Thistledowne Farm's Veggie Van
Supporting LOCAL FARMERS, EDUCATING you about food, PROMOTING Earth-Conscious living. We are YOUR COMMUNITY serving THE COMMUNITY
VIDEO LINKS
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/263 A very informative on what we eat, our 'culinary' history. Did you grow up eating like this? Do you still eat like this? You'll get quite a few laughs and see yourself. This will also get you to think!
For more information on food: http://www.freewebs.com/thefoodblog/ and to watch the MONSANTO VIDEO go to the 'Learn The Truth' page.
This is how meat goes from being an 'animal' to being 'food.'
WARNING: THIS IS A VERY GRAPHIC VIDEO - not suitable for children to watch.
Info on FOOD
Here are some links to help YOU learn more about food production -and- organizations to join to voice your opinion about what's going on with our food supply.
KNOW WHERE YOUR FOOD COMES FROM!
Our entire group of people, cooperative if you will - every single one of us IS committed to getting the message out about that fact that most people have no clue where their food comes from - OR - what's in it. You've heard the news lately. Problems with imported products from China. WHY do we IMPORT food from China and other countries? The answer IS because we Americans like cheap food. That's the price we pay for those 'low prices, always.' at your local super center.
The scary part about this is that the United States government has banned the use of certain chemicals. In turn, they've sold these chemicals to many countries that are providing us with food! Because in some instances there is little regulation or accountability, these countries are using these dangerous compounds on the FOOD that IS SHIPPED TO US!
The next time you go to the grocery store and buy those grapes in the produce section, take a LOOK at WHERE THEY'RE PRODUCED. CHILE, probably. Do you really think that they have been treated with 'safe' chemicals? (no chemicals are safe, folks, no matter what Dow® or Monsanto® tells you!) Chances are they have been grown using compounds that have been long banned here in the United States, DDT being one of them.
Then there's the documented medical evidence that many food additives can affect our health and contribute to disease. We support a return to eating naturally and eliminating as many processed foods as possible.
"It's not NICE to fool Mother Nature....." and that's exactly what scientists are doing with genetically engineered food. There's more of it IN the common foods we all buy. Why does science and agriculture have to mess with a perfect creation, anyway? Go to the 'links' section and read up on why. This is another reason that American consumers need to know what is going on!http://www.livevideo.com/video/Smokescreen/CD446798FECA4D4EB12217F2010EB73B/the-world-according-to-monsant.aspx Go to this website to learn about the video that Monsanto doesn't want you to see. "The World According to Monsanto" is in 4 parts here. This video has been pulled from Google's search engine!
The Virginia Independant Consumers and Farmers Association (VICFA): www.vicfa.org is fighting for YOU & the small farmers. Their mission statement: "Our purpose is perserve, unregulated direct farmer to consumer trade that fosters the availablity of locally grown or home-produced food products." As is says on their site; "VICFA encourages you to take an active part in assuring your right as a comsumer to choose your food sources and your right as a farmer to be able to sell the fruits of your labors." It is the voice of the small farmers and the consumers who depend on them in Virginia. As it says in a special issue newsletter: "Whether you want to buy fresh homemade bread, cheese or sausage from your neighbor, raise poultry as a hobby, sell your pastured meats to restaurants, keep ponies for your children, breed livestock for fun or profit or buy your organic produce at the farmer's market, you have the right to do so unencumbered by regulations written for insudtrial agriculture and unburdened by a National Animal Identification System (NAIS) requiring you to microchip your animals and report their movements into a federal database. You have the right to purchase and eat food grown on pasture-based, traditional farms. VICFA is committed to restoring and protecting those rights."
Environmental Working Group: http://www.ewg.org/about A nonprofit organization with a wealth of information for consumers on everything 'environmental' such as pesticides in produce to the dangers of non-stick cookware.
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund: http://www.ftcldf.org/index.html If you are concerned with a farmer's right to sell directly to consumers and your right to be able to purchase things like unprocessed (raw) milk, then this site and its links are a good place to start.
Eating Fresh: www.eatingfresh.com/GNAG.pdf explains the BENEFITS of pasture-raised animals. THIS is a good begining site to visit to understand the motives behind our growers and why we want YOU to know about this!
www.sierraclub.org/e-files/grassfed.asp More info about the benefits of grass fed animals.
Weston A. Price Foundation: http://www.westonaprice.org/splash_2.htm LOTS of information on a variety of subjects from children's vaccinations, raw milk, health concerns. Too many to list here but the 'CausticComments' are great!
Organic Consumers: www.organicconsumers.org This is a fantastic site for everything from worldwide current events that affect us ALL, to information the "BUY LOCAL" movement, environmental issues, food additives, and the LATEST INFORMATION on the efforts to save our lives and the planet! This is a must read site! They are very pro-active in their efforts with online petitions that you can send directly TO retailers, manufacturers or chemical companies (like Monsanto to vote against bovine growth hormone....) SIGN UP FOR THEIR V.E.R.Y INFORMATIVE NEWSLETTER, "Organic Bytes".
The Center for Food Safety: www.centerforfoodsafety.org An excellent site with a wealth of information to keep you informed and educated. This is ONE WAY that YOU can truly make a difference in your food. WE THE PEOPLE need to take back our food and not rely on corporate America to 'tell us the truth.'
OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST:
BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF THE EARTH
Green People: http://www.greenpeople.org/ For a link to everything GREEN, you can find it here from household products, health care, holistic medicine, going green, organics, vegan/vegetarian... check it out!
Organic Gardening: www.organicgardening.com Garden naturally and lessen your impact on the Earth.
Aqua Barrel: http://www.aquabarrel.com/index.php Water your yard for FREE! Made from recycled plastic barrels; simply the BEST system out there.
Mother Earth News: www.motherearthnews.com This is still one of the BEST publications out there. Lots of information on earth-friendly living. Not just for us 'old hippies', either. Great articles on natural healing, cooking, alternative energy, sustainability, local food movements, gardening and living wisely.
EnviroLife Source: www.envirolifesource.com "Promoting responsible & respectful living on Earth"A new collection for all sorts of enviromentally-friendly products, natural gardening, alternative energy, pesticide free and recycled products goods. Everything for home, bath, bed, personal care and saving you $$$$$. Website operational SOON!
Detox Naturals: www.detoxnaturals.com Helping you to detox your life. Spa products, organic, natural bath products and perfect gifts for that 'bath' person in your life.
This is a great site for all sorts of Earth-friendly tips: http://www.gbcnv.edu/~leeb5/Server/week6/environment3.htm
The Sierra Club: www.sierraclub.org LOTS of info and links of environmental issues.
Rainforest Alliance: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/marketplace/index.html Help protect the rainforest and encourge sustainable agriculture. See what corporations are doing to promote this.
Safe Lawns: http://www.safelawns.org/index.php Information on how to reduce your use of lawn chemicals.
Natural Home: www.naturalhomemagazine.com Put a little more 'GREEN' in your life!
HELPING OTHERS
www.kiva.org On this site you can make a loan to those in 3rd world countries to help them start on the road to self-employment. This was introduced on "Oprah" and it is a direct way (for as little as $25) for you to help your fellow humans. Over 98% of the loans have been paid back and when your's is, you can choose another person to help! GO CHECK THIS OUT! "The Veggie Van" plans to donate, too!
http://www.seedsofpeace.org/ Bringing together the different cultures of the world to understand, not fear or hate each other. This is a wonderful organization!
www.religioustolerance.org : Not only religious tolerance, but cultural tolerance as well. This has all the information to assist people about understanding other religions and cultures.
http://organicconsumers.org/plantingpeace/index.cfm Another wonderful site - promoting peace and tolerance.
MORE ON FOOD SAFETY
Click on these links to read more:
http://www.asq.org/qualitynews/qnt/execute/displaySetup?newsID=1492
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/04/16/546/
http://www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/inspecting_food.html
You can VOTE with your FORK!
Choose
HEALTHY,
EAT LOCAL FOOD,
BUY PRODUCTS WITH RECYCLABLE PACKAGING,
and please support your local Farmer's Market.
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