Day to day, our decisions count

...an’t get at a farmers’ market. In the kitchen We can commit to not wasting food. We waste about 1/3 of the food calories we grow, worldwide. Not only is that a waste of our soil wealth, water, money and fuel–not to mention a huge injustice to those who are hungry– but almost all of our food waste ends up in landfills, releasing methane gas into the atmosphere. How much food we actually waste is a complex question. There are losses at the agricultu...

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New National Center for Home Food Preservation Blog: Preserving Food at Home

...kin surplus as well as the dangers of pumpkin butter. Home food preservation is very safe but, to be honest, I’ve been alarmed at a few of the questions I’ve received while interacting with the public as a Master Food Preserver. Preserving Food at Home is an important food safety resource and I’m looking forward to reading their weekly posts. Do you have a favorite food preservation blog? Leave a comment . . ....

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What’s the Best Solar Food Dryer?

...oil before enough moisture is removed. That’s why you should build a solar food dryer. Brace Direct Food Dryer. Image: FAO. There are two basic designs for solar food dryers: direct and indirect. Direct dryers are just a box with a piece of glass on the top. Indirect dryers use a box to collect the heat of the sun and then, thanks to the fact that hot air rises, take that heat up into an enclosed box that contains the food you want to dry. The Poi...

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New Health Food Trends at the Natural Products Food Expo West

...hundreds of booths I went past, most were peddling heavily processed junk foods with a “natural” label. And we wonder why the U.S. has an obesity epidemic? The Ugly The bizarre booth spectacle award goes to the weight lifting supplement producer that had a scantily clad nurse, an examination table and a ultrasound machine. Retail reps with pot bellies could have themselves oiled up and examined to find their “hidden abs” that would, presumably, b...

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Non-Toxic Cleaning for the Home

...s a pound of poison! Use window screens. Keep counters and floors clear of food, put away pet food after feeding time. Don’t let garbage sit. Insect sprays and bombs are toxic and unnecessary—literally overkill. If you are bothered by ants, for instance, no need to spray with a poison like Raid. A spritz of vinegar or rubbing alcohol will kill them quickly, as will hot soapy water. Ants follow scent trails laid down by scouts. Wipe down their trav...

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