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  Your Guide to Well-being and Wild, Crazy 
  Healthy Living!
August 2009
In This Issue:
~Sunshine is GOOD for you!
~August Educational Opportunities!
~Herbal Harvest & Sage
~Tomatoes, Rainy Summer, Copper, and the Blight!
~Crafting a Risotto
~On the Farm AUGUST
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If you've been thinking about cooking as a lost art form and its effects on human fulfillment, You will really enjoy this!
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Click below to read Michael Pollen's article from the NY TImes inspired by the Julia Childs movie ;

Michael Pollen's new article on cooking

To get on Michael Pollen's mailing list
click here!
Pollen's book, In Defence of Food
Green PeppersGreetings all! 
Well, the heat has finally come upon us - and our tomatoes are finally starting to
get some color! I've been spending some of these hot days working on upgrading website stuff. You'll soon see some exciting new developments including new websites for more intense information on ways to re-energize yourself along with topics like weight loss, skin care, re-arranging eating habits, meal planning, strategizing exercise, and much much more. Our heirloom poultry projects will also be branching out and filling in, and we will adding all new information on growing organic berries, superfoods that you can grow in small spaces with very little maintenance.
 
I have started a website to archive the articles from these newsletters in one place - you can access it here.  And you can also still find additional links and materials on the Midsummer Farm website's Newsletter Extras and Links page.

Best always,
Barbara



  • Stop Hiding from the Sun!  Vitamin D and Sunshine
Sunshine is OK!!!! The sun is not out to get you or cause skin cancer or make you look old! Human Bodies have been living and thriving on this planet for thousands of years, and nature has not suddenly turned against us....
    Now that the growing season is in full swing, I have many people asking me if I am concerned about being out in the sun so much. I actually get dire warnings weekly. And I always answer - "not at all!" - and in fact I think I need to make an effort to expose more of my skin to sunshine as I have the traditional 'farmer's tan' going on, where my arms, neck, and face are tan, but the rest of me stays covered and sealed against ticks and mosquitoes and itchy weeds .... it is harder to get enough sun that you think!
    Sunshine is a Disease Fighter. Sunshine has now been proven to significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many other diseases. A recent study found that men who are deficient in vitamin D, which the body produces in response to sunlight, have more than double the normal risk of suffering a heart attack. And in fact, men with vitamin D levels below 15 nanograms per milliliter had 2.5 times the risk of having a heart attack or dying.
    Another study found that low levels of vitamin D increased the risk of diabetes, and another linked vitamin D deficiencies to an increased risk of dying from breast cancer. These findings all join a growing body of evidence indicating that an adequate level of the vitamin, which many people can get from 20 minutes in the sun each day, is crucial to maintaining good health. [Source: Archives of Internal Medicine June 9, 2008; 168(11):1174-1180]
    Put spending some time in the sun each day this summer on your list of priorities.
 
   Study after study have been proving that it is no coincidence that northern countries (with less intense sunlight and darker winters) have higher levels of heart disease than sun-filled southern countries, and more heart attacks occur in the winter months, when sunlight is scarce. Getting a daily dose of vitamin D boosts your natural anti-inflammatory response. And vitamin D also works by lowering insulin resistance, which is one of the major factors leading to heart disease in the United States.
    For some reason, the sun has been vilified in the United States. Many people have been convinced that staying out of the sun is necessary to avoid cancer, when actually the exact opposite is true. As Joseph Mercola puts it, "Why would anyone in their right mind want to exchange the risk of a few harmless skin cancers with that of serious life-threatening challenges like colon, breast, prostate, and colon cancers?"
    Of course, you don't want to get excessive amounts of sun (everything in moderation!) or mix heavy sun exposure with chemicals like the ones in sun-tan lotion or sun-block. You should avoid getting burned, but generally speaking you can safely spend anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours in the sun every day with beneficial effects. If you have dark-colored skin or live far from the equator, you will need to spend more time in the sun than someone who is light-skinned living close to the equator.
    If you are a person who regularly spends time outdoors, without sunblock (sunblock screens out ultraviolet light, which interferes with vitamin D production in your body), then your vitamin D levels may be OK. However, most people spend a lot of time inside and do not get adequate sun exposure on a daily basis. Sunlight through windows doesn't work. And you do want as much of your skin as possible to be exposed to sun.
    A Note: Between sunscreen and bug repellant, people are really slathering their bodies with the equivalent of a 'toxic waste dump' - there are no studies done checking on the safety of mixing those chemicals and exposing your skin to the sun. Their effects on children also have never been fully tested. I would be very, very careful using them.
    Testing for Vitamin D   Many integrative practitioners are strongly encouraging people to have their vitamin D levels tested. If you are currently facing chronic disease, it's even more important that you get your levels checked, as vitamin D deficiency could be a factor. The test is a simple blood test called 25(OH)D, or 25-hydroxyvitamin D. You can request it from just about any doctor, but ideally you should get it from a holistic physician who understands the importance of vitamin D, and can knowledgeably guide you into getting your levels optimized. Honey Bee on Mountain mint
    Although sun exposure is always the best method of getting vitamin D, most people do need to take a vitamin D3 supplement to keep their levels up. There is massive confusion out there, even among health care professionals, about what's healthy and what's not when it comes to sunlight and vitamin D. For instance, certain vitamin D supplements (vitamin D2) are highly inferior to vitamin D3, and should not be taken.
Meanwhile, some doctors will tell you your vitamin D levels are "normal" if they're over 20 ng/ml. In reality, your vitamin D level should NEVER be below 32 ng/ml and should really be 45-52 ng/ml to be optimal.
    I personally take 2000 IU's of D3 everyday. (Please note, this info is not meant as a recommendation or to substitute for a doctor's advise.) And I am outside a lot. But I usually wear a hat and gloves and jeans and boots. And when I come inside, I'm sweaty and dirty and take a shower first thing. Vit D is metabolized in the oils on your skin. And it is now known that it can take 48 hours for the Vit D to get to your bloodstream after sun exposure. So here's one more reason why people are so deficient in Vit D - we take too many showers and wash off the oils before they metabolize the Vit D. One thing that helps is not to use soap and very hot water. In other words, wash off the sweat and grime but don't deeply wash away the oils. In general, this is healthier for your skin anyway. You can smell the sun metabolizing on your skin. Inhale a deep whiff of your arm after being in the sun a long time; lightly rinse with cool water; you will still be able to smell the sunlight. If you try this and wash with hot water and soap, you won't be able to smell the sun anymore.
    So, take some time, sunning without gardening or doing something that will get you sweaty so you can go on with your life afterwards without needing a shower. Make it a priority to take some time off, read and relax in the sun.
    Check out Joseph Mercola's new book, Dark Deception: Discover the Truths About the Benefits of Sunlight Exposure for more info on this topic and also make a visit to his website - it's full of great info.
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Two Great opportunities!
I also want to let everyone know about two really awesome learning opportunities. The first is a Holistic Nutrition Course being offered by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC (they are offering huge discounts for August enrollment) and the second is a Permaculture Certification course being offered right in Warwick this Fall.

Here is the info on the two programs:

Holistic Nutrition Course with Certification as a Holistic Health Counselor at Instritute for Integrative Nutrition, NYC.
I am a graduate of this program, and highly recommend it both for people wanting to get more information on holistic / integrative nutrition and for people thinking that they may want to get out there and spread the ideas and philosophies of holistic nutrition to others! The speakers are awesome - Andrew Weil, David Wolfe, Mehmet Oz, Sally Fallon, Marion Nestle, Walter Willet, John Douillard, Mark Hyman and more of the top authorities on holistic health. I actually had tears in my eyes at the end of some of these lectures - these are authors whose books I had been living by for years - learning from them in person was just so dramatic!

The point of the course is not to force one holistic modality or philosophy upon you but rather present all the major ways (from Raw Vegan diets to Ayurvedic to Atkins) so you can get familiar with them and be able to intelligently pick a philosophy that works for yourself, your family and friends, and each individual client you may have.

The other big strong point for me was the course's focus on providing guidance for starting a Health Coaching Business or Program of your own. Whether you want to work with private clients, start school lunch programs, upgrade hospital food programs, do workshops for corporations, work with various volunteer programs, or even add to your current modality and health related business, you get direction and knowledge of where to start, how to market, etc. The class provides big motivation and support for changing to a career that you love and that you feel will make a difference in the world or starting your own world-changing business.

For the month of August, they are offering all sorts of huge discounts - if you mention my name, Barbara Taylor-Laino, you get a $1,000 Tuition Scholarship. You have to enroll by August 31 though! And that's on top of the $1,300 savings you can receive as part of the current tuition stimulus, for a total of $2,300 savings!

Here's a link to the postcard about the AUGUST savings program:
http://media.integrativenutrition.com/uploads/marketing/media/AugustTuitionScholarship.pdf

You can call and talk to an admissions counselor with no obligation today @ (877) 730-5444. And you can also feel free to call or email me if you want to talk more about it. I believe they are now doing a Distance Learning version as well as the NYC classes, so you have a lot of options!

Check out their website for more info and to download a course catalog - IIN WEBSITE
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Fancy Tailed Roosters - Juan Carlos and Fidel
Permaculture Design Certificate Course:
CREATING TRUE HEALTH & WEALTH
Designing Ecological & Bioregional Economies In Warwick and in the U.S.
 

For those unfamiliar with the term Permaculture, Wikipedia defines it as "an approach to designing human settlements and perennial agricultural systems that mimic the relationships found in the natural ecologies." 

The 72 hour course features in-class lectures, field trips and hands-on workshops taught by Andrew Faust of The Center for Bioregion Living who will be joined by a team of experienced educators who will present new and exciting ideas as the course progresses. The class will take place at Hathorn Farm (21 Hathorn Road) which is conveniently situated just moments from the center of town where Route 94 and 1A converge.

The dates have been confirmed and they are as follows:
Month        Sat | Sun
Oct              10 | 11
Oct              24 | -
Nov               7 | 8            
Nov               -  | 15
Nov             21 | -
Dec               5 | -
Dec            12  | -
Jan               9  | 10

Here is a broad outline of what will be covered:
Learn how to design a truly ecological integrated and highly self sufficient Community Supported Farm, Ecovillage, Homestead, town or region.We will synergize new and innovative techniques in farming, architecture and planning with time-honored traditions and the rich history of the Hudson Valley. We will explore how to adapt Warwick, NY to thrive as a hub of permaculture abundance in an era of economic instability, climate change, severe pollution, peak uranium and peak oil.
 
Lectures, extensive and diverse handouts, discussions and field trips will explore: Methods for regenerating local economies and regional self reliance, the economics of globalization, providing individuals with practical tools for creating positive social change, inner-city gardening techniques, cultivating gourmet mushrooms, indoor and apartment gardening, making fermented foods, whole foods, Living Machines and natural wastewater treatment, biogas generators, ecological niche market and value added business ideas, passive integrated water systems, rain gardens that alleviate flooding while addressing sewage treatment plant overflows and clean water, living roofs, rooftop gardens and regional energy systems.

Other topics include: The evolution of agriculture, Biodynamics, natural history of Eastern woodlands, passive solar and natural building techniques, biodynamic orchards, fruit and berry production, watershed health and the integration of animals into cultivated ecosystems.

A certificate from Andrew Faust is recognized by many Permaculture related institutes and organizations throughout North America, including Permaculture Activist magazine however the most important benefit this course will provide is the intellect you will have developed after taking the whole course.  The 72 hours is dense with information yet it will provide you with the right framework to design your farm/living situation in a way that is most beneficial in the long run.

Being that budgets are tight we are happy to organize this course at cost just to set a precedent for this education in our region. To learn more we'd be happy to give presentations in the community, especially local High Schools, so if anyone would share contacts that could help us get the word out that would be great. There will be a limited number of seats - so sign up as soon as possible.

Should anyone have any questions please feel free to contact:
Ermin Siljkovic and Jamie Manza
FutureHarvest
(845) 239-2174
(845) 986-9729
[email protected]

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If you haven't started already - now is the time to harvest your herbs! Millie and the Basil Harvest

Basils - are easily frozen
Thyme, Sage, Oregano - are best dried
Dill and Parsley - can be frozen
Rosemary, Lavender, and Lemon Balm - can be dried
Chives - can be frozen
Tarragon - should be dried
Comfrey, Plantain, Self-heal can be dried

Some herbs really aren't stored well - so eat plenty now - here are some examples: shiso, holy basil, lemon and lime basil, lemon grass, cilantro, mint, lemon verbena, puslane, salad burnett, and sorrel

And herb plants do best when they are harvested often!


Food Focus: SAGE
Ways to use your Sage
A browned butter and sage sauce.

Mince onion and sage leaves, add to melted butter in a saucepan.  Cook until onions are soft and butter just turning color. Add pre-cooked ravioli, tortelli, or gnocci. Add pepper and salt to taste. Mix until coated and cook until heated. Throw chopped parsley and/or other herbs like chervil, and serve.
Pork Chops or Chicken Dark Meat.

Saute with onions, garlic, and chopped sage. Add salt and pepper - black and/or red - to taste. Add a sprinkle of fresh chopped sage and/or other herbs like thyme or parsley just before serving.
White Bean Dip
Put can of white beans in a food processor, add one clove of garlic, four or five fresh sage leaves, salt and pepper. Process until smooth, adding extra virgin olive oil to keep the mixture turning and chopping smoothly.
Green Beans
Steam chopped green beans with three or four fresh sage leaves in a bit of water.

Types of sage:
We grow a wide variety of sages. Here are some general descriptions:

~The thick, round leaf variety is sometimes called German Sage - it is a stronger sage. Great with anchovy paste! Our favorite variety that we grow is called Berggarten. Does fine outside through the winter.
~The oval pointy leaf variety is sometimes called Italian sage. The best culinary sage, called White Dalmation Sage, is this type of 'Italian' sage (Midsummer Farm is one of the only growers of this sage in the U.S.). Dalmation Sage has a wide breath of sagey flavors in it - the bitterness of other sages is much more subtle. Can be cold sensitive, but most varieties will be fine through the winter.
~There is also White sage, which is not considered a culinary sage, but rather, a ceremonial sage. However, it is edible and you can use it in any of the recipes above - just be aware that it is much stronger in flavor than the culinary sages. Most come inside before first frost.
~There are also colored and varigated sages, like Purple sage and Golden sage, which are pretty, but usually have weak or off flavor.
~There are also flavored or scented sages - like Pineapple and Honey-melon. These attract hummingbirds and are wonderful smelling, but generally don't taste great and can't be heated. They usually have to come indoors before first frost in this area.
~And then there are a wide variety of medicinal sages - like Clary and Pitcher sage. Some of these are biennials - like Clary Sage, which forms a rosette the first season, then comes back next season to form a spire of flowers.
~And we can't forget the cutflower and ornamental sages - like the red salvia annual and other Meadow varieties like Marble Arch.

Storage:
Sage doesn't freeze very well. It is however, easy to dry and stores indefinitely dried in a cool dark place. To dry sage, tie four or five branches of sage leaves together and hang from a light fixture or other clean, dust-free, dry space. You can also put a brown paper bag over them or cheese cloth to keep off dust, animal fur, etc. The sage leaves should be dry in a week or so if the air isn't too humid. After they are fully dry, place in plastic bags or glass jars in a cool, dry cabinet (in other words, not in sunlight, or over the stove).

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Tomatoes, Rainy Summer, Copper, and the Blight!

Well, it is indeed a tough year for tomatoes and tougher for farmers who really count on tomatoes as a main crop. If you didn't actually get the Late Blight on your tomato plants, you probably haven't seen many ripe ones yet. Tomatoes and other nightshades like peppers, eggplants and potatoes, need full sun and warm nights to flourish. Tomatoes are the more sensitive of all the nightshades and the cool nights and rainy sunless days we had through July just didn't allow the tomato plants to mature.

Here at Midsummer Farm, we have not seen the Late Blight, but up until this current hot week, the tomatoes were just sitting on the vines, green and hard, not ripening. Some were that way for 4 weeks. I have never seen such a thing. It is really just a crazy summer as far as tomatoes go. Of course, cool weather is good for a lot of other crops, so we certainly appreciate that. But, I will be really sad if we don't get some good tomatoes though, and I can really feel for the tomato farmers!

But I wanted to write a bit about the Late Blight. Late Blight is a highly contagious fungal disease, spreading by contact and by wind. Usually we see a bit of this very late in the season, when the tomato plants are huge and tomato season is pretty pretty much done. Then we get a frost and the Late Blight and the tomatoes are finished. But to have Late Blight show up in this area so soon in the season before the plants have started even producing is just devastating. It can completely kill the plants and spreads wildly. The cool damp weather was perfect for nurturing and spreading the Late Blight. The evenings through June and July have been like late August/September evenings - cool and damp.

And there is another factor being investigated. A lot of people are pointing to the big stores like Walmart as the preliminary cause of the Late Blight showing up so early. Apparently the disease is being traced back to the hundreds of thousands of tomato plants sold by places like Walmart, Kmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc., that all came from a couple gigantic factory-style growing facilities. There really are no inspections done of nursery stock plants, and like other bulk-produced products, these tomato plants are of inferior quality, and possibly were diseased. So, as thousands of home gardeners bought up the plants, they made a giant web of Late Blight starting points that then spread out to farmers and other gardeners in their area. So, even people with heirloom plants that they purchased from small growers or that they grew themselves, were susceptible. I know many people who have lost all their tomatoes at this point, who would never buy from Walmart and the like.

But as much as I like to blame Walmart for as many evils as possible, I have to admit that the weather conditions were the reason why it was possible for this to spread as it did. But I am viewing this whole situation as yet another sign of how mass production doesn't work. How it actually hurts even the small farmer or gardener who should be free from these influences - who is working really hard to be free of these things - who just wants to grow healthy organic tomatoes and eat them - who has been waiting all year to eat a fresh local tomato, who would never buy an out-of-season tomato in Walmart or a tomato seedling. It really makes it clear how difficult it actually is to live independent from the voracious greed of globalized factory production. It is just not fair.

Well, on a more positive note - Why haven't we gotten the blight at Midsummer Farm? Well, it could be that we are far enough away from anyone else with it. We also have worked at creating buffer zones around our garden. But I want to also think that it is because we use biodynamic methods. We sprayed our fields with a wonderful tea made from Horsetail - Equisetum - known in biodynamic circles as 508. And I can positively report that it kept down fungus. In a year where we should be seeing the most powdery mildew on the squash and bee balm, we saw virtually none. In areas we didn't spray the 508, the bee balm and lilacs are covered with the usual amount of powdery mildew. It seems like a pretty solid test.

As the preliminary reports of Late Blight came out in June, Organic Farmers were direly warned to start spraying with certain products deemed acceptable by NOP (National Organic Program)/OMRI that contained copper. The copper would have to be continually reapplied proactively throughout the growing season. The copper spray is also expensive and I suppose that the companies who manufactured it made out this year. (Note: dried horsetail is very inexpensive.) Other than Copper, the NOP could offer no other recourse. And the copper just isn't very effective anyway. I am totally against spraying with copper. I feel we are all exposed to enough metals and we don't need more copper in our food and soil. Copper is not something to be taken lightly and too much copper in the human system is being linked to all sorts of health problems. Check out Ann Louise Gittleman's book, Why Am I Always So Tired?: Discover How Correcting Your Body's Copper Imbalance Can Keep Your Body From Giving Out Before Your Mind Does, Free You from Midday Slumps, Give You the Energy Break.

We have an issue with low-levels of zinc in our soil, and although adding more copper won't show up as too much copper in a soil test, the ratio between the zinc and copper will be thrown off, due to our zinc being low. Remember, ratios are usually more relevant than just amounts. Even in the human body, the problem is not just that there is too much copper present, but rather, the problem is that there is way more copper than zinc; the ratio is unbalanced. Also, copper affects slugs and snails adversely. Slugs and Snails won't touch it. That may seem good - to repel slugs from the plants - but do I want to then eat what a slug was highly offended by?

The philosophy is different. The copper spray is an attack on a fungus. The horsetail is a boosting supporting agent; it doesn't kill, it promotes plant strength so the plants and the microenvironment of the plant can fight off the pathogens.

Biodynamic Agriculture is the answer to so many problems and issues. It is even poised to heal what has been damaged by factory style production. And more and more biodynamic authorities are applying the principles to other primordial aspects of life beyond gardening - to cooking, wine-making, raising animals, developing artisanal tasks, etc.

Here are some great resources for learning more about biodynamics:

For the gardener:
Gardening for Life by Maria Thun
Agriculture Course by Rudolf Steiner
Graps the Nettle by Peter Proctor
DVD: How to Save the World

For anyone looking for artisanal grace:
The Biodynamic Food and Cookbook by Wendy Cook

Web Links:
A great page by the Organic Consumers Association
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association
The Pfeiffer Center
Demeter
 
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Crafting a Risotto
With all the fresh veggies and herbs available this time of year - I wanted to share a building outline for risotto. Any leftover meats in any amount can be added - just be creative.

~Cook onion and/or garlic in a little fat (butter, olive oil, bacon) You could add meats and vegetables like carrots, celery, mushrooms, etc. here too.
~Add rice and coat with fat and toast a bit.
~Add wine and deglaze pan.
~Pour in broth - keep it hot on the stove - 1-2 cups at a time and stir a lot, but not constantly, to release the starch and make it creamy. About 20 minutes. 1 cup of rice would need between 3 and 4 cups of liquid. You can ingredients throughout this process, depending on cooking time.
~Once rice is cooked, with a slight bite in the center, add any other ingredients you want - fresh herbs, duck confit, etc. Sometime you may want to take it off the heat and add some pats of butter or a sprinkle of cheese. And enjoy!
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Here Comes Winston!On The Farm - August!

August is always a dramatic month for the garden - everything is peaking and everything seems to know winter is coming and that it has to make a bigger effort.  The bugs are also bigger and more prolific! But as scary as some bugs can be, they also add to the magic and liveliness of the natural world. August is teeming with life and buzzing and color.
Tobacco Plant in Bloom
Our cotton and Tobacco experiments are doing well - I think! I was supposed to cut the flowers off the tobacco in order to get bigger leaves for drying, but I'm really not into smoking, and the flowers were gorgeous and smelled heavenly! 

I'm still waiting for something fuzzy to happen on the cotton plants ...

Cotton Plant
 
Disclaimer
� Copyright 2009 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.
Thank you very much!
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 Booth Lounging
Farm Contact Info
Barbara and Mark Laino
Midsummer Farm
156 East Ridge Road
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-9699
[email protected]


Holistic Health Counselling Contact Info
Barbara Taylor-Laino
Barbara Taylor Health
156 East Ridge Road
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-9699
[email protected]