MISC MARKET NOTES

It’s well known that our USDA owns the word “organic” and its use is prohibited outside their agency parameters and permissions. Terms like “organically grown” and our favorite, “sustainable” are often used to describe growing conditions that would readily be certified if only the farmer had the means (meaning $) to do so. So actual “organic” certification is pretty well limited to those growers with operations large enough to pay those fees. There are many wonderful growers out there who do the hard work to meet true organic standard guidelines, but there’s also a growing trend to grow “organic” and cut corners without actual soil.

This is important because maintaining soil health is at the heart of what organic farming was all about originally. Healthy soil produces healthy plants that can resist disease and pests naturally without chemical intervention. Soil grown plants are higher in nutrition. Hydroponics were the earliest soil-less grown products, and by switching to organic fish emulsion as their fertilizer/nutrition source, hydroponic growers were able to achieve organic certification. This has in turn led to other “organic” soil-less growing systems utilizing plastic ground cover, plastic pots and inert substrates. Actual ground is treated merely as a surface to be leveled, compacted and covered with plastic containers. Rainwater leaches plastics into the soil and eventually the plastic remnants go the the landfill. There’s nothing regenerative or sustainable about that.

Back to those nutritional differences . . . the problem is, hydroponic farms aren’t required to disclose how their “organic” products are grown. It’s obvious with lettuces, you can pretty well tell by looking, but blueberries and other products, how would you know? This issue has developed to the point that there is a second movement to identify what is and what is not grown in the good earth God created. This is why the farmers who started the organic movement began the REAL ORGANIC PROJECT (ROP). The ROP label identifies the integrity of actual organic products with a label, shown below, to identify USDA organic products that are actually grown in soil using real organic, SUSTAINABLE, means. To date over 1000 farms have joined this movement.

We here at M@D want you to shop our LOCAL lovingly organically grown SUSTAINABLE foods as much as possible, but we also understand that if it’s out of season in this region, you may look for the same product that’s been shipped in from a different part of the country. One of the beautiful things about M@D is that your growers are local, friendly and glad to answer questions. That’s not possible with big grocer produce. So no judgment. We just want you to know what’s going on the organic food world so you can be safe out there. And know what label identifies the best products.

For more info visit www.realorganicproject.org.

D’S JELLIES: D’s Hot Pepper Jelly is available now! My jalapeno, cayenne, sweet banana, and bell peppers are all red and I am making lots of pepper jelly. Thank you for being longtime customers! Dianne Herring

JBW FARM FRESH:Now that we have started harvesting our pigs, we have lard to be able to make body products! Lard is made through a process called rendering. The fat from the pig is cooked slowly until it is melted. We already are aware of this process because of our Tallow! Tallow is made by rendering suet, the fat of cows, generally found surrounding the animal’s organs. Lard comes from pigs and Tallow comes from cows!

What is the difference? Pastured lard is rich in Vitamin D (something more than half all Americans are lacking), while tallow is rich in a slew of pro-metabolic fatty acids and vitamins. 

How does this help our skin and hair? When we use lard on our skin, we’re soaking up all of that Vitamin D, which helps to minimize dark spots and lines, reduce acne, promote collagen production and reduce inflammation which is a common factor in conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Given the molecular structure of our skin and the suet used to make tallow, it is naturally more compatible with our skin, allowing it to act as natural sebum, locking in moisture and nutrients without clogging pores. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR TALLOW SOAPS & LOTIONS!

MOUNT MORIAH FARMS:  If you follow us on social media then you probably have already seen our exciting news!!! The news is, we made it on the news!!! We were very excited to get a last minute call from WTVY about being interviewed for their “Proud to be a farmer” segment! It aired on Tuesday of this week. I am so thankful for the opportunities the Lord sends our way. I am thankful for allowing me to be a proud farmer. I am thankful to my parents for raising me up on a farm. I am very blessed and want to say thank y’all for your continued business! 

• Soap HIGHLIGHT***
  Lemon Verbena / sea salt spa bar… Sea Salt has natural antimicrobial properties, making it effective at fighting bacteria and other germs. Sea salt can also help to exfoliate the skin, removing dead skin cells and revealing softer, smoother skin underneath.
  

AVALON FARMS

Avalon Farms’ Emotional Support Zephyr Squash is packed and ready to go. Where could it be adventuring to now!?! Check back next time for an update.

We look forward to seeing you next Friday at one of our pickup locations. Thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!