actually playing them.

How much could you save? At the high end, the NRDC says that PS3 owners who shut off their consoles could save as much as $145 a year. Wii users won’t save as much, because the Wii uses less power over all. The XBOX 360 is somewhere in between.

The good news is that the XBOX 360 and PS3 do have power saving features, but they’re disabled by default. Why not turn them on and save some cash?

Walk Score says the most walkable city in America is San Francisco, scoring an 86 out of a possible 100. Other cities topping the list include New York City with a score of 83 and Boston with a score of 79.

I checked out my walk score and was tickled pink it was 80: calculated by identifying the closest grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops and other amenities near an address. The neighborhoods are weighted by population and then given a walk score. Scores over 70 identify neighborhoods where it’s possible to get by without owning a car. Scores over 90 are referred to as a “Walker’s Paradise.”

Mike Mathieu, founder of Front Seat, parent of Walk Score says,”We developed Walk Score to help people evaluate the walkability of individual addresses as they search for a great place to live.”

As we Americans look to reduce our environmental impact, save money, and ease our reliance on cars, the appeal of walkable communities can only continue to grow!

There’s no doubt that organic food is the better and safer choice when it comes to feeding your family. One thing that I hear when I challenge others to buy organic is that it’s too expensive. If you find the cost of an all organic meal cost prohibitive you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that, with a few pointers, you can begin enjoying buying organic and slim down the cost of your grocery bill too. Farmers markets and fresh produce stands are abundant in Iowa, consider buying fresh produce that can be canned or frozen for future use; the time is ripe to choose a variety of fresh vegetables for now and later. In the off season, when it comes to choosing to buy organic or nonorganic and the prices come into play, all you need to know is which foods you absolutely should buy that are organic and where you can find it, locally, where you live.

Here’s suggestions on how and where to shop:

Things You can Buy Safely (Non-organic)

Fruit

Avocado

Their thick skins that protect the fruit from pesticide build-up.

How to Buy it: You want an avocado that is slightly unripe and is firm tot he squeeze, they will ripen in a few days of sitting on your kitchen counter. Store at room temperature. Even though you won’t be using the skin of the avocado, be sure to rinse it anyway before you open it up.

Bananas

The banana peel isn’t eaten and its where the pesticide stays.

How to Buy it: You’ll want to think of how you are going to use the banana before you choose it. If choosing green (where the peel is pale yellow and the tips are green) their taste will be somewhat tart. You will want to use these for frying or baking in a pie. If choosing where the peel is mostly all yellow, the pulp will still be firm but their starch content will have started to turn to sugar. These, as just as the green ones, work best in pies and tarts. If choosing banana with signs of brown spots with the peel a deeper yellow color., the banana will be sweetest in taste and work well mashed and added to baked goods like banana bread recipes. Store at room temperature. If they’re unripe, you can place them in a brown paper bag to ripen.

Pineapple

It has a rough and spiny skin that protects it from pests and pesticide residue.

How to Buy it: Although the sweet smell of pineapple can be alluring, you don’t want to use your nose on this one because it usually means that it is overripe. Like any fruit, avoid soft spots and also avoid damage to the rind. Store in the refrigerator or on the counter if you plan to use with on a day or two.

Kiwi

Its fuzzy skin acts as a barrier to pesticides, but be sure to still give them a rinse before use.

How to Buy it: When buying kiwi, you have to use your nose. Sniff out kiwis that smell good. The kiwi you choose should be plump and yield to a squeeze like that of a ripe pear. Don’t pick any with moist areas on their surface or any skin bruising. If unripe kiwi are all that are available, simply take them home and place them in a paper bag at room temperature with other fruits that need more time, such as bananas or pears. Store in the refrigerator vegetable drawer.

Mango

Another fruit that has thick skin that protects it from pesticides, but you still want to rinse before use.

How to Buy it: There are different varieties of mangoes, but in general look for those that are bright in color such as red, yellow, or orange. You can use your nose again here because it should have a significant fruity smell, if not don’t buy it. They should be slightly firm but yield to your touch somewhat. (Usually the sweeter mango is the one that is softer to the touch.) However, if it is too soft, it could be rotten inside, so choose carefully. They are best stored in the refrigerator fruit or vegetable drawer.

Papaya

Pesticide residue stays on papaya skin, but give them a rinse before using.

How to Buy it: Papaya colors come in colors ranging between yellow and green. Choose one that is slightly soft and show no signs of bruising or that don’t appear shriveled. If their not fully ripened you can put them in a brown bag once you get home. If they are ripe, store in the refrigerator.

Vegetables

Asparagus

This vegetable faces fewer threats from pests, therefore needing less pesticide.

How to Buy it: You want firm spears with purplish or bright green tips.Buy about 1/2 pound per person. Try to choose spears that are similar in size and thickness to ensure uniform cooking. Keep them in the refrigerator vegetable drawer and rinse before using (even if you’re going to boil them).

Broccoli

Conventional broccoli crops face fewer pest threats, like asparagus, so they require less pesticide use.

How to Buy it: It should be deep green in color and the stalks should be firm and not rubbery. Wash in a cool water while changing the water a couple of times in the process before use. Store in the refrigerator vegetable drawer.

Cabbage

Like asparagus and broccoli, it doesn’t need a lot of pesticides while it is growing.

How to Buy it: You want a cabbage head where the leaves are tight, you also want it to be heavy for its type and firm. For most cabbage varieties, you’ll want to make sure the outer leaves are shiny and crisp. The exception to this rule is savory cabbage, as it forms a looser head and the leaves grow crinkly naturally. Don’t buy any heads whose leaves are yellowing. Bok choy should have deep green leaves with their stems a crisp-looking white. Make sure to get remove the outer leaves of a cabbage before using it. Cabbage can be washed or spun, just as you would lettuce. Store in the refrigerator vegetable drawer.

Onions

As many others listed they don’t see as many pest threats, which means less pesticide use.

How to Buy it: You want an onion that is firm and has a distinct onion smell but not but not too strong. You also don’t want to choose one with signs of damage or soft spots. Keep in a cool dry place, or in the refrigerator.

Things to Buy Organic

Fruits and Vegetables:

With fruits and vegetables, many of them contain thin or edible skins than can contain pesticide residue. In addition, some of them have to be heavily sprayed due to their high level of pests.

Check here for a list of fruits and vegetables ranks in order of most or least pesticide load: https://foodnews.org/

FRUITS: arranged in order of highest to lowest pesticide load: Peaches, Apples, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Grapes, Pears, Raspberries, Plums, Oranges, Tangerine, Cantaloupe, Lemon, Honeydew, Grapefruit, Watermelon, Blueberries

VEGETABLES: arranged in order of highest to lowest pesticide load: Sweet Bell Peppers, Celery, Lettuce, Spinach, Potatoes, Carrots, Green Beans, Hot Peppers, Cucumbers, Cauliflower, Mushrooms, Winter Squash, Tomatoes, Sweet Potatoes

Other:

Fair Trade Certified Coffee Beans: Check out this site to find out where to buy them: https://www.transfairusa.org/content/WhereToBuy/

Milk: Check this site for a rated list of organic milk and other organic diary products. https://cornucopia.org/dairysurvey/index.html

Meat: Organic meat is free of antibiotics, added hormones, and human growth hormones (GMO). These animals are raised more ethically and humanely, meaning they are allowed to range freely and not confined to pens. In addition, the land that they eat from and live on uses no or less chemicals.

To locate organic farms and foods near Iowa City check out Corridor Locavore. In Des Moines check out the Drake Agricultural Law Center’s website and download the Buy Fresh Buy Local Directory; it’s the most comprehensive source for local farms, foods and businesses in central Iowa. Search by zip code to find a Farmer’s Market in your area, check out Local Harvest.

Remember, if you can’t afford to purchase all organic food, try to at least buy things that are lower in pesticide loads.