Cascadian Farm Organic Goodness

During April, we're focusing on our Change Flows initiative in partnership with American Rivers. We know that millions of people will be thinking about the environment on Earth Day (April 22), but we hope you'll join us in making every day Earth Day—support our river-cleanup initiative by "liking" your region on our interactive map. The region with the most “likes” will receive a river cleanup sponsored by Cascadian Farm.

Soil conservation is at the heart of organic farming. Organic farmers strive to keep rich, organic nutrients in the soil so they don’t have to rely on synthetic chemical substitutes. This is the way natural ecosystems work, and we believe this is the best way to grow our food.

Along with healthy soil, crops also need water to grow—water is the lifeblood of our farms. But water does not stay put; it flows from our fields into small streams, which flow into rivers and affect more than just farmland. Synthetic chemical runoff from some conventional farming is known to create algae blooms, which can ruin areas for swimming and boating, affect the taste of drinking water, and kill fish by removing oxygen from the water.⁽¹⁾ Those are just a few reasons why Cascadian Farm has been committed to organic farming for almost 40 years. No synthetic chemicals in the soil and air means no synthetic chemical runoff into nearby streams and rivers. Keeping our waters clean will protect the entire ecosystem for plants, animals, and humans alike.

Like water, Change Flows. Clean water starts with all of us, and we hope you'll join our effort to keep our waters clean. For tips on how you can conserve and protect water, check out last week's blog post, and don't forget to vote for your region on our interactive map for a chance to receive a river cleanup!

Source: (1) EPA http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/upload/2005_4_29_nps_Ag_Runoff_Fact_Sheet.pdf

We all know the important role that fruits and vegetables play in our overall health. But is your family consuming the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables? Are you unsure of how many cups you should be consuming? If so, you can find out how many you need based on your age, sex, and level of physical activity here. Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. However, remembering to include them in our busy schedules can sometimes be a challenge. This is where superfoods can come to the rescue.

Superfoods are real, unprocessed foods that are packed with nutrients our bodies need. Pomegranates, for instance, are low in fat and sodium, and cholesterol free. They are also a good source of dietary fiber and folate, and an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium. Quinoa is cholesterol free, very low in sodium, and is a good source of magnesium and phosphorus. It is also a great source of manganese.

Superfoods can be consumed in their whole form; as a juice, shot, or shake.

Although there are many more than 10 superfoods, here are my top 10 favorite superfoods to get you started:

1. Pomegranate
2. Blueberries
3. Quinoa
4. Sprouts
5. Hemp Seeds
6. Acai
7. Leafy Greens
8. Yogurt
9. Nuts and Seeds
10. Beans and Lentils

What is your favorite superfood?
How do you incorporate them into your daily lifestyle?

Sources: MyPyramid.gov, FruitandVeggiesMatter.gov, CBS news, Center for Disease Control, SELF Nutrition Data

Photo Credits: Blueberries, Pomegranate

* You should always consult with your health care provider before starting any type of program.

I have a system of grocery shopping where I've figured out the products and brands I trust, and which stores to shop at in order to purchase them. So when I walk into my store of choice, go to the aisle to purchase the extra-soft, pliable pitas for gyros and hummus-dipping and find them sold out, well, a mini-crisis occurs in my head.

After a few weeks of hunting around in different stores, I was still pita-less and my need to whip together a bowl of hummus was steadily increasing. The desire to make my own pitas, born out of my love for hummus and gyros, was realized on the back steps of my house.

The problem I found in making my own pitas was that I wanted the bendable kind like you wrap your falafel or your gyros in, as opposed to the bubble-pocket pitas that you cut in half and fill. Most recipes lean towards the latter. Still, I persevered and my persistence paid off in soft, warm pita rounds that were perfect for dipping in hummus or filling with grilled vegetables and tzatziki sauce.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

1½ cups warm water, 110 degrees

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1½ cups whole-wheat flour

1-3 tablespoons olive oil

Pour warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle with yeast and sugar and allow to stand until frothy, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt. Mix flours together. Add flour to the yeast mixture, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When all the flour is added, turn the mixture out onto an oiled surface. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until smooth. Place in a bowl and cover. Let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, until doubled in size. 

When the dough has doubled, preheat the oven to 350º F. Punch down the dough and knead lightly to form a ball. Split into 6-8 equal pieces and roll into balls. Roll each ball of dough into a ¼"-thick circle. Place dough on baking sheets covered in parchment or silicone baking mats and poke lightly with a fork.

Bake at 350º F on the lowest rack in the oven for 4-5 minutes. Flip and bake an additional 4-5 minutes.  Remove from the oven. Allow to cool completely and store until ready to use. Just before serving, lightly oil both sides of each pita round and heat on a grill, flat griddle, or in a frying pan over medium heat for 30-60 seconds per side, just until warm and easily pliable. Serve warm.

Makes 6-8 pita rounds.

Photo by Shaina Olmanson

Here at Cascadian Farm, we have a saying: “Feed the soil, so it can feed the plants.” Organic farming focuses on adding rich organic matter to the soil, so that the various microbes and chemical processes in the soil food web can convert them to available plant nutrients over time. Kari has outlined a few ways you can add nutrients to your soil:

Soil preparation is a critical part of organic gardening. Plants “feed” off the soil, pulling water and essential nutrients from it. Amending the soil to replace those lost nutrients is a great way to ensure this year’s fruits and veggies will flourish. Once you determine your soil’s needs, the organic matter can be worked in using a fork, spade, or rototiller, depending on the size of your garden. There are a number of organic amendments that can be added to improve your soil. A few of the most common are compost, manure, peat moss, lime, sand, and sawdust.

Compost

Composed of garden trimmings and kitchen scraps or composted animal manure, compost helps your soil retain moisture and provides nitrogen, an essential element.

Peat Moss

A commercially grown, lightweight moss, peat moss’s sponge-like quality increases soil’s ability to retain moisture.

Lime

Ground limestone dust or pellets contain calcium and magnesium to help your soil maintain a proper pH level (between 6 and 7).

Sand

Coarse “Builder’s Sand” will loosen the soil, allowing roots room to grow, as well as improve soil drainage.

Sawdust

Sawdust or wood chips from tree bark are other materials that aid in proper soil drainage.

Soil tests are available at nurseries so you can determine exactly what your soil needs. Improve your garden this year by giving back to the earth and feeding the soil.

Photo by timsamoff

During April, we're focusing on our Change Flows initiative in partnership with American Rivers. We know that millions of people will be thinking about the environment on Earth Day (April 22), but we hope you'll join us in making every day Earth Day—support our river-cleanup initiative by "Liking" your region on our interactive map. The region with the most “likes” will receive a river cleanup sponsored by Cascadian Farm.

We would also like to share some tips to help you conserve and protect water within your home. If you have any tips you’d like to share, we’d love to hear them. Leave them in the comment box below.

Follow these 10 simple tips to help make a difference:

1. Did you know that it can take approximately three liters of water to produce one liter of bottled water? Consider drinking tap water.²
2. Collect the water you use for rinsing fruits and vegetables, then reuse it to water houseplants.
3. A full bathtub can require up to 70 gallons of water, while taking a five-minute shower uses only 10 to 25 gallons.³
4. Use mulch wherever possible to keep moisture from leaving the soil and to minimize weed growth.
5. A leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day. To tell if your toilet has a leak, place a drop of food coloring in the tank; if the color shows in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak.⁴
6. Wash your hands with a soap that is made from natural ingredients so that you aren’t transferring those chemicals down your drain and onto the food you prepare.⁵
7. Baking soda, vinegar, and boiling water make a good alternative to store-bought drain cleaners.⁶
8. During winter months, use as little salt and other de-icing materials as possible on your driveway and sidewalks. ⁷
9. Some regular laundry detergents contain phosphates, inorganic chemicals that damage nearby lakes and rivers. Consider using a biodegradable powdered detergent. ⁸
10. Leave your grass clippings on the lawn. They provide your grass with all the natural nutrients it needs. ⁹

Sources:

American Rivers www.americanrivers.org ¹ ; Pacific Institute http://www.pacinst.org/ ² ; WaterSense – An EPA Partnership Program epa.gov/watersense/pubs^3,4 ; http://www.seventhgeneration.com/learn/guides/guide-creating-healthy-home ⁵ ; http://www.seventhgeneration.com/natural-alternative-drano ⁶ ; http://www.cheltenhamtownship.org/stormwater/solution%20to%20pollution06.pdf ⁷ ; http://video.about.com/greenliving/Go-Green-With-Your-Laundry.htm ⁸ ; http://watoxics.org/healthy-living/healthy-homes-gardens-1/factsheets/cleanwater ⁹

Photo by fox_kiyo

As winter wears on, I tire of the root cellar vegetables like potatoes and squash and yearn for sprouts of green in the soil. The seeds are purchased, the garden sketched. Plans are in place to have a prolific summer.

Alas, it will be a few months before I can reap the goodness of my humble potager. Yet buried under all that snow, a few plants have made it through the winter. If I dig around my white-covered kitchen garden, I can find my rosemary plant, weathering the cold in style. It is here that the first fresh herbs will appear this spring.

A blue cheese and rosemary compound butter is easy to execute with a large flavor payoff in the end. It turns an everyday steak into something grand and dresses up even the root vegetables of winter, turning them into a feast. A bit of butter to top off the last spaghetti squash, to grace a pile of roasted baby reds or even the first spring asparagus will have you looking towards spring's sunshine in no time.

Blue Cheese and Rosemary Butter

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup blue cheese crumbles

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Mix together butter, blue cheese and rosemary until incorporated. Pack into a small, airtight container and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use. Serve on vegetables, grilled meat and fish or over cooked grains for an added boost of flavor.

Makes ¾ cup compound butter.

Photo by Shaina Olmanson

There are many activities that your family can enjoy together that will promote a stronger family bond while adding an appreciation for the environment. Finding ways to promote a healthy planet and a happy family, while having fun is a great way to celebrate spring. Read on to learn more ways that your family can enjoy each other and help the planet at the same time.

1. Visit an Organic Farm

Nothing is more fun that spending a warm spring day at your local farm. If you live near a farm that raises animals, it is the perfect time for your children to experience the beauty of new life. An animal farm will be teaming with baby chicks, newborn sheep, goats, cows, horses and piglets - all of which your family will delight in. If you live near a farm that specializes in fruits and vegetables, such as our very own Cascadian Farm in Skagit Valley, Washington, it is the perfect opportunity to learn about sustainable organic agriculture methods including; preparing the land for planting, composting, natural pest repellent techniques and the water shed. It is also the perfect place to grab a strawberry shortcake or fantastic icecream cone!

2. Start your Garden

Now is the time to start preparing your garden for early spring planting. You can start by planting the cold-crops in your garden including; broccoli, peas, lettuce, spinach, and cabbage. You will also want to plant your strawberry patch and other bare-root plants. You can start your your tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers inside from seed, ensuring that the seedlings will be large enough to plant in your garden when the weather permits. Now, is also a great time to remove any non-native plants that didn't survive the winter and plan to replace them with draught-resistant, native plants that are also edible.

3. Invite the Birds

One of the first signs of springtime is the chirping of the morning birds. To prepare your yard for feathered visitors, take the time to clean, sand and repaint (with Eco-friendly paint) your bird houses, feeders and bathes. Visit your local bird shop to educate yourself on the types of birds that live in your area and what types of foods and shelters they prefer. When choosing foods for the birds, consider organic ones, free from synthetic pesticides.

4. Get Spring Cleaning

Springtime is synonymous with spring cleaning and now is the time to get your family involved. Check out these Eco-friendly cleaning supplies. Then, assign each member of your household a part of the home to thoroughly clean. Make sure that you clean out the rain-gutters, get your rain harvesters ready for those spring showers and clean your refrigerator coils. The idea is to make sure that everything in your home is in good working condition. If you get the entire family involved, they will appreciate your home a little more.

5. Plan a Spring Break Staycation

Spring Break is right around the corner and many families may not be traveling due to economical hardship and to lessen their impact on the environment. However, you can have a fantastic spring break, close to home. Plan a family camping or hiking trip, or spend the afternoons strolling through your local nature center or botanical gardens. Your family doesn't have to venture far from home to have a fantastic time. There are so many great activities that can be enjoyed in your local community - just look around.

6. Get Ready for Fun

Early spring is the essential time to get your warm weather gear in check. Pull the bicycles, canoe, kayak, hiking boots, and camping equipment out of the garage. Check to make sure that everything is in good working condition and order any necessary replacement parts. Check to make sure that your child's rain gear and hiking boots still fit and spend a little time making sure that you have all of the supplies necessary for an impromptu trip to the lake or camping adventure. Clean and pump up the tires on the family bicycles and get ready for the fun, warm days ahead.

7. Plan a Family Nature Day

Whether your family is into hiking, biking, camping or canoeing, plan a family nature day around your favorite outdoor activity. You can find many great national and state parks that are perfect for a day trip. Let each member of the family have a say in how you will celebrate Nature Day. Prepare the backpacks with an organic, high-energy lunch, water, and snacks and then hit the great outdoors. Don't forget your hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and rain gear!

8. Adopt a Pet

Springtime is a great time to adopt a pet from an animal shelter. The weather is warm enough to potty train and your new pet will have plenty of outdoor time to play and run. Your children will be home from school in a few short weeks, making the perfect time for them to bond with your new arrival. Since, many animal shelters are filled to capacity with animals that need a second chance at life - adopting a pet is one of the best things you can do this spring.

9. Build a Composter

Gather the tools, supplies, and your family member together to build a family composter. Children love to work with hand tools and it is the perfect opportunity to discuss the importance of composting with your children. If you live in a home that doesn't have space or doesn't allow a composter, you can consider purchasing an indoor composter or make a simply, fun children's' composter to show your child how composting works.

10. Shop for a CSA

If you live in an area that offers a CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture), spring is the time to join one. A CSA gives consumers the opportunity to purchase local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Usually, a family will sign up for a membership and in turn will receive a box of vegetables, fruits or other farm products each week throughout
the farming season. A CSA will give your family the opportunity to get to know the local farmer who grows their good, allows you to eat food that is local, fresh and in season and become exposed to new vegetables that your family may not be currently eating. It can have a huge impact on your family, community the the CSA farms. You can find a CSA in your local area at Local Harvest.

What Eco-friendly activities do you have planned for your family this spring?

Photos by Jennie Lyon

Maple-Baked Fruit Parfaits

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 vanilla bean or 1 cinnamon stick

Pinch of salt

2 apples, pears, quince, peaches or other similar fruit

1/4 cup nuts

1 cup Greek yogurt or gelato/custard

Preheat the oven to 400º F.

In a small casserole pan or baking dish, add the butter. Place the dish into the oven for the butter to melt as the oven preheats. Slice your fruit in half. If using a stone fruit like peaches, remove the pit. Seeded fruits can have the seeds removed now or after baking.

If using a vanilla bean, slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds, adding them to the melted butter. If using a cinnamon stick, break in half and add that to the pan. Stir in maple syrup. Place fruit halves cut side down in the pan and return the pan to the oven.

Bake the fruit at 400º until soft, about 25-30 minutes for pears and apples and slightly less time for peaches. Remove from oven and immediately remove the fruit, placing on serving dishes. Tilt the pan up to combine maple syrup with fruit juices that were baked out. Add nuts to the mixture and stir to coat. Scoop yogurt or ice cream into the fruit halves and then add the nut mixture to the top while still warm. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 fruit halves.

Photos by Shaina Olmanson

The time has come to start making your dream garden a reality - start planting seeds indoors. Vegetable garden favorites like tomatoes and peppers have a long growing season so you can start seeds now to have seedlings ready to plant by May.

First, select a container. You can use a cell pack or individual containers. I typically recycle plastic containers, approximately 4 inches is a good size. Regardless of the container, make sure that you clean it thoroughly first. Soak it in a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach for a half hour to kill any bacteria.

Next, fill pot with potting soil or a seed starter. You can make your own using one part each of peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite. Saturate the soil with water and let it drain. Read seed packet instructions for planting depth, then scatter seeds, cover with recommended amount of soil and water lightly.

Keep seeds warm (between 75F and 90F) until they germinate. Most nurseries sell thin waterproof heating pads you can use to maintain temperature if necessary. Once the seeds sprout, they can be moved to a brightly lit area with temperatures between 60F and 75F.

Lastly, vegetable seeds need a lot of light. If you don’t have an adequate spot, you can supplement with a fluorescent grow light. Make sure the seedlings are in a location with good ventilation and try not to over water them - you do not want them standing in water for too long.

Have you started seeds yet?

Photo by jeremy_w_osborne

Chocolate O's S'mores Bars

3 tablespoons butter

3 cups organic marshmallows**

4 ½ cups Cascadian Farm Chocolate O's cereal

1/3 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chunks

Grease an 8"-square pan. In a large saucepan melt the butter together with the marshmallow. When it is completely melted and hot, stir in the Chocolate O's with a greased spatula. Stir in chocolate chunks and pour out into the prepared pan. Press down with greased hands or waxed paper.

Allow to set. Cut into bars and serve.

Makes 25 bars when cut 5x5.

**Organic marshmallow crème (7 ounces) can also be used in this recipe in place of marshmallows. Since they differ a bit from brand to brand, try a small test batch first to ensure butter to crème ratio.

Photo by Shaina Olmanson