[All] Fwd: BFF spring-summer newsletter

[Robert Milligan]

FYI
R

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Beyond Factory Farming" <ian at beyondfactoryfarming.org>
> Date: May 12, 2010 10:22:30 AM GMT-04:00
> To: "" <mill at continuum.org>
> Subject: BFF spring-summer newsletter
> Reply-To: "Beyond Factory Farming" <ian at beyondfactoryfarming.org>
>
> Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.
>
> Contents...
>
> Irradiation: A Flawed Food Safety Fix?
>
> Get the Most From Your Farmer's Market
>
> What's In Dinner?
>
> Agriculture and the International Year of Biodiversity
>
> Hawk Hill Hearty Farmer Stew Recipe
>
> Rare Breeds Canada 2010 AGM
>
>
>
> How To Get The Most Out of Your Farmer's Market
>
> If you want to start buying locally sustainably-raised meat but you  
> aren't sure where to start, visit a farmers' market.  It's the  
> easiest way to jump into the world of fresh local food.  Here are  
> some tips to get you started.
> 1)  Find out the hours of operation.  Unlike a supermarket, the  
> hours of operation at a farmers' market will vary - many are open  
> one day a week.  Peak market hours will occur during the growing  
> season.  Meat producers may have meat all year long so check with  
> them when you are there.
>
> 2)  Take cash - some farmers' markets don't take cheques or credit  
> cards.
>
> 3)  Get an early start - This will ensure that you get a good choice  
> of products as markets can sell out quickly.
>
> 4)  Bring Your Own Bags - take sturdy, reusable shopping bags.
>
> 5)  Take a quick tour of the market before you buy anything.  This  
> will give you a good idea of what products and farmers are there.
>
> 6)  Let your farmer be your teacher.  If you want to learn how to  
> properly store and prepare a product, who better to ask than the  
> farmer who grew it?  You might get some great recipes!
>
> 7)  Don't forget to ask questions about how the meat was raised to  
> be sure that it was raised without hormones, antibiotics, and that  
> it was raised naturally.  This will make sure that is was produces  
> by a sustainable farmer.
>
> These are just a few tips to help you as you discover flavourful  
> meats from humanely, socially responsible farmers.
>
>
>
>
> Hawk Hill Hearty Farmer Stew
>
> Ingredients:
>
> 1 large onion chopped
> 2 stalks celery, chopped into 1 inch slices.
>
> 4 medium carrots, 1 inch chunks
>
> 3 medium or 2 large potatoes, sliced into one inch chunks
>
> 2 large cloves garlic, chopped not minced
>
> 1 cup sliced mushrooms
>
> 1 lb trimmed stew beef
>
> 2 TBSP tomato paste
>
> 1-2 cups low salt chicken broth
>
> 1/2 -1  bottle beer - try a rich pale or dark beer for different  
> flavors
>
> 1 tsp chopped rosemary
>
> 1 tsp chopped parsley
>
> 1/2 tsp thyme
>
> 2-3 bay leaves.
>
> salt and pepper to taste
>
> Directions:
>
>
> In a large stove top to oven pot or dutch oven, add olive oil and  
> fry onions, carrots, celery and garlic until onions are translucent  
> and slightly browed and celery is softening.
>
> Remove from pan and add 1 TBSP butter and mushrooms, fry until  
> slightly brown.
>
> Remove from pan and add to onion mix. Brown beef in pan and add back  
> onion mix and mushrooms.
>
> Add chicken broth, tomato paste, herbs and beer. There should be  
> enough fluid to cover over all the ingredients.
> Bring just to a boil, cover and place in a hot oven (350°F) for  
> about 1-2 hours. Monitor the fluid level to ensure it does not dry  
> out (Add beer or broth as needed).
>
> Now head out to the barn and do your chores.
>
> Partially pre-cook the potatoes, drain and add to the stew. Cook  
> another 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Salt and pepper to  
> taste.
>
> If required, thicken with 1 TBSP flour first thinned in 1/4 cup cold  
> water. The thickener will need to be added at the same time as the  
> potatoes.
>
> Eat with a loaf of hot bread... maybe some focaccia you learned to  
> bake at Hawk Hill.
>
>
> Courtesy of Hawk Hill Farm.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Irradiation: A Flawed Food Safety Fix
>
> There is a new threat to our food supply- food irradiation. The food  
> processing industry likes to pass irradiation off as the latest  
> technology in food safety and as a way to keep dangerous organisms  
> off of our food. In reality, what it does is give agribusiness the  
> go ahead to grow and process their food in unclean conditions.  
> Health Canada wants to change existing regulations to allow for new  
> uses of food irradiation. As consumers, it's up to us to stop it.
>
> Irradiation is a controversial process in which food is exposed to  
> ionizing radiation to extend shelf life and kill insects, fungi and  
> some bacteria. It is important to realize that toxins, viruses or  
> bacteria spores are resistant to irradiation and as a result,  
> irradiation may not produce the expected results.
>
> Unfortunately, some irradiated products already exist in Canada:  
> potatoes, onions, wheat, flour, whole wheat flour, spices and  
> dehydrated seasonings. Health Canada is proposing additions to  
> include: ground beef, poultry, shrimp, prawns and mangoes. All  
> irradiated products must be marked with the "radura" symbol. For  
> more information read our Food Irradiation Fact Sheet.
>
>
>
>
> What's In Dinner?
>
> Commercials are the latest tactic used by industrial food producers  
> to lure consumers into believing that the food they sell  is more  
> wholesome and natural.
>
> Industrial food producers claim that they are on a mission to ensure  
> that everything in their products contain "real” or “natural”  
> ingredients. They pose questions to the consumer to make them think  
> more about ingredients that are in the dinner they serve to their  
> families.
>
> Most of these commercials then take the consumer on a romantic  
> journey to small-scale farms where produce is harvested by hand and  
> brought in from the field by small tractor and wagon with birds  
> chirping in the background and livestock roaming free on green  
> grass- you can almost hear the babbling brook in the background.
>
> Industrial food producers would have us believe that our food is  
> produced in this manner, yet  in reality, most of the food we buy in  
> grocery stores is produced industrially.
>
> This is definitely misleading when it comes to meat. Although the  
> industry would have us believe that pigs, cows, chicken and other  
> meat sources are frolicking in green pastures, breathing clean air,  
> and enjoying sunshine and blue skies, most of the meat that hits our  
> plate is raised in cramped buildings with thousands of animals that  
> never see sunlight or get the chance to breathe clean air.
>
> Ultimately as consumers, we are responsible for the impacts that  
> result from our choices.  Eating meat that is produced in a socially  
> and environmentally responsible way is healthier, fresher, and  
> tastier. Not only will your taste buds benefit but the environment  
> will as well. To find healthy sustainable meat in your area please  
> visit www.eatwellguide.org.
>
>
>
>
>
> Think, Eat, Act:
> The International Year of Biodiversity
>
> Think... The United Nations has declared 2010 the International Year  
> of Biodiversity, and not a moment too soon, because around the globe  
> species from all walks of life are disappearing at roughly 1,000  
> times the natural rate. The term biodiversity, which simply means  
> variety of life, instantly conjures images of rich natural  
> ecosystems like tropical rainforests and coral reefs. But life’s  
> diversity is not confined to the wilderness. Since the dawn of  
> agriculture humans have painstakingly cultivated an abundant  
> assortment of crops and livestock that have proven their worth over  
> time by providing for our very survival. And this irreplaceable  
> inheritance is in greater peril than you may think.
>
> Find out more here.
>
> Eat... By choosing heritage breeds when purchasing meat, you are  
> helping to conserve them by economically supporting the small  
> farmers who raise them.  In turn, an increase in demand for heritage  
> meat  makes it economically viable for other farmers to raise rare  
> breeds and conserve their genetics. Heritage meat is of high  
> quality, is better for your health and the outdoor production system  
> is better for the animals and the environment.
>
> Learn how to eat better here.
>
> Act... How can you help protect and encourage agricultural  
> biodiversity in your community and around the world?
>
> Find out how you can help here.
>
>
>
>
>
> Rare Breeds Canada's 2010 AGM
>
> Rare Breeds Canada's 2010 Annual General Meeting will be located at  
> historical Fanshawe Pioneer Village:
>
> 2609 Fanshawe Park Road East
> London, ON
> N5X 4A1
> (519) 457-1296
> Saturday, Mat 15th, 2010
> The AGM will be held at 2:00 p.m.
>
> This is Fanshawe's "Spring on the Farm" weekend. There will be field  
> work (corn planting), sheep dog demos, sheep shearing, wool  
> processing including spinning & weaving and displays.
>
> Keep checking www.rarebreedscanada.ca for more updates as they  
> become available.
>
>
> To learn more about factory farms and the alternatives, please visit  
> our website. And for the latest Beyond Factory Farming updates, news  
> and information sign up as a fan and follow us on Facebook.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Our mailing address is:
>
> Beyond Factory Farming
> #200 - 416 21st Street East
> Saskatoon, SK
> S7K 0C2
>
> Phone: (306) 955-6454
> Fax: (306) 955-6455
> Toll free: 1-877-955-6454
> www.beyondfactoryfarming.org
> www.citizensguide.ca
>
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>
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>

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