Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

Golden Carrot Buns
Country

These rolls have a nice flavor...folks usually don’t guess that carrots
are one of the ingredients. My family really likes them; see if yours
will, too!

SERVINGS: 48
CATEGORY: Breads
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 35 min. + rising Bake: 20 min.

Ingredients:
4 cups sliced carrots
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup warm water (110° to 115°), divided
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoons salt
8-1/2 to 9 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
Place carrots in a saucepan and cover with water; cook until tender.
Drain and cool slightly. Place in a blender or food processor. Add eggs
and 1/2 cup water; puree until smooth.
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in remaining water. Add
carrot mixture. Stir in oil, sugar, molasses, salt and 5 cups flour;
beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about
6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover
and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into 48
balls. Place 2-in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise
until almost doubled, about 1 hour.
Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until browned. Remove from pans
to wire racks to cool. Yield: 4 dozen.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 each) Calories: 128 Fat: 4 g Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 9 mg Sodium: 105 mg Carbohydrate: 20 g Fiber: 1 g Protein:
3 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Golden-Carrot-Buns

Golden Cornmeal Yeast Buns
Taste of Home’s Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook

This recipe is a great help to me when I don’t have purchased buns on
hand. We enjoy them with hamburgers at home and with luncheon meat when
we’re on the go. —Kathy Scott, Hemingford, Nebraska

SERVINGS: 24
CATEGORY: Breads
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 30 min. + rising Bake: 20 min.

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine, cubed
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
4-3/4 to 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs

Directions:
In a saucepan,combine the milk, butter cornmeal, sugar and salt. Cook
and stir until butter is melted. Cool to 110°-115°. In a mixing
bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 3 cups flour and milk mixture;
beat until blended. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in enough
remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be slightly sticky).
Turn onto a heavily floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic,
about 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled,
about 1 hour.
Punch dough down; turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into
four portions; divide each portion into six pieces. With lightly floured
hands, shape into buns. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let
rise until doubled, about 40 minutes. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes
or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2
dozen.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 each) Calories: 173 Fat: 5 g Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg Sodium: 155 mg Carbohydrate: 26 g Fiber: 1 g Protein:
4 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Golden-Cornmeal-Yeast-Buns

Posted by: “berude2u”
Apple Oat-Bran Muffins

2 large green cooking apples
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 ¼ cups oat bran
2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 12-ounce can apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 cup water

1. Heat oven to 325° F. Lightly oil muffin pan. Peel and core apples;
chop them coarsely. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, stir together wh. wheat flour, white flour, oat
bran, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

3. Add thawed apple-juice concentrate, chopped apples, and enough
water to make a light batter.

4. Mix just enough to moisten all ingredients. Divide batter among
the muffin cups and bake till lightly browned, 25-30 minutes.

5. Remove muffins from cups while hot.

Per serving:
Calories: 208.4
Fat: 1.4 grams

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
21. Art Smith’s Cheddar Cheese Drop Biscuits
Posted by: “Beth

Art Smith’s Cheddar Cheese Drop Biscuits
Source: Rachael Ray Show

Instead of hamburger buns, put your patties on biscuits instead!

Ingredients
2 cups King Arthur self-rising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) cold butter
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk
Extra butter to grease pan and top biscuits
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Yields: 12 biscuits

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Place one 10 inch cast iron pan into
the oven while it is preheating. Place flour, salt, baking soda and
baking powder into a medium sized bowl. Cut in the butter and cheddar
cheese. Make a well in the middle of the ingredients and pour in the
milk. Stir until the mix is moistened, adding an extra tablespoon of
milk if needed.

Remove the hot skillet from the oven and place a tablespoon of butter
into it. When the butter has melted, drop 1/4 cupfuls of batter into the
pan, (use a muffin scoop to drop the batter if you have one). Brush the
tops of the biscuits with melted butter. Bake from 14-16 minutes until
browned on the top and bottom. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with
the remaining 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese. Enjoy warm!

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

Contests!

The new contest, Win a Free Copy of GINGERBREAD FRIENDS for your school
or libary starts today. Find the four hidden hedgehogs in my new book and
be one of the first 1,000 entries and I’ll send your school or library a
free copy with your compliments.
http://www.janbrett.com/contest_2009/free_book_contest.htm

Congratulations to all of the winners of the Lunch on the Bus contest.
I’m looking forward to meeting the grand prize winner, Sandy Skeldum from
McKinley Elementary School in Minot, North Dakota and to having lunch on
the bus with Sandy and her three friends. I’ll be sending the GINGERBREAD
BABY tote bags next week. You can find a list of all of the winners at:
http://www.janbrett.com/contest_2009/lunch_on_the_bus_contest_winners.htm

Happy Halloween

~ Halloween Coloring Place Mat
http://janbrett.com/place_mats/halloween_place_mat.htm

~ Happy Halloween Bookmarks
http://janbrett.com/bookmarks/bookmarks.htm

~ Hedgie Carves a Halloween Pumpkin Coloring Page
http://janbrett.com/hedgie_carves_a_pumpkin_coloring_page.htm

~ Hedgie’s Costumes Coloring Page
http://janbrett.com/hedgie_costume_coloring_page.htm

~ Hedgie as a Pirate Coloring Page
http://janbrett.com/hedgie_as_a_pirate.htm

~ Send a Jan Brett Halloween Email Postcard
http://www.janbrett.com/vcards/

It’s a pleasure to be in touch.

Sincerely,

Jan Brett

SIBERIAN GINSENG, FATALITIES - CHINA: YUNNAN, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.isid.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: 9 Oct 2008
Source: BBC [edited]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7660489.stm

Ginseng jabs kill 3 in Yunnan

A total of 3 people have died in south-western China after receiving
an injection of Siberian ginseng extract. The deaths, announced on
China’s health ministry Web site, occurred in Yunnan province after 6
hospital patients received the injections. It said sales and use of
the ginseng extract had been suspended.

The ministry is also trying to dampen fears about melamine poisoning
of milk, which has killed 4 babies and made thousands ill in a
months-long scandal. It said that 10 666 babies remained in hospital
receiving treatment for renal problems caused by the melamine
contamination of baby milk formula.

Some parents are taking legal action against the manufacturer at the
centre of the scandal, the Sanlu Group, and the state quality supervision body.

Ginseng treatment

The ginseng injection was manufactured by Wandashan Pharmaceutical,
based in the north-eastern Chinese province of Heilongjiang. Siberian
ginseng is often used in China to treat heart disease and thrombosis.

The 6 patients suffered “serious ill effects” including chills,
vomiting and sudden drops in blood pressure after receiving the
injections at the Number Four People’s Hospital in Honghe prefecture
on Sunday. Some went into a coma. Of those 6, 3 died on Monday [6 Oct
2008], official media reported 2 days later.

The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) says it has isolated 2
problematic batches of the extract, made from a herb called
“ciwujia,” and has urged immediate nationwide reporting of any adverse effects.

The Associated Press reports that a man who answered the telephone at
Wandashan’s marketing department in Heilongjiang, in China’s
north-east, said the company had stopped selling the herbal injection
and had sent the 2 batches to the SFDA for testing. The man was
reported as saying the company had used ciwujia in its products for
more than 30 years without any problem.

Poor regulation

He added that the injectable form of the herb was relatively new,
saying: “I haven’t heard of any bad reaction [to] this injection before.”

China ‘s pharmaceutical industry is highly lucrative but poorly
regulated. Last year, the country’s former top drug regulator was
executed for taking millions of dollars in bribes to approve
substandard medicines, including an antibiotic that killed at least 10 people.

—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[Siberian ginseng (_Eleutherococcus senticosus_) is a shrub that
grows 3 - 10 feet high. Its leaves are attached to a main stem by
long branches. Both the branches and the stem are covered with
thorns. Flowers, yellow or violet, grow in umbrella-shaped clusters,
and turn into round, black berries in late summer. The root itself is
woody and is brownish, wrinkled, and twisted. The primary herbal use
of this plant is from the roots. It is a distant relative of true
(Panax) ginseng (which includes Asian ginseng and American ginseng),
but it does not belong to the Panax group of herbs

Its scientific name is where the plant/herb derive its other common
name of eleuthero.

The herb has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.
It is usually used to improve stamina, the immune system and to some
extent mental acuity and some liver ailments. It is generally
available as tea or from died or cut roots designed to be made into a
tea, tablets, capsules, powders and extracts that are both solid and
liquid in nature. The injection is relatively new use of the extract.

Eleuthero did not come into more widespread use until the middle of
the 20th century, at a time when supplies of Panax ginseng were low.
Russian and Chinese scientists found eleuthero seemed to have some of
the same properties as Panax ginseng and could be grown faster.
Athletes from the former Soviet Union used it to enhance athletic
performance during competitions. After the Chernobyl nuclear reactor
disaster, Russian and Ukrainian citizens reportedly received the herb
to counter the effects of radiation poisoning. It is still widely
used in Russia and other Asian countries and has gained popularity in
Western countries as well.

Eleuthero does not contain the compounds (ginsenosides) found in
Asian and American ginseng that are thought to be responsible for
those plants’ medicinal effects. It contains other compounds
(eleutherosides), some of which may act like estrogen or other
steroid hormones.

It is equally possible that the ginseng may not be correctly
identified or as an extract, that an in appropriate solvent was
used. More information on the findings of the investigation would be
appreciated.

Portions of this comment have been extracted from:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3x_Siberian_Ginseng.asp
and
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/siberian-ginseng-000250.htm

- Mod.TG]

[For a map of China with provinces, see
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/china_pol01.jpg

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of China can be accessed at
http://healthmap.org/promed?v=36.5,103.9,4
This map shows other
outbreaks in China and surrounding countries that have been reported
on ProMED-mail. The postings can be directly accessed through this
map. - Mod.MPP]

[For the PRO/MBDS posting on this event, the below is available at
the ProMED-mail website http://www.promedmail.org
Siberian ginseng, fatalities - China: Yunnan, RFI 20081010.3213]
....................tg/ejp/mpp

FOOD POISONING, LIQUID SWEETS - INDIA: (MAHARASHTRA) TOXIN SUSPECTED,
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
*********************************************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date:10 Oct 2008
Source: WebIndia123.com [edited]
http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20081010/1074405.html

More than 200 affected by food poisoning

More than 200 people, most of them children, were admitted to various
hospitals due to the poisoning after consuming Basundi (a form of
liquid sweet), which was purchased from Pradeep Sweet Mart at Nigdi
area of the city [Pune, Maharashtra state] here this evening [10 Oct 2008].

Police said that 3 persons who [were] reported to be [in] serious
[condition] have been admitted to government hospital at Nigdi.
Police said around 190 people have been admitted in various
hospitals. 8 members of Sharangadhar family were affected in the
incident. The PCMC medical officials have send the sample for
inspection. Police have sealed the shop, and arrested the owner of
the sweet mart.

—
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

[While not specifically mentioned in the newswire, the above event
occurred in Pune, located in Maharashtra state. The above newswire is
vague in terms of a description of the symptoms associated with
ingestion of the sweet liquid product, and epidemiologic information
other than suggesting that the symptoms had onset presumably soon
after ingestion of the implicated product, a severe illness requiring
hospitalization and a predominance of children affected. This paucity
of information makes any speculation regarding the actual cause
rather difficult. The implicated etiologic “agent” (?toxin) is most
likely something that is water soluble as it appears to have been in
the sweet liquid. The preponderance of children affected may well
reflect the contaminated product, a sweet liquid, being a product
preferred by children, although that information is not provided in
the above newswire.

Some heavy metals are water soluble as are other toxins like ethelene
glycol and blue-green algae toxins. The sweet liquid could
potentially contain a variety of bacterial toxins.

Hopefully some test on the substance is being conducted. We look
forward to some more authoritative information when available.
For a map of India with states, see
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/india_pol01.jpg
For a map of Pune showing the Nidgi area where the event is reported
to have occurred, see
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=map+of+pune&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=image
The Nidgi area is in the northwest of Pune, further out from the
center along route MH4 past Pimpri.

For the interactive HealthMap/ProMED map of India with links to other
recent ProMED-mail postings on events in India and surrounding
countries, see http://healthmap.org/promed?v=22.9,79.6,5 - Mods.TG/MPP]
......................mpp/tg/mpp/ejp/mpp

SALMONELLOSIS, SEROTYPE POONA - NORTH AMERICA: USA, CANADA, REQUEST
FOR INFORMATION
**********************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

[1]
Date: Wed 15 Oct 2008
Source: Miramichi Leader [edited]
http://miramichileader.canadaeast.com/news/article/448122

The Public Health Agency of Canada is working with provincial and
local health authorities and the USA Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) to investigate a potential North American
gastrointestinal outbreak of _Salmonella [enterica_ serotype] Poona.

In Canada to date, there have been 26 cases spread across British
Columbia (1), Manitoba (1), Quebec (8), Ontario (14), and Nova Scotia
(2) with the same genetic fingerprint.

The cause of the potential outbreak is not known at this time.
Provincial laboratories and the Agency’s National Microbiology
Laboratory are conducting ongoing analyses to determine if other _S._
Poona cases share the same genetic fingerprint as those identified
thus far. The number of cases associated with this outbreak may
increase as the investigation continues.

—
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

******
[2]
Date: Mon 29 Sep 2008
Source: Canada.com, Canwest News Service [edited]
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=61136b3f-c0d6-48a2-b455-51dba92fca82

[As the newswire above in the 1st section mentioned a possible link
to an outbreak ongoing in the USA, a retrospective newswire search
found the article below that appeared on 29 Sep 2008 giving the
number of cases in the USA that were being investigated as
potentially linked to this outbreak, although the distribution of
cases by state was not provided. - Mod.MPP]

Canadian health officials are investigating a potential North
American outbreak of a rare strain of salmonella called _Salmonella_
Poona. The Public Health Agency says it is working closely with local
and USA health authorities to determine the origin of the food-borne
illness that has sickened 48 people in the USA.

“We don’t yet know the source of the outbreak. (The investigation) is
very preliminary right now,” said Philippe Brideau, with the Public
Health Agency.

“It’s a relatively rare strain around the world but it seems that
people just get sick and move on,” he said, adding that there is an
average of 20 cases a year in Canada of the particular strain.

—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

[We await more information regarding the source of this outbreak. - Mod.LL]

[Information on the distribution of cases in the United States and
the suspected vehicle for infection are not provided in the above
newswires. In 1991, there was an outbreak of salmonellosis due to
_salmonella poona_ with cases in the USA and Canada. The vehicle for
that outbreak was traced to cantaloupe from the Rio Grande Valley in
Texas, USA although the possibility of importation from Mexico was
raised in an MMWR article describing that outbreak
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00014966.htm
There was
another outbreak of _salmonella poona_ associated with cantaloupe
imported from Mexico, again with cases in the United States and
Canada that occurred in 2002 (see prior ProMED-mail postings on this
outbreak — Salmonella poona, cantaloupes - USA, Canada (02) 20021123.5884 and
Salmonella poona, cantaloupes - USA, Canada: recall 20020512.4181)

More information on results of investigations from knowledgeable
sources would be appreciated. - Mod.MPP]

[see also:
Salmonellosis, human, pet turtles - USA (03): (OR) 20081007.3176
Salmonellosis, frozen chicken dishes - USA: alert 20081006.3155
Salmonellosis, human, pet turtles - USA 20080125.0317
Salmonellosis, serotype Saintpaul, tomatoes - USA (17): peppers 20080903.2759
Salmonellosis, serotype Enteritidis - Canada (02): (QC), cheese 20080902.2747
Salmonellosis, serotype Enteritidis - Canada: (BC) 20080730.2326
2002

Salmonella poona, cantaloupes - USA, Canada (02) 20021123.5884
Salmonella poona, cantaloupes - USA, Canada: recall 20020512.4181]
...................................mpp/ll/mj/mpp

E. COLI O157, UNIVERSITY STUDENTS - USA (06): CALIFORNIA LETTUCE
****************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: Tue 14 Oct 2008
Source: The Packer [edited]
http://thepacker.com/icms/_dtaa2/content/wrapper.asp?alink=2008-16657-199.asp&stype=topstory&fb=

Jennifer Holton, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of
Agriculture, said that based on shipping and delivery dates, illness
onset dates and other traceback information investigators have
determined that iceberg lettuce from California is believed to be the
source of the outbreak [of _E. coli_ O157].

Holton said on 14 Oct 2008 that the food and drug branch of the
California Department of Public Health has started its own
investigation in that state. A spokesman for the California health
department could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Michigan Department of Community Health linked the outbreak to
bagged, industrial-size packages of iceberg lettuce on 26 Sep 2008
and named Detroit processor Aunt Mid’s as the distributor. However,
Aunt Mid’s was sourcing from multiple growers in multiple states,
including California, when the outbreak started, and it was unclear
at that time where the tainted product was sourced.

Holton said on 14 Oct 2008 that it remained unclear where in the
supply chain the product was contaminated.

Dominic Riggio, Aunt Mid’s president, said the company resumed
processing iceberg lettuce 9 Oct 2008.

Holton said that Aunt Mid’s will test each lot of the product for 30
days and report the findings to the state department of agriculture,
which also will perform random tests during that period.

There have been 38 reported illnesses in Michigan and 21
hospitalizations. There also have been 9 illnesses reported in
Illinois and 3 in Ontario. No deaths have been associated with the outbreak.

[Byline: David Mitchell]

—
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

[Another outbreak associated with bagged produce. Like ground beef,
bagged produce may be from multiple plants (or animals) and increases
the risk of transmission of infection. - Mod.LL]

[see also:
E. coli O157, university students - USA (05): Canada cases 20081006.3156
E. coli O157, university students - USA (04): lettuce 20080927.3057
E. coli O157, university students - USA (03): (MI), outside cases 20080925.3025
E. coli O157, university students - USA (02): (MI) 20080923.3001
E. coli O157, university students - USA: (MI) 20080922.2987
E. coli O157 - USA (07): (MA) alert 20080811.2475
E. coli O157 - USA: (OH, MI), unknown source 20080624.1947
E. coli O157, lettuce - USA: (WA) 20080606.1807
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA: (HI) 20080228.0811
....................mpp/ll/mj/mpp

http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/srb0803.shtml

Single apple.

Special Reference Briefs Series
no. SRB 2008-03

[Publications January 2000-July 2008]

Compiled by: Mary V. Gold
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
Information Research Services Branch
National Agricultural Library
Agricultural Research Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture

August 2008

Table of Contents

* Introduction
* References
* Author Index
* Subject Index
* About the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
* Request Library Materials

National Agricultural Library Cataloging Record

Gold, Mary V.
Organically produced foods: food safety issues : citations January 2000-July 2008.
(Special reference briefs ; NAL SRB. 2008-03)
1. Natural foods—Bibliography. 2. Food contamination—Bibliography.
I. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (U.S.) II. Title.
aS21.D27S64 no. 2008-03
divider line

Introduction

What is in this bibliography. This bibliography contains 174 citations for articles, conference papers, reports and book chapters published January 2000 through July 2008. Cited resources focus specifically on food safety issues related to organically produced foods. These issues include pesticide and related chemical residues in foods; heavy metal and microbial contamination of foods linked to farming and handling practices; natural toxicants including phytochemicals in foods that may affect food safety; antibiotic residues in animal products and their impact on antibiotic resistance in humans and animals; and fungal and bacterial contamination of organic animal feeds.

Each cited item relates directly to food produced from organic agricultural and/or handling practices. Some coverage is given to impacts of organic fertilizer applications and free range husbandry practices if they appear to apply to certifiable organic farming systems.

All items cited in this bibliography were published in English; however, the literature and research reflect the fact that important work pertaining to food safety of organically/biologically grown crops is being conducted internationally. This bibliography is a companion publication to AFSIC’s Special Reference Briefs on organic foods and nutrient content, Organically Produced Foods: Nutritive Content (216 citations, 1945-2000) http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/srb0003.shtml and Organically Produced Foods: Nutritive Content (283 citations, January 2000-July 2008), http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/srb0803.shtml

The majority of cited articles describe research results. Many (30) are overviews of literature and/or research (see “literature reviews” in the Subject Index to identify all such citations). 131 of the 174 cited articles discuss comparisons of organic foods with non-organic foods at some level. These sources are noted in the citation and the Subject Index with the phrase, “comparative studies.” Most of the studies referenced here document hazards on or in foods – their presence and potential risk. A few focus on human subjects – connecting dietary intake to specific health biomarkers. See “dietary surveys” in the Subject Index to find these.

The Subject Index is accompanied by an Author Index. Numbers listed after names and terms in the indexes refer to citation numbers in the text.

Research on the food safety issues pertinent to organic food varies widely in focus, methodology, results and scientific validity. Although this bibliography, for the most part, is restricted to references from peer-reviewed sources, no attempt has been made by the bibliography author to judge the credibility of cited research. Evaluation in this regard is left to the reader.

What is not in this bibliography. There is a great deal of literature related to other aspects of organically produced foods. Except where they relate to food safety, the following topics are NOT covered in this bibliography:

* Nutrients in food including vitamins and minerals (except heavy metals)
* Food sensory and cosmetic qualities – how food tastes and looks
* Economic and consumer studies
* Environmental impacts of food production
* Geographic distribution issues, including “local food” topics

Research trends revealed in the literature. Interest in nutritional qualities of organic food has increased dramatically since 2000. It is evidenced in the sheer numbers of publications cited here.
Numbers by publication year (total=174):

continues.

http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=2&tax_subject=298

Alternative Crops and Plants

Looking for something new? Find information about production of floral, forest, fruit, grain, herb, industrial, nursery, nut, vegetable or other specialty plants, seeds and products.

List of Alternative Crops and Enterprises for Small Farm Diversification
USDA. NAL. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center.
Lists alternative livestock species and livestock-related enterprises with links to Extension sources that help evaluate and start non-conventional farming enterprises.
Divider
Missouri Alternatives Center: Link List
University of Missouri. Cooperative Extension Service.
Offers Web site resources which include an on-line newsletter and a comprehensive database of full-text, on-line Extension and related how-to publications from all states and on many farming alternatives “from Asparagus to Watermelons, and Aquaculture to Worms.”
Divider
ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
National Center for Appropriate Technology. ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
Lists publications about Field Crops and Horticultural topics as related to sustainable agriculture.
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Crop Production
USDA. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.
A selection of books and bulletins available for purchase and online access on the topic of successful crop production systems for farmers and ranchers.
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Plants National Database
USDA. Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The section on Alternative Crops provides Web links to production and marketing information for crops suitable to small-scale farming and based on the selected crops and States.
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NewCROP
Purdue University. Center for New Crops and Plant Products.
Provides several sources of information such as the New Crops Symposium series articles available through the Table of Contents for each volume, the CropEXPERT listings and the CropORGANIZATION directory about a wide variety of both common and unusual crops.
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Plants for a Future
Plants for a Future.
Located in the United Kingdom, “Plants For A Future is a resource centre for rare and unusual plants, particularly those which have edible, medicinal or other uses.” Its services include an on-line database which currently consists of nearly 7,000 species of plants. The database is searchable by scientific name, common name or family; edible, medicinal or other use; or search for plants native to a particular area or a particular habitat.
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Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
Search plant, chemical, activity and ethnobotany databases. Includes an ethnobotanical dictionary and links to nutritional, cancer treatment and other plant related databases.
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New Crop Opportunities Center
University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture.
“Provides production and marketing information on new crops and value-added versions of current crops.”
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Diversification Options – Crops
Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Minnesota Farm Opportunities.
Choose from over 150 specific farm diversification options related to alternative crop production. Includes links to selected online resources about each topic.
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Crops
Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives.
Includes information on many alternative commodities in categories including cereal, fruit, greenhouse, vegetable, oilseed, pulse and medicinal plant crops.
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Specialty and Minor Crops Handbook
University of California. Small Farm Center.
Presents selected profiles from the 2nd edition of this unique publication. The complete print document may be order from the University of California Small Farm Center.
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Alternative Crop Suitability Maps
Illinois State Water Survey.
Provides summary information and requirements for over 400 crops. Maps provided on this site are specific to Illinois, but other information should be of general use.
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Last Modified: Aug 15, 2008

See page for live links........

http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=2&tax_level=2&tax_subject=298&level3_id=0&level4_id=0&level5_id=0&topic_id=1426&&placement_default=0

Alternative Crops and Plants / Medicinal and Culinary Herbs

Do you want to grow, market or learn more about herbs? Discover new varieties, cultivation techniques, sources of market information and herb lore.

AFSIC Highlights
Growing Herbs: Selected Information Sources
USDA. National Agricultural Library.
Lists and describes organizations, Web sites and publications about growing herbs, both commercially and in the garden. Provides a guide to seed and plant sources and an automatic search for herbs books in the NAL catalog.
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Organic Gardening: A Guide to Resources. 1989-September 2003
USDA. NAL. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center.
Intended for organic gardeners and small-scale organic farmers. Discusses gardening techniques, plant varieties, geographic locations and philosophies. Addresses landscaping, soil fertility, edible plants, ornamental plants, pest control and various aspects of an “organic lifestyle.” Updates Organic Gardening, a guide to resources published before 1989.
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Back to Top
Information from Other Sources
Horticultural Crops
National Center for Appropriate Technology. ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
Production and marketing information for herbs, edible flowers and specialty cut flowers is available under the Herbs and Flowers section.
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Directory of Herbs
Penn State University. College of Agricultural Sciences.
Basic cultivation and culinary information for herbs searchable by name, use, plant type and plant family.
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Horticulture Information Leaflets: Commercial Specialty Crops
North Carolina State University. Cooperative Extension Service; North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Cooperative Extension Service.
A set of publications covering production information about and sources of basil, caraway, chives, ginseng, goldenseal, lemon balm, luffa, ramps and shiitake.
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Crop Production
Oregon State University. Oregon Small Farms.
Several sources of research and educational information about vegetables, fruits, nuts and other crops compiled by topics including Herbs and Flowers.
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Henriette’s Herbal Homepage
Kress, H.
Gives information on growing, harvesting, gardening with and using herbs. Also provides photographs, discussion forums, full text of classic herbal works and extensive links.
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Fruit and Vegetable Market News: Herbs
USDA. Agricultural Marketing Service.
Provides wholesale prices for a variety of culinary herbs on a regional basis by commodity. Data is available in text format only for herbs in the Wholesale (Terminal) Market Price Reports by location.
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Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
A large collection of materials compiled by school director, Michael Moore, including instructional materials, plant images and many historic documents available in full-text online such as Fenner’s Complete Formulary and Handbook (1888), The Dispensatory of the USA, 20th Edition (1918) and those on topics such as eclectic medicine, materia medica, pharmaceuticals, herb production, Thomsonian medicine, ethnobotany and traditional plant uses.
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Herbalgram
American Botanical Council.
Provides science-based research on medicinal properties and uses of herbs. Some information will be of interest to herb growers.
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Last Modified: Jun 4, 2008

http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=2&tax_level=2&tax_subject=298&level3_id=0&level4_id=0&level5_id=0&topic_id=1424&&placement_default=0

Alternative Crops and Plants / Specialty, Heirloom and Ethnic Fruits and Vegetables

Find information about those fruits and vegetables with special character - those passed down through generations, valued by a specific culture or grown for their unique appeal.
Vegetables and Fruits: A Guide to Heirloom Varieties and Community-Based Stewardship
USDA. National Agricultural Library.
Vol. 1 is an annotated bibliography of general sources and works on seed production, breeding and genetics and particular crops. Vol. 2 lists resource organizations including exchanges, growers, public gardens, genebanks and seed companies and nurseries. Vol. 3 covers historical literature and the history of varieties.
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Fruit and Vegetable Alternatives
Pennsylvania State University.
Production and budget information for a variety of fruit and vegetable crops.
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Agricultural Systems: Crop Production
Washington State University. Research and Cooperative Extension Service Center.
A collection of research and technical publications, Web links, recipes, photographs and more.
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North Carolina Specialty Crops Program
North Carolina State University.
A resource for farmers, entrepreneurs and consumers within the specialty crops market that provides crop production information, marketing reports and articles featuring crops that have not been commercially grown in the Southeast region of the United States.
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Production Agriculture: Specialty Enterprises
University of Nebraska. Cooperative Extension Service.
University and government publications about fruit and vegetable crops, farm sprayer equipment and specialty grain crops.
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Last Modified: Apr 29, 2008

http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/saregrant.shtml

Applying for a SARE Grant?

Compiled by:
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center

March 2007

Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC)

AFSIC specializes in locating, collecting, and providing information about sustainable agriculture. The Center is located at the National Agricultural Library (NAL) and is supported, in part, by USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.

Our guide, Where to Find Sustainable Agricultural Research Online, identifies electronic databases you can use to answer questions frequently asked by SARE grant applicants:

* Who else is working in my topic area?
* Has my project been attempted before?
* Are there related research efforts that I might link with?
* Where are the best places to look for in-progress and recent research?

We can assist when you conduct literature reviews and background research for your grant proposal. Contact us at:

Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
National Agricultural Library
U.S. Department of Agriculture
10301 Baltimore Avenue, Room 132
Beltsville, MD 20705-2351
(301) 504-6559; fax: (301) 504-6927
E-mail AFSIC
http://afsic.nal.usda.gov

Also see: Sustainable Agriculture Research Funding Resources

Writing A Grant Proposal

How to Write a Winning Proposal
http://www.sare.org/grants/howto.htm

Developing and Writing Grant Proposals
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.GRANT_PROPOSAL_DYN.show

Conducting an Information Search on Your Research Proposal
Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), 2007
http://ofrf.org/grants/information_search_guide.html

How to Write a SARE Farmer Grant Application
by David Holm, Helen Husher, and Dale Riggs
Northeast Region SARE
http://www.uvm.edu/~nesare/farmerhowto.pdf (PDF|233 KB)

NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher Program Tips Sheet
North Central Region SARE
http://www.sare.org/ncrsare/documents/FR_tipsheet_2006.pdf (PDF|95 KB)

Research & Education Grants. Professional Development Grants
Northeast SARE
http://www.uvm.edu/~nesare/applicantguide.pdf (PDF|20 KB)

Outcome Measurement and Grant Writing
by Murari Suvedi and Ben Bartlett
Michigan State University
http://www.sare.org/ncrsare/PDP/evaluationss.pdf (PDF|116 kb)

Proposal Writing Short Course
The Foundation Center
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/shortcourse/index.html

Putting Together a Grant Proposal: A Follow Up Activity of Ensuring the South’s Farm and Forestland Protection Workshops
Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture, sample proposal
http://www.kerrcenter.com/train_trainer.pdf (PDF|81 KB)

Successful Grants Video
Western Region SARE, Utah State University, 2007
http://wsare.usu.edu/grants/index.cfm?sub=wsv2

Tips for Applying for SARE Grants
North Central Region SARE
http://www.sare.org/ncrsare/tips.htm

Tips on Writing a Competitive Grant Proposal
Western Region SARE
http://wsare.usu.edu/grants/docs/WritingTips.pdf (PDF|73 KB)

Why Did We Pick Them?
Examples of winning proposals and explanations of why they were selected.
Southern Region SARE
http://www.southernsare.uga.edu/winners.htm

“Writing a Strong Application”
In: Partnership Grants (page 7)
Northeast Region SARE
http://www.uvm.edu/~nesare/07part.pdf (PDF|109 KB)
Back to Top

Starting On-farm Research

NAL’s AGRICOLA database

Select each of the links below to start an automated search of NAL’s AGRICOLA database that will retrieve a list of materials about on-farm research. [Note: there may be a short delay while the search is processing.]

* NAL Catalog
* Journal Articles

AGRICOLA contains two bibliographic data sets that, together, represent the Library’s collection. The Online Public Access Catalog, or “NAL Catalog,” contains citations to books, audiovisual materials, serial publications, and other materials. The Article Citation Database, known as “Journal Articles” includes citations, many with abstracts, to journal articles, book chapters, reports, and reprints. AGRICOLA does include some bibliographic records for items cataloged by other libraries and not owned by NAL. The Library’s Document Delivery Services Branch provides information on how to obtain materials.

Other Resources

A Field Guide for On-farm Research Experiments
North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension
http://www.southernsare.uga.edu/pdf_files/fieldguide.pdf (PDF|2.16 MB)

On-Farm Research Guide
by Jane Sooby
Organic Farming Research Foundation
This guide provides an overview of on-farm research using the scientific method: “formulating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis with experimentation, and drawing a conclusion based on the data.”
http://ofrf.org/grants/on-farm_research_guide.pdf (PDF|93 KB)

On-Farm Research Resources
The Missouri Alternatives Center’s listing of books and videos, plus links to Web sites, that focus on on-farm research techniques.
http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/library/search.asp?search_val=162

Put Your Ideas to the Test: How to Conduct Research on Your Farm or Ranch
Sustainable Agriculture Network, updated 2004.
This 12-page bulletin outlines how to conduct research on a farm or ranch. Describes real-life examples and gives practical tips for both crop and livestock producers. A compresensive list of more in-depth resources describes on-farm research bulletins and reports, farmer or researcher networks, and resources for market research. Online: http://www.sare.org/publications/research/research.pdf (PDF|413 KB)
Order form for printed version

Systems Research Methods Handbook
by Rick Welsh and Keith Ingram
Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture and Education (SARE)
http://www.southernsare.uga.edu/documents/handbook.htm
Back to Top

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)

SARE Funding Opportunities
http://www.sare.org/grants/

What Project Ideas Have Received Funding?
You can search the national database of funded SARE projects at http://www.sare.org/projects/index.htm by keyword, title and project number.

SARE Regions
North Central http://www.sare.org/ncrsare/Default.htm

* Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Northeast http://www.uvm.edu/~nesare/

* Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia

Southern http://www.southernsare.uga.edu/

* Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands

Western http://wsare.usu.edu/

* Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Micronesia, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, N. Mariana Islands, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

[also has many hidden urls.]

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