It is the first official week of summer! We thought we would kick off the summer with some fresh organic pineapple.

One funny fact about Pineapple:

In the 50’s, McDonalds founder Ray Croc tried to increase his sales on Fridays (due to the large catholic population that wouldn’t eat meat on that day) by introducing the “Hula Burger”. This burger contained the usual burger fixings such as a bun, pickles, lettuce and cheese with a pineapple patty that was fried in butter! (Yuk!) The item was not a big seller and was pulled after a few months. In 1962 Ray Croc found the solution to his slow sales on Friday; The Filet O’ Fish. I don’t think culinary skills were one of Mr. Croc’s strengths!

NewsReport Confirms More Health Benefits of Organic food

Organically grown foods higher in cancer-fighting chemicals than conventionally grown foods

Fruits and veggies grown organically show significantly higher levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants than conventionally grown foods, according to a new study of corn, strawberries and marionberries. The research suggests that pesticides and herbicides actually thwart the production of phenolics chemicals that act as a plant’s natural defense and also happen to be good for our health. Fertilizers, however, seem to boost the levels of anti-cancer compounds.

Flavonoids are phenolic compounds that have potent antioxidant activity. Many are produced in plants in response to environmental stressors, such as insects or competing plants.

“If an aphid is nibbling on a leaf, the plant produces phenolics to defend itself,” says Alyson Mitchell, Ph.D., a food scientist at the University of California, Davis, and lead author of the paper. “Bitter or harsh phenolics guard the plant against these pests.”

The need for these natural safeguards decreases with the use of herbicides and pesticides in conventional agriculture. This decrease is reflected in the total amount of antioxidants the plants produce. “This helps explain why the level of antioxidants is so much higher in organically grown food,” Mitchell says. “By synthetically protecting the produce from these pests, we decrease their need to produce antioxidants. It suggests that maybe we are doing something to our food inadvertently.”

Mitchell measured antioxidants found in corn, strawberries and a type of blackberry called a marionberry. “We started with these three due to plant availability,” Mitchell explains, “but we intend to widen our search to include tomatoes, peppers, broccoli and a variety of other vegetables. We expect these results to be transferable to most produce.”

The investigation compared the total antioxidants found in foods grown organically (using no herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers) to foods grown sustainably (in this study fertilizers but no herbicides or pesticides were used) and conventionally (using synthetic chemicals to protect the plants and increase yield).

The results showed a significant increase in antioxidants in organic and sustainably grown foods versus conventionally grown foods. The levels of antioxidants in sustainably grown corn were 58.5 percent higher than conventionally grown corn. Organically and sustainably grown marionberries had approximately 50 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown berries. Sustainably and organically grown strawberries showed about 19 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown strawberries.

“Originally, the question was just really intriguing to me,” says Mitchell, whose research grew naturally from a personal interest in organic foods. “I found that the higher level of antioxidants is enough to have a significant impact on health and nutrition, and it’s definitely changed the way I think about my food.”

What’s in the Bin This Week:

Bananas        
Green Leaf Lettuce*
Red Plums        
Corn
Strawberries        
Celery*
Pineapple        
Zucchini*
Donut Peaches    
Cauliflower
Grapes        
Green Beans

*Locally grown

Bananas have no fat, no cholesterol, or sodium and are a great source of potassium.

Grapes are high in phytochemicals such as quercetin, catechin, and anthocyanin. According to preliminary studies, these phytochemicals may help protect against heart disease and certain cancers.

Plums are best stored in refrigeration. They make a great juicy snack.

Donut Peaches are originally from China. They are very sweet and make a great snack. Ripen them at room temperature for a couple days, and then they can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple more days.

Corn is a great source of potassium, fiber, and vitamins A & C.

Pineapple is a great source of vitamin C and potassium. Studies have found that pineapple also contains other natural substances that promote healing, relieve indigestion and build bones.

Strawberries are high in Potassium and have many uses. Great in smoothies!

Green Leaf lettuce makes a more nutritious salad than iceberg lettuce. A good rule of thumb when it comes to lettuce is the darker it is, the more nutrients it contains.

Zucchini are a summer squash. High in vitamin C and potassium. Try sautéing in olive oil.

Green Beans are a source of vitamins A and C. They are great steamed, boiled, or sautéed.

Cauliflower is high in vitamin C and Potassium. Cauliflower is great boiled, steamed, sautéed, microwaved or served raw. To avoid discolored water when boiling, add a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Celery is high in potassium and a source of vitamin C and fiber.

Recipe of the week:

Eden’s Pineapple Sorbet

You will need:
1 ripe pineapple
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large egg white, slightly beaten

Instructions
Trim the top and bottom of the pineapple.
Then slice down the sides to remove the skin and any flesh.
Dig out any brown, fibrous eyes.
Cut pineapple into quarters. Remove the core (along the peak of each quarter).
Puree the pineapple in a food processor.
Add the sugar and lemon juice and blend.

Place the puree in freezer.
Add the egg white when the puree begins to freeze, then resume freezing.

Makes about 6 cups.

The Week of June 18th, 2007

In the next few weeks some of you may have your delivery day changed.  You will be notified in advance if there are any changes.  If your delivery day does change and it will not work for you, please let us know and we will work with you to figure something out.

Many of you seemed to enjoy the bins that were heavy on the fruit, so during the summer while the fruit is plentiful, we will try to keep more fruit in the bins (tomatoes and avocados count as veggies!).

News

EarthTalk: What’s the Connection Between Breast Cancer and Chemicals in the Environment?
E Magazine. Posted June 18, 2007.

Groundbreaking research found that synthetic chemicals have likely played a large role in the rising incidence of breast cancer throughout the world over the last half-century.

A groundbreaking research study coordinated by the non-profit Silent Spring Institute and recently published by the American Cancer Society found that synthetic chemicals have likely played a large role in the rising incidence of breast cancer throughout the world over the last half-century. The study identified 216 man-made chemicals-including those found in everyday products like pesticides, cosmetics, dyes, drugs and gasoline (and diesel exhaust)-that have been shown to cause breast cancer in animals. Researchers believe these substances, many of which “mimic” naturally occurring hormones once inside the body, are also to blame for the increasing prevalence of human breast cancer.

Another telling clue is the fact that the breast cancer risk of adopted children parallels the risk of the family they grew up in, not that of their biological family, as proven by analyzing medical records from Scandinavian countries that keep detailed registries following people from birth to death. “What we understand is that if cancer runs in your family it could be because your family had similar eating patterns, similar lifestyle patterns as well as lived in the same area,” says Davis. “It’s really important that we take another look at…the kinds of chemicals that we are using everyday,” she adds. “We think that there are alternatives that can be used.”

In the meantime, consumers can help prevent cancer by buying and eating organic foods, avoiding pesticides and other synthetic chemicals whenever possible, using non-plastic containers to reheat and store foods (some plastics are thoughts to leach cancer-causing chemicals into food when heated), and supporting government regulation and more research on synthetic chemicals and their effects.

What’s in the Bin This Week:

Bananas
Red Butter Lettuce
Black Plums
Broccoli
Strawberries
Cucumbers
Cherries
Carrots
Nectarines
Green Onions
Grapes
Tomatoes
Kiwi

Grapes are high in phytochemicals such as quercetin, catechin, and anthocyanin.  According to preliminary studies, these phytochemicals may help protect against heart disease and certain cancers.

Plums are best stored in refrigeration.  They make a great juicy snack.

Nectarines are similar to peaches but are a separate and distinct fruit.  They have a smooth skin.

Bananas have no fat, no cholesterol, or sodium and are a great source of potassium.

Strawberries are high in Potassium and have many uses. Great in smoothies!

Kiwi fruit has lots of vitamin C.  They also supply magnesium, fiber and potassium.  Ripe kiwi can be refrigerated for a couple weeks.

Cherries should be stored unwashed in the refrigerator.  Eat them quickly because they have a short shelf life of about 3 days.

Red Butter Leaf Lettuce is similar to regular leaf lettuce but also has a “buttery” taste.  Provides lots of flavor and color for a delicious salad.

Cucumbers are a great addition to any salad, or served sliced with some vinegar, salt and pepper.

Carrots are high in vitamin A and are great for snacking and cooking.

Green Onions are almost identical to scallions.  They can be used interchangeably in recipes.  Chopped green onions are great on salads, in soups and many other dishes.

Broccoli is believed to contain a natural compound that helps prevent some cancers.  They are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, calcium and iron.

Eden’s Tzatziki Sauce

1 cucumber
½ tsp. salt
8 oz plain yogurt
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chopped scallions or green onions

Chop cucumber finely and drain in a strainer.
Sprinkle salt let stand for 10 minutes.  Place cumber
in bowl with the rest of ingredients and mix.
Refrigerate and serve.

This sauce is great with Gyros and salads.

In the next few weeks some of you may have your delivery day changed.  You will be notified in advance if there are any changes.  If your delivery day does change, it will not likely change by more than one day.  For example, if your delivery day is Wednesday, it could change to Tuesday or Thursday.  If your delivery days do change and it will not work for you, please let us know and we will work with you to figure something out.

Many of you seemed to enjoy the bins that were heavy on the fruit, so during the summer while the fruit is plentiful, we will try to keep more fruit in the bins (tomatoes and avocados count as veggies!).

News

How to grow your lawn the organic way

By Dean Fosdick
For The Associated Press

A cultural turf war is being waged across America.

On one side are the traditionalists who shear and spray and fertilize and take great pride in their picture-perfect lawns, as well they should.  On the other are the organic practitioners whose legions are swelling and whose focus is shifting from flower and vegetable gardens to the grass making up the rest of their properties.

When it comes to lawns, the cultural divide is clear.  Pastoral perfection is not the primary goal for organic subscribers. Certain “weeds” can be tolerated, such as clover, which not long ago was encouraged for use as a nitrogen-rich grass supplement until backyard golfers discovered their putted balls didn’t roll that well on it.

Organic practitioners don’t bag their clippings, either. Under the natural rather than chemical way of doing things, grass clippings are mulched and allowed to recycle, bulking up soil microbes in the process.  Organic-tended lawns also are permitted to grow higher than the golf-course standard so they can crowd out weeds. While some observers would issue demerits for the slightly tousled look, others consider the taller stems good preventive medicine.  “The best defense against weeds is a healthy grass,” said Paul Tukey, a landscaper and author of “The Organic Lawn Care Manual” (Storey Publishing, 2007).  “Mow less frequently and mow higher,” Tukey said. “When you let the blades grow longer, more of the plant’s energy goes into the roots. Deeper roots withstand drought better and insects better.”

There are many reasons for taking lawns organic, Tukey writes.  “They’re safer for families, pets and the environment. They use fewer fossil fuels, water and fertilizer. They can be less expensive and, in time, require less of your time — which allows you to enjoy your lawn rather than fret about its upkeep. I don’t want to be preachy about it,” Tukey said in a telephone interview from his home in New Gloucester, Maine. “I mean, I still use a gas-powered snowblower. . . . But I know what goes into these chemicals and I don’t want my children to roll around in anything potentially toxic.”  Property owners for the most part are more interested in ridding their lawns of weeds than they are about growing grass, Tukey said.  “Anybody can put chemicals down and see it work for a while. … But what’s going on underneath? You’re not building up the soil. You’re creating a dependent lawn waiting for its next fix of chemicals.

“But in three years, four or five, you can use natural methods to make your lawns self-sufficient. You can speed the process and shorten it to about a year if you want to be aggressive in the transition.”

The transition from traditional lawns to organic takes patience. It begins by building up what’s buried beneath the grass rather than by dealing with the grass itself.  “If you feed the soil, you feed the plant,” Tukey writes. That means nurturing and balancing the soil, adding compost - at least a half-inch per year — and then determining your level of dissatisfaction with the existing lawn.  Is it a matter of plugging a few holes, reseeding to thicken the growth or taking a deep breath and starting over? The latter would involve tearing up the existing turf, adding richer and deeper topsoil and then laying sod or seeding.

The choice of methods is up to the property owner, of course. Tukey’s advice in one sentence: “Treat your soil well with compost and natural fertilizers, pick the right grass for your climate and sunlight situation, water well, use the right tools, and mow properly with a sharp blade.”

You don’t have to go it alone. More and more companies are examining the profit potential in offering organic lawn-care services, or at least a more earth-friendly blend of the traditional and natural.

“There’s not a huge groundswell of people purchasing the (organic) services, but there’s some interest,” said Peter Korda, vice president of Scotts LawnService, a subsidiary of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. in Marysville, Ohio.  “We offer two flavors of organic choice,” Korda said. “One is 100 percent organic using Scotts natural lawn food. That is essentially fertilization only. There are no organic pesticides out there yet that we’re comfortable with.  “We also offer a (service) flavor that bridges the traditional chemical program with organic choice. With this, we don’t use any preventative weed, insect or pest controls. But if a specific problem starts, we may do a targeted chemical response.”  Like most certified operators, the Scotts LawnService technicians handle the “do-it-for-me” aspect of the residential market, said Su Lok, a corporate spokeswoman.  “They emphasize the service side of most lawn-related things - diagnosing, fertilizing, treating weeds and insects. They don’t do the maintenance side, like mowing and pruning trees or shrubs.” Pricing varies, depending upon the size of the property and the program the homeowner selects, organic or otherwise.  “But, say for an average size lawn of 6,000 to 7,000 square feet, our conventional Turf Builder program is roughly $60 per visit,” Lok said. “That includes free service calls. The Organic Choice program is higher in price, due to cost and quantity of organic lawn food required to feed the lawn and the amount of work and time needed to apply the product.”

In the end, however, the effectiveness of any turf program depends primarily upon the resident.

“If the homeowner isn’t watering properly, that will impact what we do,” Scotts’ Korda said. “If the homeowner is using dull (mower) blades or scalping, that can be damaging.”

What’s in the Bin This Week:

Cantaloupe
Romaine Lettuce*
Black Plums
Cilantro*
Nectarines
Snap Peas
Grapes
Jumbo Onions
Peaches
Zucchini
Packham Pears
Roma Tomatoes
Fuji & Granny Smith Apples
*Locally grown

Cantaloupe is high in potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C.  A delicious fruit on its own, but is also delicious in smoothies and fruit salads.

Grapes are high in phytochemicals such as quercetin, catechin, and anthocyanin.  According to preliminary studies, these phytochemicals may help protect against heart disease and certain cancers.

Peaches are high in potassium and a source of vitamin A and
Vitamin C

Zucchini are a summer squash.  High in vitamin C and potassium.  Try sautéing in olive oil.

Pears also contain phytochemicals to help fight heart disease and certain cancers.  They are also high in soluble fibers that lower cholesterol.

Roma Tomatoes like all tomatoes are botanically a fruit.  Roma tomatoes are often called Italian plum tomatoes.  The Italians love Roma tomatoes because they are thick-fleshed and meaty which makes them perfect for tomato sauces.

Onions are a good source of potassium.  If you refrigerate an onion for about an hour before using, it helps reduce eye irritation.  Lemon juice helps remove the smell of onion from your hands.

Cilantro is a very important ingredient in Mexican and Asian cooking because of its fresh contrast to spicy ingredients.

Romaine Lettuce is the lettuce of choice when you desire a crunchy salad.  Romaine is also the most commonly used lettuce for Caesar salad.

Plums are best stored in refrigeration.  They make a great juicy snack.

Snap Peas are sweet and crunchy which makes them great for snacking or salads.  They are also great sautéed.

Nectarines are similar to peaches but are a separate and distinct fruit.  They have a smooth skin.

In the next few weeks some of you may have your delivery day changed. You will be notified in advance if there are any changes. If your delivery day does change, it will not likely change by more than one day. For example, if your delivery day is Wednesday, it could change to Tuesday or Thursday. If your delivery days do change and it will not work for you, please let us know and we will work with you to figure something out.

Many of you seemed to enjoy the bins that were heavy on the fruit, so during the summer while the fruit is plentiful, we will try to keep more fruit in the bins (tomatoes and avocados count as veggies!).

News

According to the Environmental Working Group, foods vary in the amount of pesticides they contain. They have defined the following fruit and vegetables as “The Dirty Dozen” because they found that the conventional versions of these produce items contain the highest level of pesticides:

• Peaches
• Apples
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes
• Bell Peppers

What’s in the Bin This Week:

Bananas
Grapefruit
Raspberries
Grapes
Strawberries
Peaches
*Spinach
Cauliflower
Celery
Cabbage
Baby Carrots
Green Onions
Grape Tomatoes

*Locally grown

Bananas have no fat, no cholesterol, or sodium and are a great source of potassium.

Grapefruit like all citrus fruit are very high in vitamin C and many other nutrients. The best way to eat a grapefruit is to cut it in half, then scoop out fruit with a spoon.

Raspberries are loaded with potassium and fiber. Studies have shown that the antioxidants in berries may slow age related functional declines such as memory and vision.

Grapes are high in phytochemicals such as quercetin, catechin, and anthocyanin. According to preliminary studies, these phytochemicals may help protect against heart disease and certain cancers.

Strawberries are high in Potassium and have many uses. Great in smoothies!

Peaches are high in potassium and a source of vitamin A and vitamin C

Spinach is great raw or cooked. It is great in salads, lasagna, soups or by itself.

Baby carrots are high in vitamin A. They do not need to be peeled like regular carrots and are great for snacking. You can use them in place of regular carrots when cooking.

Cauliflower is high in vitamin C and Potassium. Cauliflower is great boiled, steamed, sautéed, microwaved or served raw. To avoid discolored water when boiling, add a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Grape Tomatoes are actually baby Roma Tomatoes. Their sweet flavor makes them great to eat right out your hand, in salads, or as a sweet substitute for cherry tomatoes.

Green Onions are almost identical to scallions. They can be used interchangeably in recipes. Chopped green onions are great on salads, in soups and many other dishes.

Celery is high in potassium and a source of vitamin C and fiber.

Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin K, which may reduce the risk of osteoporosis. It can also prevent clotting disorders and contains phytochemicals that may help prevent some cancers.

Recipe of the Week:

Stir-Fry Cabbage

2 table spoons of peanut oil
1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger
1 green cabbage thin sliced, cut into quarters
5-6 chopped green onions
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Heat peanut oil in a large pot or wok over high heat. Add ginger and stir for about 30 seconds. Add about half of the cabbage and toss until wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Then add remaining cabbage, green onions, and sesame oil. Toss until all cabbage is crisp and tender, (about 3-4 minutes) Season to taste with pepper and soy sauce