The Hirshberg Family:
Gary, Meg, Ethan, Danielle & Alex
The President’s Pasture
-
Store Wars, weed wars, bug wars…
I heard on our local radio station that my town, Concord, New Hampshire, has one of the shortest growing seasons in the country. We certainly do battle the elements on our little 5-acre plot of land. Yet, my wife, Meg, and I persevere. She’s the one with the greenest thumbs, since she was a full-time organic vegetable farmer before we began growing a family and a yogurt company. Thanks to her, we successfully grow luscious organic strawberries and raspberries, corn, potatoes, pumpkins and bumper crops of vegetables every year.
We’ve always gardened organically, and my role is to be sure that she has all the compost she needs. I keep three bins rotating year 'round with our own household and yard "wastes", supplemented by a farmer neighbor's manure. One year I drove 35 miles to load up on the richest and ripest pig manure you've ever imagined, and it left a permanent impression on the neighbors. Thanks to the compost, we're able to sustain healthy produce each year with no chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides to keep the weeds and bugs away. Our plants are healthy because they have grown strong the natural way, from nutrient-rich soil. If you’re considering organic gardening this summer, the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides has tips for home gardeners in their newsletter “Healthier Homes and Gardens: Pesticide-free Solutions for Pest and Weed Problems”. Another way to learn about organics? Check out the Store Wars video (right) from the Organic Trade Association—a fun look at the serious business of eating organic.
FACTS FROM U.S. CONSUMERS - We’re becoming an organic planet
More Americans are shopping organic. Last year, 1 of every 10 U.S. food dollars was spent on organic and natural foods — a 72% increase in the last five years. Half of all U.S. shoppers bought organic foods in the last six months, according to “Shopping for Health 2004.” 1
65% of U.S. consumers report they use organic products at least occasionally. 2
More than a quarter of Americans (27 percent) are eating more organic products than they did one year ago. 2
Seven in 10 Americans express some concerns about the health risks of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals used in food production 2
WATCHING YOUR SUGAR INTAKE?
- Introducing MOOve Over Sugar
MOOve Over Sugar is our new, naturally sweetened treat with 50% less sugar than leading lowfat yogurts! MOOve Over Sugar has just 70 calories, 9 net carbs, and 1.5 grams of saturated fat per serving, and it contains our signature blend of six live active cultures, each with unique health benefits. MOOve Over Sugar comes in popular Just Peachy and Wild Berry flavors, in a 4-pack of 4oz. cups, snack-sized for convenience. Click here to learn more.
THE BOVINE BUGLE -
On an organic dairy farm, it’s all about the grass
Here’s an excerpt from Jonathan Gates’ blog, The Bovine Bugle, from May 9, 2005, the first day after a long winter when his cows finally got to go out and play in the pastures:
Today was the day
we had been looking forward to since last fall…The
cows were turned out on pasture this morning. [When we] opened the gate to let
the cows out of the barnyard, they were off like a shot, running
and jumping out into the meadow. Even the oldest cows acted like
youngsters as they ran here and there, sniffing and snorting. When
we see our cows celebrating like this, out in the sunshine and fresh
air, I feel sorry for all the cows kept on farms where they never
even get to leave the barn.
Out on the grass, finally, the cows are in hog heaven
There isn't a lot of grass right now,
but the sunshine and warm temperatures that we will be getting over
the next few days will make the grass take off.Then
we will have the wonderful challenge of moving the cows through the
grazing rotation to have them eat the grass before it gets too tall.
The people here at Howmars Farm enjoy the grazing season just as much
as the cows.
Read The
Bovine Bugle for
regular updates about Jonathan’s life on the farm. Jonathan,
Howmars
Farm Franklin, Vermont
NEZINSCOT FARM - An organic farm, store, and now a school for women
Stonyfield provided funding from our Profits
for the Planet program to support Gloria Nezinscott of Nezinscot
Farm in rural Maine as she staged weekend workshops to teach farming and agricultural skills to women. It's not the Holiday Inn or a weekend at the beach—but mucking out barns, repairing a fence, milking cows at dawn, making bread by hand, and maybe cooking breakfast for 30 visitors. Women--including city folk--are learning the ways of the farm at Nezinscot
Farm.
Get
the full scoop…
SOMETHING BUGGING YOU? - This summer, go pesticide-free
The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) offers its Healthier Homes and Gardens program to help home gardeners find pesticide-free solutions for weed and pest problems. Join and you’ll get monthly emailed tips, access to a toll-free hotline, and ways to take action for a more pesticide-free world.
WHEN YOU CAN’T GROW YOUR OWN - Look for the nearest CSA or Farmer’s
Market
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Sustainable Agriculture Network has compiled
a list of more than 450 Community
Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms nationwide.
and farmers’ markets in the United States..
REPLENISH, RELAX, REJUVENATE - Three Stonyfield Farm Strong Women Summits!
Stonyfield joins LLuminari for "Stonyfield Farm Strong Women Have Heart", a weekend summit for women to replenish, nourish, relax, rejuvenate, and reflect, June 24-26 at the Doral Forrestal Conference Center & Spa in Princeton, New Jersey. Learn
more and register.
Keep up to date on Summit plans with Strong
Women Daily News, our own web log (blog) of news and tidbits of interest to women. Join the conversation!
RECIPES FOR WHEN THE STRAWBERRIES COME RIPE
You can find more than 200
yogurt-using recipes on our website. Combine yogurt with strawberries
and you’re sure to have a June filled with great taste. In our
neck of the woods, strawberries come ripe near the end of June, provided
the weather cooperates, and we’re lucky enough to have many organic
farms and pick-your-own patches nearby. We’ll be whipping up Strawberries
Romanoff and Spicy Strawberry Salsa, below, in no time.
Strawberries Romanoff
Strawberries are now in season in many markets. Serve this as dessert or remove the liquor and make it into a healthy breakfast.
Ingredients
1 cup Stonyfield Farm yogurt cheese
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange liquor
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tablespoons pecans, toasted for garnish (optional)
Directions
Prepare the yogurt cheese by lining a colander with 3 — 4 layers of cheesecloth and allowing the whey to strain from one quart of yogurt for 6 — 8 hours. One quart of yogurt should yield approximately 2 cups of yogurt cheese.
Clean, hull and slice strawberries and set aside. To make the sauce, combine yogurt cheese, brown sugar, orange liquor, vanilla and cinnamon and let sit for one hour. To serve, layer sliced strawberries and sauce into wine glasses. Serve chilled.
Yields
6 servings
Nutrition Facts
Calories 130; Calories from Fat 25; Total Fat 2.5g; Cholesterol 5mg; Total Carbohydrate
23g; Fiber 2g; Protein 5g
Stilton Savories with Spicy Strawberry Salsa, a reader recipe Submitted by: Selange Gianetto
Ingredients:
4 oz Stilton or other rich mild bleu cheese, softened
1 cup Stonyfield Farm plain nonfat yogurt
2 teaspoons grated Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
3 boxes mini-filo tart shells
Directions
Combine cheese, yogurt, onion and pepper in a medium bowl, mixing well. Place in zip lock plastic bag, snip a corner and pip mixture into shells or use pastry bag or spoon into shells. Combine salsa ingredients in a bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste. Spoon onto top of filling just before serving. Garnish with parsley. Makes 45 hors d’oeuvres.
Yields
4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Calories 270; Calories from Fat 40; Total Fat 4.5g; Cholesterol 75mg; Total
Carbohydrate 9g; Fiber 1g; Protein 49g
