Guns to shovels: Oakland activists melt deadly weapons into garden tools

Bronte Velez, co-founder of Lead to Life, is photographed with guns obtained in a buyback program at her home in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, March 20, 2018. Velez and Kyle Lemie will be in Atlanta on April 6-8, the weekend of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, to to meet with King’s daughter Bernice King and hold an “alchemy ceremony,” where they will finish turning 50 weapons into 50 shovels. They will then use the shovels to plant trees. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

“OAKLAND — A small arsenal of deadly Bay Area weapons is on its way to Atlanta, soon to be transformed from tools of violence to tools of peace, healing and hope.

The “Lead To Life” project — 50 guns melted and cast into 50 shovels, to plant 50 trees — will commemorate the 50 years since a bullet struck down civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. as he stood on the balcony of Room 306 at Lorraine Motel in Memphis, changing America forever.

Organized by two young Oakland activists and hosted by The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, the April 6 ceremony will not just mourn the loss of King but also other lives claimed by mass shootings, suicides, gang warfare and domestic violence.”

Read the FULL STORY at: “MercuryNews.com“

Detroit “Agrihood” Sparks Discussion On Urban Farming

An urban farming “agrihood” in Detroit’s North End has received a deluge of attention – both positive and negative.

The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative, or MUFI, is a nonprofit that proposed what they called “America’s first sustainable urban agrihood” around their two-acre farm in the North End neighborhood of Detroit.

An agrihood is a neighborhood that grows around a farm, often created in a rural area – but MUFI’s proposal is for an agriculture-centered community in the middle of an urban neighborhood.

“It’s no secret that the north end is facing a lot of development pressure right now, and how we choose to implement that is going to have a profound impact on the people here and the people that are moving here,” said MUFI’s co-founder and president, Tyson Gersh. “We truly think that the way we are approaching this is going to be inclusive. Everybody is going to be able to win together.”

Read the FULL STORY at: “OneGreenPlanet.org“

Expo West 2018: Tips, Food Trends, and My Top Picks

Attending Expo West has been a dream of mine. This year, I was finally able to go and it was everything I thought it would be, and more! As a health food junkie it was like going to Disneyland (which just so happened to be across the street). I got to try some products I hadn’t heard of and taste products that haven’t even hit store shelves yet. It was also really cool to see the various food trends.

If you ever plan on attending Expo West, here are some of my quick tips.

• First: book your hotel yearly. I waited too long so options near the convention center were either booked or too expensive. I ended up staying about ten miles away, but being closer would have been nice. They do have free parking at the Angels Stadium and shuttles that bring you to and from the parking lot to the convention center. That was a wonderful service! We never had to wait for a new bus. They have that system down to a science.
• Second: use the bag drop service. They have a tent on site where you can drop off your bags as they start to fill up and get really heavy. My back did not enjoy the added weight. Comfortable shoes is a must!
• Lastly: don’t eat breakfast.  Normally I would never suggest skipping meals.  I made this mistake the first day and was already full before I got to the Expo. Just about every booth offers samples to try on site and I had to turn down so many. Not everyone offers packaged samples to take with you, so if you want to try it, you want to have an appetite to do so.

Food Trends

I noticed a lot of food trends. Not all of them are really that new or surprising, but still, it was fun to see them. The health nut inside of me was jumping for joy.

Adding turmeric to everything! Things like cereal, kombucha, salad dressing, drinks, or ghee. You name it, they put turmeric in it. With the thousands of studies that prove its health benefits and support of a healthy inflammatory response, it is no wonder that it has become so popular.

Dairy free ice cream is all the rage. This is not surprising with all of the digestive issues going on in the world today. One of the top allergens I see even with my own clients is dairy (particularly cow dairy). So it’s great news that there are now so many different types and flavors of dairy free products hitting the shelves. You can have your ice cream and eat it too! (See the “My Favorites” section below for my top pick.)

Lots of sparkling beverages. Even Chameleon Cold Brew is adding a sparkling coffee to their line. This is another trend that isn’t too surprising considering all of the people getting smarter about soda. Even diet soda has been shown to impact blood sugars and contribute to weight gain, so instead of giving up the bubbles altogether, there are now more options for a better substitute. The flavor possibilities are endless! Some are completely unsweetened and other use Stevia or monk fruit.

Cauliflower is the new grain free substitute. You no longer have to painlessly make cauliflower crust at home. It actually isn’t that hard to do when you get the technique down, but if you don’t feel like making your own at home there are a couple of brands now on the market. I even saw cauliflower crackers and cauliflower flour represented at the expo. This makes an amazing grain free and gluten free substitute especially if you can’t do nuts (almond flour).

Fermented everything! I see lots of digestive issues in my private practice (pretty much 100% of my clients) so I am glad to see we are becoming more concerned about protecting our gut bacteria. The fermented salsa from Wildbrine was awesome! I tasted so much kombucha during the Expo and I am not complaining about it at all. I am a sucker for a good kombucha and the flavor combinations I tasted are brilliant.

My Favorite Products

Out of all of the products I tried (and man I tried a lot) these were some of my top picks:

Best dairy free ice cream: Van Leeuwe (get the Earl Grey Tea flavor – I am still dreaming about it)

Best sparkling beverage: Sound Sparkling Rose Tea (has lime and cardamom in it, plus it is organic and unsweetened)

Best kombucha flavor: this is a tie between Humm Hopped Grapefruit (which is seasonal) and Soma Delight Jun Kombucha Pomegranate Rose (I am a sucker for floral flavors)

Best new to me product:  Yoot Dandelion Root detox tea reminds me so much of my homemade herbal coffee.  It contains dandelion root, chicory, cinnamon, and cardamom just like my home brew so it was no surprise that I loved it!

Best dairy free yogurt: You know I am always going to love Coyo coconut yogurt and they have a new vanilla flavor that is coming out which was amazing! I also loved Forager’s new greek-style cashew yogurt. The lime flavor was delicious and oh so creamy!

Best new products from already great companies: One of the fun things about going to Expo West is that a lot of great, established companies use it as an opportunity to introduce new products that haven’t yet hit the market. Three of my favorites fell into this category.

Rebbl is releasing some new flavors that are amazing, Berries & Creme and a Roots Mango Spice.

Siete is coming out with some new flavors of their already popular grain free tortilla chips and you will need to get the ranch flavor when the time comes.

Primal Kitchen has a bunch of new products coming out and their Lemon Turmeric salad dressing was my favorite of all the new stuff.

Jackson’s Honest already makes the best potato chips cooked in coconut oil but they are adding a grain free puff to their line.

I hope you enjoyed the highlights and if you followed along with me on Instagram I appreciate it!  Till next year.

The post Expo West 2018: Tips, Food Trends, and My Top Picks appeared first on The Organic Dietitian.

17 Common Diseases of Leafy Vegetables: Photos, Prevention, and Treatment

“Diseases of leafy vegetables can cause devastating effects to your crop. They can completely kill your crop or significantly reduce its quality, which means that you can incur great losses if one of the diseases strikes your garden.

Just in case you didn’t know, leafy vegetables refer to crops such as: collard green, kale, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, rape, cauliflower, lettuce, celery and turnip, among others. They belong to the family- Cruciferae.

There are several diseases that attack leafy vegetables, and they are majorly caused by fungi, bacteria or viruses. If you grow greens or planning to grow them, here are the common diseases of leaf vegetables, their causes, prevention, control and treatment. See clear vegetable disease photos in order to exactly diagnose the problem with your crop!”

See all 17 Diseases at: “DenGarden.com“

Top 30 Organic Gardening Blogs and Websites For Organic Gardeners

Top 30 Organic Gardening Blogs Winners

CONGRATULATIONS to every blogger that has made this Top Organic Gardening Blogs list! This is the most comprehensive list of best Organic Gardening blogs on the internet…and we are honored to BE ON THE LIST!

Here’s just a few of the TOP 30 Winners!

Urban Organic Gardener
Organic Gardener Magazine
Organic Growers School
Aussie Organic Gardening
Skippy’s Vegetable Garden
Edible Backyard
Misfit Gardening
Organic Gardener Podcast
Gaia’s Organic Gardens
Portland Edible Gardens
The Gardening Goddess, Jolie Ann Donohue
The Wealthy Earth
Organic Veggie Patch
Sage Garden Herbs
Garden Delights
Dig It

View the full list at: “blog.feedspot.com“

What you think about pesticides depends on your farm literacy

(Matt M. McKnight/Crosscut)

In January, Knute Berger and Matt M. McKnight took the time to visit some of our farms in Whatcom County and then explained in Crosscut why bridging the urban-rural divide is so important for our state and communities. After all, as they mentioned, our failures to understand one another can blossom into hot political issues. What happens in urban areas affects farming and rural communities — and vice versa. For instance, a crisis in farming can quickly disrupt the food chain supplying city dwellers.

In February, the issue of pesticide use by farmers arose and provided a compelling example of what happens when the bridge between rural and urban mindsets fails.

A bill was introduced into the Legislature by well-intended and mostly urban legislators. It proposed to solve a “problem” with pesticide application by requiring four days’ notice before a farmer could apply necessary crop-protection materials. Farmers opposed the measure which was reported in Crosscut. That February article, in the view of farmers, added to the bill sponsors’ misperceptions about farmers and their interest in protecting workers, consumers, and neighbors.

Read the FULL ARTICLE, here: “Crosscut.com“

82 Sustainable Gardening Tips

1. I use an old plastic mesh bag to round up leftover slivers of soap. I rubber-band the bag so it’s tight and hang it next to the hose. The combo of the slightly abrasive bag and the soap scrubs off garden dirt. — Irene, Washington

2. I make row covers out of tomato cages, old rebar I got free, and used blankets I got at the local thrift store. — Cathy, Florida

3. Instead of purchasing expensive weed-blocking landscape cloth, I use free old tarps from my local lumber store that they used to cover wood during shipping. — David, Utah

4. I gather pieces of concrete to use as stepping stones in my garden. — Susan, Virginia

5. I recycle drink cups to grow tomatoes from seed. When they’re ready to transplant, I simply remove the bottom inch or so of each cup and plant directly in the ground. This prevents cutworms from making a meal of my transplants. — S., California

6. I was given some heavy-duty metal “for sale” sign frames, and I placed them in my raised beds to support bed covers in early spring. — Kat, California

7. Old pantyhose are my friends: They make garden ties, and I use them to “bag” cantaloupes growing on trellises so the melons have extra support. — Donna, North Carolina

8. I make all my garden fencing with scrap wood and build my veggie trellises and arbors with fallen branches and saplings. — Irene, New Jersey

9. My plant tags are twigs with a shaved-off area to write on. — Michelle, New York

10. For a cold frame in late winter, we prop old windows against straw bales. When I know we’re in danger of a frost, I take old bean poles and jab them into the ends of my beds, throw old sheets over them, use stones or bricks to hold down the edges, and voilà! I have a makeshift tent in my garden. — Liz, Ohio

Read 72 MORE TIPS, here: “MotherEarthNews.com“

Classic Banana Bread (Gluten Free)

Trying to eat healthier doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite recipes.  For the recipes I don’t want to say goodbye to, I prefer to find better ingredients to swap out for old ones.  I posted how I do just that with my go to Banana Nut and Seed Bread recipe on my Instagram page and had requests from you to share more.  While this grain-free banana bread is delicious, sometimes you just want a piece of Classic Banana Bread.  This is it!

The original version of this banana bread came from the Flour’s famous banana bread that was posted on the Food Network’s website.  I have used this recipe for years and I can absolutely see why it is famous.  When I used to make this recipe I would use all-purpose flour, white sugar, and vegetable oil.  I stopped making if for a couple of years because I prefer not to bake with such refined ingredients.  This bread is one of my husband’s favorites, so when he asked me why I didn’t make banana bread anymore I knew it was time to make a few swaps.

Have some ripe bananas on your counter? You need this Classic Banana Bread @organicRD
Click To Tweet

Eating well isn’t about giving up everything you love; it’s about finding and using better ingredients.  Look for ingredients that are more nutrient-dense and less processed. 

For my Classic Banana Bread recipe I only made a few simple changes.  Instead of all-purpose flour, I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour.  Many of my clients don’t do well with gluten so this flour makes baking gluten-free much easier.

When it comes to sugar in a recipe I always prefer replacements like honey, coconut sugar, or maple syrup.  For this recipe I wanted it to be as close to the classic version as possible (my husband especially is pretty picky that way) so I used an organic raw cane sugar and didn’t put in as much as was called for in the original recipe.  I typically cut sugar amounts in most recipes because my taste buds have adjusted over the years.  The full amount of sugar in the original recipe would be too sweet for me.

Vegetable or canola oil is often used in baked goods because it doesn’t add much flavor, but the downside is that this type of fat is highly inflammatory.  Coconut oil is amazing for baking but the coconut taste can be overpowering.  My husband hates coconut!  He can taste coconut in a recipe from a mile away.  Since I make this bread for him, I had to find a solution.  Enter: refined coconut oil.  Generally I don’t recommend refined oils but Nutiva brand has a better refining process than others.

Nutiva Refined Coconut Oil is made though a steam-refining process. Absolutely no chemicals are used! The benefit of refined coconut oil is that it has a higher smoke point than virgin coconut oil. You can cook with it at up to 400°F (versus 350°F for virgin coconut oil).

The other benefit of the refined version is that it doesn’t taste like coconut.  When I use it in this recipe my husband doesn’t taste coconut at all!

See?  It is it possible to enjoy some of the recipes that you love while still making healthier choices.  Enjoy!

Classic Banana Bread

Why say goodbye to your favorite recipes? Replace old ingredients with new ones instead! This Classic Banana Bread recipe is gluten free and uses higher quality ingredients, making it tasty and healthier.

• 1 2/3 cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup organic cane sugar
• 2 each eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 4 each very ripe bananans, peeled and mashed
• 2 tablespoons coconut cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup walnuts

1. Set oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Line bottom of a 9×5 loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper.

3. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  

4. In the same bowl add sugar, eggs, oil, mashed banana, , coconut cream and vanilla.

5. Mix the ingredients together to form a batter.

6. Fold in the walnuts.

7. Pour the mixture into the lined loaf pan.

8. Bake for 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and a knife comes out clean.

9. Allow to cool completely and store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Choose organic ingredients when possible.

The post Classic Banana Bread (Gluten Free) appeared first on The Organic Dietitian.

What Would Make Urban Agriculture in New York City More Equitable?

Reverends Robert and DeVanie Jackson, founders of the Brooklyn Rescue Mission Urban Harvest Center in New York City, are proud of the fig trees and raised beds in their organization’s urban garden. Since 2002, local students and senior citizens have tended the crops that help stock the mission’s food pantry. A mile and a half away, Bushwick City Farm, which started in 2011 with volunteers reclaiming a vacant, garbage-strewn lot, now provides free, organically grown food to in-need community members.

Despite deep roots in their communities, both of these urban farms are at risk of collapse. The Jacksons may lose their land in March unless a crowdsourcing campaign can raise the $28,000 they owe the bank for the lot, located in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. And though the owner of Bushwick City Farm’s lot originally told the farmers they could use the space, in August, he changed his mind and gave them 30 days to vacate. The owner has yet to enforce that order, but that could change at any moment.

“We’ve got 30 chickens there, and we didn’t have anywhere to go; we felt like we were participating in the community and he wasn’t,” said Bushwick volunteer James Tefler. “The neighborhood rallied around us and we had meetings with city government representatives.”

Read the FULL STORY: “CivilEats.com“

This Swedish Indoor Urban Farm Wants To Revolutionize How We Live And Eat

In the basement of a landmark 27-story tower in Stockholm’s central Kungsholmen district, Owe Pettersson is hoping to sow the seeds of an indoor urban farming revolution.

Pettersson is the chief executive of Plantagon, a new Stockholm-based urban farming venture set to kick off operations in the basement of an office block in the Swedish capital later this month.

“This will be one of the most advanced food factories located in a city that we have today,” says Pettersson, who has spent more than 25 years in the insurance and banking industries.

He is by no means the first enthusiast for indoor farming, which has become increasingly fashionable in recent years. Claims for the practice of growing food in basements or warehouses range from feeding people in desert environments to reversing the negative environmental effects of monoculture farming.

Read the FULL Article, HERE: “HuffingtonPost.com“

Win a FREE Seed Club Subscription!

Win a FREE 1 Month Subscription to UOG’s Monthly Seed & Garden Club! https://urbanorganicgardener.cratejoy.com/offer.html

Everything is delivered to you at just the right time of the year. [All based on your grow zone – growing conditions – garden location – preferences – and more!]

Now is the perfect time to join as we are currently getting ready for the upcoming spring planting season!

Let our Garden Guru’s curate a collection of seeds & garden supplies just for you – your grow zone – garden space – location – and more. Includes everything you need to grow 5 new edible plant varieties every month – varieties can include herbs, vegetables, flowers, sprouts, micro-greens, bulbs, and more! Join the rest of the UOG community and get growing now!

ENTER TO WIN: https://urbanorganicgardener.cratejoy.com/offer.html