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May Newsletter from New Hampshire CSA
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Greetings!
The rising cost of fuel has again become front-page news. But we don't need the news to tell us about how fuel prices impact our daily lives, from the cost of commuting to the cost of doing business. And what about food prices? There is so much anxiety about the cost of commodities as the price of fuel climbs.
So what's really happening down on the farm? There's some good news and some bad news here. The good news is that fuel costs at NHCSA only make up 2-3% of our operating costs. Whew! Yes, we drive tractors and we deliver vegetables. But that's the beauty of a local and regional foodshed. We're not driving terribly far.
So where are you going to see price increases for your food? Think of the distribution system as a wheel, with the farm positioned at the center. Did you know that most food makes 3 - 5 trips away from the hub before it gets sold and eaten? That's refrigeration, time, and miles -- all calculable by fuel units.So here comes the bad news for farmers. If a wholesaler (somewhere out in the spokes) wants to make a competitive margin on food, who is he going to short when the market gets tough? Yep, the farmer. High fuel costs can actually hurt farmers via pressure to lower wholesale prices. It happens all the time. (Just imagine, on top of this, that you're a conventional farmer, using petroleum-based inputs for your crop management. Ouch!) The CSA model allows us to hold a steady value on vegetables when compared with fluctuating wholesale prices. We're here for you, and we're giving you full value for your money. Thank you, farm share members, for your commitment to this model! The wonderful thing about the size of our farmshare is that, even in times of scarcity, nobody ever gets shorted. This is not to say that high fuel prices aren't a bummer. They are! But we're holding our food prices steady, for the third year in a row. No hidden costs, just simple, farm-grown food direct to you. We're so glad to have you right here in the hub with us!
Like to use facebook? Check us out and please friend NHCSA. Post your recipes and comments too.
Loads of recipes on the website and they're easy too. If you have a favorite send it along to share.
Here is Gary's cell phone if you have questions 603 548 5550.
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by Fran Van Geyte, RD CSP
American Association of Pediatrics Says U.S. Fails to Protect Children from Hazardous Chemicals
The American Academy of Pediatrics released a new Position Statement this past April. The pediatrics group is the latest of a growing number of medical associations to call for changes in the way that the government regulates dangerous chemicals.The Toxic Control Act dates back to the 1970s and does not require chemical manufacturers to test their products for safety. Out of the 80,000 chemicals used by businesses only 5 chemical groups have been regulated by the law and only 15% of these chemicals have ever been tested for human safety. The burden of proof relies on the government, our taxpayers money but ultimately the safety experiment has been and continues to be on our children who are most vulnerable. They have been shown to be more vulnerable due to a greater concentration exposure on a per kg basis and due to their rapidly growing and developing brains and bodies. More studies linking pesticides and plastics to abnormal physical and neurological dysfunction continues to mount. Just in the past few weeks alone new studies show children exposed to the highest levels of pesticides before birth had lower IQ scores than other kids. Another study has found that boys exposed before birth to the highest levels of phthalates - chemicals widely used in plastic - were more likely to be born with anatomical defects such as undescended testes. Finally a study from the Environmental Working Group found that babies are born today are exposed to and contaminated with more than 200 chemicals, including flame retardants, lead and pesticides that were banned back in the 1970s. As I've shared in early newsletters many children's advocates say they're concerned that toxic exposures could be fueling the recent rise in early puberty in girls and a variety of chronic diseases, such as autism, allergies, asthma and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The Clean Water Fund and Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility released "In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development" which cites that more than 90% of US children have pesticides metabolites in their bodies. Studies show a link between chlorpyrifos (a common pesticide used on corn, wheat and numerous fruits and vegetables) and learning delays, reduced physical coordination, and behavior problems, including attention deficit disorders.
The Safe Chemicals Act 2011 introduced this April addresses the lack of and supports the regulation of chemicals that we are bombarded with when ingesting food, drinking water and circulating in the majority of babies' blood systems before they are even born. Regulation proposals similar to this one have been introduced multiple times and have failed. The evidence can no longer be ignored. The Academy of Pediatrics is now taking a position and giving a voice to the increasing number of children they see in their office with neurological and physical impairments. Maybe just maybe this will be the vortex that pulls these untested chemicals away from our food and environment. I hope this new position of the AAP will not only add to the growing medical and environmental advocacy groups but be that collective difference needed to end this reckless abandonment for the concern of our environment and our children.
It's time to place the burden of proof back on the chemical manufacturers.
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Ever get home and forget what that new vegetable is,
check out our veggie ID chart here.
Thank you to all the membership, we look forward to seeing our returning members and meeting all the new ones.
Enjoy and Eat Well.
Best Wishes for the coming year,
Gary and the crew
NHCSA
603 548 5550
The NHCSA is a multi farm CSA. We have created an alliance with accomplished growers who are either certified organic or growing organically. By supporting us, you're helping to sustain multiple small farm growers in their quest to provide quality produce.Together, we'll provide you with a colorful array of vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers that are fresh-picked and grown without contaminants.
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