09/10/13: “The Butterfly Effect”

Organic Living – what does this mean to you?  How are you contributing…
If you are reading this post, you are taking an action, you are enriching your mind; you have taken a step forward and broken a normal routine.  Does this have an effect in our world, region, city or local community?  Does it promote change; does it promote organic living?  Will it have a lasting effect on our community and encourage change?

All the above are very intriguing, valid and argumentative questions.  In short, I believe that:
YES – it does have an impact;
YES – it does contribute to organic living;
YES – it does have an effect in our world, region, city and local community; and
YES – it will promote change, organic living and have a lasting effect!

How, you ask?  Many times we often associate ‘organic living’ with buying organic foods & organic produce and thinking yes – I am living organically.  However, many time we do not explore and really think about and reach out beyond what we as ‘organic consumers,’ or as ‘organic believers/supporters’ are sustaining, promoting and becoming a part of, when we buy and consume organic products.

Going Organic can mean a lot of things. Most importantly, however, going organic means you’re…

Supporting the environment - Many hours of work, labor and dedication is done by those farmers, gardeners to produce organic products.  This is a direct reflection on the organic prices due to non-government support (this is a totally other subject for discussion later).  However, YOU as an organic consumer have decided to make that purchase and NOW you are supporting organic farming. 

In essence, YOU are contributing to nature, supporting natural farming practices; ensuring that the soils are cultivated naturally for generations to come – avoiding desertification (did you see the video that I posted…if not here you go: http://www.ted.com/talks/allan_savory_how_to_green_the_world_s_deserts_and_reverse_climate_change.html?source=facebook#.UhOrfXObfIl.facebook)
This is all accomplished with just your purchase of organic food & produce…did you ever think about that; had it crossed your mind…

The list continues…there are many other things that going organic means and that you are already contributing to; for instance:
Going organic also means you are making Ethical and Moral Decisions!
Factory farm animals are tortured, abused, and poisoned everyday with food they shouldn’t be eating and chemical they shouldn’t be injected with. This implicates a high level of wrong doing for non-organic, mass production farms.  By going organic it means that you are supporting naturally raised, free roaming, grass fed animals.  You are supporting natural biological practices and no torturing and abusing of animals.  We know that if they are organic, these animals were not injected, force fed, and literally poisoned throughout their short lived life to be sold.  Going organic is ethically and morally linked into the world of food and environmental awareness.

Lastly, by ‘going organic’ YOU are creating a sense of awareness and community.  In this case, it is a community that shares all the values already talked about.  When we come together as a group, we are able to do amazing things.

For those of you that saw yesterday’s post on FB (https://www.facebook.com/poppiandsons), this will be a reminder, for those of you whom didn’t, I leave you with the Butterfly Effect theory:
The Butterfly Effect scientific theory is that a single occurrence, no matter how small, can change the course of the universe forever. 
The logic behind its theory simply states that even SMALL, seemingly unimportant actions nevertheless have tremendous and powerful effects down the line! By buying, practicing, talking about, spreading organic living news & events - YOU have taken an Action that will have a Powerful Effect!

YOU and each one of US, together, CAN make a DIFFERENCE!

Check out the video link below illustrating how any decision, no matter how small can make an impact - enjoy!

https://vimeo.com/5139217

"Earthworms" - Our Dearest Friends

Ah yes, they're slimy, ugly and perhaps can bring a scare to some, but these little fellers are a gardeners best friend.  As Dr. W.E. Sheweel Cooper describes: "The earthworm's existence cannot be taken for granted!"
Dr. Cooper observed "tremendous numerical differences between adjacent gardens", and worm populations are affected by a host of environmental factors, many of which can be influenced by good management practices on the part of the gardener or farmer.

In short, if you have them your doing something correct (umm...organic gardening - no additions of pesticides or chemicals) and your soil and garden will benefit! WIN-WIN!!

Earthworms Help The Environment
Earthworms are more than just fish bait. They are the main contributors to enriching and improving soil for plants, animals and even humans. Earthworms create tunnels in the soil by burrowing, which aerates the soil to allow air, water and nutrients to reach deep within the soil. Earthworms eat the soil which has organic matter such as decaying vegetation or leaves. Plants cannot use this organic matter directly. After organic matter is digested, the earthworm releases waste from their bodies called castings. Castings contain many nutrients that the plant can use. Some people even use earthworm castings as garden fertilizer.

In addition, here are some more biological, chemical and physical benefits from our earthworm friends:

Benefits:
Biological: In many soils, earthworms play a major role in the conversion of large pieces of organic matter into rich humus, thus improving soil fertility. This is achieved by the worm's actions of pulling below the surface, deposited organic matter such as leaf fall or manure, either for food or to plug its burrow. Once in the burrow, the worm will shred the leaf and partially digest it and mingle it with the earth. Worm casts (see below) can contain 40% more humus than the top 9" (23 cm) of soil in which the worm is living.

Chemical: In addition to dead organic matter, the earthworm also ingests any other soil particles that are small enough—including sand grains up to 1/20 of an inch (1.25 mm)—into its gizzard, wherein those minute fragments of grit grind everything into a fine paste which is then digested in the intestine. When the worm excretes this in the form of casts, deposited on the surface or deeper in the soil, minerals and plant nutrients are changed to an accessible form for plants to use. Investigations in the United States show that fresh earthworm casts are five times richer in available nitrogen, seven times richer in available phosphates, and 11 times richer in available potassium than the surrounding upper 6 inches (150 mm) of soil.

Physical: The earthworm's burrowing creates a multitude of channels through the soil and is of great value in maintaining the soil structure, enabling processes of aeration and drainage. Permaculture co-founder Bill Mollison points out that by sliding in their tunnels, earthworms "act as an innumerable army of pistons pumping air in and out of the soils on a 24-hour cycle (more rapidly at night)". Thus, the earthworm not only creates passages for air and water to traverse the soil, but also modifies the vital organic component that makes a soil healthy.

In summary, earthworms play a huge role in organic gardening and is the ultimate sign or good organic practices.  It is a great sign to see these little friends of ours and contribute positively to our garden and environment.

The Debate Continues - Why Organic? Did you see those Prices!

In follow up to our recent post regarding the average consumer’s attitude about organic foods and primarily their prices, I thought it would be beneficial to do some deeper research and provide the Laredo and Overall community audience with more facts about organic foods, processes and prices.

We have all heard at some point, whether it be from TV news, commercials, documentaries, health nutritionists, CrossFit coaches, Carmen or myself, stress why Organic is so much better - not only for the consumer, but for our environment. However, I understand doubt may remain in our minds regarding organic foods and their PRICES especially when it involves our money.

Now don’t get me wrong; I am not here to tell you that you MUST buy organic, but rather I am trying to stress to you the importance of organic. I will be explaining the price differences & why’s; educating and share information about organic processes and at the end hopefully provide you with enough information to make an educated, informed decision as to why you should begin to make a gradual transition towards organic when possible. It will benefit your families, environment and you!

So let’s begin!

In the following sections I've pulled credible research for you to show:

1. Why organic is better
2. Price differences – on the AVG – between organic and conventional; and
3. Why is organic more expensive

Organic Is Better Because:

• Studies have linked pesticide exposure to cancers, neurological damage as well as birth defects and even possible early onset of Parkinson's.
• Choosing fresh, organic ingredients you'll not only lower the amounts of toxic pesticides in your body, but also halves your levels of bisphenol A and phthalates, both of which can alter your hormones.
• Supporting organic farmers reduces the amount of pesticides, such as atrazine, that enter our waterways where they harm aquatic life and end up in our drinking water supplies.
• Sustaining and helping organic farms grow also provides habitats for many more species than conventional agriculture. Among those animals that benefit are song birds, which thrive on insects found in organic fields.
• Organic agriculture also helps fight global warming: Organic agriculture can bind 1,000 lbs of carbon per acre, whereas conventional agriculture increases carbon in the atmosphere.

Price Differences:
*These are some of the items that are most common (excluding meats & poultries)

Food
Organic Price
Conventional 

Asparagus
$4.99
$2.99

Avocado
$2.99
$1.99

Sweet Peas
$1.59
$1.59

Grapefruit
$2.49
$0.89

Onions (Y)
$1.29
$0.99

Sweet Corn
$2.89
$1.69

Pineapple
$5.99
$3.99

Fuji Apple x4
$4.89
$3.89

Bell Pepper
$4.99/lb.
$1.99

Carrots
$1.99/bag
$.89

Celery
$3.99
$3.49

Why is Organic more expensive!?
Organic products are generally more expensive than their conventional counterparts (for which prices have been declining) for a number of reasons:

• Organic food supply is limited as compared to demand;
• Production costs for organic foods are typically higher because of greater labor inputs per unit of output 
• Post-harvest handling of relatively small quantities of organic foods results in higher costs because of the mandatory segregation of organic and conventional produce, especially for processing and transportation;
• Marketing and the distribution chain for organic products is relatively inefficient and costs are higher because of relatively small volumes.

As demand for organic food and products is increasing, technological innovations and economies of scale should reduce costs of production, processing, distribution and marketing for organic produce.

Prices of organic foods include not only the cost of the food production itself, but also a range of other factors that are not captured in the price of conventional food, such as:

• Environmental enhancement and protection (and avoidance of future expenses to mitigate pollution). For example, higher prices of organic cash crops compensate for low financial returns of rotational periods which are necessary to build soil fertility;
• Higher standards for animal welfare;
• Avoidance of health risks to farmers due to inappropriate handling of pesticides (and avoidance of future medical expenses);
• Rural development by generating additional farm employment and assuring a fair and sufficient income to producers.

So, what do you think? Are you convinced yet? At the least, I hope the above information opened your curiosity to whether organic consumption as a whole is better than non-conventional. There are many articles and blogs out in the internet that have so many contradicting theories. Here’s one in particular that I think wraps it up best:

In addition to simply buying “organic”, you may want to consider seeking out sources of produce close to where you live. Although buying local fruits and vegetables from smaller farms does not always mean you are buying organic, that is often the case. In addition, the closer to the source of your fruits and vegetables you are, the more likely they are to be fresh. In addition, freshness has a direct impact on nutritional value and taste. An added benefit is that buying locally supports your local economy.
Virtually everyone could improve their health by eating more vegetables and fruit that is organic. When you are deciding whether to buy organic products, multiple factors beyond just health considerations may influence your decision. I recommend that you make your choices based on the factors that are important to you.

I hope that the information provided to you by Poppi & Sons served as valuable help and we will continue to share interesting, informative articles about the benefits of organic produce, living and culture. We want the best for you, your family and our community’s future. We look forward to hearing your comments. Please share our FB page and blog with your friends and loved one’s and please make sure to visit us at the upcoming Laredo Farmer’s Market on August 17th, 2013 for more organic tips and goodies!

“Plant, Produce, Eat & Be Healthy”

"Cucumbers!"

For over 10,000 years, man has enjoyed this fruit for its wonderful flavor as well as for its beneficial effects to the skin. Cucumbers are a very good source of the vitamins C and A, potassium, manganese, folate, dietary fiber, magnesium and contain the important mineral silica.

Next to tomatoes, cabbage, and onions, cucumbers are the fourth most widely cultivated vegetable in the world. They are enjoyed on virtually all continents and you will find them being incorporated into all types of cuisine.

Health Benefits:
Cucumbers have not received as much press as other vegetables in terms of health benefits, but this widely-cultivated food provides us with a unique combination of nutrients. At the top of the phytonutrient list for cucumbers are its cucurbitacins, lignans, and flavonoids. These three types of phytonutrients found in cucumbers provide us with valuable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits.

Growing cucumbers - here's a healthy tip:
Keep them hydrated. Provide plants with plenty of moisture, especially around the time the plant is flowering and fruiting. Any water stress during this period of rapid growth causes the levels of bitter-tasting compounds to rise. Cucumbers are vigorous growers and therefore need between 1 and 2 inches of water per week, depending on the weather and the characteristics of your soil. The key is to keep the soil slightly moist at all times. Water deeply about once or twice a week- more often if you're gardening in sandy soil.

Now, go "Plant, Produce, Eat & Be Healthy!"

Asparagus - 5 Powerful Health Benefits

A lot of people love the taste of asparagus and enjoy its crunchy texture. But a lot of people do not know the outstanding health benefits of asparagus.

Here are the top 5 most powerful health benefits:

1. It’s loaded with nutrients: Asparagus is a very good source of fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells.
2. This herbaceous plant—along with avocado, kale and Brussels sprouts—is a particularly rich source of glutathione, a detoxifying compound that helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds like free radicals. This is why eating asparagus may help protect against and fight certain forms of cancer, such as bone, breast, colon, larynx and lung cancers.
3. Asparagus is packed with antioxidants, ranking among the top fruits and vegetables for its ability to neutralize cell-damaging free radicals. This, according to preliminary research, may help slow the aging process.
4. Another anti-aging property of this delicious spring veggie is that it may help our brains fight cognitive decline. Like leafy greens, asparagus delivers folate, which works with vitamin B12—found in fish, poultry, meat and dairy—to help prevent cognitive impairment. In a study from Tufts University, older adults with healthy levels of folate and B12 performed better on a test of response speed and mental flexibility. (If you’re 50-plus, be sure you’re getting enough B12: your ability to absorb it decreases with age.)
5. One more benefit of asparagus: It contains high levels of the amino acid asparagine, which serves as a natural diuretic, and increased urination not only releases fluid but helps rid the body of excess salts. This is especially beneficial for people who suffer from edema (an accumulation of fluids in the body's tissues) and those who have high blood pressure or other heart-related diseases. source: http://www.eatingwell.com

Lastly, any downfalls to eating asparagus...well not to me although some people have complained about the smell of their urine after eating asparagus. I think it is not too bad after you are receiving all the powerful benefits outlined above. Why the smell you might ask...well asparagus contains a unique compound that, when metabolized, gives off a distinctive smell in the urine. Young asparagus contains higher concentrations of the compound so the odor is stronger after eating these vernal shoots. There are, however, no harmful effects, either from the sulfuric compounds or the odor! Keep eating asparagus and just deal with the smell :)

"Plant, Produce, Eat & Be Healthy!"