Environment (Recipes, Gardening, Energy Bills, Recycling, Clothes, Bags)

Global warming has baffled scientists for decades. Let me lay out the facts. The world goes through cycles of hot and cold. Our most recent cycle started with the technological era. So, the world must be getting hotter due to technologies. Carbon dioxide produces heat. Plants suck that in and produce oxygen which makes the earth cooler. Humans suck in the oxygen and produce carbon dioxide. We need to have less humans and more plants for the world to start to cool down again. What happens if the world gets warm? Well, there will be drought in the hotter parts of the world causing farming to slow down and food production to slow. People will then die. The Ice caps will melt raising the water level and destroying waterfront properties. This will also slow the speed at which water travels which makes it to where the oceans can't heat up in the gulf stream causing horrific global cooling. That will kill all crops and most animals making no food for man kind and slowly we will die off and only the strongest of us will survive.

By planting trees we will be able to reverse the devastating effects of global warming and have control of our ecosystem. If everything in the environment is healthy, everyone in the environment is healthy. That way, everybody would be happy.

HUG A TREE

Here's a ten point overview of living green!

1) All things are connected and, ultimately, even the most Space-Age-looking food product has its roots in the sun, the soil and the plant world.

2) There's always something in nature we can't improve upon, as we can see from the growing problems surrounding the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, genetically modified organisms and an industrial approach toward nature.

3) How we eat always has an impact on our planet, for better or for worse. This makes every food choice essentially a decision to protect or harm the place where we live.

4) Corn, as it's grown and processed by the modern industrial food system, is a lot less wholesome and a lot more pervasive than most of us realize.

5) Meat comes from animals %u2026 obvious enough, right? But until we confront how the animals we raise for meat are bred, fed and slaughtered, we can't honestly defend our decision to eat meat.

6) You really are what you eat. And until you understand what really goes into the food you eat, you can't know whether it's good for you or not.

7) Animals were not meant to be treated as "production units," nor were plants meant to be privatized as "intellectual property."

8) What we don't know really can hurt us and disturb us %u2026 things like the modern practices of feeding corn to farm-raised salmon, or breeding chickens that grow so fast and big that their legs frequently fail them.

9) How sunlight, soil, water and nutrients become food is truly miraculous, and most of us don't stop to think about that often enough.

10) We humans are as much a part of nature as anything else, however much we try to ignore, forget or disguise that fact. When we come to terms with that truth, the benefits of living green and sustainably become brilliantly clear.

And to all you manly-men out there, here are ten reasons for you to go green too!

1. Real Men Lead

They especially lead in times of crisis. Active respect for nature requires it. Will you stand by and shirk your duty out of ignorance, laziness or both? So many males are nothing more than spoiled babies and have forgotten how to be men. It is up to you to safeguard a clean, safe future for your children. It is up to you to be a responsible steward of the natural blessings we take for granted - particularly in America, a place of vast resources and wealth. A true man sets an example through his own lifestyle. That means greening up your act.

2. Real Men Live for Adventure

Real men see life's challenges and crises as great adventures. This doesn't mean they're happy about setbacks and problems; just that they don't shirk their responsibility to leave the planet better than they found it. A real man relies on his inner compass to guide him and ignores the jaded attitudes and simplistic jokes of lazy minds. Maybe you can't admit that Al Gore actually has pretty big cojones. Maybe you think Matt Damon looks ridiculous in his new hybrid. That's fine. It's easy to make fun of other men who are taking action when you're not, but this isn't about organic cotton towels. This is about living as if life were a challenge - because it is, now more than ever.

So start that green website. Sign up for a beach cleanup. Hell, organize your own event. Just start, man. Theodore Roosevelt - easily one of our nation's baddest daddies - started with Yellowstone (along with pioneering Americans Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett) and went on to become one of the most important figures in conserving nature in American history. Being a "man of green" doesn't require political action, however. It could simply mean trading in the SUV and discovering parts of town on your bike that you never knew existed. In future posts we will offer suggestions for adventurous green living (hint: this includes hunting).

3. Real Men Possess Intellectual Rigor

"Our life is an apprenticeship to the truth that around every circle another can be drawn; that there is no end in nature, but every end is a beginning, and under every deep a lower deep opens."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Global warming is real. Climate change is affected by man's actions. But it's not just global warming that is cause for serious concern. Our precious resources - water, oil - are dwindling. Food is scarce. Weather has become disastrous. These are very real problems that can be dismissed only if you are the most cavalier sort of ignoramus. The web is a great place to start learning: check out Treehugger, the Sierra Club, Grist magazine, or the Environmental News Network.

Not only do real men seek to expand their intellectual horizons, they expect it from others. If you want to know if a hamburger or a Hummer is worse for the environment, you won't leave it to the office clown to tell you. Real men know that being intellectually demanding of themselves makes for a higher quality of life and better relationships (more on that in #8).

4. Real Men Are Smart with Resources

Who doesn't want to save money and energy? The virtues of frugality, efficiency, practicality and saving are all green. A smart man makes his home energy efficient, not just for the planet, but for his bank account. He works to be healthy to cut down on medical bills and be around to take care of his family for years to come. He looks for smart ways to save money. Green living is just one aspect of his virtuous life.

5. Real Men Seek to Lead a Life of Value

Written in Early Spring

I heard a thousand blended notes

While in a grove I sate reclined,

In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts

Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link

The human soul that through me ran;

And much it grieved my heart to think

What Man has made of Man.

- William Wordsworth

What will your life add up to? Will you be a man who was respected by his peers, loved by his mate, honored by his children, and appreciated for leaving the world better than he found it? These are not trite questions - they are the things that define a man.

A major part of leading a life of value is avoiding waste. Vulgarity, clutter, excess - these are ugly characteristics of the male who lacks purpose and character. I've noticed that a man who shaves and showers daily, keeps himself and his living space spotless, and takes care of his car makes for a better friend, mate, employee and citizen. It just goes together. "Going green" naturally fits in with a life of value.

6. Real Men Aren't Selfish.

"The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration."

- Claude Monet

One huge reason I think men need to "go green" is because it requires growing out of self-absorbed immaturity. We live in a culture where narcissism is epidemic. We have food and movies on demand, speed dating and text breakups, postponement of marriage and a real career while we all "find ourselves." Emotional selfishness is at the bottom of it all. Get in touch with something larger than yourself. Life is not just about the iPhone and getting laid.

A real man lives in awe of the tremendous gift of being alive on planet Earth.

Imagine the very possible alternative, as Carl Sagan did: "There would be no more big questions, no more answers. Never again a love or a child; no descendants to remember us and be proud; no more voyages to the stars, no more songs from the earth."

7. Real Men Aren't 'Cowboys.'

Teddy Roosevelt fought with the Rough Riders and went on to lead the fight to conserve American lands. You can roll up your sleeves, talk tough and even clear some brush, but a real man does not react to important information by buying his head in the sand or excuse himself from rational inquiry and action with simplistic beliefs and cliche one-liners. Forget the faux cowboy schtick. Being a man isn't about driving a truck and tearing into a bloody pork chop. If you really want to cowboy up, take the issues of your day seriously and do something about them.

8. Real Men Know the Secret to Good Relationships with Women.

"When we understand that man is the only animal who must create meaning, who must open a wedge into neutral nature, we already understand the essence of love. Love is the problem of an animal who must find life, create a dialogue with nature in order to experience his own being."

- Earnest Becker

If you are sick of the ever-growing string of failed relationships, start working on the one you have with yourself. It's a big myth that men and women want different things - we all want great sex and genuine love. (It's if they occur together where the disagreement begins.)

It's been said that women get in touch with their emotions by sharing; men, through activities. But before you can truly bond with anyone emotionally you have to get in touch with your own emotions. Emerson believed that time in nature is essential for a man's soul and character development, and I couldn't agree more. Men have an intimate relationship with the land, just as women do - it's not all Gaia and earth mamas. Lest you discount this as a bunch of woo-woo, ask yourself if men would have better relationships with women if they had a handle on themselves and a grasp of their role in the world. There's nothing like confidence and self-sufficiency to attract a quality lady. And time exploring and working in the great outdoors is an obvious way to build these qualities.

9. Real Men Take Care of Themselves

"Man has been endowed with reason, with the power to create, so that he can add to what he's been given. But up to now he hasn't been a creator, only a destroyer. Forests keep disappearing, rivers dry up, wild life's become extinct, the climate's ruined and the land grows poorer and uglier every day." - Anton Chekov, Uncle Vanya, 1897

I'm sorry to say it, but men are largely responsible for the environmental mess we're in thanks to a widespread lack of self-discipline and flaws like greed, selfishness, and laziness. And men increasingly do not take care of themselves in even the most basic ways. I'm talking about diet, exercise, and finances (forget intellectual development and relationships). Until you start caring for yourself, it will be impossible to care for the environment in which you live. No wonder we're in such a state. Stop destroying yourself: your mate, your offspring, your community and your planet need you to man up. Take pride in yourself.

10. Real Men Even Eat Tofu.

"Rabbit food". Please. What kind of man is afraid of a lettuce leaf? Didn't the tofu jokes start stinking back in 1998? You hear a lot about how mainstream media demean women, but they don't seem to think much of men, either. Despite what Carl's Jr. ads teach us about men's decision-making and culinary deficiencies, plenty of real men know their nutrition and make a point of trying out earth-friendly fare. Come on: a man doesn't have the mental capacity to grill up some veggie fajitas and organic margaritas? A real man doesn't have to love it, but he is not scared of tofu.

Blog action day is an experiment in the power of a very new media - blogs. Blogs are very different to most print media - they are not as dependent on advertising revenue to exist. Blogs provide a lot more freedom to write about topics that don't necessarily serve the interests of advertisers or big publishers.

Because bloggers are not as dependent on advertising revenue as newspapers are, we can encourage people to consume less, and not tread on the toes of our advertisers.

Bloggers do not depend on donations from wealthy sponsors as political parties may do. So bloggers are able to advocate for the environment rather than the interests of a lobby group.

Bloggers do not have to report on what already exists, but are free to explore sustainable possibilities.

Bloggers are innovators, willing to connect with other and share ideas. In this way bloggers can encourage a co-operative rather than competitive model of solving environmental problems.

Bloggers know how to network - how to connect like minded people and get things to happen.

Bloggers can communicate quickly with their audiences and in this time of global crisis action is needed right now.

Bloggers know their audience and know how to write about environmental issues so that everyone can participate in change.

Bloggers are individual thinking people who want a future. We are free from the pressures faced by corporations with balance sheets, governments with voters, media with ratings and pressure groups with short term agendas.

Bloggers have demonstrated that they can adapt to new technology. It is likely they can embrace and encourage the changes in thinking that will stop global warming.

Bloggers are many. We have the numbers to bring about change.

I urge all bloggers to realize the power of this new media and consider ways in which you might inspire your audience to participate in political and personal changes to stop global warming. Blog action day is just the beginning.

1) Your health: prevent disease. Meat-eating has been linked with cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, kidney stones, and many other devastating diseases. By eliminating meat from your diet you can take a crucial step towards a long life of health and happiness.

2) Increased energy and endurance: A vegetarian diet improves your stamina, concentration, and sense of well-being. In one study, athletes who switched to a vegetarian diet improved their endurance to almost 3 times as much as those who remained carnivorous.

3) Avoid toxic food contaminants: Flesh foods are loaded with dangerous poisons and contaminants such as hormones, herbicides and pesticides, and antibiotics. As these toxins are all fat-soluble, they concentrate in the fatty flesh of the animals. Not to mention the viruses, bacteria and parasites such as salmonella, trichinella and other worms, and toxoplasmosis parasites.

4) Humans are by design vegetarian: our flat teeth are perfect for grinding grains and vegetables, not for tearing apart animal flesh. Similarly, our hands are designed for gathering, not for flesh-ripping. Our saliva contains the enzyme alpha-amylase, the sole purpose of which is to digest the complex carbohydrates in plant foods. (This enzyme is not found in the saliva of carnivores.) Basically we have all the right apparatus to consume vegetarian products, and none of the right apparatus for flesh foods.

5) Care for the environment: by improperly using animals for food, we are eating ourselves off the planet. The raising of animals specifically to kill them and eat them has resulted in incredible waste and devastation of our precious resources. Just one example of the consequences is the fact that due to plundering our farmlands to fatten animals for slaughter, over 4 million acres of cropland are being lost to erosion in this country every year.

6) Help end world hunger: every day forty thousand children on this planet needlessly starve to death. According to the Department of Agriculture statistics, one acre of land can grow 20,000 pounds of potatoes. That same acre of land, when used to grow cattlefeed, can produce less than 165 pounds of edible cow flesh.

7) Become a more peaceful person: when we consume animal flesh products we are necessarily at odds with nature and our fellow living beings. Consumption of flesh foods has been scientifically linked with violent and aggressive behavior.

8) Have compassion for animals: animals who are raised for slaughter needlessly experience incredible suffering throughout their life and death. Many people try not to think of the torturous experiences of the animal whose flesh ended up in their hamburger or on their dinner table. But if it is distasteful to think about, consider what it is like to experience it.

9) Vegetarianism is moral and ethical: give the devastating consequences of meat eating on an individual, social and ecological level, as thinking, caring beings we should choose vegetarianism. Many great philosophers such as Plato, Socrates, Leo Tolstoy, and George Bernard Shaw have taught the morality of vegetarianism.

10) Animals are God's property and have a right to life: the living beings temporarily encaged in animal bodies are not here for us to harm and exploit. We are meant to act as caretakers and protectors of animals and the planet, not exploiters and killers. Many world religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, and Jainists all teach that eating animal flesh is wrong.

Reason #1 to Choose Vegetarian: Your Health!

Warning - the consumption of meat is hazardous to your health! According to the American Dietetic Association, meat-eaters have an increased risk of heart disease, colon cancer, obesity, adult-onset diabetes, gout, osteoporosis, kidney stones, gallstones, diverticular disease, lung cancer and breast cancer.

Animal products, such as meat and eggs, are the only dietary sources of cholesterol and the chief source of saturated fat, the main causes of heart disease. Not eating these foods reduces the risk of heart attack by 90%. The fiber in vegetarian diets not only removes unneeded cholesterol and other cancer-causing agents, but helps in reversing atherosclerosis - hardening of the arteries. A 1990 study demonstrated reversal of even severe coronary disease through the combination of a low-fat vegetarian diet, stress management, moderate exercise and cessation of smoking. Vegetarians overall are 20% less likely to die from heart attack than meat-eaters.

A low fat vegetarian diet, combined with regular exercise, helps reduce blood pressure and can control, or even eliminate, non-insulin dependent diabetes. Many medications to control high blood pressure have a wide range of common and unpleasant side effects, e.g. beta blockers often make patients fatigued and listless, diuretics raise blood cholesterol levels and double the risk of fatal heart attacks, blood vessel dilators can cause impotence in males, and a loss of sexual interest in females.

When the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition put diabetics on a vegetarian diet, 45% of the patients were able to discontinue their use of insulin injections. In a 21-year study of over 27,000 Seventh Day Adventists (followers of a vegetarian diet), their death rate due to diabetes was found to be only 45% that of the general population. A vegan diet (no animal products whatsoever) can actually reverse mature-onset diabetes. When the diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and a vegan diet were compared over a 12 week period:The vegan group lost an average of 16 pounds, the ADA group 8 pounds; the ADA group needed as much medication as before, while the vegan group needed considerably less.

Diets high in protein, especially animal protein, can cause the body to excrete more calcium, oxalate and uric acids which form kidney and gallbladder stones. Vegetarian diets have been shown to reduce the chance of forming these stones. An ultrasound study found that 18% of meat-eating women had symptomless gallstones, compared to only 10% in vegetarians. Because a vegetarian diet does not force calcium out of the body, as meat does, vegetarians are at a lower risk for osteoporosis - the weakening of the bones, a major health concern for women.

Vegetarianism can also benefit asthmatics and victims of multiple sclerosis (MS). According to a 1985 year-long study conducted by the University Hospital in Linkoping, Sweden, over 90% of bronchial asthma patients had less severe and less frequent attacks while eating a vegetarian diet, and reduced their need for medication. According to Dr. William Castelli, a switch to a vegetarian diet could help more than 90% of all MS victims arrest the disease process and improve their condition.

Over two decades of research at the Loma Linda University in California reveals that men who eat meat are three times more likely to suffer from prostate cancer than vegetarians. According to a study done by Dr. Takeshi Hirayama of the National Cancer Research Institute of Tokyo, vegetarianism reduces the risk of breast cancer in women by 25%. Japanese women who followed a western style meat-based diet were eight times more likely to develop breast cancer than the women who followed a more traditional plant-based diet.

One other cancer where diet has recently been shown to play a role is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). In a study of over 35,000 American women, those who developed NHL had higher intakes of animal fat, especially from red meat.

Fiber intake is a critical factor in the prevention of cancer, especially of the colon. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported back in the 1970's that there is not a single population in the world with a high meat intake which does not have a high rate of colon cancer.

Animal products are usually high in fat and always devoid of fiber. Vegetarians avoid animal fat, the consumption of which is linked to cancer, and get abundant fiber and vitamins that help prevent cancer. In a University of Hawaii study, vegetarians, on average, ate almost twice as much fiber as the meat eaters, especially cereal fiber. Vegetarians are therefore much less likely to suffer from constipation than meat-eaters. Blood analysis of vegetarians also reveals that they have higher levels of specialized white cells which attack and kill cancer cells. A UK study of over 6000 vegetarians found them 40% less likely to die of cancer than meat-eaters.

How much enhanced longevity can you expect as a vegetarian? The study of vegetarian Seventh Day Adventists found them to have significantly lower death rates than the general population. Men had lower death rates from coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, all cancers combined, and cancer of the colon, rectum and prostate in particular. Women had lower death rates from stroke, diabetes, all cancers combined, and cancer of the colon, rectum, breast and ovaries in particular. The study concluded that the more meat and eggs an individual ate, the more likely they were to die of those diseases. Dr. William Castelli found that vegetarians outlive meat-eaters by about 6 years. Populations that consume high amounts of animal flesh, such as the Greenlanders and Russian Kurgi have life expectancies of only 30 years. Populations such as the East Indian Todas and the Russian Caucasians, who consume little or no meat, have life expectancies of 90-100 years.

What does all this meat-induced disease cost? Researchers estimated that between $28.6 billion and $61.4 billion of USA health expenditure in 1992 could be attributed to meat consumption.

In summary, vegetarians are less likely to suffer from a host of crippling or fatal diseases. A low fat vegetarian diet can not only reduce the personal suffering involved in ill-health, but it can also save the larger community money by decreasing diet-related illnesses. Improving your health can be so simple! By eliminating meat from your diet and replacing it with interesting and tasty vegetarian foodstuffs, you can take a crucial step towards a long life of health and happiness.

Reason #2 to Choose Vegetarian:More Energy and Endurance!

Nearly everyone desires more energy, yet few people make the connection between fatigue and eating meat! Most people, even health professionals, mistakenly believe that eating meat is necessary for good health and strength. In fact, eating animal flesh significantly reduces energy and contributes towards overall ill health.

Scientific studies repeatedly show that a vegetarian diet improves energy and endurance. One study, conducted by Yale professor Irving Fisher, compared the strength and stamina of active meat-eating athletes to that of vegetarian athletes and sedentary vegetarians. He found that flesh eaters had far less endurance than even sedentary vegetarians! Another study found that athletes who switched to a vegetarian diet improved their endurance almost three times as much as those who ate meat.

The power of a balanced vegetarian diet is exemplified in the lives of many world class athletes. Dave Scott, universally recognized as the greatest triathlete in the world, is a vegetarian. He calls the idea that people, especially athletes, need animal protein a "ridiculous fallacy."

Local Hawaii legend Ruth Heidrich is another great example of the power of a vegetarian diet. Following the advice of Dr. John McDougall, Ruth switched to a vegetarian diet after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Ruth not only overcame the cancer, she went on to become an award-winning, record-breaking triathlete. She tells her incredible story in the best-selling book, "A Race for Life." Peter Burwash, local tennis pro, has also experienced the benefits of vegetarian nutrition. When Peter experimented with a vegetarian diet, he found that it dramatically improved his athletic performance. After one year of vegetarianism, Peter was found to have the highest fitness index of any athlete, in any sport in Canada!

As these vegetarian athletes know, a vegetarian diet is the perfect source of nutrition for the human body. A vegetarian diet based on whole grains, fruits and vegetables is low in fat, a great source of fiber, and rich in energy boosting vitamins and minerals. The primary component of a balanced vegetarian diet is complex carbohydrates, which are the perfect source for maximum energy and endurance.

The complex carbohydrates found in vegetarian foods are gradually digested (and easily eliminated), providing a steady source of glucose to the blood. Conversely, flesh foods contain virtually no carbohydrates and are very high in fat and protein. The fat and protein in meat are very difficult to digest, and take energy away from the rest of the body causing people to feel tired and sluggish after eating meat. Difficult to digest flesh foods stagnate in the bowels for two to three days creating a toxic overload for the whole body, contributing to fatigue, headaches, a weakened immune system, and many long-term diseases, including cancer.

Iron-deficiency anemia is another cause of weakness and fatigue. Advocates of the meat industry falsely claim that consumption of flesh products is necessary for sufficient iron. In fact, studies consistently show that meat eaters suffer more iron deficiency than vegetarians. Many vegetarian foods, such as tofu, most beans and leafy greens either equal or surpass meat as sources of iron. Calorie per calorie, spinach has fourteen times the iron of the typical slab of flesh!

Excess weight is another significant energy drain. Study after study shows that vegetarians are less likely to be overweight than meat eaters. One study found that vegans (no animal products whatsoever) weighed an average of 10 pounds less than the rest of the population. Another study suggested they weighed 30 pounds less, and a third found that these vegetarians had 30% less body fat than the non-vegetarian population.

The facts are compelling! The idea that meat is needed for strength and energy is a fallacy. Studies repeatedly show that a vegetarian diet is the optimal source of energy for the human body.

Reason #3 to Choose Vegetarian:Avoid Toxic Food Contaminants

In a society where the meat industry has become very big business, we are conditioned to think of "meat" (i.e. the flesh of slaughtered animals) as a wholesome, nutritious food. Most people don't realize that meat products are loaded with poisons and toxins! Yet periodically, harsh "reality checks" alert us to the deadly dangers of eating meat. For example, this past month a bacterial outbreak traced to a Michigan meat processing plant killed nine people and caused three stillbirths; another 60 people were sickened. Every year tens of millions of people become sick after eating contaminated meat! Though some may think eating "organic" meat is the solution, the fact is that dead animal flesh is inherently full of toxins and thus poisonous to the human system. In fact, the list of contaminants found in meat is too long to be adequately covered here, so we've simply touched on some of the most common and/or dangerous meat contaminants:

Mad Cow Disease. This disease is caused by "cow cannibalism" - the practice of feeding dead and diseased animal parts to other animals of the same species. When contracted by humans, Mad Cow Disease causes loss of memory, loss of bodily control, and then death.

Parasites. Toxoplasmosis contaminates eighty-five percent of all pig products; the trichinella spiralis worm is found in many species of carnivores and omnivores; and tapeworms and many other parasites are contracted from eating meat.

Salmonella. Dr. Richard Novick of the Public Health Institute reported to Congress, "The meat we buy is grossly contaminated with both coliform bacteria and salmonella." Over 4,000,000 cases of salmonella poisoning occur annually, causing nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, vomiting, chills, and even death. The abuse of antibiotics in factory farms has led to salmonella strains which are resistant not only to antibiotics, but even to cooking. Scientists predict an untreatable epidemic of salmonellosis.

Stress hormones and toxins. When terrified animals are put to death, their bodies immediately release all kinds of hormones and toxins. Consequently, large amounts of uric acid, adrenalin, and other hormones are found in the flesh of slaughtered animals. These fear and stress hormones instigate violent behavior in human beings.

Putrefied products. Meat, fish and eggs all decompose and putrefy extremely rapidly. As soon as an animal is killed, self-destruct enzymes are released, causing the formation of denatured substances called pytolamines, which cause cancer.

Cancer. Literally, cancer tumors are found in "meat" products. Infected and diseased animals are frequently undetected by meat producers/inspectors, and diseased parts, including cancer tumors, are sometimes labeled as "parts" and end up in spam or hot dogs.

Nitrates. Animal flesh naturally turns a sickly gray-green color soon after it is slaughtered. The meat industry hides this discoloration and keeps the meat blood red by adding nitrates and other preservatives. These preservatives are so toxic that cancer researcher Dr. William Lijinsky says, "I don't even feed nitrate-laden foods to my cat."

Hormones. Factory farm livestock are fed vast amounts of synthetic hormones. These hormones cause precocious sexuality and other sexual disorders, weight gain, cancer, and other disturbances in meat eaters. As a result of consuming chemically fattened livestock, British schoolgirls mature sexually at least three years earlier than in the past. In Puerto Rico, some children have matured sexually as early as four to eight years old as a result of exposure to livestock hormones. Young teenage boys developed full breasts! When their exposure to hormone-treated meat and dairy products ended, their symptoms receded.

In the United States, dangerous growth hormones such as Steer-oid, Compudose, Synovex, and others are found in practically every feedlot in the country. The fattening hormone DES, though banned, is still in use by factory farmers. This hormone is so potent that factory farmers who absorbed even minute amounts of it developed symptoms of impotence, infertility, enlarged and tender breasts, and changes in their voice register. Even one molecule of DES is sufficient to trigger cancer. Yet several years after its ban, the FDA found that 500,000 cattle had been illegally implanted with DES!

Pesticides. Flesh products are the most concentrated source of pesticides (i.e. chemical poisons) in the human diet. Ninety-five to ninety-nine percent of toxic chemical residues in the American diet come from meat, fish, dairy products, and eggs. Pesticides such as dioxin (a component of Agent Orange), heptachlor, PCB's, toxaphene, DDT, aldrin, and kepone are so toxic that even the most minute doses cause cancer, birth defects, abortions, and death, in studies performed on lab animals. The production and use of pesticides is largely unregulated, and as a result toxic pesticides are used in staggering amounts in factory farming. The fat-soluble pesticides become concentrated in the fatty flesh of the animals, ensuring a plentiful supply of poison in the diet of meat-eaters.

Eat veggie, be healthy! The evidence is overwhelming. Eating meat is bad for your health, bad for the environment, and bad for everyone. Conversely, a wholesome vegetarian diet is delicious and nutritious - the perfect source of fuel for the human body. By choosing a vegetarian diet, you can experience optimum health, and the happiness of living at peace with your friends in the animal kingdom.

YOU ARE AT: HOME » CONSUMER GUIDE » WHAT IS ORGANIC? » 10 REASONS TO EAT ORGANIC

Bread, tomatoes, meat, cucumbers, eggs...

1. Top for taste
Many people buy organic food because they believe it tastes better than non-organic. This could be because organic fruit and vegetables tend to grow more slowly and have a lower water content, which may contribute to the fuller flavour some people experience. A poll in 2005 showed that quality and taste of food are important to more people than low prices.

2. It's healthy
On average, organic food contains higher levels of vitamin C and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium as well as cancer-fighting antioxidants. Organic milk is naturally higher in Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, Vitamin A (Beta Carotene) and certain other antioxidants than non-organic milk.

3. No nasty additives
Only 32 of the 290 food additives approved for use across the EU are permitted in organic food. Amongst the additives banned by the Soil Association are hydrogenated fat, aspartame (artificial sweetener) and monosodium glutamate which have been linked to health problems.

4. Avoids pesticides
The best way of reducing your exposure to potentially harmful pesticides is to eat organically grown food, where their use is avoided. Over 311 pesticides can be routinely used in non organic farming and residues are often present in non-organic food. Over 40% of all non-organic fruit, vegetables and bread tested in 2005 contained pesticides according to the Government's Pesticide Residues Committee.The results for particular fruit and vegetables were much worse, e.g. chemicals were found in all oranges tested, 90% of bread, 72% of grapes, 95% pears.

5. GM-free
Genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are not allowed under organic standards. Over a million tonnes of GM crops are imported to feed non organic livestock that produce much, if not most, of the non organic pork, bacon, milk cheese and other dairy products in our supermarkets.

6. Reliance on drugs removed
Antibiotic additives routinely added to animal food to speed animal growth are linked with bacterial resistance in humans to the same or closely related antibiotics. Soil Association standards ban the routine use of antibiotics.

7. No hidden costs
Compare this with the £120m that tax payers fork out annually to pay for chemicals to be removed from drinking water, mainly as a result of the pesticides used in farming.

8. High standards
Organic food comes from trusted sources. All organic farms and food companies are inspected at least once a year. The standards for organic food are laid down in European law.

9. Care for animals
No system of farming has higher levels of animal welfare standards than organic farms working to Soil Association standards. Compassion in World Farming believes that the Soil Association's welfare standards are leaders in the field. (Joyce d'Silva, Director, Compassion in World Farming.)

10. Good for wildlife and the environment
Overall organic farming supports more farmland wildlife than non-organic farming. The UK government has said that it is better for wildlife, causes lower pollution from sprays, produces less carbon dioxide - the main global warming gas - and less dangerous wastes.

SEASONAL SALADS

* Jicama Coleslaw with Citrus Dressing
* Jerusalem Artichoke Salad
* Cranberry Slaw
* Mixed Greens with Apples, Carrots, and Pickled Beets

JICAMA COLESLAW WITH CITRUS DRESSING
8 to 10 servings

Jicama is a slightly sweet crunchy root vegetable. Ask for it at well stocked supermarkets and produce stands. If you can't find it, substitute crisp white turnip.

* 3 cups red cabbage, thinly shredded
* 3 cups white cabbage, thinly shredded
* 1 cup peeled, matchstick-cut jicama
* 2 scallions, sliced

Dressing:

* 1/2 cup organic plain low-fat yogurt or soy yogurt
* 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
* 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
* Juice of 1/2 orange
* Juice of 1/2 lime
* Freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the cabbages, jicama, and scallions in a bowl and toss together.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss well. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SALAD
8 servings

Jerusalem artichokes are the misnamed underground tubers of a native American sunflower. These brown-skinned, knobby roots are not exactly pretty, but their crunchy texture and unusual flavor (a cross between potato, water chestnut, and turnip) are very pleasant. Sometimes they are labeled as "sunchokes." If all else fails, substitute the crispest turnips you can find.

* 1 pound Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed
* 1 bunch watercress, most stems removed
* 2 small red or green bell peppers, cut into long, thin strips
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
* 1 to 2 scallions, minced

Dressing:

* Juice of 2 limes
* 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
* 2 tablespoons olive oil or a fragrant nut oil
* 1 medium head red-leaf lettuce
* Cherry tomatoes
* 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds

Trim the Jerusalem artichokes of any excessively dark or knobby spots and cut into matchstick-shaped pieces. Combine with the next 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir. Pour over the salad and toss well. Let the salad marinate, refrigerated, for about 2 hours.

Before serving, tear the red-leaf lettuce and place in a serving bowl. Add the salad and toss well. Surround the edges of the salad with cherry tomatoes and sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the top.

CRANBERRY SLAW
8 to 10

Adapted from The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet

This slightly sweet slaw is easy enough for everyday meals, yet plenty festive for holiday meals. It's always a hit, and adds little to your workload.

* 6 cups thinly shredded white cabbage (use pre-shredded coleslaw if you'd like)
* 2/3 cup dried cranberries
* 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
* 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Combine all the ingredients in a serving bowl and mix until well combined. Serve at once or cover and refrigerate until needed.

VARIATION: Use 3 cups each red and green cabbage for a more festive look.

Mixed Greens with Apples, Carrots, and Pickled Beets
8 to 10 servings

Here's a simple salad of mixed greens that harmonizes well with the holiday meal, and, like the slaw above, adds little hands-on time in preparation of the meal.

* 6 to 8 ounces mixed baby greens
* 3 medium carrots, sliced
* 2 medium Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
* 8-ounce jar pickled beets, well drained
* Extra-virgin olive oil as desired
* Balsamic or red wine vinegar to taste

Combine the greens, carrots, apples, and beets in a serving bowl. Dress with olive oil and vinegar, toss well, and serve.

MAIN DISH OPTIONS

* Butternut Squash with Whole Wheat, Wild Rice, & Onion Stuffing
* "Three Sisters" Stew
* Pueblo Corn Pie
* Quick Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH WHOLE WHEAT, WILD RICE, & ONION STUFFING
Serves: 8

Even those of us who have given up turkey welcome a Thanksgiving dish that has been "stuffed." This satisfying dish makes a handsome centerpiece for the holiday meal.

* 4 medium-small butternut squashes (about 1 pound each)
* 3/4 cup raw wild rice, rinsed
* 1 tablespoon light olive oil
* 1 heaping cup chopped red onion
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 2 1/2 cups firmly packed torn whole wheat bread
* 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon each: dried sage, dried thyme
* 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, or to taste
* 1 cup fresh orange juice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Halve the squashes and scoop out seeds and fibers. Place them cut side up in shallow baking dishes and cover tightly with covers or more foil. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife but still firm.

In the meantime, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the wild rice, reduce to a simmer, then cover and cook until the water is absorbed, about 40 minutes.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until golden.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked wild rice with the sautéed onion and the remaining ingredients. When the squashes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the pulp, leaving firm shells about 1/2 inch thick. Chop the pulp and stir it into the rice mixture. Stuff the squashes, place in foil-lined baking dishes, and cover.

Before serving, place the squashes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or just until well heated through.

VARIATION: To add drama to this presentation, try this recipe with other squash varieties. Hubbard squash, delicata, sweet dumpling and golden nugget are just a few of the stuffable edible squashes available.

"THREE SISTERS" STEW
6 servings

In Native American mythology, squash, corn, and beans are known as of the "three sisters." These are the very crops, along with garden vegetables, that the harvest festival of Thanksgiving is meant to celebrate!

* 1 small sugar pumpkin or 1 large butternut or carnival squash (about 2 pounds)
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 medium green or red bell pepper, cut into short, narrow strips
* 14- to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, with liquid
* 2 cups cooked or canned pinto beans
* 2 cups corn kernels (from 2 large or 3 medium ears)
* 1 cup homemade or canned vegetable stock, or water
* 1 or 2 small fresh hot chiles, seeded and minced
* 1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, dried oregano
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 to 4 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the pumpkin or squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and fibers. Cover with aluminum foil and place the halves, cut side up, in a foil-lined shallow baking pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife but still firm (if using squash, prepare the same way). When cool enough to handle, scoop out the pulp, and cut into large dice. Set aside until needed.

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

Add the pumpkin and all the remaining ingredients except the last 2 and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, covered, until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

If time allows, let the stew stand for 1 to 2 hours before serving, then heat through as needed. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro. The stew should be thick and very moist but not soupy; add additional stock or water if needed. Serve in shallow bowls.

PUEBLO CORN PIE
6 to 8 servings

This layered casserole is adapted from a Native American recipe.

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 medium green or red bell pepper, diced
* 1 1/2 cups cooked fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
* 2 1/2 cups canned or cooked pinto beans
* 2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes, or one 16-ounce can diced, tomatoes, lightly drained
* 2 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* Salt to taste

Cornmeal topping:

* 1 1/4 cups cornmeal
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup grated organic Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, or equivalent of nondairy cheese, optional

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and bell pepper and continue to sauté until the onion is golden brown.

Add the corn kernels, pinto beans, tomatoes, and seasonings. Stir well and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove from the heat.

Bring 5 cups of water to a rolling boil in a heavy saucepan or double boiler. Slowly pour the cornmeal into the water in a thin, steady stream, stirring continuously to avoid lumping. Add the salt and cook over very low heat, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Oil a shallow, 1 1/2-quart baking dish and line the bottom with half of the cooked cornmeal. Pour over it the skillet mixture and sprinkle with the optional grated cheese. Top with the remaining cornmeal, patting it in smoothly.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the cornmeal is golden brown and crusty. Let stand for 10 minutes, then cut into squares to serve.

QUICK BLACK BEAN AND SWEET POTATO CHILI
8 or more servings

Adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook

With the addition of sweet potatoes, this easy chili is invigorating yet comforting. If youÕre looking for a colorful and hearty addition to your vegetarian Thanksgiving that can be made in a snap, this is a great choice.

* 3 medium-large sweet potatoes
* 2 tablespoons light olive or extra virgin oil
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
* Two 28- to 32-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
* One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
* One 16-0unce can crushed tomatoes
* 1 or 2 small fresh hot chiles, minced, or one 8-ounce can chopped mild green chiles
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin, or more, to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley or cilantro, or more, to taste
* 2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced
* Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bake or microwave the sweet potatoes until just firm. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 3/4-inch dice. Set aside until needed.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onion is golden. Add the remaining ingredients except the last three. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered for 15 minutes.

Add the sweet potato dice and continue to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in the parsley and scallions, then season gently with salt. If time allows, let stand off the heat for an hour or two, then heat through as needed.

STUFFINGS, UNSTUFFED

* Walnut-Apple Stuffing
* Old-Fashioned Potato-Bread Stuffing
* Sourdough Stuffing with Pine Nuts and Raisins
* Cranberry-Pear Wild Rice Stuffing

WALNUT-APPLE STUFFING
Serves: 8 or more

Vegetarians won't want to eat stuffing that has been cooked in the bird. Here's a tasty stuffing that bakes separately.

* 6 cups firmly packed diced whole grain bread
* 1 1/2 tablespoons light olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups chopped red onion
* 1 1/2 cups peeled, diced tart apple
* 3 bunches scallions, minced
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon each: dried thyme, savory
* 3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt, more or less to taste
* 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
* Freshly ground pepper to taste
* 1 1/2 cups apple juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the diced bread on a baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until dry and lightly browned.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the red onion and sauté over medium heat until golden. Add the apple and sauté for another 5 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine the bread cubes with the onion and apple mixture. Add all the remaining ingredients except the apple juice and toss together. Sprinkle in the apple juice slowly, stirring at the same time to moisten the ingredients evenly.

Transfer the mixture to an oiled shallow 1 1/2-quart baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until browned and still slightly moist. Stir once during the baking time. Transfer to a covered serving container.

OLD-FASHIONED POTATO-BREAD STUFFING
6 servings

This hearty stuffing recalls Thanksgivings of days gone by. You need not stuff it into anything, but simply enjoy it as a side dish.

* 5 or 6 medium potatoes, cooked or microwaved in their skins
* 1 cup organic low-fat milk, rice milk, or soymilk
* 4 average slices whole-grain bread
* 1 1/2 tablespoons light olive oil
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1 cup chopped celery1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
* 2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash or other salt-free herb-and spice seasoning mix
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Once the cooked potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and place them in a large mixing bowl. Coarsely mash the potatoes with 1/2 cup ofthe milk.

Cut the bread into 1/2-inch dice. Place them in a small mixing bowl and pour the remaining milk over them. Soak for several minutes.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add the onion and celery and sauté over low heat until the onion is lightly browned and the celery is tender.

Combine the onion and celery mixture with the mashed potatoes in the large mixing bowl. Stir in the soaked bread, parsley, and seasoning mix. Season to taste with salt and lots of pepper. Pour the mixture into a well-oiled, 2-quart baking dish. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is a crusty golden brown.

SOURDOUGH STUFFING WITH PINE NUTS AND RAISINS
6 to 8 servings

This versatile stuffing is good on its own or stuffed into winter squashes, or green or red bell peppers.

* 6 cups firmly packed diced whole grain sourdoughbread
* 1 1/2 tablespoons light olive oil
* 1 cups chopped red onion
* 3 scallions, minced
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 1/4 teaspoon each: dried thyme and rosemary
* 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, more or less to taste
* 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
* 1/2 cup dark raisins
* Freshly ground pepper to taste
* 1 cup apple or orange juice, or as needed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the diced bread on a baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until dry and lightly browned.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden.

Combine the bread cubes with the onion in a mixing bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients except the apple juice and toss together. Sprinkle the juice in slowly, stirring, to moisten the ingredients evenly.

Transfer the mixture to an oiled shallow 1 1/2-quart baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until browned and still slightly moist.

CRANBERRY-PEAR WILD RICE STUFFING
8 or more servings

Wild rice adds a wonderful texture to this stuffing, and the slight sweetness of dried cranberries lends a delicious flavor. This is an ideal stuffing for winter squashes, and used that way makes for a dazzling holiday main dish.

* 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, or 2 1/2 cups water with 1 vegetable bouillon cube
* 2/3 cup raw wild rice
* 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 medium red onion, chopped
* 1 large celery stalk, diced
* 2 medium firm pears (such as bosc), cored and diced
* 4 cups finely diced whole grain bread
* 1/3 cup dried cranberries
* 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
* 2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning (like Spike or Mrs. Dash)
* 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, to taste
* Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
* 1/2 cup apple or pear juice, or as needed

Bring the broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Stir in the wild rice, then cover and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 35 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the celery and sauté over medium heat until both are golden.

Combine the onion-celery mixture with the cooked wild rice and all the remaining ingredients except the apple juice in a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Drizzle the apple juice in slowly, stirring all the while, until the mixture is evenly moistened.

Transfer the mixture to a lightly oiled, large shallow baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top begins to get slightly crusty.

NOTE: Whirl slices and chunks of whole-grain bread in a food processor until fine. This is a good way to use up ends and slightly dated pieces of bread.

SIDE DISHES

* Wine-Glazed Brussels Sprouts
* Maple and Tarragon Sweet Potatoes
* Baked Sweet Potatoes and Apples
* Scalloped Corn
* Glazed Baked Onions
* Cranberry-Apple Relish
* Cranberry Chutney

WINE-GLAZED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Serves: 8

The slightly sweet glaze makes Brussels sprouts taste deceptively rich.

* 2 pounds Brussels sprouts
* 1/2 cup dry red wine
* 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
* 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
* 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Trim the stems from the Brussels sprouts and cut an X into the base, about 1/4 inch deep.

In a small bowl, combine the wine, honey, and soy sauce and stir together. Transfer to a 3-quart saucepan along with 1/2 cup water and the Brussels sprouts. Stir together, then cook, covered, at a gentle simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes.

Dissolve the cornstarch in a small amount of water. Stir into the saucepan quickly, then cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a covered casserole dish to serve.

MAPLE AND TARRAGON SWEET POTATOES
8 to 10 servings

Maple syrup and tarragon, a sweet herb, are wonderful enhancements for the flavor of sweet potatoes.

* 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
* 1/2 cup maple syrup
* 1/4 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, melted
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons dried tarragon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange the sweet potato slices in overlapping rows in an oiled shallow 2-quart casserole. In a small bowl, combine the syrup, margarine, juice, cinnamon, and salt. Pour evenly over the potatoes. Sprinkle the tarragon over the top.

Cover with lid or foil and bake, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until readily pierced with a fork but still firm. Bake another 20 to 25 minutes, uncovered, or until glazed and golden around the edges.

BAKED SWEET POTATOES AND APPLES
6 or more servings

A cheering winter recipe, and a great side dish for Thanksgiving, it gets its New England character from maple syrup.

* 4 large sweet potatoes
* 2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated margarine, melted
* 1/2 cup maple syrup
* 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
* Cinnamon
* Ground cloves
* 1/2 cup apple juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake or microwave the sweet potatoes until done but still firm. When cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Oil a deep, 1 1/2 quart baking casserole. Arrange half of the sweet potato slices on the bottom. Drizzle with half of the margarine, then half of the maple syrup. Top with the apple slices. Sprinkle lightly with the cinnamon and cloves. Repeat the layers, then pour the apple juice over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, covered, then for another 10 minutes, uncovered. Serve at once or cover and keep warm until needed.

SCALLOPED CORN
4 to 6 servings

Here's a tasty dish that features the classic American crop.

* 1 tablespoon light olive oil
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 large green bell pepper, finely diced
* 2 medium firm ripe tomatoes, chopped
* 1 1/2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
* 1/4 teaspoon paprika
* A few grains cayenne pepper
* 1 cup low-fat milk or soymilk
* 3 cups cooked fresh corn kernels (from 3 to 4 ears), or thawed frozen kernels
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon nonhydrogenated margarine, melted
* 1 cup soft whole grain bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until it is golden. Add the bell pepper and tomatoes and continue to sauté just until they soften.

Sprinkle in the flour, paprika, and cayenne, stirring them in until well blended. Pour the milk in slowly, stirring continuously. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the corn and simmer for another minute or so. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture into an oiled shallow oblong baking pan. Quickly toss the melted margarine with the bread crumbs until evenly coated and distribute the crumbs over the corn mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the crumbs begin to turn crusty. Serve at once.

GLAZED BAKED ONIONS
8 servings

Slow-baking onions gives them a mellow sweetness. Try this with naturally sweet Vidalia onions.

* 1 cup homemade or canned vegetable stock
* 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
* 1 tablespoon nonhydrogenated margarine
* Pinch each: dried rosemary and thyme, and ground nutmeg
* 4 large Vidalia or pure white onions
* Wheat germ for topping

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all the ingredients except the last 2 in a small sauce pan. Heat gently, stirring, until the margarine and honey are smoothly blended. Remove from the heat.

Peel the outer skin from the onions and cut them in half crosswise. Cut a thin sliver from the bottom of each onion half, so that they will stand steadily in a baking dish. Arrange the onions halves in a shallow baking dish and pour the mixture from the saucepan evenly over them.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the onions are tender when pierced with a fork. Once or twice during this time, spoon some of the liquid from the bottom of the baking dish over the onions.

Sprinkle the onions with wheat germ and bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Serve at once or keep warm until needed.

CRANBERRY-APPLE RELISH
8 or more servings

This relish adds vivid color to fall harvest meals, and is a nice change of pace from jellied cranberry sauces for holiday meals.

* 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
* 4 sweet cooking apples (such as Cortland), peeled and diced
* 1/2 cup light brown sugar or Sucanat
* 1/4 cup apple juice
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* Pinch of allspice or nutmeg
* 1/4 cup golden raisins

Combine all the ingredients except the raisins in a large saucepan. Stir together; bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered until the cranberries have burst and the apples are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Stir in the raisins and allow to cool, uncovered. Transfer to a serving container and serve at room temperature.

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY
8 servings

If your only experience with cranberries has been in sweet, jelled sauces, this spicy chutney will provide a welcome change of pace for your grown-up palate!

* 12 ounces fresh cranberries
* 1 cup peeled, diced apple
* 1 cup orange juice, preferably fresh
* 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
* 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 3 to 4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, to taste

Place all the ingredients except the honey in a deep saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat with the lid slightly ajar for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the liquid is mostly absorbed.

Add honey to taste and simmer uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes until thick. Let the chutney cool to room temperature, then store in a sterilized jar, tightly covered but not sealed. Refrigerate until needed. Before serving, bring to room temperature.

DESSERTS

* Easy Vegan Pumpkin or Squash Pie
* Pear and Apple Crumble

EASY VEGAN PUMPKIN OR SQUASH PIE
Make: One 9-inch pie, 6 servings

I find that the smooth, sweet butternut puree tastes just as good as sugar pumpkin-perhaps even better! Once you've got the squash or pumpkin baked, which I do ahead of time, making this nourishing pie is a snap. It contains no eggs or dairy, but no one will notice the difference.

* 2 cups well-baked and mashed butternut squash
* or sugar pumpkin (see Notes)
* 3/4 cup silken tofu (about half of a 12.3-ounce aseptic package)
* 1/2 cup natural granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 teaspoon each
* ground nutmeg and ginger)
* 9-inch good quality graham cracker or whole grain pie crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the pumpkin or squash pulp in a food processor with the remaining ingredients (except the crust, of course). Process until velvety smooth.

Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the mixture is set and the crust is golden. Let the pie cool to room temperature. cut into 6 or 8 wedges to serve.

NOTES:
To bake butternut squash or sugar pumpkin, halve the squash or pumpkin (you need a really good knife to do so!) and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Place the the halves cut side up in a foil-lined, shallow baking dish and cover tightly with more foil. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the pulp and discard the skin. Use any leftover squash or pumpkin pulp for another purpose.

If you want to make this in a hurry, you can use a 16-ounce can of pureed pumpkin-but it won't taste as good or fresh!

PEAR AND APPLE CRUMBLE
8 servings

If you'd like an alternative to pumpkin pie, or an additional dessert, here's a good one. It's especially tasty served warm over vanilla frozen yogurt or nondairy dessert.

* 4 medium bosc pears, cored and thinly sliced
* 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
* 2 tablespoons natural granulated sugar
* 1/3 cup finely chopped almonds
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

* 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
* 1/2 cup wheat germ
* 2 tablespoons natural granulated sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 2 tablespoons safflower oil
* Nondairy vanilla frozen dessert or organic vanilla frozen yogurt, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine the fruits with the next 5ingredients and stir together until evenly coated. Pour into a lightly oiled 9- by 13-inch baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine the first 4 topping ingredients and toss to coat. Drizzle in the oil and stir until evenly coated. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the fruits are soft and the topping is golden. If desired, serve warm in bowls over frozen dessert.

PICK A PLACE

If you have your heart set on growing a specific plant, check to see what growing conditions it requires. Vegetables will need at least 6 hours of sun exposure a day. The same goes for most flowering plants, however there are still many to choose from for a partially shaded site. If you want to start a garden where there is mostly shade, your choices are going to be more limited, but not prohibitive.

The folks in this picture have a partially shaded front entrance. They could easily add a small garden along the walkway where they could enjoy it, making their entrance more of a focal point.

Also take into consideration when the sun hits your site. Afternoon sun will be hotter and more drying than morning sun. Many plants turn their faces toward the sun, so if your view of the garden is from a west window, your flowers may face away from you in the afternoon. Evaluate other elements of exposure such as high, drying winds or heavy foot traffic.

Once you know where you'd like to try your first garden, use a hose or extension cord to try laying it out on the ground.

EVALUATE THE SOIL

Once you know where you want to plant, it's time to check the soil. Soil testing is the least glamorous part of gardening, but the most important. At the very least check your soil's pH. This will tell you how acid or alkaline your soil is. Plants cannot take up nutrients unless the soil's pH is within an acceptable range. Most plants like a somewhat neutral pH, 6.2 - 6.8, but some are more particular. If you are growing plants from the nursery, check the plant tag for specifics. If no pH preference is listed, a neutral range is fine.

You may also want to check the texture of your soil or even the nutrients and minerals in it. You can have that done at your local Cooperative Extension office and some nurseries. Soil texture refers to whether it is sandy, heavy clay, rocky or the ideal, a sandy loam. Whatever the texture, it can be improved with the addition of organic matter such as compost.

PREPARE THE BED

This is no one's favorite garden chore, but there's no way around it. Your chosen site will probably have grass on it or at least weeds. These must be cleared somehow, before you can plant anything. Tilling without removing the grass or weeds is best done in the fall, so that the grass will have a chance to begin decomposing during the winter. Even so, you will probably see new grass and weeds emerging in the spring. It's better to either remove the existing vegetation completely or to smother it.

A sharp flat-edged spade can be used to slice out the sod. If you have poor soil and need to amend it with organic matter or other nutrients, removing the sod may be your best bet, so that you are able to till in the amendments.

Removing sod can be heavy work and you wind up loosing good top soil along with the sod. It your soil is in relatively good shape, it is possible to leave the grass in place and build on top of it. Place a thick layer (8-10 sheets) of newspaper over the garden bed and wet it thoroughly. Then cover the newspaper with 4-6 inches of good soil. The newspaper will eventually decompose and the turf and weeds will be smothered. There may be some defiant weeds that poke through, but not so many you can hand weed them.

Starting with good soil means you won't have to add a lot of artificial fertilizer to your garden. If you've fed the soil with amendments, the soil will feed your plants.

PICK YOUR PLANT

This is harder than you might think. If you are starting small, you have to limit yourself to a handful of plants. If you are growing vegetables start with what you like to eat and what you can't find fresh locally. Corn takes a lot of space and remains in the garden a long time before it's ready to be eaten. If you have corn farms nearby, you might want to use your small garden for vegetables that give a longer harvest, like tomatoes, lettuce and beans.

Flower gardens can be even harder. Start with what colors you like. Rather than basing your dream on a photograph from a magazine, take a look at what your neighbors are growing successfully. They may even be able to give you a division or two.

Take a walk around a couple of garden centers and read the plant labels. Then play with combining the plants that strike your eye until you find a combination of 3-5 plants that pleases you. Make sure all the plants have the same growing requirements (Sun, water, pH...) and that none of them are going to require more care than you can give them.

Keep the variety of plants limited. It makes a better composition to have more plants of less varieties than to have one of this and one of that.

PLANT

Sometimes you have to plant when you have the time, even if that's high noon on a Saturday. But the ideal time to plant is on a still, overcast day. The point is, stress your new plants as little as possible.

* Water the plants in their pots the day before you intend to plant.

* Don't remove all the plants from their pots and leave them sitting in the sun for the roots to dry out.

* If the roots are densely packed or growing in a circle, tease them apart, as shown in the photo, so they will stretch out and grow into the surrounding soil.

* Bury the plant to the depth it was in the pot. Too deep and the stem will rot. Too high and the roots will dry out.

* Don't press down hard on the plants as you cover them. Watering will settle them into the ground.

* Water your newly planted garden as soon as it is planted and make sure it gets at least one inch of water per week. You may have to water more often in hot dry summers. Let your plants tell you how much water they need. Some wilting in noonday sun is normal. Wilting in the evening is stress.

MULCHING

You hear a lot about mulching lately, but it really does make a major difference in a garden. Mulch conserves water, blocks weeds and cools the soil. Organic mulches like shredded or chipped bark, compost, straw and shredded leaves, will also improve the soil quality.

Plastic mulches are nice in a vegetable garden to heat the soil around warm season crops like tomatoes, peppers, melons and squash.

Whatever mulch you choose, apply it soon after planting, before new weeds sprout. Apply a 2-4 inch thick layer of mulch, avoiding direct contact with the plant stems. Piling mulch around the stem can lead to rotting and can provide cover for munching mice and voles.

MAINTENANCEYou hear a lot about mulching lately, but it really does make a major difference in a garden. Mulch conserves water, blocks weeds and cools the soil. Organic mulches like shredded or chipped bark, compost, straw and shredded leaves, will also improve the soil quality.

Plastic mulches are nice in a vegetable garden to heat the soil around warm season crops like tomatoes, peppers, melons and squash.

Whatever mulch you choose, apply it soon after planting, before new weeds sprout. Apply a 2-4 inch thick layer of mulch, avoiding direct contact with the plant stems. Piling mulch around the stem can lead to rotting and can provide cover for munching mice and voles.

ENJOY

You've heard the saying "Stop and smell the roses"? Gardeners can be the worst at taking that advice. We're so busy with our heads down at soil level, pinching, pruning and pulling every weed, that we often don't appreciate what we've created until someone else tells us.

Step back and enjoy what you've accomplished. Then start making plans to expand next year.

*Batteries. These are essential to recycle and contain dangerous heavy metals and chemicals like mercury, so that cannot be tossed into the rubbish. They also can't be sent curbside. When you initially purchase your batteries, don't buy them for the long term. They expire and drain down even when not in use. Consider rechargeable batteries to lower the amount of batteries you consume. Gift idea: Buy rechargeable batteries (and a charger) for children that you give a toy to. It's a fun lesson for them, and you'll be spreading the word about this eco friendly alternative. Learn how you can recycle batteries here.

*Aerosol cans. The negative consequences of aerosol cans have been largely documented, but if you have some lying around, they can still be recycled! Take the cap off, be completely sure the canister is empty, and peel off the label, just as you would with your metal food cans. Send it curbside, or take it with you on your recycling center trip.

*Computers. A major reason many people do not recycle their computer is for security reasons. To tackle this hurdle, erase your hardrive. It's not as hard as it sounds, and it's easy for others to access your information even if you've deleted sensitive information from your computer. Erasing your hard drive isn't sending documents to the computer's recycling bin, so don't think that's all you have to do! After you're done with that, take a look at TechSoup's Tips for Donating your Computer, which also includes a list of places you can donate to.

*Mattresses. Even mattresses can be recycled. First, evaluate the condition of the mattress. If it's still perfectly usable, put the mattress on Craigslist or Earth911.org to find out what transfer station is closest to you that will accept the mattress. Call before you go to find out if they really do accept mattresses to save yourself the gas and the wasted trip.

*Cellphones. There are millions of cellphones floating around the world, many not even activated. There are plenty of organizations dedicated to recycling your cellphone. Like batteries, cellphones contain hazardous chemicals, so they need to be disposed of (or recycled) properly. If you're cellphone is still current technology, you maybe able to get a good price for it on eBay.

* Washing machines. If you you think you need an upgrade on your washing machine, first evaluate whether you need a new washing machine or if it can be fixed. If it's beyond any repair, definitely purchase an energy efficient, energy star rated model. The front loaders are currently the most efficient and use far less water and electricity. To recycle your old washing machine, contact the retailer, or ask before you purchase your replacement to see if they'll take it to recycle.

*Scrap Metal. Did you know that scrap metal is in huge demand? Clean out your garage, cellar, barn, attic or storage unit and bring it to a scrap metal dealer. Look up scrap dealers in yellowpages.com to see where the closest one is. If you have LOTS of it, you may make some money, too.

How to Grow Squash

Squash plants are members of the cucurbita family of vegetables, which also includes pumpkins. There are a very wide variety of squash, resulting from easy cross breeding among family members. If you grow a number of varieties of squash and save the seeds, next year's crop will likely produce some very strange and interesting cross breeds (Mutations!).

Squash is easy to grow, and most varieties are prolific producers. The size of your garden may determine which squash varieties to grow. Bush squash requires a much smaller space, than vining squash varieties.

Varieties of Squash:

It is impossible to describe every type of squash, as they readily cross breed across varieties, producing a wide range of cross breeds. Listed below are the most common "purebred" types. Most squashes are vining plants, but a number of varieties, including the infamous Zucchini, are bush types. Make sure you know which variety you have before planting, and plan your garden space accordingly.

There are winter and summer varieties. Winter squash produce fruit with thick skins. They can be stored for long periods, well into the winter months, if properly stored. The skin of winter squash is not eaten. Summer squash produces thin-skinned fruit, and does not store well. Summer squash is usually eaten without peeling the skin.

Winter Squashes:

*

Acorn
*

Butternut
*

Buttercup
*

Hubbard , Blue hubbard. golden hubbard
*

Spaghetti Squash - After cooking, this interesting squash can be pulled out in strands similar in appearance to spaghetti,. It's popular with kids.
*

Cushaw

Summer Squashes:

*

Zucchini
*

Crookneck Summer Squash
*

Straightneck Summer Squash

Days to Maturity:

Most summer squashes require 45 to 50 days to maturity. Winter squashes range from 70 to 110 days or more. The larger fruited varieties, like Blue Hubbard, require the most time.

Did you know? Most people know that giant pumpkin growing is a big hobby, with avid growers. But, did you know that almost all pumpkin weighoffs also have a category for giant squash? Giant squash can grow over 1,000 pounds!

Sowing Squash Seeds:

Plant in rows or hills, planting seeds one inch deep. Row spacing is dependent upon the variety you are planting. In hills, plant four to five per hill. After they have germinated, keep the best two to three squash plants. Cover very lightly with soil. Water the first day and if there is no rain, every two to three days until they germinate.

How to Grow Squash:

Squash plants should be grown in full sun.

Squash plants are food hogs. They need a rich garden soil, and ample fertilizer. The soil should be well drained. A side dressing of fertilizer and regular feedings of fertilizer will significantly help the health of the plant and the size of the harvest.

Water regularly, especially during dry periods and the fruit growth stage. Water deeply. Like other garden vegetables, keep soil moist, not wet. It is important to note, that irregular watering, can result in pre-mature ripening of the fruit.

Weed regularly, especially during the early growth stage. Adding a layer of mulch or compost, will keep the weeds down, and feed the plant.

Train vines to go in the direction you want them to go. Carefully, and slowly, turn vines as needed. Move them a little each day. Trim vines, removing tertiary vines to promote larger fruit growth.

Tip: Bury vines with an inch or two of garden soil, to encourage secondary root growth.

Insects and Pests:

The Cucumber Beetle is the dreaded pest of all members of the Cucurbita family. Cucumber Beetles are either striped or spotted. They feed on the leaves of the plants, and can cause even greater damage. They spread disease from one plant to another. They are effectively treated with most insecticides.

Squash Vine Borers (SVB's) are a serious problem in some areas. SVB's bore into the vine, and eats the vine from the inside out. Untreated, it ends your season. More on Squash Vine Borers.

A variety of other pests can also cause problems, depending upon where you live. Apply insecticides as needed, following the directions on the label.

Diseases of Squash:

As a member of the Cucurbita family, most squash are susceptible variety of bacteria and fungus diseases. Among the most common, are powdery mildew and bacterial wilt. Plant disease problems are most common in hot and humid weather. A strong plant, healthy plant and fungicide treatment will help avoid these problems. Treat with fungicides at the first sign of problems.

Hardiness:

Squash is not a hardy plant. They are susceptible to frost in the spring and fall. They are also very susceptible to insects and disease. But, most growers successfully plant and harvest at least one variety.
Summer squash
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 20 kcal 70 kJ
Carbohydrates 3.4 g
- Dietary fiber 1.1 g
Fat 0.2 g
Protein 1.2 g
Water 95 g
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.14 mg 9%
Vitamin C 17 mg 28%
Potassium 262 mg 6%
Percentages are relative to US
recommendations for adults.

How to Grow Peach Fruit Trees

Ahhh, Peaches!! They are one of the sweet and juicy gems of late summer. Fast growing peach trees will reward you with golden peaches in just a few years. They are, however, highly susceptible to both insect infestations and plant disease. To grow peaches successfully, you will likely need to spray the trees regularly.

Did you Know? Peach pits are poisonous. We don't think you are going to eat the hard pit. But, we thought you should know.

Propagation of Peach Trees:

Peach trees are grown from seed. It takes three or four years to go from the seedling stage to a fruit-producing tree. Most people don't want to wait that long. They turn to garden nurseries to purchase young trees.that can be transplanted to your garden. Trees at your local nursery are a couple of years old. This small peach tree will still need to grow another year or two to get the first crop of peaches.

You can also graft branches from a peach tree onto other fruit trees.

Planting Peach Trees:

Select a location in your yard that receives full sun. Dig a deep hole. Add plenty of decomposed compost, if available. Mix thoroughly with regular garden soil. If the tree you have bought is inside of a peat pot, leave it in the container. It is helpful (but not required) to slit the container to allow roots to more easily exit the container. While making the slits, be careful not to cut the roots, as you can do more harm than good. If your tree is in a burlap bag, remove the bag. Gently spread the roots in the hole you have dug.

Bury the plant up to where it was in the container. Soak the soil thoroughly. Add more soil if needed.

How to Grow Peach Trees:

Once your new peach tree is planted, it should grow quickly. We recommend staking the tree in its first year of life. Strong winds can bend the young sapling, causing the trunk to grow at an angle. Really strong winds, might even cause the tree to sway and damage roots.

Tip: Fruit tree fertilizer spikes are a great way to boost the growth of your new peach tree. The spike slowly releases a fertilizer specifically formulated for fruit trees.

The size and number of peaches is dependent upon a number of things. As a rule of thumb, more peaches on a tree, results in smaller individual fruit. Sometimes, mother nature pollinates a profusion of blooms. Sometimes frost nips a portion of the blooms. However, in a good year, it is possible that so many peaches are on the tree, that the size of the fruit is small. Growers can compensate for this, by removing a few of the baby peaches very early in the season. Should you do this? Probably not in your first few years of growing, as you do not have the experience to judge if there are too many peaches on the tree. But, we do recommend removing any peaches that are damaged by insects, leaving good peaches to grow even bigger.

Each spring, before buds open, apply a dormant oil fruit tree spray. This will kill a variety of insects.

Peach trees are highly susceptible to both insect infestations and disease. Without regular spraying, peach trees tend to be short-lived. We highly recommend a regular program of spraying for both insects and plant disease. If you use insect and/or disease sprays, we recommend you follow the directions on the label carefully. And by all means, wear protective clothing and a mask when spraying.

More on Insects and Disease

Sometimes, birds will peck at the ripening fruit. Pest netting is an effective control measure.

Some animals, notable opossum, like peaches. See Animal control suggestions

Harvest fruit before it turns completely ripe. Once it is picked, it will soften and ripen quickly. The fruit will still be hard, making it easier to handle and store. Store fruit in a cool, dry place, out of sunlight.

Pruning Peach Trees:

Like other plants, pruning established trees is healthy for them. It results in a bigger crop. Prune peach trees annually in the early late winter or early spring, before the new year's growth begins.

First, remove dead or unhealthy branches and limbs. Prune in areas where growth is very bushy. This will increase sunlight and air penetration, to help the overall health and growth of the tree. You can also prune branches to maintain a shapely looking tree.
Peaches (edible part)
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 40 kcal 170 kJ
Carbohydrates 9.5 g
- Sugars 8.4 g
- Dietary fibre 1.5 g
Fat 0.3 g
Protein 0.9 g
Vitamin A equiv. 16 %u03BCg 2%
Vitamin C 6.6 mg 11%
Iron 0.25 mg 2%
Potassium 190 mg 4%
Percentages are relative to US
recommendations for adults.

How to Grow Cantaloupe or Melon

Okay, is it a Melon, a Cantaloupe or a muskmelon? Fact of the matter is, people call them by all three names. Does it really matter? We don't think so. Any fruit that tastes this good, and is served at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time, can be called anything you want to call it.

A cousin of the watermelon, cantaloupes have a sweet, musky taste, and are mouth watering delicious. Already popular in the home garden, it continues to gain in popularity. "Bush type" varieties, requiring less space, are the most popular. Bush varieties are not really a bush. Rather, they grow on a shorter, more compact vine.

When preparing a bowl of melons, two or thee varieties are often used together. The color combination of orange Cantaloupes, mixed with green colored Honeydew melons is aesthetically pleasing. Food that looks good, tastes even better.

Varieties of Melons:

*

Cantaloupe and Muskmelons- There are several varieties, including early and bush types.
*

Honeydew Melons- This is a sweet, light tasting melon. The flesh is lime green to light green in color.
*

Crenshaw Melon- Another, less common melon with a peach colored fruit and a yellow skin.

Planting:

Common wisdom recommends melons be planted in "hills" or groups. However, this is not a requirement. If you are growing large quantities, it may not be practical.

When planting in hills, sow four to six melon seeds per hill and space the hills four to six feet apart. Sow 1/2 to 1 inch deep. After germination, thin and keep the three or four healthiest plants. Row spacing should be five to six feet. The more compact "bush" types may tolerate closer spacing.

If you choose not to hill, sow seeds three to four inches apart.

Seedlings can be started indoors. A germination mat is helpful. We recommend using peat pellets to help to minimize transplant shock.

Days to Maturity:

Growing melons takes most of the summer season, They require approximately 75 to 90 days, with most varieties on the higher end. While they take a while to grow, it's worth the wait.

Insects and Pests:

Melon plants are a favorite food of a variety of insect pests. Among the most common pests are the cucumber beetle and the squash vine borer. Occasionally, other pests will invade the melon patch. Common insecticides such as Sevin are very effective. Treatment before the emergence of insects is recommended.

Mice and moles also enjoy melons. Many a grower has seen their melon turn to mush just before it is picked. Close inspection often reveals a mole tunnel leading under the fruit. Placing a board under the fruit is one means of deterrence. Pest control is another.

Disease:

Melon plants are very susceptible to powdery mildew and other fungus diseases. Early treatment with fungicide is effective. If not caught early, the entire patch can be affected.

Harvesting:

Determining when a melon is ripe is a bit of an art form. As a general rule, a melon is ripe when the stem begins to dry out. The end of the melon is soft when pressed with your thumb. A melon is over ripe when it is soft all over. Melons can be picked just prior to ripening. Commercial growers pick them just before they are ripe, as they ship better and keep longer.

Once harvested, it will only last about a week un-refrigerated. Melons will keep for weeks in your refrigerator.

Hardiness:

Melons do not like cold and frost. Plant outdoors after the last frost date for your area. If the plants still have fruit in the fall, be prepared to cover the plants on frosty nights.
Cantaloupe melon
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 10 kcal 30 kJ
Carbohydrates 8.16 g
- Sugars 7.86 g
- Dietary fiber 0.9 g
Fat 0.19 g
Protein 0.84 g
Water 90.15 g
Alcohol 0 mg
Caffeine 0 mg
Vitamin A equiv. 169 %u03BCg 19%
- %u03B2-carotene 2020 %u03BCg 19%
Thiamin (Vit. B1) 0.041 mg 3%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.019 mg 1%
Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.734 mg 5%
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.105 mg 2%
Vitamin B6 0.072 mg 6%
Folate (Vit. B9) 21 %u03BCg 5%
Vitamin B12 0.00 %u03BCg 0%
Vitamin C 36.7 mg 61%
Vitamin E 0.05 mg 0%
Vitamin K 2.5 %u03BCg 2%
Calcium 9 mg 1%
Iron 0.21 mg 2%
Magnesium 12 mg 3%
Phosphorus 15 mg 2%
Zinc 0.18 mg 2%
Percentages are relative to US
recommendations for adults.

For many centuries, the healing power of the acai berry was unknown outside of the Amazon rainforest where this amazing fruit grows wild. The rainforests of the world are thought to hold the keys to treating and preventing many of our most feared diseases, and as the rainforests disappear, those cures disappear along with them. The acai berry, however, used by the indigenous peoples of the region for thousands of years to enhance health and vitality, has already been discovered.

The acai berry grows as a wild plant on top of many native palm trees in the Amazon rainforest, with the fruits of the plant being harvested by local farmers and used to make a healthy and nutritious fruit pulp. When quickly frozen, this fruit pulp can retain its vast nutritional value even when being shipped around the world. The acai berry is known for its deep purple color, as well as for being a rich source of many important antioxidant vitamins.

The major benefits of the acai berry are thought to include its strong heart health benefits. The acai berry is known to be a rich source of compounds called anthocyanins. These anthocyanins are the same compounds thought to give red wine its health benefits, but acai berries may contain even higher concentrations of these healthy chemicals than wine, with none of the health risks associated with alcohol.

The acai berry is also a rich source of protein and dietary fiber, in addition to high levels of both omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, thought to have a protective effect on the heart and cardiovascular system. The omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids contained in the acai berry may also play a role in lowering levels of cholesterol in the blood.

In addition to these important benefits, the acai berry is thought to play a vital role in slowing down the aging process. In health food circles, the acai berry is known as one of the most powerful of the anti-aging superfoods. It is thought that this anti-aging effect is a combination of the high levels of anthocyanins and the strong antioxidant vitamin content the fruit contains. In fact, the acai berry is known to contain ten times as many antioxidant vitamins as grapes and twice as many as blueberries.

For many years the acai berry has been hard to find, even in health food stores and natural grocery stores. As the reputation of this super fruit continues to grow, however, its availability is on the rise. It is now possible to buy acai berries in their raw form, as well as purchasing a number of excellent, highly concentrated fruit drinks made with the healthful and powerful acai berry.

The acai berry is truly one of nature's most healing foods, and a worthy addition to any healthy diet.

YOUR BODY GUARD
A Word on Glyconutrients

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