Organic Sweets? :)

Do you always feel guilty after gorging yourself on sweets? Well feel guilty no more!
Here are five reasons why you should choose to eat organic sweets:
1. Nutrition - organic sweets offer a lot more nutritional value than non-organic sweets
2. Reduction and prevention of some allergies and diseases - eating food that is free of pesticides can prevent and reduce the harmful side effects that consuming foods with pesticides can result in
3. Free from genetic modification - very few studies have been conducted on the side effects of genetically modified foods - however you can put your mind at ease when you indulge with organic treats because they are not genetically modified
4. Promotes a healthier environment -consuming organic sweets has a lower impact on the environment than consuming non-organic sweets
5.  Saves wildlife - non-organic farming methods can be very harmful to wildlife - however you don't have to worry about disrupting the sacred balance of the ecosystem when you bite into a mouth watering organic sweet
source:
http://www.cisionwire.com/tron-media-limited/five-reasons-why-you-should-choose-organic-cakes--over-non-organic90851

I have complied a list of some of the organic bakeries in Atlanta:

Daisy's Desserts:http://daisysdesserts.com/index.php/

Highland Bakery:http://www.highlandbakery.com/

Alon's:http://www.alons.geomerx.com/

Fancy Organic Desserts:http://www.fancyorganicdesserts.com/

Whole Foods Bakery:http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/bakery.php

Happy eating!

-Quinn Rhodes 

COURTS OVERRULE BURNING OF GM CROPS!

As some of you might have heard, a lawsuit was filed against Monsanto, stating that Monsanto unlawfully planted GM sugar beets crops without properly testing for environmental and health effects. On November 30, the courts ordered the crops to be burned to prevent contaminating natural crops. This was all good and a step in the right direction for our food.
Monsanto, however, recently won a reversal and the crops do not have to be burned! Read about it here.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-25/monsanto-wins-reversal-of-order-to-destroy-sugar-beet-seedlings.html


-Jamison Porter

Free (Organic) Food!

Dr. Mehmet Oz, frequently featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live, recently provided organic-lovers with some tips on how to get organic food for cheaper prices (and even for free!). And let's be honest, for those of us who prefer to shop organic, we would LOVE to save some money in the process!

1) He suggests keeping an eye out for boxes containing rewards ads, such as "Recycle this box to get rewards!" Whether you get a discount or free stuff, you're guaranteed to feel better about buying organic!

2) Dr. Oz points out that if you buy organic produce that's in season, you'll save money AND have the option of freezing it and saving it for later.

Check out the article for more info!
http://www.current-movie-reviews.com/tv/2011/02/24/dr-oz-reveals-how-to-get-organic-food-for-free-plus-other-cheap-organic-secrets-from-danny-seo/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/2852192338/sizes/m/in/photostream/

-Ann Patrick Meagher

Update on the Organic Fight

Hey everyone. I recently found this website, JustMeans, and was browsing through its News section when I stumbled upon two articles I found interesting and relevant. The first article deals with a recent interview with Miles McEvoy, the Deputy Administrator for the USDA's National Organic Program. In the interview he addresses the issue organic farmers face with cross-pollination from GMO crops engineered by corporations like Monsanto (there it is again!) and implemented by industrial farmers nationwide. (To read the article and hear the interview, click here)

In other mega-corporation-related news, Wal-Mart has announced plans to introduce "healthier" foods to their stores. They plan to lower percentages of sodium and sugar as well as eliminate trans fat in their brand of products, Great Value, while also pushing other major companies (like Kraft) to do the same. As the nation's largest grocery store, this could be a positive step towards a healthier America, since Wal-Mart wields great power in the food industry. It's also a sign that Americans are (slowly) beginning to wake up, and companies are listening. Whether or not the move proves to be a catalyst for change remains to be seen. I'll keep you updated on any news related to this announcement. (To read the full article, click here). Cross your fingers!

-Mason Mariney

Organic Gardening Pest Control

This websites provides a lot of great tips for how to control pests without using pesticide when starting an organic garden. The website first advises that you should do some research on your garden pests in order to know whether or not pest control is really necessary for your garden. It also provides tips for how to get rid of pests without using harmful pesticides. These handy methods are described: cultural control, mechanical control, biological pesticides, and botanical insecticides.
http://www.organicgardeningguru.com/pesticides.html
This website provides a lot of great tips for starting a successful organic garden. These useful tips include: identifying insects that are beneficial for gardening, describing how to make compost tea, providing methods for protecting plants from natural elements, and describing how to maintain high soil quality in one's garden.
http://www.organicgardeningguru.com/tips-tricks.html
-Quinn Rhodes

LIES!!!

So as most of us know, organic products don't have to be only food.  At Organic Consumers Association there was an article that really stood out to me, it talked about the USDA and how they can allow things to be considered organic but they don't have to require it.  This means that "on cosmetics labels, words like 'herbal,' 'natural,' even 'organic', have no legal definition. That means that anybody can put anything in a bottle and call it 'natural.' And they do!"  
This is unfair to the consumer but this website has started a Coming Clean Campaign trying to promote the integrity of organic products.  


There are some really cool ideas about how help!
http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm
Sarah Johnson

Visit the Dekalb Farmer's Market for fresh produce and organics!

"No matter how technologically advanced we become, we cannot escape our fundamental relationships with food and each other."

From its humble beginnings as a Decatur produce stand to its current 140,000 square foot size, The Dekalb Farmer's Market has been owned and run by Robert Blazer. Though the market prides itself on its selection of international products (not all produce is local), they only support growers with sustainable methods and have a larger selection of organic foods than any other grocery store in the region.

The market is located at 3000 East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, Georgia 30030.

For more information, visit the Dekalb Farmer's Market website.
Cameron Cassan

"Who's Your Farmer?" and "Packing an A+ Lunch"

I just unearthed this awesome group--with the help of my team members, of course-- called Organic Valley Dairy Cooperation (coop, for short). I have attached a link to the site, and I have to say, I think you will all enjoy it. There are two articles in particular that caughtmy attention...

 In the "Who's Your Farmer" section of the site, you can "get to know" the farmers that produce your food (if you are a member of this coop). Located in North Carolina, Chris and Tara Hoffner happily run their own organic dairy farm and provide milk, cheese, etc. to the Southeast United States. When explaining why he and his wife made the switch to organic, Chris recounts how one hundred of his animals almost died from exposure to a toxic pesticide: Furidan. They saved many, but at least thirteen still died. From that day on, Chris decided he had to make a change--THE change (to organic :)

http://www.organicvalley.coop/who-is-your-farmer/southeast/chris-and-tara-hoffner/page-1/

In "Seven Simple Strategies for Packing an A+ Lunch", the Food Sleuth--Melinda Hemmelgarn-- gives parents (or high schoolers whose "mean" parents refuse to make their lunches) straightforward tips for making lunchtime more healthy and enjoyable. Tips include: make muffins over the weekend then "freeze extras for quick and easy lunch box treats" that are rich in fiber, "just say NO to junk", and send a little love note with your child's lunch box. :) If we all start using these tips, maybe we can make the cafeteria a more-organic, and maybe even happier, place. Enjoy!

http://www.organicvalley.coop/community/beyond-the-plate/simple-lunch-strategies/

-Taylor Halbig

Back to the Basics...of Organic

Because this blog is still in its infancy, I thought now would be a good time to lay some groundwork for organic food before too many posts are created. First off, we throw around this term "organic" without really defining it in the first place. What is organic? How are organic products labeled? How does a farm become certified to grow organic crops?  Read about the basics of organic ingredients and foods at the following link.
http://www.organic.org/home/faq

And if the previous link got you going, read the following article to learn the personal, environmental, and societal benefits of going organic.
http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-206

-Jamison Porter

The Special K Challenge

The Special K challenge prides itself on the ability to lose 6 pounds in two weeks.  The blog below points out all of the flaws with this plan.  The majority of the food consumed is processed and therefore made up of "bad calories".  On this diet, you eat less calories than medical professionals reccomend and "this can actually have adverse affects later on by making your body hold on to calories more stringently by slowing down the metabolism and going into self-preservation alarm mode." People have got to start knowing what they eat and making more natural choices!

Check it out!
 
http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2011/02/18/the-truth-about-special-k-dieting/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Fooducate+%28Fooducate%29

Food Ethics: FIRST GM CROP BURNED IN THE US!

Food Ethics: FIRST GM CROP BURNED IN THE US!: "http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotodawg/111040816/ 'Red Beets' by Fotodawg Monsanto and soybeans, Monsanto and corn, and now Monsanto and al..."

EnviroKidz: Organic

This company uses completely all natural and organic ingredients in their products and they also help the environment! With every sale, they donate a percentage to species and habitat conservation and environmental education.
A personal favorite is the Koala Crisp Cereal with only five ingredients-- organic brown rice flour, organic cane juice, organic cocoa, sea salt and organic molasses (:
Enviro Kidz products are sold at any regular grocery store in the health food aisle.

http://www.healthcastle.com/images/products/cer_natures_path_envirokidz_koala_crisp.jpg

Welcome!

Welcome to the AP English blog for Mrs. Collier's class. This group, as the blog name suggests, focuses on everything organic--why we should eat it, where to buy it, and any other news organic. Most people associate organic with tree-huggers who believe society, and our livelihood, is on a steady decline. But wait! Organic can be fun! And healthy too! So, to lighten the mood and get your mind in the right place, please watch this short feature film that spoofs organic food through the medium of Star Wars.

Enjoy!

I Eat, Therefore I Am Organic

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rhettmaxwell/3908691291/in/photostream/