March 19th, 2021
Biodynamic Olive Oil
Filigreen Farm's Olives are planted in the high-density technique used throughout the farm. They grow Spanish Arbequina and Arbosana, as well as frost-hearty Tuscan varieties. The olives are milled at Olivino’s certified organic facility in Hopland to produce this Biodynamic olive oil. It's a rich, elegant oil with a subtle spice. Find it in our store as of this week!
Biodynamic Sun-Dried Prunes
Like most fruits at Filigreen, their plums are planted utilizing the Australian tatura trellis system to ensure the maximum flow of air and light. French and Italian prune plums, well known for their rich aromatic flavors, were historically grown in Anderson Valley. New to the FEED Sonoma online storefront!
Food Mechanic Transition
West Sonoma County's beloved Food Mechanic will be closing their doors at the end of this month. Our community will mourn the loss of Shane and Anne’s gem of a business, crafting nutritious and beautiful salads and goodies in South Sebastopol. Their story is heartbreakingly familiar during these times as local businesses are overwhelmed by fierce wildfire seasons and the ongoing pandemic. They’ve bolstered our community’s local food movement despite it all and we’re proud to call their family part of our ‘ohana. We can’t wait to see what they get up to next!
If you can honor their transition out of their Food Mechanic chapter by supporting them between now and March 26th, please do! And continue to uphold our small, family owned eateries and businesses with every ounce you have. They can’t do it without our collective support and we can’t do it without theirs.
Next steps for our South Sebastopol drop spot...
We’ve got another hub in the works and while it won’t have their smiling faces, warm cookies and welcoming, airy space, it will serve our community well. It is approximately 1 mile South of Food Mechanic and will have refrigeration to keep your orders fresh. Food Mechanic is closing on March 26th, so FEED Sonoma will be facilitating pick ups at Food Mechanic during the same hours (11am-3pm) on Tuesday March 30th. Our new South Sebastopol hub will be up and running by delivery that Friday, April 2nd.
Food As Medicine
by Chelsea Cushman
Growing food organically means there was no use of synthetic chemicals including fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, growth stimulants and antibiotics, and does not contain genetically modified organisms (GMO). The most popular herbicide world wide is called glyphosate and is found in over 750 products in the United States. One of the most notorious products containing glyphosate is RoundUp. Glyphosate is considered a non-selective herbicide which means it will kill most plants. When you see the yellow vegetation right next to green vegetation along roadsides, highway on-ramps, vineyards and yards that’s glyphosate. Glyphosate is also put into streams and other waterways to reduce aquatic weeds as well as a desiccant or drying agent that is sprayed on crops like wheat after it is harvested to speed up the drying process so the wheat can be processed faster.
So what’s the big deal with glyphosate? Well, glyphosate is a patented antibiotic and mineral chelator. What does this mean? Antibiotics kill bacteria, often indiscriminately, so good and bad bacteria are eliminated. The beneficial bacteria in our gut like lactobacillus and bifidobacterium play a crucial role in maintaining our immunity as well as breaking down food so we can utilize the nutrients. 70% of our immune system function is performed in our gut like disinfecting the food we bring from outside of our bodies and breaking it down into simple forms that our bodies can use to function.
Glyphosate kills off good bacteria which can make us more susceptible bad bacteria and other microorganisms flourishing and causing conditions like leaky gut, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, Celiac disease, E.coli and much more.
The mineral chelating function of glyphosate means that it binds to vital minerals and nutrients like manganese, zinc, iron, cobalt and boron which prevents the plant from utilizing these nutrients for their growth and in turn reduces the micronutrient uptake by humans when we eat these plants. We could be eating fruits, vegetables and other foods that we think are healthy but are devoid of nutrients because the plants were starved of the nutrients they needed. We do not break down macronutrients like protein, fats and carbs without the presence of micronutrients like zinc, calcium, manganese, magnesium and many others. Zinc for example is used to make hydrochloric acid which is produced in the stomach and begins the break down of protein. Zinc is also crucial for immune function. The nutrients that glyphosate chelate are often crucial building blocks or catalysts to enzyme production in plants and humans. When these minerals are bound by glyphosate in our body they are often rendered inert or unusable, cannot be eliminated through urine or feces and are stored in tissues like joints, fat cells, brain, etc. Many diseases and health conditions often begin with nutrient deficiencies that then affect other functions of the body and can end up creating systemic havoc.
So why Organic? When we choose organic foods we are getting more nutrient-bang for our buck. We are also supporting farmers that grow food naturally, without synthetic chemicals that can harm our health. We also vote with our dollar by choosing organic and not supporting billion dollar corporations that only care about their bottom line. Most importantly we take charge of our health by being educated about how the food we choose to feed our families is grown, processed and distributed.
Chelsea Cushman
YOUnique Nature Wellness
Nutrition Consultant, N.C.
Ayurvedic Health Counselor, A.H.C.
Western Astrologer
From our Producers :: Field Notes
'Tis the season for baby chicks! Broiler season has begun! Sarah of Green Star Farm has plans to raise 6000 Broilers this year!