Another Agent Joining the Movement, Our New Logo & a Cool Shopping Tool

Three items on the agenda today...

First I am excited to share our new logo/brand (located above in case you didn't notice:)  From here on out, this is the mark of our movement.  We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with an extremely talented artist.  He really grasped our vision and took it beyond what we ever imagined it could become.  If you or anyone else has design or video needs, we would highly recommend Johnny Hazard...is that a rock star name or what!  Here is a bit more on Johnny's services and his contact information.  Thank you again Johnny!

Johnny B. Hazard:
Phone: (317) 508-2860
(if it goes to voice mail and you get Louis Tully from Ghostbusters, you've dialed the right number)
Email: johnnybhazard@gmail.com
Website: http://johnnybhazard.blogspot.com/
Services: Cartooning, Illustration, Photoshop and Illustrator based projects such as Logos, Posters and Banners, Small Video projects such as YouTube/Vimeo content and the occasional wedding or event.

Item 2:

Another Agent will be joining our movement of change.  I don't want to give away who this person is just yet...but I can tell you that they have a whole lot of experience with change.  Uniquely, much of the change they have experienced has not necessarily been what they were seeking, yet they always roll with whatever life throws at them in the most positive light.  This person has followed my/our entire story, they believe strongly in what we are doing and in recent months undergone some major change of their own (all based upon our methods and madness:).  Any guesses?  Look for their introduction post soon.

Item 3:

There is a lot of talk about organic produce these days...what is safe to buy non-organic, what pesticides are used on what, which produce is a MUST for buying organic only, etc...

Here's a handy guide to buying organic produce.  I found this story/link on Treehugger.com. 

I have pasted the story below...but what's really cool is you can follow a link to a downloadble sheet for your shopping trips.  No more wondering or worrying about which was OK to buy and which wasn't.  With the Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet you can shop safely.

The Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet is a handy, compact and easy reminder of which fresh products are high in pesticides and which are low. Cool Hunting calls it " the world's cutest pocket guide to buying organic" and from the look of it, we would have to agree.

It's a very straight forward little piece of paper that takes 27 of the most common fruits and vegetables and divides them into two categories: those that usually have a low pesticide content and those that don't. Just keep it in your purse/pocket and pull it out while shopping. How simple is that.

Created by Heidi Kenney, she has made it so that it is downloadable, and everyone can have their own sweet copy. Very generous and very handy because the biggest complaint about buying organic is how expensive it can be. This guide helps you make the decision on the spot without resorting to the net, the IPhone, your memory.

The information is drawn from the Environmental Working Group , a non-profit that "uses the power of public information to protect public health and the environment."

They have drawn up a list of 47 fruits and vegetables which they have rated according to levels of pesticide.

--Fruits and Vegetables Loaded with Pesticides
The top ten worst, i.e. loaded with pesticides are: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce and imported grapes.
--Fruits and Vegetables with the Least Pesticides
Those with the lowest level of pesticides are: onions (the best), avocados, sweet corn frozen, pineapple, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas frozen, kiwi, cabbage and eggplant.

You have been warned.

Josh 001

Green Tips from The Coal Miners Daughter - Tip # 2 - Your Garden

Agent 004's latest tip...building your own garden.  Are you ready to make the change to growing your own veggies?

Now that you know how to water your garden let’s talk about building one.

First things first. Do you know what your soil is like under that beautiful grass you have growing? More than likely clay. I have lived in Indiana and Texas and have had to do a raised bed in both cities because you just cannot grow on clay.  I know that there are one or two of you that will tell me otherwise and I think it is great that you can grown right into your ground I wish I had your soil.

I know you are thinking …Well Sarah, what do I use to build my garden?? I have some thoughts on this and some facts to go along with it. This year when designing my garden I have decided to go with a plastic raised bed kit from Menard's http://www.menards.com/  each kit was $70 and allows you to build either a 12 inch high bed that is 4 foot by 4 foot or you can build 2 six inch high one and so on. Now this is not something that I would choose if I was in my “forever” home but this will work for the next few years. I will fill this with organic topsoil and back fill with some organic mushroom compost. If I was however in my forever home I would be using 2x12x12 cedar. Why? You do NOT want to use pressure treated lumber… more on this in a minute. So your options most of the time for untreated are Pine and Cedar. You use the Cedar over the Pine because the Cedar will last at least 10 years where as the Pine you are only looking at 3-5 years at best. You use the 2 inch thick because the one inch will split within a year and you will be back in the same boat.  The average cost of a 12x6 foot raised bed in Cedar will be about $200, but you will have this garden for a long time to come. In short, plastic for short term, Cedar forever.

OK, so why no treated wood??? Here is a great article about the process and what happens to your wood over time http://www.finegardening.com/design/articles/pressure-treated-wood-in-beds.aspx  The article basically says that what they treat the wood with can leach into the soil and cause it to become very toxic and causing the veggies in your new garden to become toxic as well. NOT GOOD.

When you go to build your garden talk with the people at the store you go to. Ask them about what they recommend. They have a ton of knowledge and would love to tell you all about what they do.

Next week… veggies in your garden….

Sarah, 004

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - More Good . . .

My friend Laura’s son and my daughter have been friends since just about the day they were born and we try to get together for play dates as often as we can.

Two weeks ago I was excited to learn that Laura had turned to (organic) veganism around the same time that I had.  This meant that I could look forward to our play dates even more.

Do you know how challenging it is to have play dates with mothers who feed their children poorly?

You find yourself cringing slightly as they pass their little one Ho Hos,  white bread sandwiches, and pesticide-laden fruit.

Now that I know Laura and I have the same eating habits, we have been trading recipes, educational websites, and other informational emails regarding our new way of life.  This has not only, in my humble opinion, made our friendship stronger, but is really helping me find more creative ways to make meals.

On Sunday we joined forces at a bounce place in Carmel so the kids could release their “sillies” and we could have some chit chat time.  Imagine my surprise when she gives me the amazing book “Radiant Health, Inner Wealth” http://www.radianthealth-innerwealth.com/newbook.html.  The book is loaded with advice, recipes, and solutions for vegan challenges.  It has been in my possession for less than 24 hours and I have already read through the entire book, made one of the recipes, and planned a menu for the upcoming week.

A trip to your local Whole Foods-type store will probably be necessary for many of the recipes, but items like “cilantro lime rice” can be made easily without a lot of fanfare.  The book also acknowledges the many challenges with gluten and soy and has a variation for almost every recipe to make it soy-free or gluten-free.  Some of the most commonly endorsed ingredients in the book include: almond milk (or any dairy-free milk you use), quinoa, millet, whole wheat flours (I use almond flour or other gluten free flours), milled flax seed as an egg substitute, rolled oats,  all organic vegetables, and tons of herbs and spices for the recipes.

Her theme is easy to follow. Whole grains, loads of veggies, and anything that is sweet should use real maple syrup, REAL sugar, fruits, and spices.  She also has an organic whole food recipe for chocolate chip cookies and one could certainly replace the chips with carob ones if they were so inclined.  One of her recipes is “Apple Pie Acorn Squash” and I can’t wait to give it a dry run before Thanksgiving! In fact, my whole Thanksgiving meal may come from this book.
Her recipe for mashed potatoes looks DIVINE.

And the best part of the book for parents? A kids section!

Trying to raise a vegan child? OR even just trying to get your little person to eat veggies?  She gives you ideas on where to begin and what to try. Her recipes for kids are great!  Sydney and I already made the eggplant chips and she loved them! We dipped them in hummus and had a great late day snack together.

I am so thankful to Laura for giving me a copy of this book. The recipes are simple and book is easy to understand. This book is a win for the GOOD team.

Signing off,
Erin 003

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Farm Fresh Delivery

So…we’re talking about the good, the bad, and the ugly, huh?

Well, how about some more good?!

I love fresh produce but if it’s not organic, I don’t even bother (thanks dad, I’m finally listening).  The closest grocery store to my home is a 5 minute walk and is attached to my neighborhood.
However, when it comes to buying fresh fruits and veggies, they don’t get my business.

(Wow, maybe I should include them in my next “bad” segment?)

Their organic section is comparable to the size of the smallest bathroom in my home.
And to top it off, it’s OUTRAGEOUSLY priced. I’m not talking ‘a little bit extra’ I mean double and sometimes triple the cost per item.

The Farmer’s Market in Zionsville doesn’t open until late May, so what’s a healthy person to do?
Well, until recently I was driving about five+ miles to Trader Joe’s.  But now? I am hooked up with Farm Fresh Delivery (available in Indianapolis and Cincinnati). www.farmfreshdelivery.com

Every other week fresh organic produce is delivered right to my door at a reasonable price.
And if I want more frequent deliveries, I just let them know. What’s better than this? I get to pick what goes in my bin!  The Monday before my Wednesday delivery I simply log in and  update the contents of my bin.  Everything from bananas, pineapple, and other fruits to fabulous shitake mushrooms await me! Usually I plan my week based on what will be in the bin. This week I’m anxiously awaiting the fresh basil for my Italian night.  They also have the most beautiful organic spinach I’ve encountered yet and it is going to make some great morning shakes…

The Farm Fresh folks leave the closed bin in a shady place on my porch and drop in the early evening when it’s cool.  They don’t just have produce, but that is mainly my reason for ordering as a vegan (they also have organic, grass-fed local meats).  I strongly encourage anyone who is interested in locally grown to support groups like Farm Fresh Delivery.

If you don’t live in Indianapolis or Cincy, do a quick web search for key words like “organic food delivery” and your city name; countless opportunities await you, assuredly!  We are supporting local, organic farmers AND putting the best in our bodies for a reasonable price. Who could ask for more? Oh, one thing I guess…great customer service.  Theirs is also top notch-you get a live body on the phone immediately and they WANT to help you.

Here’s to the good,
Erin, 003

More Change on the Horizon

Just a quick note today to let all our followers know about some new areas we will be discussing here.

As part of our commitment to change, I as well as some of the other agents will be taking on specific topics on a weekly basis.  We will be sharing our research, our findings and our thoughts.  And of course, how each of these topics applies to changes we can all make.

Beginning this week, Sarah (004) will be writing posts under the title of "Green Tips from the Coal Miners Daughter".  These posts will discuss changes that can be made on green living topics.

Erin (003) will be taking "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly", highlighting companies, products and issues that influence or support positive change...and calling out those who do not.

I am going to be adding more on the vegan lifestyle..."The Vegan Vibe", where I will be discuss the vegan changes I continue implementing, as well as share how certain elements of veganism can benefit non-vegans as well.

Feel free to send us your thoughts or suggest specific topics you would like any of us to address.

Best,

Josh