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"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead
Hi P2P Friends!
September was a very busy, but exciting month for us.
I am very happy to announce that we have expanded our Plow to Porch Team. I feel we have a wonderful group of people coming together for a wonderful cause.
Last month we were sorry to see Steve and Julie move on to a full time job and to a farm internship and travel in Denmark, respectively.
After alot of selection, we have added Scott and Sophie to our team of weekly employees. You will be meeting them at your doorstep or hearing about them as time goes on. Corey is still managing the assembly and delivery process.
In addition, David Gaynes, L. Ac., M.T.O.M. has joined us to offer a monthly column in our newsletter. His expertise in whole food nutrition and health may be helpful for many of you. Please see his column in this month's Locavore.
Our team of Local Organic Extras now includes, Sunshine Wellness Institute, who will be providing healthy, organic, local meals for us. Lilly's Eggs, Starlight Bakery and Simply Pies continue to provide wonderful, delicious local organic foods for Plow to Porch. We look forward to the addition of N.O.W., Nourishing Our World, in the future.
to learn about their sumptuous selections for this month.
This week is a strange week with Tuesday in September and Wednesday and Thursday in October. Those of you on an Every Other Week schedule will receive your produce as usual the first and 3rd weeks of the month, which means that Tuesday's Every Other Week deliveries will go out next week. All Every Other Week Extras for everyone else are going out this week, which means that the Tuesday deliveries will get your next eggs and cookie dough delivery the week of 10/14. Luckily months like this are rare.
As always, we love to hear from you!
Eat well, Live happy, and Stay healthy,
Pam and the Plow to Porch Team
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| Fresh Ideas and Fun Facts |
Environmentally Friendly Outdoor Decking, Railings, and Fencing.
Let's start a local plastic bag recycling program in our community. Read on and if you are interested in getting involved please email us at mail@plowtoporch.com.
Trex® is made from about 50 percent recycled and reclaimed plastic, and 50 percent reclaimed wood. These materials would otherwise go unused in landfills. Using sustainable materials and green manufacturing processes is a policy that touches everything they do.
Recycling Facts
Trex keeps some 300,000 tons of plastic and wood scrap out of landfills every year. That comes to about 600,000,000 pounds saved annually.
NO TREES ARE CUT DOWN for the purpose of making Trex. Their wood comes from: reclaimed wood from woodworking operations used pallets sawdust (300 million pounds a year)
Trex recycles all forms of polyethylene. Trex is one of the largest plastic bag recyclers in the United States. 7 out
of every 10 recycled grocery bags in the U.S. end up at Trex (about 1.5 billion
per year)
Their manufacturing process is as green as their final product. Trailers are hydraulically powered with vegetable-based oil. Their proprietary processing method eliminates smokestacks. Factory runoff/refuse is recycled back into the manufacturing line.
As much as possible, Trex packaging is made from recycled paper and plastic.
They regularly seek out third-party audits to make sure they're continuously improving thei green practices while meeting all environmental, health and safety guidelines and regulations.
Their commitment to salvaging and reusing materials begins at the local
level, with the sponsorship of several community-based recycling programs at major national grocery and retail chains. Trex has joined with Penn Jersey Paper and Goodwill Industries to launch the BagSmart™ program, a comprehensive initiative to help consumers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey recycle and reuse plastic bags - thus reducing their impact on the local environment.
The Plastic Bag Challenge program has seen great success among schools in Virginia, Georgia and Northeast areas. School-wide competitions are held to see who can collect the most plastic bags to recycle with Trex. Kids get excited and interested in recycling early.
Participating schools compete to collect the most plastic bags to be recycled by Trex and reused in their communities. If you would like Trex to help start a local recycling program in your community, school or university, contact us at recycle@trex.com.
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Amazing Web Tool :
The Earth Clock
This amazing tool was brought to my attention by the Organic Consumer's Association. At first they thought it was a bit depressing, but then they decided it's a great motivator to remind us all of the limited time we have to make positive change. Watch population growth, CO2 emissions, oil depletion, desertification and more all on one screen and all in real time. This web tool assesses the statistics related to these issues in one time and in one place. Let it blow your mind and motivate you to step up your efforts.
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| Food for Thought |
The next time you feel like complaining, remember that your garbage disposal probably eats better than 30 percent of the people in the world.
- Robert Orben
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| Recipes |
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Pressed Chicken with Yellow Squash and Tomatoes
Gourmet | August 2008 by Ruth Cousineau
Under the weight of a second skillet, the "pressed" chicken releases its fat and juices into the pan and ends up cooking in all that sumptuousness. The result is almost unbelievably moist meat. Adding the quick-cooked vegetables and the spicy perfume of marjoram completes what is sure to become a go-to recipe in your dinner arsenal.
4 chicken breast halves with skin and bone (2 to 2 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 teaspoon chopped marjoram, divided
Pat chicken dry and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
Add chicken, skin side down. Cover with a round of parchment paper, then a heavy pot or skillet, followed by a 3- to 5-pound weight (such as two 32-ounce cans or a brick wrapped in foil). Cook 10 minutes, then remove weight, pot, and parchment.
Turn chicken over and re-cover with a clean round of parchment, pot, and weight, then cook until just cooked through, about 8 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm, covered.
Add squash, tomatoes, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to fat in skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until squash is just tender and tomatoes have become saucy, 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in any juices from plate and season with salt and pepper. Spoon over chicken.
Sprinkle chicken and vegetables with remaining teaspoon marjoram.
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Warmly,
Pam and the Plow to Porch Team
Plow to Porch Organics
PO Box 2514
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
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Getting to Know David Gaynes
Please give me the pleasure of introducing you to, David Gaynes, L.Ac., M.T.O.M., a local acupuncturist, natural healthcare practitioner and friend. He has offered to write a monthly column for us based on his years of experience and passion for whole food nutrition and health.
His years of clinical experience have shown him that the key to creating exceptional health is building a foundation with whole food nutrition. Focusing on finding the root of the problem, he successfully integrates healing philosophies from both East and West to help his patients achieve optimal and radiant health.
If you have healthcare questions please contact David Gaynes at info@SBTotalHealth.com or 805-682-6492.
After a summer which felt way too fast, just last week I noticed on my morning walk, a bit of the Autumn "chill" in the south coast air. We all naturally make some adjustments in our lives when the weather changes, such as warmer clothing, but what about changes in our food and nutrition?
It is said in the ancient Chinese classics, that those who lived long healthy lives, did so by living according to nature. A foundation of health is that as the seasons change we should alter our diet accordingly. The ancients were very connected to the ebbs and flows of the earth and the seasons, much more than we are today. I think we have only to benefit by implementing some of their simple wisdom. They believed that the energy of nature (humans included) has a "directional" component that changes seasonally as well. The direction of the energy in autumn is downward and it's no coincidence that foods that grow underground like root vegetables such as yams, parsnips, and potatoes are readily available at this time of the year. Consuming these seasonal foods during the autumn helps to align you and your internal biochemistry with the flow of nature. When you are in balance with nature your body will be more resistant to disease.
Mother nature helps us out with our selection and will provide for us whatever is appropriate for our climate. This is one of the best reasons for eating what is grown locally.
Here are some examples of other foods readily available during the cooler months of autumn and winter:
Apples, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Collard Greens, Concord grapes, Italian Parsley, Fennel, Jerusalem artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Pears, Peppers, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Shelling Beans, Turnips, Winter Squash.
One of my favorite autumn concoctions using seasonal local delights is a Yam Apple Bake. It's so simple you don't even need an exact recipe. That's actually my excuse for being a bit rebellious in the kitchen. I don't like to follow recipes too closely. I have made this a bunch of different ways and it always tastes delicious.
Combine: 2-3 large yams with 2 tart apples. I like to chop them both into large chunks so they maintain a little texture. Mix them together in a baking dish with a handful of dried cranberries. Add a bit of salt, 1-2 Tbsp of melted butter, cinnamon, organic maple syrup (you don't need too much because the apples and yams are already sweet) and if you really want to get fancy, a little fresh orange zest.
Cover it up and bake it at 375 degrees until it's done. You have to decide how much time depending on how much form and texture you want in the final product.
To your great health!
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Sixty Thousand Organic Consumers and Locavores Visit "Slow Food Nation"
In an amazing demonstration of mass public support and creativity, sixty thousand people attended the nation's first Slow Food Nation convention in San Francisco on Labor Day weekend, underlining America's need and desire for a new system of food and farming that is local, organic, and Fair Trade--not to mention delicious. Among the major themes at the conference was a call to eliminate labor exploitation in the natural and organic food sector.
Learn more---Visit the website of Slow Food Nation.
Organic Consumer's Association
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