Summer Strawberries

They come and go so fast, I literally made the decision at 9pm to dash the next day a couple hours away to the nearest organic strawberry farm for one of summer's loveliest treats.  8 quarts of berries yielded 10 pints of jam. I tried a recipe that used agar powder instead of other jelling agents and honey instead of the ridiculous amount of sugar called for in traditional freezer jam. The process was quick and easy and the product superb. I encourage you to find an organic strawberry farm before it's too late and put up some jam for the long winter. Strawberries are high on the list of foods to avoid because of pesticide residue, so we only eat organic ones. It's well worth the slightly higher cost to know we're eating safe and the land and workers on the farm were treated with respect. Yum.

US joins endosulfan ban

While it could become totally overwhelming to contemplate the countless threats to my personal and family health and safety, I still see great value in making an effort to avoid as much toxic exposure as possible. This is an issue that is exhausting, infuriating and sometimes disgusting. So it is nice to have something better to report.

Endosulfan - another in the long list of agricultural chemicals has been banned by the FDA. I have not found research discussing the longevity of this chemical and its residue. Because it is structurally similar to DDT, I think it probably will be with us in our soil and water for some time to come, but that is pure speculation. Used most heavily on cotton, beans and zucchini, this chlorinated insecticide has been shown to effect kidney, liver, central nervous system and male reproductive organs. 

Banning in the US comes late, given that it has already been banned in 62 other countries. But it is still used in Brazil, Australia and produced and used in India.

Next to stop, the use of malathion. Check out this 10-year old letter by Beyond Pesticides.

After attending a talk on chemicals in our foods at Milwaukee's Urban Ecology Center this week, I am again acutely aware of the importance of doing whatever I can to keep my family from exposure to environmental toxins. Thanks to Steven Levsen, Ph. D for the excellent information. He's a chemist, organic farmer and cancer survivor. 

Toxic Info Explosion

Wow. Amazing what a powerful media outlet like CNN can do. We'll see if the program lives up to the hype. But I'm thrilled that even before airing, the media is FULL of articles, interviews and more on the topic. The program couldn't be more timely given the public's heightened awareness of chemical exposure due to the BP incident in the Gulf. Here's the short list:
CNN Toxic America
Brian Lehrer on WNYC (last segment listed "Toxic America")
The Plastic Panic  The New Yorker
There's No Place Like Home...  USA Today
Domestic Detox  NY Times
CNN Reveals Toxic America  Huffington Post

I will post my thoughts after viewing. I can only hope this will prompt more people to become more aware.