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Your Guide to Well-being and Wild, Crazy
Healthy Living!
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June 2009
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___________________
Free Holistic Health Consultation
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answered, and
the
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out more about
a personalized
health program,
completely catered
toward your busy
lifestyle and needs.
Visit Barbara Taylor Health
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Greetings all! This is going to be a short newsletter as I am buried in planting, but will hopefully help inspire you to take on some new healthy habits as we start the summer. I have a lot of changes and evolutions planned for myself and Mark and the farm and all its animal and plant inhabitants - I think it is a great blessing to have a community of people who are all working together to improve and evolve together, and that is how I think of this newsletter group. Last month, we went over the 500 member mark, and all of the 500 people are local, sustainably-minded, holistic thinkers and doers. I really love writing this newsletter to this great group of people. Thank you!
Having fun
On that note, I wanted to share some thoughts on having fun. I'm always jumping on a soapbox about food - what's healthy, what really isn't, etc. etc. But food is actually rather secondary to our health. If you are not happy, you won't feel healthy, and it doesn't matter if you eat organic homemade food, you won't truly utilize what that food has to offer unless you are happy and contented and joyful while eating and digesting it.
And then we also turn to food when we feel out-of-sorts. We can turn a weight-loss plan into a real success story if we focus on getting happy and make having fun a priority. In other words, Eat Less, Play More!
Remember when you were a child and you got so wrapped up in playing, imagining or creating that you didn't want to stop when it was time to eat? Do you remember leaving your meal half-finished to run off and continue playing? Children innately understand that food is secondary to what is most nutritious and primary in life: fun and play.
As adults we seem to have lost our instinct to prioritize play. In our busy world, with its emphasis on work and responsibility, to be healthy and balanced we must focus on more than just our bodies; we must feed our whole selves: hearts, minds, and spirits.
Have you noticed that when your body, mind, and spirit are engaged in a creative project or happy relationship, your reliance on food seems to decrease? Likewise, when you are unsatisfied with your relationships, your job, or other areas of your life, you may depend on food to cheer, soothe, or numb you. When you are bored, you suddenly need a chocolate bar. When your life is out of balance, no amount of food can feed you where you truly need nourishment. The food that we eat is very important for health and balance, but what really feeds us - a full and fulfilling life - doesn't come on a plate.
What is fun for you? What makes you light up? What excites you? Make time for it this week. Even if you are very busy, try approaching a "serious" activity with an attitude of play. This can greatly reduce stress and anxiety. Don't forget the stereo and your CD collection; playing them while doing drudgery makes it much better - dance a bit too - get your body and muscles moving, and it is hard to feel depressed. Even a big languid stretch can make you feel better, even at your desk at work. Next time you find yourself doing something boring or tedious or hard and confusing, stop and re-evaluate the situation and find a way to have fun and grace while doing whatever task it is. Grace is such an empowering concept.
For the next week or so, at the beginning of the day, make planning something fun a primary task. If you're super busy - then make the primary task be to find a way to make one of your chores or projects more fun.
And while you're at it, think of how you can get someone else to start finding more fun in his/her daily life. Spread it around. And appreciate the people you love. Look at them and see them. And consciously make some gestures that show them how you feel. Give them respect, admiration, and love.
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 On Midsummer Farm - Plant and Seedling Update
SALE! We still have Tomato and tons of Thai Siam Basil plants along with a variety of other herbs and perennials. Feel free to stop by Wednesday evenings between 6:30 and 7 pm if you want to pick up some last minute garden additions. We are selling these plants at a discounted rate of 3 for $10 at this point. First come, first served....
Also, we have raspberry canes available - they were at the Plant Sales, but were still looking like a stick-in-a-pot-of-dirt. But, they are now taking off, so consider stopping by Wednesday evening and picking one or two up - they are $9 per pot, and are a variety called 'carolina' - which is a late bearing, September variety with a great flavor.
And we must announce our two new partners on the farm, Maremmas Winston and Prudence will now be in charge of poultry safety and groundhog patrol.
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Food Focus: Raw and Cooling Salads
Why is it that in the summer we naturally crave more fresh and raw foods? These foods have a cooling effect on the body. The lightness and high water, fiber and vitamin content work together to act as our internal air conditioning during these warm months. At this time of year we also need less dense, high-energy food because we get so much energy from being outside in the fresh air and sunshine.
There is no better season than summer to have fun creating your own fresh, tasty, creative salad combinations. By simply tossing together several of your favorite raw veggies, naked or with a light dressing, you have a perfect meal for a hot summer's day.
Try your favorite leafy lettuce with various sliced, diced or grated veggies. The possible combinations are endless. Fresh herbs are a wonderful option to mix in, as they are packed full of flavor. Experiment with adding diverse forms of protein to your salads, such as nuts, seeds, beans, tofu, fish or poultry. Pick up a light and healthy dressing at your local health food store, or mix up something easy, like lemon juice, black pepper and olive oil.
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This Saturday - June 13th -
is Chicken Day at Midsummer Farm!
One thing that gives Mark and I lots of joy are the chickens - could you have guessed that? And I would like to announce that we still have space for a couple more people in our Organic Backyard Poultry Workshop this Saturday 10 am -12 noon. The workshop focuses on how to raise chickens in a humane and organic manner (when you do things this way, it is all pleasure really!). Give us a call (845-986-9699) or email (info@midsummerfarm.com) if you want us to save you a spot in the workshop. Workshop cost is $36 per person.
The heritage breed chicks are due to arrive this week and will hopefully be ready for pick up at the farm at 12 noon on Saturday. If you ordered chicks and cannot make it Saturday, send me an email and we'll arrange another time. If you did not get an official order in with me in March but do want chicks, please do not hesitate to call or email me - we always some extras!
 Eggs
We have had a bit of a slow down in egg production the past couple weeks, but we seem to be picking up again now. This always seems to happen this time of year when Spring changes into Summer. Feel free to stop by the farm on Wednesday evenings between 6:30 and 7 pm to pick up eggs. $8 per dozen.
Please check out our website for more information about what we're doing. Midsummer Farm
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Building a Salad Dressing
You don't have to feel you need a recipe for creating a salad dressing. You just need to be aware of four elements and then look around your kitchen and start building your own new and exciting dressing.
4 elements to a salad dressing:
1) Vinegar
2) Oil (you can never really go wrong with Extra-Virgin, Organic, Cold-Pressed Olive Oil)
3) Backbone flavor: garlic or onion, pepper, salt, and a dash of sweet
4) Upfront flavor: Chopped Herbs and savory greens
optional 5) - some protein
You can use any type of vinegar from good old apple cider to fancy flavored vinegars; Just try to keep in mind your other ingredients and use a vinegar with a matching flavor. Although Extra Virgin Olive Oil is always a sound choice, a salad is the prefect place to use your delicate, more volatile oils like walnut, pistachio, and flax seed. You will probably always want to add something oniony - garlic powder, chopped fresh garlic, chopped chives, thinly sliced scallions or welsh onions, thinly sliced red onions, etc. And a dash of sea salt or seaweed usually helps round out the flavors. Experiment with red pepper flakes, paprika, and freshly ground black peppers. And adding a sweet usually really brings it all together - this could be a dash of fair-trade organic sugar, a dallop of brown rice syrup or barley malt, some chopped fresh stevia leaves, or a handful of berries or slices of pear. If you used balsamic vinegar, your dressing will probably be sweet enough. And don't forego adding chopped fresh herbs and spring greens! The protein you choose is totally up to you - beans, nuts, seeds, chicken, shrimp, avocado, hard boiled egg, tuna, pork - all seem to go well in most salads. Adding a protein really makes the salad into a meal. And once you have artistically created it, don't skimp on the dressing - it is the fats in the dressing that helps you fully metabolize all the nutrients and minerals in the raw greens.
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Disclaimer
© Copyright 2008 Barbara Taylor-Laino, HHC / Barbara Taylor Health. All
Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright,
contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission,
when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired,
permission in writing from Barbara Taylor Laino is required.
This information newsletter is designed as an educational
tool for better health. Recipes and information are included as
examples for you learn from; they are not diagnostic or prescriptive.
Everyone's health needs are different. This newsletter is not to be
used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any
health condition or problem. Any questions regarding your own health
should be addressed to your own physician or other healthcare provider.
The entire contents of this newsletter and the websites of Barbara
Taylor Laino and Midsummer Farm are based upon the opinions of Barbara
Taylor Laino, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based
upon the opinions of the respective author(s), who retains copyright as
marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a
one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and
is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of
knowledge and information from the research and experience of Barbara
Taylor Laino. You are encouraged to make your own health care decisions
based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health
care professional.
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Thank you very much!
Forward to a Friend
It's such a pleasure to help those closest to us become happier and
healthier. Please forward this newsletter to friends, family members or
colleagues who might be interested and inspired by it.
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Farm Contact Info
Barbara and Mark Laino
Midsummer Farm
156 East Ridge Road
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-9699
info@midsummerfarm.com
Holistic Health Counselling Contact Info
Barbara Taylor-Laino
Barbara Taylor Health
156 East Ridge Road
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-9699
info@barbarataylorhealth.com
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