Amy Nutt


There is plenty of talk about organic foods these days. Everyone is saying that organic foods are better for you because there aren’t any chemicals that you are ingesting into your body like with non organic foods, and everything is natural. But what about organic skin care products? Are they important as well? We’ll go over the reasons why organic skin care is the way to go.

1. It is all natural

When you are reading the label; you can clearly see what is in the skin care product without looking it up. There should be all natural ingredients in your skin care, nothing chemically produced or toxic to your skin.

2. Less chance of reaction

When there are all natural ingredients in the skin care, there is a decreased chance that this product will cause an irritation of any sort. Organic skin care does not contain the harsh ingredients that some regular products contain.

3. It’s better for the environment

Anything that is made without chemicals is going to be better for the environment. It will break down more easily and because it is organic you will not be adding chemicals that do not exist naturally in the environment. There is nothing in organic products that might harm animals or trees.

4. It doesn’t have to be expensive

Just because a skin care product is organic, does not mean that is has to be expensive. In fact, there are even some organic skin care products that can be made at home. For example, baking soda used in the shower is great, and you can also use it for black heads. If your skin is oily, try using tomato on it, but check it on your arm first to make sure that you’re not allergic to the tomato juice.

Another great thing to do instead of using store bought deodorant is to mix half vinegar and half water to put under your arms. Vinegar also works well when you have athlete’s foot.

If you are considering the use of organic skin care instead of products that are full of harsh ingredients and chemical. Consider visiting one of the many websites or Blogs filled with useful information on how to create your own organic skin care as well as a comprehensive list of products they sell.

There are a lot of good reasons for choosing organic skin care over inorganic skin care. But the biggest thing to remember is that when you are using skin care that is organic, you don’t have to worry about putting anything unnatural on your face or on other parts of your body. Because it’s all natural, no matter what type of skin you have you can use it. Organic skin care is especially good if you have sensitive skin, because you don’t have any of the dyes, perfumes or chemicals that are found in your regular skin care products. When purchasing organic skin care be sure to read labelling and research the items that you want to buy before you do, to ensure that you are getting what you pay for.



Shawn

Fiona Muller


When you are looking for a drink to suit the majority of people go for wine.  It is a universal drink which has types that are good for most people.  There is dry wine, organic wine, sweet wine, fortified wine, red wine, rose wine, and of course sparkling wine.

If you are planning a party it goes down a treat.  You can have sparkling wine or champagne for a toast and a red and a white wine for people to drink the rest of the time.

If you are planning a dinner party, you can start the evening off with an aperitif such as sherry, move on to a white and red wine to go with the main meal, serve a dessert wine with the pudding and end up with port and stilton.  In fact what is a dinner party without wine?  It is like having bread without butter.  

This article is going to give you a short overview of different types of wine.

White wines

These tend to be light and can be sweet dry or somewhere inbetween the two.  Best drunk with white meat or fish they can have a light refreshing nature or can be oaky and fuller in flavour.  In general wines from the New World tend to be richer.

Red wines

These tend to go with meats, barbecues and rich cheese.  They can be full or light in body and again those with the heavier alcohol content tend to come from the New World

Organic Wine

Like organic food this describes how the wine is produced rather than the wine itself.  Can be white, red, rose or sparkling in their nature.

Fortified Wines

These are wines that have had another spirit added to them to make them higher in their alcohol content and usually sweeter than traditional wine.  Typical fortified wines include sherry, port and brandy.

Sparkling wines

These wines include the King of all sparklers Champagne.  Sparkling wine is know as Prosecco, Cava, and Sec in various other countries and is a great party ice breaker or ideal as a celebration toast

So what are you waiting for go out and get some wine in today.  For a great range of quality wines why not try an online independent wine retailer.  They will have a large range of wines with tasting notes so that you can choose wines according to your taste buds rather than your imagination.



Jonathan

Muna wa Wanjiru


When you want to buy organic food you have a number of different options open to you. These options will include going to the supermarket and also stopping by roadside organic food stalls where you can buy the fresh produce. Now, while both of these options are quite good there are times when you will need help in finding where you can get your organic foods from and this where an organic directory comes in handy.

This will change form place to place, from region to region, but essentially the organic directory will contain the same basic information. This will normally include such things as the names of organic food producing farms, the different organic foods to be found in these farms, and maybe even how long these farms have been producing organic foods.

The information will necessarily vary from organic directory to organic directory, but the end product will be something that is helpful and easy to use. Now, since there is no one organic directory as such, you will have to be content to rely on the different organic directory services that are offered by the many different organic farming and food producing organizations.

These will for the most part have an organic directory of the various criteria that the organic farmers association or organization has on their books. If you’re interested in getting an organic directory for yourself, you should be able to lay your hands on this by contacting the various organic organizations.

Of course, you might also be able to find an organic directory from the National Organic Program which is the arm of the USDA which oversees everything about organic foods. This august body is also the one that sets the definition of what organic is, as well as giving organic certification to farms and organic processed foods.

You will also find worldwide that the usage of organic foods has spread. This means that there are not only organic farms to think about anymore, but also organic restaurants, organic wine shops and organic health food stores among other things.

With this boom in the culture for everything organic, you will that an organic directory for these things has also sprung up. With one of these in your pocket, or on your laptop or palm pilot, that you will be able to have a fine organic dining experience even when you leave your home. And considering where organic foods were a few years ago, this is a great achievement.



Lorrie

Gen Wright


, beginners to organic gardening are excited by the whole concept of “organic,” but don’t know where to start. I remember when I first contracted “organic fever”; I was so excited that I was reading everything I could find on the subject. Some articles were very entertaining but gave little practical information. Other articles seemed to focus on a particular product as being the miraculous answer to all gardening problems. Early on in my learning curve, I was reading an extremely interesting article about liquid organic fertilizer. It made a lot of sense and I was sold on the product, ready to run out and buy it.

Problem was, I hadn’t even planted anything yet! What I needed was a beginners guide to organic gardening. Since I never found one I decided to write one myself in hopes that it helps you avoid some of the pitfalls I’ve experienced. I put on the brakes and backed up a bit, but still eagerly absorbed all I could find. That is why I always recommend to anyone who is just discovering organic gardening to start on a small scale. Container gardening, for example, is a perfect place to start. You can move your container easily to protect it from the elements, even indoors.

The 3 R’s: Research, Read, Repeat

Different types of plants have different growing requirements, so it is imperative to know in advance of planting, what conditions are required by your plants to thrive. This is the most basic principle but often the most overlooked. You cannot rely on store personnel to know even the most basic facts about the plants they are cashiers, not horticulturalists. By following the 3 R’s you will avoid a lot of potential plant problems, plus, you’ll save yourself time, money, and aggravation. It’s much easier to learn about how to grow fat nutritious organic tomatoes after you have learned what soil requirements tomatoes need, than to repurchase and replant seedlings because you skipped this important step.

Follow The Rules

You can’t be successful if you cheat or take shortcuts. You might be tempted to think you can add a chemical to make your plants grow faster or taller. Read that sentence again. Do you see that word “chemical”? The use of chemicals is the opposite of organic. I want to assist you in growing gorgeous plants and healthful veggies. I do not promote or support the use of synthetic chemicals. When chemicals are added to the soil to induce artificial growth or color, they destroy the very micro-organisms needed to grow! The very essence of Organics is: No Chemicals. Ever. (Besides, if you think you can ingest chemicals without any adverse effects, you’ve been woefully misled!)

You Can’t Create Life

When you get right to the heart of the matter, you can’t create a tomato. All you can do is plant a little tiny seed and give it what it needs to grow. In my ignorance I used to repeat that tired old cliche, “Life begins in the soil.” Well, that’s only half true. While the seed contains the energy to germinate after planting, it’s the life in the soil that enables it to flourish. Micro-organisms such as fungi, bacteria, protozoa and nematodes convert organic fertilizer into energy for your plants to grow.

Are you ready to pursue organic gardening? Then you need to start by doing some housecleaning. Yes, I said housecleaning.

I suggest finding a good bio-degradable bag and, starting under your sink bag up all the chemicals to kill bugs and weeds. Then, progressing to your basement, garage, or utility shed, collect them all and get rid of them! If you are ready and willing to commit to growing healthy and nutritious food, then you need to get rid of all the poisons out of you home and garden. Okay, so you have a bag of toxic substances in hand, and you’re walking out to your garbage can… Suddenly you realize that there might possibly be a safety issue concerning the disposal of this stuff. The light bulb goes on.

If you have to consider how to safely dispose of a product, why would you want it in your home?

Allison

Michelle Bery


The challenge when decorating a living space lies in the ability to provide a comfortable, functional environment while still including all of the design elements that you enjoy. With the display of items that have meaning to you, you draw people into your home and give them a glimpse into your personality. For wine lovers, the display of a beautiful collection can add instant sophistication to any room. And the functionality of a wine rack bar allows you to accomplish this while still maximizing space and providing useful storage.

A wine rack bar serves a dual function, storing and displaying wine bottles, while providing space for serving drinks. It can be a wonderful way to pull a room together, ridding it of clutter, and organizing wine bottles into an effective and usable system.

When choosing a wine rack bar, look first at the overall look of the room in which you will place it. Be sure the wine rack bar blends into your general d

Travis

Martin Applebaum


You can easily grow a lot of fresh organic herbs and vegetables in your back yard. This is a great idea because the organic vegetables you grow in your garden are free from all the harmful chemical and pesticides. It is also cost effective to grow your business own vegetable as compared to purchasing organic foods from the local market.

Organic vegetables are cultivated in a different manner. The use of the most primitive type of agriculture is prominent in this procedure. The most interesting part is that no chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used in organic vegetable cultivation.

An innovative steam seam technology of Cascadian Farm is utilized to cultivate organic vegetables. The technology is efficient enough to the fresh vegetable. Organic vegetables are tastier, healthier and pretty.

Several organic plants such as marigolds, dill and sunflowers are capable of attractive beneficial insects to help controlling the population of pests. If you can grow tomatoes in an organic manner, you can get the most delicious and nutritious tomatoes. You can even grow tomatoes in a container if you do not have a garden in your house.

If you have no clue on how to grow organic plants, here are some in this regard.

a) Tip 1:

You can easily purchase certified organic mixes for your gardening pots from any good commercial supplier or mix them on your own.

b) Tip 2:

Grow many organic plants in yard via using Organic vegetable seeds to know exactly what went into the soil when growing the plant.

c) Tip 3:

Store many Organic vegetable seeds with just a little care to use them as per your desire.

d) Tip 4:

Check carefully whether the bulk Organic vegetable seeds you purchase from a commercial supplier have undergone organic certification. You can easily get to know about this through the documentation available with the supplier.

e) Tip 5:

Make doubly sure of the fact that the grower can warrant the absence of transgenic germplasm. This means that need to show the proof that they have not genetically modified the seed.

You can find bulk Organic vegetable seeds at the following places:

a) Local nursery or local garden store:

These places sell many bulk organic vegetable seed. You can easily check your local phone directory and call some of these to ensure the seeds you want.

b) Seed catalogs:

You can easily order bulk organic vegetable seeds from seed catalogs and get all these delivered right at your doorstep.

c) Online source:

Several online sources sell Organic vegetable seeds. You need to browse through the World Wide Web efficiently and look for the best. Make sure that you make a thorough research on the companies, products, authentication and prices prior to actually purchasing from them.

Organic vegetable seeds are very helpful when it comes to providing the best of nutrition to you. Order



Lara

Samuel Fromartz


A couple of years ago, I visited an organic vegetable farm in southeast Minnesota, not far from the Mississippi River. Nestled in a valley that sloped down from rolling pasture and cropland sat Featherstone Fruits and Vegetables, a 40-acre farm.

Featherstone was part of a local food web in the upper Midwest, selling at a farmers’ market, through a CSA (community supported agriculture) and to co-op stores in the Twin Cities. But the partners, Jack Hedin and Rhys Williams, who began in 1995, were having a tough time economically and realized they would have to boost sales if they were to become viable. The farm earned about $22,000 a year — split between the two partners — so they had to take on debt to keep going; this, after a 60 to 70 hour work week.

Hedin told me he made some calls and eventually landed a deal with Whole Foods to supply the natural foods chain with organic heirloom tomatoes. When I visited, they were in year two of the contract, picking the tomatoes before their peak ripeness, then shipping them to Chicago for stores in the Midwest. The deal had become the biggest sales channel for their farm; while still “local,” they were not as local as when they sold in their backyard.

There was a lesson here, one that often gets lost in the debate about which is better, local or organic? Too often this is understood as a zero sum game — that the money you spend on organic food at the supermarket will mean less for local farmers. After all, the food you buy is being shipped from who knows where and then often ends up in a processed food product. I’ve heard the argument that if all the money spent on organic food (around $14 billion) were actually channeled to local food, then a lot more small farms would survive and local food networks could expand. Well, Featherstone was doing precisely the opposite: it had entered the organic wholesale marketplace and then sent its tomatoes hundreds of miles away to survive as a small and, yes, local farm.

As consumers, it’s hard to understand these realities since we’re so divorced from the way food is produced. Even for conscious consumers who think about values other than convenience and price — avoiding pesticides, the survival of small farms, artisan food, and, of course, the most basic values, freshness and taste — choices must be made. Should we avoid pesticides at all costs or help small local farmers who may use them? Should we reduce food shipment miles, or buy food produced in an ecologically sound manner regardless of where it’s grown? These questions arise because we want to do what’s right.

The problem, though, is that these questions set up false choices. What Hedin and others showed me was that when it comes to doing the right thing, what really mattered was thinking about the choice — to be aware, to stay informed, and to be conscious of our role as consumers. But what you actually chose — local or organic — didn’t really matter.

Hedin, for example, was competing against farmers he actually knew on the West Coast, who also supplied organic produce to Whole Foods. I met one, Tim Mueller of River Dog Farm, in the one-bar town of Guinda, California. His farm sold produce at the Berkeley Farmers Market about 90 minutes away, but he was also tied to wholesale markets. (I saw River Dog’s heirloom tomatoes in western Massachusetts.) For these organic farmers, selling wholesale was a foundation for economic sustainability.

Moreover, by expanding the organic market, we may be actually helping local farmers. The USDA surveyed farmers’ markets and found that about a third of farmers selling direct were organic — local and organic, that is. In comparison, just one percent of all American farms practice organic agriculture. So for smaller-scale farmers selling direct, organic food has become a key component of their identity. By bringing more people into the organic fold, through whatever gateway they happened to choose, the pool of consumers considering local food would likely increase too.

That’s at least what Jim Crawford, a farmer from south central Pennsylvania believed. His 25-acre operation, New Morning Farm, works two farmers’ markets in Washington, D.C., and Jim played a key role in the growth of local foods in the region, having started out as an organic farmer in the 1970s. He told me he worried when Whole Foods opened a supermarket near his farmers’ market location in Washington because he thought he would lose customers. But over time, he noticed, sales kept rising. He thought the supermarket, which stocked a lot of organic produce from California, was actually converting customers to organic food and they in turn were finding their way to his market.

But what about companies that have pursued the organic marketplace without any concern for local food? What about, say, Earthbound Farm, which has grown into the third largest organic brand and the largest organic produce company in the nation, with its bagged salad mixes in three-quarters of all supermarkets? The company fiercely competed with other organic growers who later went out of business; its salad was grown organically but with industrial-scale agriculture; and the trucks that shipped the salad around the country burned through a lot of fossil fuel.

But Earthbound was competing with the likes of Dole, Fresh Express and ReadyPac in the mainstream market to offer consumers an organic choice. It did little for local food (a saving grace, since it left the market to smaller players). But Earthbound farmed on 26,000 acres of certified organic land, which meant that 267,000 pounds of pesticides and 8.4 million pounds of chemical fertilizers were being removed from use annually, the company estimated. And as studies repeatedly show, organic farming also saves energy (since the production of fertilizer and pesticides consumes one-third of the energy used in farming overall). Earthbound’s accomplishments should not be ignored — even if they are anything but local.

Which brings me to a final point: How we shop. Venues like Whole Foods are not fully organic because people are often unwilling to spend more than a small portion of their grocery budget on organic foods. It’s too expensive. This is one reason why organic food accounts for just two percent of food sales — one percent if you include eating out. Similarly, local foods, though important, total 1-2 percent. So arguing over local or organic is a bit like two people in a room of 100 fighting over who has the more righteous alternative to what the other 98 people are doing. It doesn’t really matter, because the bigger issue is swaying the majority.

When I shop, visiting the Dupont Circle farmers market in Washington, D.C., on Sunday morning and then going to the supermarket, I make choices. I buy local, organic, and conventional foods too, because each meets a need. Is the local product “better” than the organic one? No. Both are good choices because they move the food market in a small way. In choosing them, I can insert my values into an equation that for too long has been determined only by volume, convenience and price. While I have nothing against low prices and convenient shopping, the blind pursuit of these two values can wreak a lot of damage — damage that we ultimately pay for in water pollution, toxic pesticide exposure, livestock health, the quality of food and the loss of small farms. The total bill may not show up at the cash register but it’s one we pay nonetheless.

So what’s my advice? Think about what you’re buying. If you want local food, buy local. If you want organic, buy organic. The point is to make a conscious choice, because as we insert our values into the market, businesses respond and things change. There’s power in what we do collectively, so is there any reason to limit it unnecessarily?

© Samuel Fromartz 2006, reprinted by permission



Carlos

Garden Lodges


In today’s world, garden offices have gained much popularity and are in great demand. People purchase garden rooms from different suppliers and manufactures. However, there are certain essential things that a person needs to consider before purchasing a garden office. A person, prior to purchasing garden offices, should ensure that he is getting the best deal. There are ten essential things that should be considered before buying a garden office or garden studio.

Before purchasing a garden office one must be sure of the purpose that it would serve. This will help the person to ascertain whether the requirements of the building can be met by the design. If the building is being purchased to be used as a garden office, sufficient amount of lighting should be provided. If the room is to be used as a gym, then there should be provision for sufficient ventilation. If it is for the purpose of garden a lodge, then there should be provision for proper heating.

The position of one’s garden office is also of utmost importance. One rarely requires planning permission most of the time as long as the garden office is situated at a distance of 5 metres from the person’s home and occupies less than 50% of the garden’s area. Permission is also not required if the garden office or garden studio is built for private use and is about 20 metres away from any public place.

A person while buying a garden office or garden studio should also be careful about the height of the building. However, the height of the modular garden offices should not exceed 4 metres. If the height of the garden office exceeds 4 metres a person will have to seek permission. Permission also has to be taken if the building consists of two or more floors. Permission also has to be taken if the size of the rooms exceeds 30 Sq metres.

Further, a person prior to buying a garden room should be sure of the type of room he requires. A person buying a room for a garden studio should ensure that the room is in accordance to his requirements. The design of the room should also be taken into account.

A person buying a room for the purpose of running a garden office should also check the materials used for both constructing and designing the office. There are numerous suppliers who can provide the best garden offices. For information regarding garden offices and garden studios visit gardenlodges.co.uk.



David

Andrew Delroy


Imagine biting into a perfect ripe strawberry, still warm from the summer sun without having to worry about chemical or pesticide residues. More people are turning to organic gardening for the peace of mind it provides, knowing that their home-grown food is free of potentially dangerous chemicals. By following a few simple guidelines and with little cost, you can have your own organic piece of gardening paradise.

At it’s most basic, organic vegetable gardening is a way to grow plants without the use of chemicals. In practice, what makes organic gardening different is that it uses a variety of natural methods to support the growing needs of plants.

What’s wrong with using chemicals?

Most pesticides that are used to kill insects also kill many beneficial insects and bacteria. Continued use of chemical fertilizers actually reduces soil quality, requiring the use of larger and larger amounts of fertilizer to provide the nutrients that are normally present in the soil. A vicious cycle begins, with more chemicals being added to a soil that is increasingly void of life.

Fertilize Organically

Every garden soil is different, so before you start to fertilize, it’s important to know the nature of your soil. The best way to find out what your soil needs is to have it tested by your local cooperative extension office. Be sure to ask that recommendations be in the form of organic amendments rather than for agricultural chemicals.

The most important nutrients a plant needs are nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Nitrogen can be obtained by adding manure, alfalfa meal or fish emulsion. Bonemeal, a by-product of animal slaughterhouses, is rich in both phosphorous and calcium. Potassium can be supplied by kelp meal, made from dried seaweed. There are also many natural fertilizer products available that supply the right balance of the nutrients, all in one package.

Start with the Soil

There is a saying among organic gardeners, “take care of the soil and the plants will take care of themselves”. Soil is the foundation for plants which is why so much of organic gardening focuses on improving soil. A sure-fire way to improve your soil is by adding lots of organic matter such as compost. This improves the soil’s ability to store nutrients and helps retain moisture during droughts. Add as much compost as you can and you will be amazed by the results.

Putting Weeds and Insects in their Place

There are a number of ways to control insects without having to resort to pesticides. One way is to encourage beneficial insects, like common ladybugs, that feed on problem insects such as aphids. You can attract beneficial insects by planting marigolds, yarrow, fennel, parsley or Black-eyed Susan. Use physical barriers to keep problem insects from your most susceptible plants by using row covers and netting. If necessary, use natural pest control products such as insecticidal soap to let them know who’s boss.

What is the best way to control weeds organically? Mulch, mulch and more mulch! Mulch is a thick blanket of material such as leaves, grass clippings, straw or bark chips spread over the soil. It’s benefits include retaining moisture, moderating soil temperature and blocking sunlight from reaching the soil, which helps to reduce weeds. Any weeds that do grow through the mulch will be weaker from lack of sunlight and should be easy to pull out by hand. Besides, pulling weeds is good exercise and gives you an excuse to skip the gym! If weeds do start popping up in unwanted places such as between paving stones or interlocking brick there are many natural weed killers available at your local garden center.

You are now on your way to enjoying the fruits of your labor. Organic gardening doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Anyone with a patch of soil and some inspiration can grow healthy chemical free vegetables. Start this Spring and enjoy a healthy bounty by Summer.



Jamie