Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

http://gaiasgifts.blogspot.com/search/label/Vitalism

Blog Party: Kitchen Spices- Turmeric, Haridra, Curcurma Longa
This month’s blog party is on Kitchen Spices, and their medicinal uses (or otherwise uses). The kitchen pantry is FULL of useful medicines that we use to make our food taste delicious every day. Cinnamon, cloves, sage, thyme, garlic, onions, ginger and honey are all extremely useful herbs that most people keep in their pantry at any time. If you are a fan of Indian food, you probably have curry powder on the spice rack as well. The spice/herb I’m going to explore in this post is an ingredient in curry powders. Turmeric, the bright yellow powder that gives curry its color, among other things.
I know, not everyone keeps turmeric on their spice shelf, but it’s been talked about
an awful lot these days, and is quickly becoming a “fad” herb sold in encapsulated CO2 extracts with standardization to a percentage of curcumoids. What is all the big fuss about turmeric?

Turmeric is a SPICE and a food, and there is no real reason why you should need to buy it in fancy softgels for $30 a box. Instead go to the bulk spices and fill a bag with the bright yellow powder and begin to use it. Cook with it, tincture it, stir it in hot water for tea, mix with honey as a paste, or add it to other powders and clay as a poultice.

Turmeric has been used in Ayurveda and by Indian chefs for thousands of years, known as Haridra. Closely related to ginger (zinzigber officinalis), most people buy it as a powder in the spice asile. But you can buy whole pieces of root in asian markets, or whole food co-ops and the like, usually in the produce section, next to the ginger. You might even mistake the turmeric for ginger. It looks remarkably similar, but the bright orange yellow color of the meat is unique. The roots are also slightly smaller and thinner than those of ginger.

Either way you buy it, its uses are myriad.

I love turmeric stirred into the cooking water with rice (just a 1/2 tsp or so) will color rice a brillant shade of yellow, and add a nice savory and aromatic quality to the rice. Turmeric is less pungent than its cousin ginger, even fresh. And it is full of antioxidants.
Yup, those highly touted antioxidants, scavenging free radicals and putting out the fires of inflammation all over the body. That bright yellow color from carotenoids and Vit A is good for the eyes and general antioxidant protection.

Used in cooking it adds color and flavor, but is also a useful digestive stimulant and chologouge. It gently warms the digestive system, and through slight bitter and pungent flavors increases secretion of digestive fluids ( be careful if you have an ulcer, like other spicy foods it can aggravate it in some people.), and stimulates the production and secretion of bile, which is extremely important in the digestion of fats in the diet. If you have trouble digesting fats (often characterized by smelly, soft stools and gas known as steatorrhea, or nausea after eating fats) try a little turmeric stirred into your food, or as a warm tea before (or after) meals. Just a teaspoon stirred into warm water with a spoon of honey is a pleasant digestive stimulating tea. Or just have a small portion of rice cooked with turmeric, or a spoon stirred into your soup broth.

Here’s a nice simple recipie for your digestive pleasure.
1 c rice
2 c water
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp salt

Melt ghee in a pan, and stir in the spices and heat until just fragrant, (try not to burn them. Not nearly as tasty.)
Stir the rice into the sizzling ghee and spices and toast slightly ( some kernals may turn golden brown and it may smell a bit like popcorn.)
Add the water and stir the whole mixture once or twice to mix. Cover with a lid, and turn the heat to low. Cook the rice with the lid on until the water is absorbed. White rice will take 20 min, and brown rice will take 45-50 min.

Turn the heat off and leave the lid on for another 10 min. Just before serving, fold the seeds back into the rice with a spatula. Don’t stir too much, or the rice may stick or become gluey. Just enough to mix the seeds into the rice. Serve hot.

Another one of turmeric’s wonderful healing properties is its affinity for the liver, both a gentle liver stimulant and detoxifier. It stimulates liver production of glutathione, the body’s natural liver antioxidant and protectant. You can use turmeric any time there is sluggishness in the liver, or when undergoing mild alterative therapies to restore normal elimination and detoxifying processes. Turmeric is a blood mover and can help release sluggish, backed up blood in the liver or liver chi stagnation. This can be of benefit in a whole host of conditions relating to stuck liver chi or sluggish liver function, including PMS and menstrual cramps, poor digestion and constipation, heat in the core with cold/hands and feet, bloating, emotional explosiveness, and hot/full headaches from stuck chi.
In fact, one of my most effective teas for addressing menstrual cramps consists of antispasmodics and blood movers.

Menstrual Cramp Tea
2 tbsp Wild yam root,
2-3 slices red peony root,
1 tsp turmeric root powder
1 tsp ginger root
sometimes with a touch of wood betony.

It makes a very strange looking bright yellow tea, but served warm with honey and lemon, I find it quite pleasant, and very effective in addressing monthly cramping. (Always worse with the consumption of gluten. Damn those holiday temptations!)

Turmeric is also considered highly hepatoprotective and can be used for those with liver disease like jaundice, hepatitis and mild chirrosis. Obviously underlying causes need addressing, but used with other hepatoprotective herbs and therapies ( milk thistle, schizandra, reishi, selenium ) it can be of great benefit, espeically if there is inflammation anywhere in the system going on as well.

As a blood mover and antiinflammatory, turmeric can be used externally as well for bruises, sprains, arthritis and injuries. Either a poultice or linament used externally can alleviate pain and inflammation. Use it internally as well to address the injury both inside and out. But do be aware it will dye the skin (or any cloth)bright yellow for a few days. (Well, your cloth may stay yellow forever, but it will wash off the skin. Hey, think of it like a new yellow henna! Paint pretty flowers around your sprained ankle and messages of positive healing.) Additionally, turmeric is used topically on the skin for infections and infestations. One study showed it effective in combination with neem leaves as a poultice for scabies. But used in salve it is effective for any inflammed and infected wound. I’ve not tried it for fungal infections like athletes foot or ringworm, but imagine it might be useful. Also useful for inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, but again, it will turn the skin bright yellow.

Turmeric is also a nice immune stimulant and anti-infective herb to use during cold and flu season. Another reason to cook with it, or add it your favorite immune formula. I know one herbalist who uses turmeric in her fire cider recipie. (I usually use ginger.) Especially if you need a diaphoretic stimulant during cold or flu, a nice hot brew of turmeric and ginger tea will do the job nicely.

Finally, the use to which commerce is latching on to. It is a superb antiinflammatory. Turmeric is being sold in capsules to address the pain and inflammation of arthritis, prostatitis and heart disease. This is where the CO2 extracts are being sold as a bargin at 4-5 times the price of the spice on the shelf. For most people the powdered spice or a tincture of the fresh root will do just the same thing, but you will need to take it in fairly large quantities.

Most of the capsules for sale are now standarized to curcuminoids, and frankly, even though turmeric is well studied by science, I hate to reduce the healing properties of a such a versatile food herb to just ONE compound. The curcuminoids have many studies showing their effectiveness in controlling inflammatory processes, but turmeric has a lot more to offer than just anti-inflammatory curcuminoids. Rich antioxidants, hepatoprotective properties, improving digestive function, and supporting immune function are probably all things we want to embrace, along with quenching the fires of inflammation.

But, with any inflammation in the body, one must get to the root of it. Why is the body inflammed? Is there a food intolerance, leaky gut, not enough omega 3 fatty acids to regulate inflammation from within? You can certainly use turmeric to slow that process down, to relieve pain, and help someone off NSAID’s or other antiinflammatory drugs like corticosteroids, cortisone or prednisone with a whole slew of dangerous side effects, but if the root is not addressed, the inflammation will continue and the health will continue to degrade.
Turmeric, in the marketplace is being used a band-aid, or like any other pharmacuetical to stop pain and inflammation without addressing the reason for inflammation and pain. Turmeric is incredibly useful when addressing injuries and chronic inflammation, but use it with a grain of salt. One must also remember that inflammation is actually a helpful process used by the body as part of the healing process. We run into a problem when the inflammation never stops, because the root hasn’t been addressed.

Turmeric has also shown promise in the treatment of the many symptoms of metabolic syndrome, or syndrome x. Through its antioxidant, antiinflammatory and liver and digestive stimulating properities, it helps to adddress the inflammatory state of the body that can lead to oxidation of the plaque on the arteries or cholesterol in the blood, leading to heart attack or stroke, and can aid in maintaing blood sugar control. In addition to major dietary changes, and supplementation of important nutrients to control insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia leading to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, turmeric, and other helpful herbs can be added to the regimen to address these aspects of Metabolic syndrome.

In Ayurveda turmeric is known as a supreme blood purifier and nourishes and builds the blood and ojas, it can be of benefit for women’s reproductive health and menstrual problems, and for men in supporting healthy semen. It is used extensively as a skin tonic. Vasant Lad (Ayurveda, the Science of Self Healing)suggests its use topically mixed with aloe vera gel for burns, herpes or cold sores, and other skin afflictions. Women in India often stain their skin with Turmeric as a beauty aid.

In Ayurveda turmeric is traditionally administered in a warm milk decoction, mixed with ghee or honey, or as a paste applied to the skin. Because the powder is so easy to come by, most people will just use the powder. But I have made a fresh tincture from the fresh whole roots of turmeric and find it to be sweet, resinous, and delicious and effective. If you find whole fresh roots and want to tincture it, go ahead, just be careful, it will stain your hands, your cutting board and your muslin you strain it with, and anything you spill it on!

I know there a million more ways and reasons to use turmeric as a spice and a medicine, but this post has gone on long enough. Enjoy!

http://www.ediblecommunities.com/phoenix/condiments-miscellaneous/

Condiments-Miscellaneous
BETTY’S (GREG’S MOM’S) PRICKLY PEAR SYRUP (AND SOMETIMES JELLY)

I have childhood memories of driving down off of the Mogollon Rim coming home from Payson and stopping along the way in late August to pick prickly pears. We would stop, Mom would dig out the gloves (gotta use them) and tongs (never touch the fruit with your hands) and we would proceed to pick buckets of prickly pears and make them into juice, jelly and syrup.

These days after a good rain in August and September—so the prickly pears are nice and juicy— I head out to a couple of places I know of in Paradise Valley and pick buckets of them.

Once home the process is simple. I start with a large-mouth gallon jar, hold the pears with tongs, rinse them at my outdoor sink (so the water goes into my landscape) and place them in the jar. I mash the fruit down, then repeat the process until the jar is 3/4 full, then stick it in the freezer. Freezing accomplishes two things: It releases the juice from the fruit and it breaks down the tiny stickers (glochids) from the skins. When you are ready to use this distinctive magenta-hued juice, thaw it out, strain it very well and voilà, you can use the strained juice to make lemonade, margaritas or preserves.

FOR THE JELLY:

3 cups prickly pear juice
1 to 2 cups sugar to taste
1 package Sure Jell pectin

Then follow the simple directions on the Sure Jell box.

FENNEL JAM

We first tasted this jam as an accompaniment to a warm Fennel Apple Crisp with butterscotch and vanilla ice cream at Atlas Bistro, but it’s also wonderful on its own.

1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
2 bulbs of fennel, minced into very small pieces
¼ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
¼ cup White Fairy absinthe (Pernod or another anisette may be substituted)*
2 tablespoons fennel fronds, finely chopped
Pinch of fennel pollen (optional)

Begin by toasting the ground fennel seeds in a flat, heavybottomed sauté pan. When it is aromatic and has started to brown, add the minced fennel, sugar, salt and absinthe.

Simmer slowly until the fennel is soft. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool in the refrigerator. When completely cold, stir in the chopped fennel fronds and the fennel pollen.

Makes approximately 2 cups of jam.

*White Fairy absinthe is a white, rather than green, absinthe with a lower alcohol content and milder licorice flavor. It can be found at wine and spirit supply stores.

This recipe is courtesy of chef Josh Riesner from Atlas Bistro, 2515 N. Scottsdale Rd. #18, Scottsdale; atlasbistro.com.

FRESH GOAT CHEESE

David and Kathryn Heininger have graciously agreed to share their recipe for making fresh goat cheese.

20-25 delightful registered Nubian goats
Barn/comfortable safe shelter
Fully equipped milking shed
280 acres open range for grazing
Pasteurization equipment
Assorted thermometers, pots, filters, stirring, shaping, pressing, and molding utensils

Ensure that your 280 acres of land have sound perimeter fencing. Set herd of Nubian goats loose to forage on open range. This ensures that the flavor of the milk is subtly enhanced by whatever edibles are in season: tender new leaves in spring, cactus flowers and fruit, assorted native grasses, tasty chewy aromatic barks in the fall. Terroir, it’s not just for the French. (Note: Phoenix foodies get very excited about the subtle changes in flavor that occur in BMR’s artisanal cheeses as the goats forage for food throughout the seasons. I’m considering it a personal challenge to do the same and have pledged to devote myself to trying BMR cheese throughout the spring and summer to experience the influences of the White Mountain terroir myself.)

Bring goats in twice a day, every day, even Christmas and your birthday, to be milked. They are happy to comply and may even be waiting by the door in case you are a little tardy. The goats will hop up on the milking platform and wait for you to attach the milking apparatus. Turn on the pump. Collect milk in a clean pail. Make sure to empty goat completely as the last drops have the highest butterfat and protein content. Repeat until you have a full set of relieved goats. Lug pail(s) full of milk, taking care not to spill, next door to the kitchen, filter out any impurities, and pour into a large sterile container for pasteurization. (By law, all milk used for cheese that will be aged less than 60 days must be pasteurized. Heininger uses the gentlest method: the milk is heated to 145F for 30 minutes.)

Once pasteurization is complete, cool milk rapidly to 86F, add culture and non-animal rennet, stir well, and wait for about 24 hours while it sets into curds. Scoop the curds into cheesecloth bags and hang to drain for about 24-48 hours. Add a bit of salt, and voilà!—fresh goat cheese.

HERBED SEA SALT

Bryant Terry’s recipes have plenty of soul—from the modern, meatless takes on traditional soul food to his suggestions for musical and video accompaniment.

Soundtrack: “Sprinkle Me” by E-40 and Suga T from In a Major Way

The first time I had herbed salt was when Nigel Walker of Eatwell Farm gave me some of his lavender salt. After that, I started experimenting with other herbs, even combining some to make mixed herb sea salts. My favorite is basil sea salt, which I make to sprinkle on Watermelon Slices with Basil Sea Salt. If your salt starts to cake up, simply give it another whirl in the grinder.

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs of your choice
¼ cup coarse sea salt

In a coffee grinder, combine the herbs and salt. Pulse until mixed well. Store in an airtight glass container.

Makes about ¼ cup.

ORANGE VANILLA VINAIGRETTE

Use this recipe on salads made with bitter greens or spinach, orange segments and nuts. To make the vanilla sugar, insert your used/scraped, washed and dried vanilla beans into a canister of sugar. You can substitute local citrus blossom honey for the vanilla sugar (especially good on fruit salad).

1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. vanilla sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. orange zest

Combine white wine vinegar, orange juice, vanilla sugar, vanilla extract and orange zest in a bowl. Whisk together until thoroughly mixed.

This vinaigrette should be used the same day; otherwise the orange zest will make it turn bitter.

Recipe reprinted with permission from
Simply Vanilla: Recipes for Everyday Use by Patty Elsberry and Matt Bolus (Elevate)
See www.arizonavanilla.com.

PEACH SALSA

2 large peaches
1 small jicama, peeled
Mint leaves
Chives
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1 green jalapeno pepper
1 red jalapeno pepper
1 yellow jalapeno pepper
Juice of one lime
Salt and black pepper

Peel peaches and cut into small chunks. Julienne jicama into small matchsticks. Roll mint leaves and cut into a chiffonade to make one teaspoonful. Mince chives to make one tablespoonful. Slice jalapenos very thinly (e.g., with a Kyocera ceramic slicer.) In a small bowl, add all ingredients. Stir together and adjust seasonings.

Recipe courtesy of Julie Wood, Kitchen Classics, 4041 East Thomas Road, Phoenix; (602) 954-8141. Julie will teach a class on Peach Festival Food at Kitchen Classics on Saturday, May 20.

SMOKED SALMON DIP WITH TOASTY PITA CHIPS

SMOKED SALMON DIP

1/2 lb. smoked salmon
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
2 dashes white pepper
2 Tbsp parsley, minced
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
6 whole pita breads
4 Tbsp minced fresh herbs, such as parsley, rosemary, thyme, dill
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place the salmon in a food processor and puree until finely minced.

In a medium bowl, place the pureed salmon, mayonnaise and sour cream. Mix the ingredients together until they are well blended.

Add the garlic, white pepper, parsley and lemon juice to the salmon mixture. Stir together and serve on toasty pita chips.

Serves six.

TOASTY PITA CHIPS

Cut pita bread into halves and then into triangles to form chips. (If the bread is thick, you can first cut it horizontally into two rounds and then cut each round into chips.)

Place chips on baking sheet and brush both sides with extra virgin olive oil. Top chips with minced herbs.

Roast in 350-degree oven until crisp. Allow to cool before serving.

SPICE RUBS

Rubs are herb and spice mixtures you can rub onto poultry, fish, meats and vegetables. Prepare your favorite rub combination in advance and keep it handy to perk up your basic weeknight dishes. Both of these rubs can be altered with the addition of fresh lemon, orange or lime zest, especially the wine-friendly “Cheers to You” rub.

“GET WID IT” RUB
2 Tbsp. granulated onion
2 Tbsp. granulated garlic
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Aleppo pepper
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt

“CHEERS TO YOU” RUB
2 Tbsp. dry thyme
2 Tbsp. dry oregano
4 Tbsp. French lavender
2 Tbsp. toasted mustard seed
1 Tbsp. toasted onion
1 tsp. celery seed
2 Tbsp. sage leaves
2 Tbsp. marjoram
2 Tbsp. rosemary
1 Tbsp. summer savory
1 Tbsp. fennel seed
1 Tbsp. Spanish paprika
1 Tbsp. ground bay leaf
1 Tbsp. ground white pepper
2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt

Recipes compliments of Chef Ed Walsh, local hotel and restaurant consultant and educator.

SUMMER CHERRY TOMATO DRESSING

This lovely dressing is really more like a fresh compote or a loose salsa. It’s the place to use your tiniest, prettiest, most colorful tomatoes (and not those large, tough cherry tomatoes from the grocery store.) The dressing is really versatile—try it over a grilled skirt steak, spoon it over a roasted or grilled bell pepper filled with a little goat cheese, or pair it with grilled eggplant or zucchini.

8 ounces small cherry or other tiny tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons thinly sliced drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons drained capers, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir gently to combine. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes (or up to 30 minutes) to let the flavors mingle and to let the tomatoes marinate a bit. Stir gently again before serving.

Yields about 1¼ cups.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Fast, Fresh & Green by Susie Middleton
(Chronicle Books, 2010).

THREE CITRUS MARMALADE RECIPE

Three Citrus Marmalade

From Well-Preserved by Eugenia Bone

This is a great marmalade to make in the winter, when the citrus comes in. It is, of course, wonderful on bread, or warmed up and poured over vanilla ice cream or toasted pound cake, but because it is not too sweet, this marmalade is terrific cooked with fish and poultry. You can use different types of oranges and lemons in this recipe (but not limes) as well as alter the lemon/orange/grapefruit ratio: The recipe will still work. You just need to follow the basic formula of 1 cup of fruit pulp to 1 cup of sugar. (Ed note: see ‘The Overlooked Orange’ article in this issue.)

Citrus fruits are, of course, high in acidity (which is why you need so much sugar), and because bacteria cannot grow in a high acid environment, they can be safely water-bath canned. Kept in a cool, dark pantry, the marmalade is good for a year.

1 grapefruit (I prefer red)
3 oranges (try Blood oranges or Honeybell tangelos)
3 Meyer lemons
5 cups sugar
½ tablespoon butter

Peel the skin off the fruit in as big pieces as you can. Cut most of the white pith off the peels by scraping away with a paring knife. If lots of pith is stuck to the fruit, you must pick it off. It’s OK if you don’t get all the pith off the fruit and the rind.

Cut the rinds from 2 lemons and 1 orange into little matchsticks. You should have about 1 cup. Discard the remaining rinds. (You may want to reserve some rind to use as a garnish.)

Remove the seeds from the fruit. (Leaving the seeds in will give the marmalade a bitter taste—not unpleasant, but rather like Scottish-style orange marmalade.) To remove seeds, cut the fruit in half along the equator and pop the seeds out with the tip of a paring knife. Grind the fruit in a food processor to a chunky pulp. There should be about 5 cups. But measure the pulp you have, as there can be some variation in the amount of pulp a piece of fruit produces, and you will have to adjust the amount of sugar you add accordingly: 1 cup of sugar for every 1 cup of pulp.

In a medium-sized pot add the rinds and 3 cups of water. Cook over a medium heat until the rinds are tender, about 25 minutes. Cool, then add the pulp and let it rest for 2 hours, covered, in the fridge.

In a large, wide heavy-bottomed pot add the pulp, the rinds and their cooking water, the sugar and the butter. (The butter helps keep the marmalade from foaming up. Nonetheless it will foam up some. The marmalade will thicken quicker in a wide pot than a deep one. Be sure the pot is not filled more than halfway, to lessen the opportunity of a messy foam-up.) Cook over a medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Remove the foam as it builds up and stir the marmalade down. The temperature will need to reach 220° for the marmalade to jell. Simply stick a culinary thermometer in the hot marmalade and rest it against the side of the pot. Place the lid on the pot to hold the thermometer in place. It will take seconds to get a reading. The marmalade will darken to an amber color.

You can do a set test by putting a bit of the marmalade on a spoon and allowing it to cool. If the marmalade wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it is ready to can. This is a loose marmalade, but if it comes out stiff, don’t worry. Just warm it up before using it in recipes.

Bring four half-pint jars, their bands and new lids to a boil in a large pot of water with a fitted rack. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove the jars with tongs (the tongs don’t need to be sterilized). When the jars are dry but still hot, pour in the marmalade, leaving about 1 inch of headroom at the top of each jar. Wipe the rims, place on the lids and screw on the bands fingertip tight.

Place the marmalade in a pot with a rack deep enough to cover the jars with 2 to 3 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil over a high heat. Process the marmalade for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and, after a few minutes, remove the jars. The marmalade will seem runny at first. It’s OK. It will thicken up as it cools. You will hear a popping noise as the vacuum is created in the jars. Allow the jars to sit, untouched, for 6 to 8 hours. When they are cool, test the seals. (You can test a seal by unscrewing the band and lifting the jar by the edges of the lid. If you can lift the jar, the seal is good. If the lid comes off, the seal has failed and you must reprocess the jars with new lids. Don’t worry though; failure rate is really quite low.)

Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.

http://oldfashionedliving.com/muffins.html

Muffins or Gems? What is the Difference?

Posted: 26 Sep 2010 07:18 PM PDT
I’ve always wondered what the difference was between a muffin and a gem. Gem recipes are always lumped in with the muffin recipes, and are made in muffin tins. So, what IS the difference? It’s a little like Jello became synonymous with gelatin, though it was a brand name. The Gem Company made and sold kitchen equipment, including muffin tins. They were such a popular company that people started calling muffins cooked in their tins “gems”. I looked through my cookbooks and found some recipes for gems to share.

Apple Gems
Modern Priscilla Cook Book, 1924

1 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sugar
5 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. molasses
1 cup milk
4 sour apples

Sift dry ingredients, add molasses and milk and beat until smooth. Peel and chop apples, adding them to batter. Put into muffin-tins and bake in a moderately hot oven. Time in oven, 25 minutes. Temperature, 375 degree F. Servings 12.

Raspberry Bran Gems
Good Housekeeping’s Book of Menus,
Recipes & Household Discoveries 1926

1 cupful graham flour
1 cupful whole-wheat flour
1 cupful bran
1 teaspoonful soda
2 teaspoonfuls baking-powder
1 tablespoonful sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoonfuls cooking oil
1 teaspoonful salt
2 cupfuls sour milk or buttermilk
1/2 cupful raspberry jam

Mix all the dry ingredients together; add the oil, the egg well beaten, the sour milk, and the jam. Beat together thoroughly and pour into well-greased gem pans. Bake twenty-five minutes in a 400 degree F. oven.

Notes: You can sour milk by taking away a tsp. of milk and adding a tsp. of vinegar to the remaining milk. Let it sit a minute, stir and use. If you have non-stick coated muffin pans then just spray with cooking spray instead of greasing or buttering the pan.

Date Gems
Rumford Complete Cook Book 1934

1 cup chopped dates
2 cups flour
1/2 level teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 level teaspoons Rumford Baking Powder

Stone (pit) the dates and chop coarsely. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut the shortening into the flour, then mix in the dates and form to a stiff batter with the beaten egg and milk. Bake in hot, well-greased gem pans in a moderate oven about twenty minutes.

Note: Moderate usually means 350 degrees F.

On OFL we have muffin recipes that will be great to bake this fall.

~Brenda

Manuka is anti-viral, anti-fungal and highly bactericidal across a wide
spectrum. It can be used in situations where the stronger and more medicinal
smelling oils might not be welcome.Manuka oil gives you a good alternative
to Tea tree as an anti-infections oil.

This Daily Aromatherapy Tip is

brought to you by AromaThyme.com

and the Scent of the Month Club

http://www.aromathyme.com

Disclaimer— This information is not intended to be taken as a replacement
for medical advice. Any person with a condition requiring medical attention
should consult a qualified practitioner or therapist.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Cowboy Cookies

Recipe By : Real Food for Real People
Serving Size : 144 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cookies Desserts
O.A.M.C.

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
———— —————— ————————————————
5 cups Flour
1 pound Margarine
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
4 Eggs
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
4 cups Quick Cooking Oats
2 cups Sugar
2 cups Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup Nuts — chopped (optional)
12 ounces Milk Chocolate Chips (or 1/2 butterscotch chips-1/2 chocolate chips)
1 tablespoon Vanilla
1 cup Raisins — boiled

Cream eggs, sugars, vanilla and margarine in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients, then nuts, chips and raisins. Mix well. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes.

Note: This dough can be wrapped in four long logs, and refrigerated or frozen until you are ready to bake them later. Frozen dough can be sliced in 1/2 inch pieces to bake. You may also freeze cookies which have been baked. Simply place them in heavy duty zip baggies, remove as much air as possible from the baggie, and label before placing in your freezer.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 93 Calories; 4g Fat (39.3% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 6mg Cholesterol; 56mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

*Note: Please forward this recipe post to as many people as you like. All I ask is that you forward the entire message, and that you encourage the recipient to subscribe. Thank you so much! Kaylin

I modified the original recipe, but included both. I have found that you don’t need to do the Egg White-cornstarch mix. If you use shrimp, just quickly stir fry them and add them in. If you use chicken, you can coat with a little cornstarch, oil and soy sauce and quickly stir fry and add that to the sauce. I thought the sauce was too salty, so cut down on the soy sauce.

California Pizza Kitchen Kung Pao Spaghetti- Makes 4 to 6 serving

Kung Pao Sauce-
1 ½ cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup soy sauce (I think I would use only 1/4 C) ½ cup dry sherry
3 tablespoons red chili paste with garlic-cut back on this unless you want it really hot -I’d start with only 1-2 Tblsp first) ¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Asian toasted sesame oil

For the Egg White-Cornstarch Mixture-
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt

For the Pasta-
1 pound dry spaghetti
½ cup plus two tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into ¾ -inch cubes 10 -20 whole Chinese dried red chili peppers
1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
¼ cup minced garlic
3 cups coarsely chopped scallions (greens and whites cut into ¾ - inch pieces)

TO MAKE THE KUNG PAO SAUCE:
1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the chicken stock and cornstarch until the cornstarch has fully dissolved. Stir in all the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside

TO MAKE THE EGG WHITE—CORNSTARCH MIXTURE:
2. In a mixing bowl, use a small whisk to stir together the egg whites, cornstarch and salt until thoroughly blended; take care, however, not to beat them into a froth. Set aside.

TO PREPARE THE PASTA:
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 9 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick frying pan over high heat, heat the olive oil for about 1 minute. Add the chicken pieces to the Egg White—Cornstarch Mixture and toss to coat them. Taking great care to avoid splattering, add the coated chicken to the pan and cook like a solid pancake until the egg mixture sets; then, using a large spatula, carefully flip the chicken pieces over together and, with a wooden spoon, gently separate the pieces.

5. Carefully stir the Chinese peppers and roasted peanuts into the pan. As soon as they darken in color, after no more than 1 minute, stir in the garlic and scallions. Once the garlic begins to brown, after no more than 30 seconds, add the Kung Pao Sauce and toss and stir to coat the ingredients.

6. When the pasta is ready, drain it well and, in a large mixing or serving bowl, toss it thoroughly with the sauce. Serve family-style or transfer to individual serving bowls, artfully arranging the chicken, vegetables and peppers.

VARIATION:
With Shrimp: For the chicken, substitute 20 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined.

Original recipe:

KUNG PAO SPAGHETTI —Makes 4 to 6 serving

Kung Pao Sauce-
1 ½ cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup soy sauce
½ cup dry sherry
3 tablespoons red chili paste with garlic-cut back on this unless you want it really hot ¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Asian toasted sesame oil

For the Egg White-Cornstarch Mixture-
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt

For the Pasta-
1 pound dry spaghetti
½ cup plus two tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into ¾ -inch cubes
20 whole Chinese dried red chili peppers
1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
¼ cup minced garlic
3 cups coarsely chopped scallions (greens and whites cut into ¾ - inch pieces)

TO MAKE THE KUNG PAO SAUCE:
1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the chicken stock and cornstarch until the cornstarch has fully dissolved. Stir in all the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside

TO MAKE THE EGG WHITE—CORNSTARCH MIXTURE:
2. In a mixing bowl, use a small whisk to stir together the egg whites, cornstarch and salt until thoroughly blended; take care, however, not to beat them into a froth. Set aside.

TO PREPARE THE PASTA:
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 9 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick frying pan over high heat, heat the olive oil for about 1 minute. Add the chicken pieces to the Egg White—Cornstarch Mixture and toss to coat them. Taking great care to avoid splattering, add the coated chicken to the pan and cook like a solid pancake until the egg mixture sets; then, using a large spatula, carefully flip the chicken pieces over together and, with a wooden spoon, gently separate the pieces.

5. Carefully stir the Chinese peppers and roasted peanuts into the pan. As soon as they darken in color, after no more than 1 minute, stir in the garlic and scallions. Once the garlic begins to brown, after no more than 30 seconds, add the Kung Pao Sauce and toss and stir to coat the ingredients.

6. When the pasta is ready, drain it well and, in a large mixing or serving bowl, toss it thoroughly with the sauce. Serve family-style or transfer to individual serving bowls, artfully arranging the chicken, vegetables and peppers.

VARIATION:
With Shrimp: For the chicken, substitute 20 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined.

Shirley

This is for Lisa who was looking for recipes using crystallized ginger.

Helen in PA

* Exported from MasterCook *

Spiced Gingered Pear Pie

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:25
Categories : Pies & Pastry Pillsbury

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
———— —————— ————————————————
Crust
1 container Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts — softened as directed on box
Filling
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
6 cups thinly sliced peeled pears — (6 medium)
1 tablespoon butter — cut into small pieces Topping
1 tablespoon water
4 teaspoons granulated sugar

Heat oven to 425°F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch glass pie pan.
2. In large bowl, mix brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the cornstarch. Stir in ginger and lemon peel. Add pears; toss gently. Spoon into crust-lined pan. Dot with butter. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust. Brush crust with water; sprinkle with 4 teaspoons sugar.
3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until pears are tender and crust is golden brown. After 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.

Source: “pillsbury.com”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 104 Calories; 1g Fat (12.1% calories from fat); trace Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 20mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : It’s a recipe redo! Our original Gingered Pear Pie gets a makeover. Check out the new and improved version.

Tips for Tomatoes:

To peel your tomatoes for canning or freezing, place them on the top rack of your CLEAN dishwasher, Put the dial on” rinse and hold”, then wait about ten minutes and your tomatoes will be almost peeled. Sure beats boiling water and steaming up the kitchen and makes your chore so much easier. Don’t knock it till you try it!

Southern Lou

Lana - I have had excellent results with freezing tomatoes. It works best with basically perfect tomatoes - BUT - you can also freeze not quite perfect ones. For the perfect ones - wipe them off - no need to ‘wash’ just a wipe with a damp cloth/paper towel is fine. Freeze on cookie sheets in the freezer just as it - no covering, etc. needed. You will know when they are frozen completely if you knock them together and its sounds like pool balls when they click together. This works for any color or kind of tomatoes if you are going to cook with them. When you want to cook with them, let sit out for a bit then run warm/hot water over them and the skins will slip off. Cook with the whole tomatoes or chunk them up. This also works with little tomatoes although to use them in salad, etc. you need to eat them when they are a bit frozen yet or they are mushy. With tomatoes that have a few ‘spots’ clean the spots off before freezing, freeze on cookie sheets, and then when they are frozen toss in a zip lock bag which is what you also do with perfect ones. This is a great recipe for anyone who just isn’t into canning. Great way to save tomatoes.

Deb in Nebraska

If you have an abundance of tomatoes and not enough time to can them - here’s what I do. Wash them thoroughly and “de-stem” them. Put them in freezer bags and freeze (of course). You could cut them in quarters, but I leave them whole. When it comes time to use them, thaw them briefly (the skins will slide off) and use as desired. Great for soups, etc. Not so good for salad.

Remppmom

CARAMEL APPLE EUPHORIA

2 medium cooking apples
1/2 cup apple juice
7 ounces wrapped caramel candy squares, unwrapped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup cream-style peanut butter
6 slices angel food cake or 1 quart vanilla ice cream

Peel, core and cut each apple into 10 wedges; set aside. Combine apple juice, unwrapped caramel candies, vanilla extract, cardamom and cinnamon. Drop peanut butter 1 teaspoon at a time, over ingredients in crock pot. Stir. Add apple wedges; cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours. Stir thoroughly; cover and cook on LOW 1 additional hour. Serve approximately 1/3 cup of warm mixture over a slice of angel food cake or ice cream. Makes about 2 cups.

Lisa

Archives:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RealFood4RealPeople/

Essential Oils - Sales page- each oil, has a write up for its uses.

http://www.aromathyme.com/essential-oils-1.html

From the Newsletter:

Recipe Corner

Essential Oils for Cold and Flu
Here are the some of the best choices in anti viral oils.
Ravensara, Eucalyptus Radiata and Tea Tree
They help fight viral infections and support the immune system. Mix 10 drops in 1 Tablespoon carrier oil and massage upper chest and back. or Place 3 drops on a tissue and inhale, pause and inhale again.

Essential Oils for Congestion
Eucalyptus Globulous, Eucalyptus Radiata,Rosemary, Lavender Spike and Tea Tree.
They loosen congestion, help fight viral and bacterial infections while lifting the spirits. Mix 10 drops in 1 Tablespoon carrier oil and massage upper chest and back. or Place 3 drops on a tissue and inhale, pause and inhale again.

Cold and Flu Fighter
4 drops Sweet Eucalyptus unrectified is bes
t4 drops Scotch Pine
3 drops Lemon
Add to a large bowl of steaming water. Covering your head lean over the bowl and inhale deeply for 2-5 minutes.May also be added to a diffuser or vaporizer.For Children Use Eucalyptus Smithi, a mild Eucalyptus for children and the elderly.

US-CERT Current Activity

Microsoft Releases Security Bulletin MS10-070

Original release date: September 28, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Last revised: September 28, 2010 at 1:42 pm

Microsoft has released Microsoft Security Bulletin MS10-070 to address
a vulnerability affecting ASP.NET. Exploitation of this vulnerability
may allow an attacker to obtain sensitive information or tamper with
data.

US-CERT encourages users and administrators to review Microsoft
Security Bulletin MS10-070 and apply any necessary updates to help
mitigate the risks.

Relevant Url(s):
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS10-070.mspx

This entry is available at
http://www.us-cert.gov/current/index.html#microsoft_releases_security_bulletin_ms10

ATTRAnews
September 2010
Volume 18, Number 4

Newsletter of ATTRA - National Sustainable Agricultural Information Service (http://attra.ncat.org/): A project of the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) (http://www.ncat.org/). This issue of ATTRAnews is available online. (http://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html#attranews)

Local Meat Processing

Consumers are eager for locally produced and processed meat. To fill this niche, farmers and ranchers are raising pastured poultry and grassfed steers and sheep. But only a few processing facilities provide services for independent producers. This issue of ATTRAnews explores some of the possibilities for bringing locally raised meat to market.

In this issue:

* Finding a Local Poultry Processor
* NCAT Directory of Small Poultry-Processing Plants and Services
* Special Help for Small and Very Small Processing Plants
* Mobile Processing Units
* Red-Meat Inspection Basics
* Niche Meat Processing Assistance Network (NMPAN)
* ATTRA Publications about Meat Production
* Resources about Small-Scale Meat Processing
* New & Updated ATTRA Publications

Finding a Local Poultry Processor
By Terrell Spencer, NCAT Agriculture Specialist

My wife and I are building a small pastured-poultry farm in the Boston Mountains of northwestern Arkansas. Recently we had a small batch of 50 meat hens that needed processing. A critical key to the success of any small or independent poultry operation is the processing. It’s no secret that small processors have disappeared from the countryside along with the farms they served. As the country has stepped into the 21st century, vertical integration has become the norm in the poultry industry.

We heard about a poultry processing center that seemed to buck the trend and so of course we wanted to check out the operation. I called the center and set a processing date for early August. The drive was beautiful, and I showed up just after 8:00 AM. I spent a good deal of time visiting with the plant manager as we filled out paperwork, and I learned the history of the operation.

The processing center is an extension of a nonprofit drug and alcohol rehabilitation program run by the owner. The plant was built to provide a place for the program’s clients to work as they transition from addiction to functional life. In the past, the clients worked at a local corporate-owned plant. But with the onset of the recession, that plant could no longer provide work for them.

The owner and his wife sank their life savings and retirement into getting started in the chicken business. They leased chicken houses and built a USDA-inspected processing center. The plant’s design is taken almost directly off the pages of ATTRA’s Small-Scale Poultry Processing publication. The plant manager spoke well of our organization, saying our publications and specialists were crucial in helping them get where they are today.

Nearly all the processing at the plant is done by hand, and I was able to watch as my batch of birds went through the line. Below are impressions from my visit to the poultry processor.

* Cleanliness - The plant showed fastidious attention to cleaning. Things were constantly being cleaned and wiped down. The birds were kept separate, hands were washed, and the employees didn’t have to be told what to do. They used a 50/50 mixture of water & 5% vinegar solution to sterilize/clean equipment and birds during the processing. Because I could watch the whole process, I was able to be present in my birds’ lives from brooder to vacuum pack. That’s a great selling point of the plant.

* Employee Morale - The employees seemed to enjoy their work. They wise-cracked with the plant manager, some talked as they worked, some hummed, no one seemed to be overwhelmed at their station. The employees ran themselves, and no one had to tell them what they needed to do.

* USDA Inspector - This was the first time I had met an inspector. She was meticulous in her work, very friendly, knowledgeable, and polite. She answered all my questions, and it was good for me to get to observe an inspector at work. We so often hear the horror stories, but never about the people who take their job seriously and do good things.

* Social Sustainability - Often it seems that sustainability is defined in terms of organic, locally produced units of carbon emissions, etc. But what I saw at this processing plant was a socially sustainable component being melded into agricultural sustainability.

We were lucky to find a good processing plant that is more than just a solution to the needs of a farm and the surrounding farmers. This company is sustainable because it also plays a part in repairing the social fabric of our local community and society.
______________________________

NCAT Directory of Small Poultry-Processing Plants and Services
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/poultry_processors

Despite the growing interest in specialty poultry production, it can be hard for small-scale producers to find a processor. To meet the demand, some small meat-processing plants have added poultry processing to their services. Other entrepreneurs have built dedicated poultry-processing plants. In some regions, groups of producers are combining resources to construct mobile processing units.

Some of the processing plants are USDA-inspected, with inspectors present during processing. Birds processed at these plants can be sold in stores and restaurants and across state lines. Other processing facilities are licensed by the state. Inspectors are not always present during processing, and these plants offer fewer options for selling the carcasses. Some processors offer special services such as cut-up or further processing (sausage, smoking, jerky), air chilling, kosher, halal, or certified organic.

NCAT maintains a self-listing online directory of poultry processors that serve independent growers. The directory is the combined effort of several nonprofit organizations including Heifer International and American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Please help us expand this directory. If you are aware of a plant that should be listed, please contact Terrell Spencer, 800-346-9140, spence@ncat.org.
______________________________

Special Help for Small and Very Small Processing Plants

As defined in the 1996 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations, “small” slaughter establishments have between 10 and 499 employees. “Very small” slaughter establishments have fewer than 10 employees or less than $2.5 million in annual sales. More than 90% of the 6,000 plants inspected by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) are small or very small. FSIS provides a special website to help operators of small and very small meat, poultry and processed egg product facilities.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Small_Very_Small_Plants

As part of USDA’s “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative, FSIS also operates a small-plant help desk for plant owners and operators with questions. The help desk is open from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. Telephone toll-free 877-FSIS HELP (877-374-7435) or e-mail InfoSource@fsis.usda.gov.

Purdue University’s Organic and Alternative Livestock Production Systems website also provides several guidelines for small meat and poultry processors.
http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/poa/org%20processing.shtml
______________________________

The USDA recently released a series of maps for cattle, sheep, hogs, and poultry that reveal gaps in the availability of slaughter facilities for small meat and poultry producers. Notice how few processors operate in the south-central and western regions of the country.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Slaughter_Estab_Maps_080910.pdf (PDF/1.3M)

The lack of small processors creates a crisis for producers and consumers who may not be able to afford the costs of transporting animals to distant processors. When small meat producers are able to process and market their livestock locally, they promote rural development and provide greater purchasing options for regional consumers and industrial buyers.
______________________________

Mobile Processing Units

Mobile processing units (MPUs) seem like a good way to expand the number of local processing facilities for small-scale producers. In practice they are subject to overlapping regulations that create obstacles. There are fewer than a dozen federally inspected MPUs in the nation. See the following resources to learn more.

Michigan State University’s Beginning Farmers
http://beginningfarmers.org/information-about-raising-chickens/
Mobile Slaughter Unit Construction http://www.mobileslaughter.com
Niche Meat Processors Assistance Network information on MPUs includes detailed reports and case studies from California, Kentucky, Montana, and Washington.
http://www.extension.org/pages/Mobile_Slaughter%2FProcessing_Units
USDA’s MPU Compliance Guide
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Compliance_Guide_Mobile_Slaughter.pdf (PDF)
______________________________

Red-Meat Inspection Basics
Adapted from ATTRA’s Sheep: Sustainable and Organic Production

There are three levels of meat inspection: federal, state, and uninspected or custom-slaughter plants. State-inspected meat cannot be sold outside of the state where it is inspected. Uninspected meat must be for the owner’s use only and “not for sale.”

Federally inspected processing plants that are willing to take a small number of animals, or to keep your meat separate, are very hard to find. You might have to base your marketing on using state-inspected facilities or make arrangements with custom processors.

A good option if your customer wants an entire animal is to sell the animal live, transport it to the butcher for your client, and have the client pick it up and pay processing fees.

Check with your state department of agriculture and your county department of environmental/public health for local regulations that affect your processing, selling, and on-farm slaughter.

Call the USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service hotline at 1-800- 535-4555 with questions about federal regulations. The Niche Meat Processing Assistance Network offers information about meat processing regulations and contacts for locating a processor.
http://www.nichemeatprocessing.org
______________________________

Red-Meat Processing and Inspection Levels

Your access to processing will affect how you can market your animals.

Federal or USDA-Inspected Plants:
Federal plants can process meat for nationwide sale.

State-Inspected Plants:
About half the states have inspection programs. Meat processed in state-inspected plants can only be sold in that state.

Custom-Exempt Plants:
A custom plant processes for individual use. The meat must be stamped “not for sale.”

On-Farm Slaughter (exempt from inspection):
Animals are processed by the owner for individual use. Regulations vary by state & county.

For on-farm poultry processing, special exemptions apply to producers of less than 1,000 and less than 20,000 birds a year. See the resources list for more information.
______________________________

Niche Meat Processing Assistance Network (NMPAN)

For farmers, ranchers, consumers, and small and middle-sized processors who are trying to build their meat industry businesses, NMPAN is probably the best way to navigate the maze of federal, state and local regulations. The network is made up of state cooperative extension advisors and other specialists who know what’s going on in their regions as well as at the national level.
http://www.nichemeatprocessing.org

NMPAN provides lists of USDA and state-inspected processors. The network also offers videos, webinars, case studies, and guides to federal regulations, as well as help with business development, plant design, and management. Webinars include four about mobile processing units and one about composting butcher waste.
http://bit.ly/9cGjuv
______________________________

ATTRA Publications about Meat Production

The following publications can be downloaded from the ATTRA website. Or call 800-346-9140 to order a free print copy.

* This useful publication is from 2006, so be aware that some laws may have changed:
Legal Issues for Small-Scale Poultry Processors: Federal & State Inspection Requirements for On-Farm Poultry Production & Processing (PDF)
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/legalissues.pdf

In addition, many other ATTRA publications address sustainable farming methods that are compatible with organic farming. All these publications are available free of charge.
______________________________

Resources about Small-Scale Meat Processing

American Association of Meat Processors works exclusively with small and very small meat processing plants. Membership includes more than 1,300 medium-sized and smaller meat, poultry and food businesses: slaughterers, packers, processors, wholesalers, in-home food service business, retailers, deli and catering operators, and industry suppliers. One Meating Place, Elizabethtown, PA 17022
http://www.aamp.com

Animal Welfare Approved provides humane standards and guidelines for raising and slaughtering animals.
http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org

Direct Marketing Lamb Management Guide and Marketing Grassfed Beef are informative publications from the Kansas Rural Center, 785-873-3431
http://kansasruralcenter.org/publications.html

Eatwild.com is a national website for direct sales of local grassfed meat, eggs and dairy.
http://eatwild.com

Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory is an online list of establishments (including slaughterhouses) regulated by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. The list is updated monthly, but it is quite hard to use. Find it on the Internet by going to http://www.fsis.usda.gov and searching FSIS for Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Establishments.

SheepGoatMarketing.info is a national online resource for sheep and goat marketing. The website includes a directory of livestock processors that do custom and commercial slaughter.
http://sheepgoatmarketing.info

Guide to Designing a Small Red-Meat Plant (PM 2077) and Beef and Pork Whole Animal Buying Guide (PM 2076) are written by Arion Thiboumery, one of the organizers of the Niche Meat Processing Assistance Network. Both can be downloaded free from Iowa State University Extension Distribution Center http://www.extension.iastate.edu/store. Or you can order copies by calling 515-294-5247 or writing 119 Printing and Publications Bldg, Ames, IA 50011.

New and Updated ATTRA Publications

* Assessing the Pasture Soil Resource
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=181
* Converting Cropland to Perennial Grassland
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=108
* Montana Farmers Market EBT Manual
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=337
* Sheep: Sustainable and Organic Production
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=209
* Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Farm Internship Curriculum and Handbook
http://attra.ncat.org/intern_handbook/handbook.html
* Jardineria Comercial (Spanish translation of Market Gardening)
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=338
* Produccion de Bovinos (Spanish translation of Cattle Production)
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=331

ATTRAnews is the bi-monthly newsletter of ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. (http://attra.ncat.org/). The newsletter is distributed free throughout the United States to farmers, ranchers, Cooperative Extension agents, educators, and others interested in sustainable agriculture.

ATTRA is funded through the USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service and is a project of the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)(http://www.ncat.org), a private, non-profit organization that since 1976 has helped people by championing small-scale, local and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities, and protect natural resources.

Teresa Maurer, Project Manager
Karen Van Epen, Editor
Mary Ann Thom, e-newsletter production

Subscribe to ATTRAnews
https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/427/personal2.asp?formid=signup

Comments? Questions? E-mail the ATTRAnews editor Karen Van Epen at karenv@ncat.org.

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
PO Box 3657
Fayetteville, AR 72702
1-800-346-9140
1-800-411-3222 (Espanol)

http://attra.ncat.org
Copyright 2009 NCAT

NIH Scientists Consider Fate of Pandemic H1N1 Flu Virus

In the year and a half since the emergence of the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, about 60 percent of the U.S. population has gained immunity to it. Can the virus that caused a pandemic continue to survive in the face of such high levels of immunity? That’s one question considered by NIAID scientists in a new commentary in the journal mBio.

The authors are cautiously optimistic that pandemic H1N1 virus will follow a path like that of the virus that caused the 1968 influenza pandemic, that is, it will persist in the population but cause relatively few deaths in years to come.

For more information, see http://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2010/Pages/flufate.aspx.

Perfect for this time of year

An invigorating Essential Oil blend that is refreshing and energizing.

May be helpful for
the respiratory system, colds and flu.

6 drops fir needle
6 drops cedarwood
2 drops clary sage
4 drops cypress
2 drops pine needle

100ml of bath, body & massage oil (20 drops of essential oils in 100 ml of
unscented carrier oil)
100ml of foaming bath (20 drops of essential oils in 100 ml of unscented
shampoo)

On Sale this month

Violet Leaf Absolute (Save $10.00)

This Daily Aromatherapy Tip is

brought to you by AromaThyme.com

and the Scent of the Month Club

http://www.aromathy me.com

Disclaimer— This information is not intended to be taken as a replacement
for medical advice. Any person with a condition requiring medical attention
should consult a qualified practitioner or therapist.

Shortcut URL to this page:
http://www.onelist.com/community/AromatherapyDailyTip

Infant sleep positioners: Consumer Warning - Risk of Suffocation

AUDIENCE: Consumers, Pediatrics

ISSUE: FDA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning not to use Infant sleep positioners. In the last 13 years, the federal government has received 12 reports of babies known to have died from suffocation associated with their sleep positioners. Most of the babies suffocated after rolling from the side to the stomach.

BACKGROUND: The most common types of sleep positioners feature bolsters attached to each side of a thin mat and wedges to elevate the baby’s head. The sleep positioners are intended to keep a baby in a desired position while sleeping. They are often used with infants under 6 months old.

RECOMMENDATION: Consumers are warned to stop using infant positioning products. Never put pillows, sleep positioners, comforters, or quilts under the baby or in the crib. Always place a baby on his or her back at night and during nap time. See the Consumer Update for links to additional information, including product photos.

Read the MedWatch safety alert, including a link to the FDA Consumer Update, at:

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm227733.htm

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Issues Voluntary Recall of One Lot of ThermaCare HeatWraps Menstrual Product
Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:11:00 -0500

Sept. 24, 2010 Madison, NJ – Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, a business of Pfizer, Inc., announced today a voluntary recall of one lot of its ThermaCare HeatWraps Menstrual product distributed in the United States and Puerto Rico.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm227658.htm

Weekly Harvest Newsletter

Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - September 29, 2010

Weekly sustainable agriculture news and resources gleaned from the Internet by NCAT staff for the ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service Website. The Weekly Harvest Newsletter is also available online.
http://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html#wh

News & Resources
* Dairy Industry Completes Carbon Footprint Study on Fluid Milk
* USDA Seeks Public Feedback on Organic Recommendations
* Economic Impact of Local Food for Schools Studied
* Farm Aid Celebrates 25 Years
* National Poultry Improvement Plan Amendments Proposed
* Organic Farmer Garners Attention in Iowa Ag Secretary Race
* NCAT Webinar on Grass-finished Beef Production and Marketing

Funding Opportunities
* Arizona Reduced Risk Pesticide Use Grants
* Nebraska Value-added Agriculture Grant
* Ohio Vineyard Expansion Assistance Grants

Coming Events
* Community Food Security Coalition Conference
* 2010 Bioneers Conference
* Tri-State Meat Goat Conference

__________________________________________________

News & Resources

Dairy Industry Completes Carbon Footprint Study on Fluid Milk
The U.S. dairy industry has completed a carbon footprint study that measured the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with a gallon of milk
in the United States. Researchers followed the journey of a gallon of milk from the beginning of the life cycle when crops are grown to feed cows; milk is produced and delivered to processors; through processing, packaging and distribution; all the way to the purchase and disposal of the gallon of milk by the consumer. The completion of the study is a significant first step for the dairy industry in a comprehensive, science-based approach to measure and improve its environmental footprint. The carbon footprint study, together with data from additional studies measuring GHG emissions, helps validate that total U.S. dairy GHG emissions are approximately 2 percent of total U.S. emissions. The carbon footprint study identifies opportunities for efficiency and innovation across the fluid milk supply chain, including feed efficiency, manure management, energy management and fuel efficiency.
http://bit.ly/bM5em1

USDA Seeks Public Feedback on Organic Recommendations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is inviting the public to participate in the biannual meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), Oct. 25?28, 2010, in Madison, Wisconsin. The meeting is an opportunity for the organic community to provide recommendations and discuss topics concerning organic agriculture. USDA encourages the public to provide comments on recommendations concerning those materials petitioned for inclusion on the National List of Allowable and Prohibited Substances. Individuals can submit comments either electronically or in-person at the meeting. Written comments may be submitted electronically at www.regulations.gov (preferred) or by contacting Lisa Ahramjian, NOSB Executive Director, at manosb@ams.usda.gov or (202) 720-3252. Electronic comments must be received by Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2010.
http://bit.ly/dofpCg

Economic Impact of Local Food for Schools Studied
Filling school lunch trays with fresh, locally grown foods that are easy to incorporate into school menus can contribute as much as $430,000 annually to a regional economy, according to new research from University of Minnesota Extension. The recent study examined the potential economic impact of farm-to-school programs, focusing on a five-county area of central Minnesota. The range of economic impact in the region varied greatly depending on the schools’ level of involvement-from $20,000 if every school featured one locally grown meal per month up to $430,000 if they sourced a large amount of certain products from local farmers. The analysis concentrated on foods most easily added to school menus right away and available from local farmers: apples, beef hot dogs, cabbage, carrots, oatmeal, potatoes, sweet corn and wild rice.
Related ATTRA publication: Bringing Local Food to Local Institutions (http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/farmtoschool.html)
http://www.extension.umn.edu/extensionnews/2010/FarmtoSchool-econ-impact.html

Farm Aid Celebrates 25 Years
September 22 marked the 25th anniversary of the first Farm Aid concert organized to help family farmers stay on their land. Farm Aid leaders say the organization is going strong. To mark its official anniversary, Farm Aid published 25 milestones that represent major accomplishments by the organization. These milestones range from the passage of landmark legislation that kept thousands of family farmers on the land, to building a movement for good food from family farms. The accomplishments represent the many victories of family farmers and Farm Aid in their efforts to build a stronger food system centered on family farms. The full list of Farm Aid’s 25 milestones can be viewed online (http://www.farmaid.org/site/c.qlI5IhNVJsE/b.5843455/k.2CCD/Farm_Aid_25.htm).
http://bit.ly/baTkIc

National Poultry Improvement Plan Amendments Proposed
Proposed changes to the National
Poultry Improvement Plan were posted September 20 in the Federal Register. The proposed amendments stem from recommendations approved by the voting delegates to the National Plan Conference that was held in June 2008. Among other issues, the amendments set out conditions for the payment of indemnity for costs associated with poultry that are infected with avian influenza, set out testing requirements for Mycoplasma bacteria, and set out provisions for the U.S. Salmonella Monitored classification for primary meat-type chicken breeding flocks and the hatching eggs and chicks produced from it. This provision requires feed to be processed, stored, and transported to prevent contamination with Salmonella, as well as requiring certain conditions for the maintenance of flocks and hatcheries. Comments on the proposed changes will be accepted in writing or electronically until November 19, 2010.
http://bit.ly/cuLoKe

Organic Farmer Garners Attention in Iowa Ag Secretary Race
Organic dairy farmer Francis Thicke’s campaign for the post of Agriculture Secretary in Iowa has drawn national attention to sustainable agriculture in a farm bloc state. Thicke is a long-time sustainable agriculture advocate who has authored a book, A New Vision for Iowa Food and Agriculture, and is an active dairy farmer who also processes the products his farm produces. Grist magazine recently interviewed Thicke about the campaign, and discussed what implications the race may have for sustainable agriculture on the national scale.
http://www.grist.org/article/food-2010-09-19-the-new-agtivist-francis-thicke-wants-to-lead-iowa

NCAT Webinar on Grass-finished Beef Production and Marketing
Grass-finished beef is part of a growing niche market of farm products that can command higher market prices and bring more to a farmer’s bottom line. During this hour-long webinar you’ll learn how farmers, large and small, are using more pasture and less grain to produce high-quality meat products and how they compete in the marketplace. The webinar, presented by ATTRA specialists, is October 20, 2010 at 12:00 PM CDT. More information about the webinar and registration are available online.
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/331611778

>> More Breaking News (http://attra.ncat.org/news/)

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Funding Opportunities

Arizona Reduced Risk Pesticide Use Grants
Arizona Department of Agriculture is seeking grant applications from eligible organizations for projects that will promote the transition to reduced-risk pest management practices in agriculture to protect human health and the environment. These resources are for minor agricultural crop production using hand labor and field workers to bring the crop to the market. Funding is for Arizona only and is available to: federally recognized Indian tribal governments and Native American Organizations, universities and colleges, other public or private nonprofit institutions, and individuals. The total funding available for this competitive grant opportunity is $55,000.
Proposals are due October 15, 2010.
http://www.spo.az.gov/docs/Notices/RFGA/8-27-10%20Reduced%20Risk.pdf

Nebraska Value-added Agriculture Grant
Under the Agricultural Opportunities And Value-Added Partnership Act, communities, counties, agencies, non-profit organizations, cooperatives, districts, and some farming and ranching operations may apply for grants of up to $75,000 for projects that create new private enterprises or expand existing enterprises. Funded activities include education, market development, research, and purchase of electronic point-of-sale devices for food and nutrition program benefits at farmers’ markets. Matching funds are required.
Proposals are due October 14, 2010.
http://www.neded.org/content/view/374/555/

Ohio Vineyard Expansion Assistance Grants
The Vineyard Expansion Assistance Program (VEAP) was created by the Ohio Grape Industries Committee and funded through the United States Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant program. The program encourages the establishment of new vineyards or expansion of existing grape vineyards in Ohio. VEAP funding will cover only the cost of the grape vines planted. Each grower may apply for up to $2,000 per acre with a maximum of three acres or $6,000.
Proposals are due October 22, 2010.
http://www.tasteohiowines.com/newsevents.php?id=103

>> More Funding Opportunities(http://attra.ncat.org/funding/)

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Coming Events

Community Food Security Coalition Conference
October 16-19, 2010
New Orleans, Louisiana
At “Food, Culture, & Justice: The Gumbo That Unites Us All”, you will have the opportunity to see first-hand the unique regional and multi-cultural approach to food organizing taking place in New Orleans. Session topics will include rebuilding local food economies, ending poverty and increasing food access, outcomes of the US Social Forum, environmental justice, public health links, food policy councils, urban agriculture, and more.
http://communityfoodconference.org/14/

2010 Bioneers Conference
October 15-17, 2010
San Rafael, California
The Bioneers Conference is a leading-edge forum presenting breakthrough solutions for people and planet. At this year’s conference, social and scientific innovators focus on solutions inspired by nature and human ingenuity. A satellite feed of the entire main stage Bioneers program is offered through the Dish Satellite Network, and is beamed to sites across the country, in conjunction with local Bioneers events.
http://www.bioneers.org/conference

Tri-State Meat Goat Conference
October 8-10, 2010
Brookings, South Dakota
The fourth annual Tri-State Meat Goat Conference is organized through a cooperative effort of the Extension services of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The three-day event includes FAMACHA training open to both sheep and goat producers. Other topics include goat health, nutrition, reproduction and breeding management, the selection of meat goats for breeding stock, carcass evaluation, grazing and pasture management, marketing strategies and opportunities, and fencing.
http://www.northdakotaagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=706&yr=2010

>> More Events (http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/)

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http://attra.ncat.org/management/contact.html

Weekly Harvest and ATTRAnews Archives
Digital versions of recent and archived Weekly Harvest and ATTRAnews newsletters are available online. ATTRAnews is the newsletter of ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
http://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html

The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service - ATTRA - was developed and is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) (http://www.ncat.org). The project is funded through a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/index.html).

Visit the NCAT Web site for more information on our other sustainable agriculture and energy projects.
http://www.ncat.org/sarc_current.php

New & Updated Publications

Pumpkin and Winter Squash: Marketing and Organic Production
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=30

Energy-Efficient Lighting for the Farm
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/farmlighting.pdf

Cattle Production: Considerations for Pasture-Based
Beef and Dairy Producers (Spanish version)
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=331

Question of the Week
How much brassica should be used in the soil solarization with biofumigation technique?
http://bit.ly/ah7qWw

Ask a Sustainable Agriculture Expert
Submit questions to our professional staff online
http://attra.ncat.org/ask.php

ATTRA on the Radio
Next week’s topic on the Sustainable Agriculture Spotlight: Small-scale Biodiesel: Production, Safety, and Sustainability.
Tuesday, October 5
10 a.m. PDT/1 p.m. EDT
http://www.voiceamerica.com/voiceamerica/vshow.aspx?sid=1565

ATTRA Spanish Newsletter
Subscribe to Cosecha Mensual (Monthly Harvest), ATTRA’s Spanish-language e-newsletter
http://attra.ncat.org/espanol/boletin.php

This message contains the following:

1. Black & Decker Recalls Cordless Electric Lawnmowers Due to Laceration Hazard

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10356.html

2. “S T U F F” and Paw Wall Hooks Recalled By Midwest-CBK Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10357.html

3. Deaths Prompt CPSC, FDA Warning on Infant Sleep Positioners

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10358.html

4. CPSC Public Calendar

CROCKPOT BANANA BREAD

(Makes 4 to 6 servings)

1 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups well mashed, overripe banana (2 or 3 bananas)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the
electric beater on low, fluff the shortening in a small bowl, until soft
and creamy.

Add the sugar gradually. Beat in the eggs in a slow stream.

With a fork, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, 1/2 the bananas
another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the rest of the bananas then the last
of the flour mixture. Fold in the walnuts.

Turn into a greased and floured baking unit or a 2 1/2 quart mold and cover.
Place on a rack in the slow cooker.

Cover the cooker, but prop the lid open with a toothpick or a twist of
foil to let the excess steam excape. Cook on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours.

Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
—

PLEASE NOTE: If you see a recipe on this site that you would like to share
on your own list or another list, we simply ask that you add “Found on
crockpot-recipes@yahoogroups.com“.

——————————————————————————————————— To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crockpot-recipes/

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm227972.htm

Hostess Brands, Inc. Issues Voluntary Recall of Hostess® Mini Muffins (Chocolate Chip variety) Due to Unlabeled Allergen
Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:18:00 -0500

Hostess Brands, Inc. of Irving, Texas, is voluntarily recalling Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins multi-packs sold in retail stores throughout the United States with the knowledge of the FDA. Some of these multi-packs may contain muffins with undeclared walnuts, which is an allergen.

who refuse to take the mark won’t be able to go to the doctor or get scripts filled; <<<<

It is already here.

Without a photo ID card you can do almost nothing in this town.

I have a purse full of ID, but it is out of date and I can’t cash a check, vote or many other things.

Yes, I could have gotten a new ID, if I went to town and waited in line, but that is beyond me now.

If I have nightmares tonight, I will consider them your fault.

narrower rolls refuse to stay in their slots on each end and keep sliding down on to the rod in the center, preventing the roll from turning—how aggravating!!<<<<

Quick simple fix, might be a big rubber band put on many times so a layer builds up and will hold it.

Liquid Lead will work, to build up new groves, so would a cloth strip, dipped in half Elmer’s glue, wrapped around it many times, allowed to dry and then painted to match your holder.

Try the narrow strip of cloth, plain at first and see if it will work.

Here goes granny telling the engineer how to engineer, go ahead and laugh.

My Yahoo mail box has had nuclear warnings for several days and it might be a good time to remind you of what Dr. Bill Wattenberg, a nuclear weapons designer has to say about our staying as safe as possible.

If you are in the middle of a strike, you will be killed by flying timbers and parts of buildings.

If you are in the outer edges, use mens jocky shorts or t-shirts, wet them and fix over face, so you don’t breathe the dust and germs.

When you get home, use laundry soap to shower and wash your hair.....DO NOT USE NORMAL BODY PRODUCTS, FOR THE OIL WILL BIND THE NUCLEAR OR BIO HAZARD TO YOUR SKIN.

Do not wear the clothes you have on into your home, place them in plastic and discard them at once.

If you can, be sure to seal the home or at least a good room in it, the windows, doors, all you can to keep it out.

If you have supplies, you may survive, think twice about attempting to leave town.

The traffic will kill you, or the people will kill you for your car and supplies.

Remember, there will be no gas pumps working and now ATM machines, if the electric is out.

Dr. Bill suggests that everyone keep walking shoes and a couple days supply of food in their desks at work and in all your vehicles.

If you are going to walk 20 miles to get home, you must have shoes that you can walk in.

I would add a couple of old t-shirts, they will stuff in the shoes nicely and will protect you from the dust and even serve as a bandage.

There are other lists with all the needed items, but the main thing is a couple days food and water, walking shoes and breathing materials.

granny

And a map, for those who do not know the way home.