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Towards the end of last summer, I harvested a bumper crop of organically grown peas. They were extraordinary in taste and quality. For several weeks I gathered them before dawn then packed them inside raw calico bags which stacked neatly inside the crisper section of my old twin door refrigerator. I offered them to relatives, friends, and neighbors.  Apparently there was no shortage of families who appreciated receiving small packages of freshly harvested garden peas. After my initial distributions I received a polite telephone request from a local restaurant. One of their patrons mentioned my crop of peas and the chef was hoping to obtain some for his special minestrone. No problem, I agreed. The following day’s sunrise caught me unprepared....

One of the poorly understood aspects of nutritional health is the importance of measuring appropriate quantities of food throughout the lifecycle. During teenage and adolescent years, the body requires an additional resource of nutrients and, in many cases, calories to support the average lifestyle which is likely to include a diverse range of sporting, cultural, and social activities. Depending on occupation and other factors, adults usually experience a sharp decline in their physical activity levels commencing around their mid to late thirties. While many perceive this not to be the case, the objective reality has been documented in large scale health surveys. These indicate a series of common factors which include increased dependence on...

Last December I looked at some of the reasons motivating me to continue preparing fresh organic fruit and vegetable juices for my family. For those of you who are interested in making your own juice, I thought I’d take a look at the various technological options available to you. There are many implements and appliances available for making your own juice. These range from the relatively inexpensive to the almost unbelievably overpriced. While the equipment you choose needs to suit your intended purpose, it’s also important for it to fit within the parameters of your household budget. There’s no point forking out money for equipment you’re not going to use after a few weeks. Unfortunately, people often spend good money...

Throughout history, the medicinal use of herbs has been consistently linked with systems of traditional knowledge. The health philosophies of eastern, western, and indigenous cultures can be understood as integral components of unique world views which are progressively shaped by environmental factors, empirical knowledge, and religious practices. For example, eastern approaches to health and wellbeing must be addressed in the context of the Ayurvedic systems of ancient and contemporary India, along with the Buddhist and Taoist systems which have influenced important regions within Asia. The Western European approach to health was initially shaped by the religious influences of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. For example, herbal tonics and...

An essential consideration when storing fresh fruit is to ensure that only the highest quality examples are selected in the first place. As an organic producer, the objective is always to provide a safe, nutrient rich environment, one which enables healthy fruit to develop without the assistance of toxic pesticides and other chemical additives. Fruit which has been nurtured appropriately from the earliest stages will always store more easily, and remain fresher than produce which has been compromised by adverse growing conditions or bad management. There are few long term advantages to be gained from storing crops which are in poor condition. Most fruit can be stored in a variety of ways. Any decision regarding the most suitable approach to...