Those of us who garden know that time spend in the dirt and among the plants makes us feel happier and less stressed.  But could it make us smarter as well?

Mycobacterium vaccae is a natural soil bacteria which people ingest or breath when spending time outdoors, especially in gardens.  In recent laboratory tests the bacteria was shown to promote neuron growth and increase serotonin levels in mice, which led to decreased anxiety behaviors.  Since serotonin also plays a role in learning, the scientists did additional tests and, lo and behold, the bacteria-fed mice also did significantly better navigating mazes then the control mice.

The research was presented at the 110th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in San Diego.  According to Dorothy Matthews of The Sage Colleges in Troy, New York, who conducted the research, "It is interesting to speculate that creating learning environments in schools that include time in the outdoors where M. vaccae is present may decrease anxiety and improve the ability to learn new tasks."  We're with you on that one, Ms. Matthews!

To read the full article from Science Daily, click here.  And thanks to MVGer Emily for passing this intriguing tidbit on to us!



Millions Against Monsanto

Monsanto was originally a chemical company, the maker of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.  More recently the company has become known as an agribusiness giant, based on sales of its herbicide Roundup, and the genetically modified (and patented) crops it develops to withstand Roundup.

And as documented in the Oscar-nominated documentary "Food, Inc." and numerous other reports, Monsanto is also known for harassing and suing small farmers, buying up seed companies to squelch competition, and generally doing everything it can to control the seed and agriculture business.

And a lot of people are beginning to fight back.

Last week, 50 members of the "Roundup Monsanto" group blocked gates at the former De Ruiter Seeds near Rotterdam in the Netherlands, a seed company acquired by Monsanto in 2008. The activists protested Monsanto's lobbying of the Dutch government and the European Union, in which the company is seeking legislative changes to make it easier for large companies to take control of the seed market and food production.  They also demanded an end to patents on seeds and living organisms.  You can read about their protest and watch a video here.

Farmers in India are also beginning to organize against Monsanto, as we learned from the recent visit of Indian sustainable farmer and advocate Revathi.  The company's products and attempts to control the market there are responsible for putting huge numbers of poor farmers in debt, with many of them committing suicide in recent years.

And now the most recent resistance is in Haiti, where Monsanto is trying to deliver chemically treated seeds to Haitian farmers. 

Peasant farmer leader Chavannes Jean-Baptiste of the Peasant Movement of Papay has called the seeds "a new earthquake," and his group has vowed to burn them.  According to Jean-Baptiste, pictured at right, the entry of Monsanto seeds into Haiti is  "a very strong attack on small agriculture, on farmers, on biodiversity, on Creole seeds..., and on what is left our environment in Haiti."  (To help contribute safe, organic, no-strings attached seeds to Haitian farmers, visit "Seeds for Haiti" here.)

Don't Curse Your Mint - Use It!

By this time of year, many backyard gardeners are struggling to deal with mint.  I know from personal experience how hard it can be to keep this invasive plant from spreading into one's vegetable beds.

At the same time, mint is one of the most delicious and delightful herbs available.  Nearly half the spices in your kitchen come from the same family as mint, including basil, rosemary, lavender, marjoram, germander, thyme, and savory.  Mint is also known for its medicinal properties, since the plant's volatile oils, especially menthol, are highly lethal to microorganisms.  The spicy oils are stimulating and warming.  They cause the body to open up and sweat, and can help you break a fever.

So if you've got it, don't curse this omnipresent herb, chop it down and use it! 

In our house we use mint leaves in salads, in pasta and other sauces, and in our iced tea and drinking water.  (Not to mention drying a bunch for use throughout the year.) You can also use it to make mint pesto, and my latest discovery for it (thank you, Nadine!) is in "kale slaw" (since my garden is producing bumper crops of kale right now too).  Just chop the kale up finely, chop up and add a bunch of mint leaves, and then dress the greens with a combination of lime juice and olive oil, with some tamari, honey, and a splash of lemon juice and maybe some sesame seeds thrown in.  When refrigerated the kale stays crisp for a long time, and this is one of the healthiest, tastiest, most nutritious "slaws" you will ever eat!  Enjoy! 



Was the Latest E-Coli Outbreak in Lettuce Caused by Factory Farmed Cattle?

Bagged lettuce suspected of causing a multi-state outbreak of E. coli  illness is raising new questions about whether pre-cut produce is riskier than whole vegetables.

The current outbreak, caused by romaine lettuce cut up and distributed in bags to 23 states and the District of Columbia, is the latest in a string of recent food poisoning cases involving pre-shredded leafy greens.  Twenty-three people in four states have been sickened, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and of the confirmed cases a dozen people were hospitalized and three developed a life-threatening form of kidney failure.

While the industry continues to claim the pre-cut greens are safe, others have their doubts. "I've been avoiding bagged lettuce for years," said Michael Doyle, a nationally known microbiologist who directs the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia. "I've been concerned about this for some time." Others point out that the pre-bagged greens pose cross-contamination issues, since  infected greens grown in one area can be mixed with otherwise unaffected greens from a different area, contaminating the whole batch. 

And guess what might have caused the contamination in the first place?  The current outbreak is drawing special attention because the lettuce was contaminated with E. coli O145, a strain that is primarily found in cattle and wildlife feces, according to the CDC.  Soil in farming areas near cattle farms are often contaminated with E. coli, which is then spread to the crops during growing and harvesting.

What's one sure fire way to avoid the contaminated food altogether?  That's right - buy your greens from local farmers, or grow them yourself!

To read the Washington Post article "Pre-Cut Lettuce is Suspected Cause of Food Poisoning Outbreak," click here.



Protesting French Farmers Turn Champs-Elysees Into Huge Farm

Farmers in France are well known for their high-impact demonstrations, yet even for them this recent protest is taking it to the next level.  The farmers took over the most famous avenue in the world, the Champs-Elysees, and turned into a huge green space in an event designed to highlight their financial plight.

Literally overnight, 8,000 plots of earth were brought into central Paris, and some 150,000 plants were installed - including 650 fully grown trees - representing French agricultural produce from the marshes of the Camargue to the plains of Picardy

"It's about re-establishing contact with the public about what our profession is and what they want from it," William Villeneuve, president of the Jeunes Agriculteurs, which pulled off the massive protest. "Do they want the cheapest products in the world or do they want products that pay producers?"

So when can we start having farmer protests like this on the National Mall??

To read "French Farmers Turn Champs-Elysees Into Huge Farm," click here.

That's it for this week, everybody! Please help support Montgomery Victory Gardens - click here to make a 100% tax-deductible contribution online!

And don't forget to send us your feedback and ideas for stories or local food events we can promote, by emailing us at info@montgomeryvictorygardens.org.