Old99Farm Market:  Old 99 Farm, week of Oct 6 2014 and Eco-friendly Meat and Dairy: 10 reasons why

It’s tues am, a mild spell, the barnyard cover is almost done, and lambs are going to the butcher today. I’m suffering a recurring low back syndrome that got so bad this week, I’m off to a novel spinal alignment therapist.

This is last week for special on ground beef at $5/lb.

Lots of tomatoes, eggplant, peppers in the greenhouse, and new crop of lettuce greens, carrots, collards, kale, beets.

Lots of eggs.

How would you like to read this and pass it on?

Eco-friendly Meat and Dairy: 10 reasons why

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/why-buy-organic-dairy-meat.html

Eating fewer animal products is a good choice for the environment. When and if you choose to eat animal products you can make a significant difference for your health and the environment by taking these steps, and here’s why:

Choosing to support farms that caretake the environment and the animals they raise in an ethical manner, is a very positive way to spend your food dollar. Animal agriculture produces surprisingly large amounts of air and water pollution, and causes 80 percent of the world’s annual deforestation. It also requires large amounts of water, and livestock worldwide consumes half the world’s total grain harvest.

By supporting local, sustainable and organic farms in your local community you also support the larger community of which we are all a part. By eating animal products raised on such farms you provide the healthiest choice for your family and support the farms that support healthy and ecological neighborhoods.

1. Free of antibiotics, added hormones, GMO feed and other drugs; no GMO animals

Animals raised organically are not allowed to be fed antibiotics, the bovine human growth hormone (rbGH), or other artificial drugs. Animals are also not allowed to eat genetically modified foods. Further, animal products certified as organic can not have their genes modified (for example, a scorpion gene cannot be spliced into a cow gene).

How: The animals are raised in a healthier environment, fed organic feed, and often eat a wider range of nutrients than those raised in factory farms (such as would be the case of free-range chickens and ranch cattle). The animals are not from a test tube.

Highlights: Organically raised animals have been shown to be significantly healthier than their factory-raised counterparts.

More: Visit the Organic Trade Association Web site for updates on the U.S. federal organic standards.

2. Mad cow safeguard: Animals aren’t forced to be cannibals
The practice of feeding cattle the ground up remains of their same species appears to cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a horrific disease that destroys the central nervous system and brain, can be given to humans who eat the cows. The disease in humans has a very long latency period, and is called Creutzfeld-Jakob disease.

How: Animals are fed 100 percent organic feed without ground up animal parts.

Highlights: By eating 100 percent organic meat you are protected by a label insuring the cow has only been fed 100 percent organic feed.

3. More humane, ethical treatment of animals
Factory farms treat animals like commodities, and they are kept in tightly confined pens and often never move more than a few feet their whole lives.

How: Buy meat and eggs raised from chickens raised outdoors free ranging and grazing.

Highlights: Animals are more likely to be raised without cruelty.

4. Animals free-range and graze
The words “free-range,” and “ranch raised” are clues that the animals were raised in a more humane way. Their diet tends to be more well-rounded; the animals are not confined and spend time outdoors in the fresh air.

How: Free range chickens eat more grubs and bugs than their industrially-raised counterparts; free range animals graze as they are inclined.

Highlights: Humane and ethical treatment of animals; more nutritious food.

5. Manure
Small farms use it, industrial farms pollute with it.

How: On small, diverse farms, manure is used to naturally fertilize soil. Industrial farms produce so much manure, on the other hand, that it is a human health risk. The overspill of manure can contaminate wells with E. coli and other pathogens. In one region of North Carolina, for example, hog farms produce 10 million metric tons of waste annually.

Highlights: Sustainable farms use their manure productively as organic fertilizer. The manure is “pure,” coming from animals fed organic diets.

6. Animals are integral to small farms
Using animal manure is considered recycling of nutrients. No farm can cope with all the animal offspring, so selling some makes economic sense. Sustainable farms tend to provide and sell a range of products, and organic eggs and animal products would be included.

How: Most organic farms have a few cows, chickens, etc.

Highlights: The animals—many of diverse gene pools—serve a purpose besides providing food.

7. Fewer chemicals used
Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are not used on the food or land. Residues of persistent chemicals such as DDT, PCBs, dioxin, and many pesticides concentrate in animal fat. Eating organic animal fat reduces your exposure to these chemicals.
Farmers working on organic farms are exposed to fewer chemicals.

How: Organic agriculture works for a healthy balance of the soil, including using crop rotation and other techniques to improve soil fertility, instead of controlling the environment with chemicals. The animals are not fed food containing pesticides, and so the amount of persistent pesticides in their fat is reduced.

Highlights: Safeguards groundwater, farmers’ health, topsoil, habitats, and neighborhood health.

8. Diversity
Industrial farms rely on just a few species of cattle, chickens, pigs, etc., whereas small sustainable farms tend to raise a wider variety of livestock. Entire species of livestock can die out if they are not raised on farms.

How: Support our food supply by buying food representative of a wide gene pool. Every time you even buy a brown instead of a white egg you are helping to support diversity.

Highlights: Support diversity by supporting diversity on your local farms. Buy their milk, eggs, and meat.

9. Factory farms use huge amounts of resources
The factory farm industry is run with cheap, nonrenewable fossil fuel. Producing, transporting, processing, and marketing the food all depend heavily on it. Without cheap fuel, industrial agriculture would be impossible because it would be too expensive, notes organic farming expert Fred Kirschenmann. The heavy pesticide use on industrial farms contaminates groundwater and soil. Kirschenmann believes industrial farms are responsible for the loss of over half of U.S. topsoil.

How: Organic farms uses less energy with careful ecological management, and using natural ecological balances to solve pest problems. Buying animal products from local farms further reduces energy by reducing the amount of miles the food travels to your table.

Highlights: Organic farms use 70 percent less energy than industrial farms, and since they don’t use pesticides they help preserve ground water. The farming techniques of organic farms builds topsoil and doesn’t contribute to its erosion.

10. Your dollars support the farm you buy from
If you buy your meat from an organic farmstand at a farmer’s market you support that farm. On the other hand, if you buy non-organic meat that isn’t local, free-range, or ranch-raised from a supermarket chain, you most likely support a multinational food conglomerate.

How: You can contribute to the well-being of your community by supporting small, local, diverse organic farms.

Highlights: Buying organic animal products is better for your health, your local community, and the larger community as a whole.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/why-buy-organic-dairy-meat.html#ixzz3GnfYwhjK

Old99Farm Market:  Old 99 Farm Week of Oct 19 2014

A drizzly week, but above normal temperatures for this time of year. I’m progressing on the new barnyard cover project which will give much comfort to our cows and make better composted manure since it will keep the rain and snow off.

We have first baby lettuce greens this week. Lots of carrots in the ground, ready to harvest or store. The leeks are ready to harvest, a bumper crop, as are the beets. I have cilantro, great with boiled potatoes.
This year the carrots are more mature since we got them in sooner, meaning likely less ‘baby carrots’ but all still sweet and delicious as the cold weather causes them to convert starches to sugars.
I have grape jelly from a neighbour, grapes grown on their farm, two recipes one with honey.
Solanum potatoes are being dug for storage. These ones grew in the greenhouse all summer along with the squashes and tomatoes. Sweet potatoes are now cured and ready for sale.

Looking for lamb? I’d like to get your orders so I know how many to take to the butcher real soon. And remember I have baby beef, veal grown on pasture, nursed by the mothercow, now in the freezer. Ground beef special will end Thurs Oct 30th; check around it’s a good price for lean pasture raised ground beef.

Ready for another list of reasons to buy local and organic? http://www.care2.com/greenliving/why-buy-organic-dairy-meat.html. It’s a great list, that starts off saying we should all eat less meat…

Please hold off on the egg cartons till further notice, I have scads.

Healthy eating
Ian and Camelia
(and Michael from Hannover Germany, our guest for 6 weeks)

Champaign, OH:  Showing The Love!

Well, customers of all that is lovely and local…

You have just helped us break through an amazing platform!!!! We are on fire!!!

Keep it up!!! I want this to be a market celebration when we close, tonight!

Show us the love..it is so amazing to watch!!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

Champaign, OH:  You Really Got Me!

Yeah, you really got me now…
You got me so I don’t know what I’m doin’ now…
Oh yeah, you really got me now…
You got me so I can’t sleep at night…
(The Kinks…You Really Got Me)

So, can you feel the excitement of this market, this week? Maybe not. But, I can tell you from behind the scenes…it is a rock and roll frenzy of orders and numbers!!! You all TOTALLY have got me going!!! We still have until 10pm, tonight, and are on the brink of breaking all market records in our almost three years of being online!!!

Excitement…it’s what I live for, it’s what I love, it’s what I like to see!!

I was feeling this Kinks song, this morning, as I was looking through the market numbers. It reminded me of a long time ago, back when I was the queen of planning house parties. The kind of college house parties that rocked the houses, music blaring at all levels, bodies packed into every corner, stair steps, back and front porches. House parties that got your whole excitement level on overdrive.

I remember one such party. We planned to feature music by The Doors and The Kinks. We made special house party beverages, we assured the landlord and neighbors that it would be a quiet, peaceful affair. But, as most of our house parties ended up, we had too many people, too much noise, too much dancing, too much fun. But isn’t that what it’s all about?

You see, I am all about starting out on the easy going, let’s see where this will take us, side. But, as I see the momentum building, the excitement mounting, I become that crazy house party girl all over again!! It’s like I can’t help myself…I feel like it just needs to keep going, keep hitting crazy levels, until you have achieved yet another house party epic tale. Or, in the case of this little local market of love…rocking this local house party until we have crashed through the market roof!!

I will be monitoring, all day!! I will report in as the numbers skyrocket!! Get those orders in so we can have the fun of the reports of crazy numbers!! It will be fun and make the day so exciting for all of us!!

You really got me…now, let’s blow the roof off this market party!

Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam

CLG:  Tuesday Reminder - Market Closes Tonight & Urban Farm Fest Invitation

Hello Friends,
There’s still time to place your order for pickup on Friday, October 24th. The market closes tonight around 10pm.

AND

Faulkner County Urban Farm Project is having their 4th annual Urban Farm Fest on Saturday, October 25 from 11:00am until 2:00pm at the garden behind the public library on Tyler Street. A community potluck, featuring food from ZAZA Fine Salad & Wood-Oven Pizza Co. and dishes made from garden ingredients, will be served at 11:00am. Be green by bringing your own utensils. Two garden demonstrations will follow at noon. There will also be live music, kids’ activities and door prizes. This event is free and open to the public.

How to contact us:

DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Instead…

Phone or text: Steve – 501-339-1039

Email: Steve – kirp1968@sbcglobal.net

Our Website:

www.conway.locallygrown.net

On Twitter: @conwaygrown

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Conway-Locally-Grown/146991555352846

Fresh Harvest, LLC:  Fresh Harvest - Still Time to Order Goodies!

Cross Timbers Food Cooperative:  CTFC Market Open for November 1 Pick-up

Hi, folks!

Ordering is open for the Saturday, November 1 pick-up. The order window will close Sunday, October 26.

Enjoy,
Wylie
for Cross Timbers Food Cooperative

Citrus County Locally Grown:  Mixed News

FLORIDA FRESH MEAT SPECIAL

PASTURE RAISED, HORMONE AND CHEMICAL FREE, FREE RANGE Chicken 3 1/2 to 5lb just Normally $5.60/lb This week just $3.99lb. With any other meat purchase
Yes truly PASTURE Raised. I searched our local supermarkets this weekend. Forget "Cage Free, Naturally Raised etc. NO supermarket was offering PASTURE RAISED, FREE RANGE that I could find.
Select Chicken Special on the market and in the comments add the weight you prefer. Just make sure you have at least one other meat purchase. Chicken price will be $3.99lb for the size supplied.
ORDER NOW.

3 Rock Farm

Great range of preserves coming so check out this weeks offering.

Mom’s Kitchen and Gardens Chilli

Apple Butter and PUMPKIN BUTTER are available along with those Pepper Jellies that add to the flavor of so many dishes.

Charlies Produce

Offering pumpkins, naturally grown, from the ARMISH Farms of Pennsylvania. All sizes and designer types too for all you decorators.

MILK SUPPLIES

Our Supplies of both Cow and Goat milk are halted as the Cows and Goats have Calves and Kids and come back into the milking cycle. Probably restart some time in December.

Our growers thank you for supporting local growers and businesses. Your orders make a real difference

Pickup is Thursday October 23rd

Thank you for supporting your On-Line Farmers Market. Your purchases have made a difference to many families

Your CCLG Team

THE MARKET IS OPEN
The link below will take you there.

www.citruscounty.locallygrown.net/.*

Siloam Springs, AR:  Online Market is open!

This is the final week for the outdoor market. We will be in the park Tuesday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Then we transition to the Winter Market with once a week pickups on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

More information next week regarding pick up location.

Don’t forget to order your favorite items this week to pick up on Saturday.

See you at the Market!

Heirloom Living Market Lilburn:  There is still time to order...

Market Closes at 6:00pm Today!

It has been necessary to establish minimums for each Market. If the minimum is not met and you have ordered items, you will receive an email letting you know that your items cannot be delivered. Perhaps we will make items available on an every-other-week schedule if orders continue to fall below minimum. Please be assured that we are doing everything we can to provide you with what you want from the local Farmers/Growers and Producers; but, please understand that Buying Local means supporting those who are committed to providing ‘Local’!

Hop on over to the Market and place your order…

Thank you for your support!

See you at Market on Thursday!