Weed Free Organic Gardening

There is nothing more satisfying than growing your own organic vegetables, but how is it possible to keep the weeds at bay? 

Weedkillers such as roundup don't just kill weeds. They contaminate the soil around them and make it virtually impossible to grow healthy organic food that is safe to eat. Studies have shown that it can stay in the soil for up to 2 years and has an adverse affect on plant and soil ecology.1  In laboratory tests using rats and mice, it has shown to decrease fertility.

So what are the alternatives to using harsh chemicals? 

The best way (and probably the hardest) to keep the weeds to a minimum is to remove weeds on a daily basis, removing them manually from the soil. In order to reduce the effort involved in this, it is best to turn the soil over and keep it loose on the areas where there are no plants growing. With the use of tools to help you and getting into the habit of maintaining it daily, it becomes relatively easy and hassle free in time. 

Plant strategically, known as companion planting. Learn which foods grow better next to each other and will not invade one an other's space but will give enough ground coverage to suppress weeds, repel pests and keep your vegetables or fruits growing abundantly.2

Know your soil type. It is possible to buy testing kits that can test the ph level of your soil. For example, clay soil is more alkali and will have a higher ph than sandy soil. Research the ideal soil type for each vegetable you want to grow, and if your soil is not right, look for a natural organic fertilizer to correct it.

    Supplement the soil with compost. It is best to know the source or ideally, make your own. Remember to burn weeds and put the ashes on the compost heap rather than the weed itself, or it will leave unwanted seeds in the compost that will wreak havoc in your organic garden for many years to come.

Salt diluted in water makes for an excellent weed killer. Applying directly to the weed will not have any adverse affect on the soil or to the vegetables you are growing around it. Be conscious that if the soil becomes too contaminated with salt it will impair the quality of the vegetables you are growing.

Boiling water is another natural way to eliminate weeds from your patch. This would be better suited when preparing the soil to plant, rather than using with established plants as the heat from the water will kill any roots that are surrounding the weeds. 

Vinegar is an excellent organic weedkiller. It has a high acidity which works by killing the leaves of the weed and stopping it from growing further shoots. It is most effective on younger weeds, but can have a desired affect on more established ones after several applications. 

Weed suppressants such as mulch, straw and newspaper are fantastic for preventing weed growth by blocking sunlight to the weed. Simply lay it down around your plants.

Corn Gluten Meal stops weed seeds from germinating. The gluten ( which is a by-product in the manufacture of corn meal and cornstarch) in the corn is the active ingredient that does this. Scattering the corn meal over the soil will help stop the weeds from coming through. Although this method is not highly recommended in the U.S. due to the fact that nearly all corn is GMO. It can be said that it is still allowed though in organic standards.

Organic gardening can be fun and productive. With a little t.l.c. it can be something you can be proud of. If you have young children, it is also a great way to educate and entertain them. The benefits are endless and you will feel better knowing exactly where your food has come from.

Sources: 1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundup_(herbicide)
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companion_plants#Vegetables


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http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2013/05/is-monsantos-glyphosate-destroying-soil.htmlA List of Non-GMO Companies
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How To Identify GMO foods At The Grocery Store

There you go! It's that easy. Make sure to listen to the whole video to understand.

FOX Reporters Fired For Reporting the Truth About Monsanto Milk

FOX NEWS Reporters (Steve Wilson & Jane Akre) uncover that most of the Milk in the USA and across some parts of the world is unsafe to drink due to Monsanto Corporation's POSILAC®, which has been proven to be a cancer-causing growth hormone.(known in short as "BGH" "BST" or "rBGH" ), but they were fired for attempting to inform people of the truth. (Important note: After a long court battle, the Court dismissed the whistle blowers protection for the reporters because the Court stated that there was no law to force that the NEWS must state the truth.

NEWS was/is no different than other TV shows/reality shows.) This is type of deceitful corruption is not just FOX news but includes almost all Main Stream Media. Self researched, alternative news and information (from multiple sources) is one of the best methods to stay well informed. Never trust or follow MSM/mega corporations such as Monsanto. The corrupt FDA has once again turned it's back on the American public and has actually assisted in suppressing the dangers of this issue. If you consumed or fed regular milk to your family today, there is more than a 90% chance that it was from a cow injected with BGH. (Bovine somatotropin developed by using recombinant DNA technology). You could be killing or harming your child every time you pour them a glass of milk, the same as pouring them a glass of slow acting poison. Please take action to ensure our children's safety, for they can not protect themselves. Remember too, that pus (exudate, infection discharge) is almost always present cow's milk... think about this fact the next time you feed your child this supposedly healthy product.

For great healthy alternative to animal's milk, try Almond, Coconut or Hemp milk (organic).

How to make your own Raw Almond Milk:

http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2013/03/how-to-make-your-own-raw-almond-milk.html

The health benefits of Coconut Milk:

http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2013/05/health-benefits-of-coconut-milk.html

Natural Healing Properties Of Papaya

Papaya, the native fruit of Southern Mexico is found to be rich in antioxidants, vitamins and boasts natural healing properties. 

Papaya (or Pawpaw as it is also known) grows well in a tropical environment and the tree usually fruits within 3 years. It is naturally high in fibre, C, A and most B vitamins including folic acid and ribovlavin and potassium. Papaya is low in calories and has no cholesterol, but is packed with phyto-nutrients and minerals. It is rich in calcium too.

It is no wonder then that it can be ideal to heal the body. The seeds have been used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation, pain, parasites and fungal infections such as ringworm. The high vitamin A content promotes eye health whilst, Vitamin C boosts the body's immune system. It has been used to treat nausea and constipation, colon cancer and gastrointestinal problems. Papaya has been known to lower the risk of emphysema in smokers and aid in weight loss. 

All in all papaya is a great all round fruit bursting with natural goodness to promote good health.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya

         http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/papaya-fruit.html

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Learn Why Leafy Greens are a Power Food and 20 Ways to Cook Them

By Rick Davis, founder at the eatlocalgrown project

Leafy Greens are a Superfood!

Leafy greens are one of the most nutritious, inexpensive and easy to cook real foods! They're also very tasty and one of the simpler things to cook. Leafy greens are available for a large part of the year in one form or another and are usually available at most farmers markets for great prices.

Below you find some great recipes, tips and nutritional facts for leafy greens!

The Quick Lowdown

• NUTRITIOUS- Lots of nutrients in just one serving! Vitamins, essential minerals, fiber and much more.
• VERSATILE- Easy to add to lots of different recipes. Like smoothies for breakfast, salad at lunch, sauteed at dinner.
• DETOX- High levels detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, and cancer fighting compounds

Leafy Greens Nutritional Facts

Not many foods can compare to the high nutritional value of leafy greens. Researchers are finding that eating your greens may be even more important than previously imagined. In putting together this article I found lots of quotes that stated "it was common for our ancient ancestors to eat up to six pounds of leaves per day". I could not find a accredited source for the quote but I can see that it makes sense. Recent research shows that a gene that is essential for producing critical immune cells in your gut, responds to the food you eat—specifically leafy green vegetables (Dr. Mercola).

We now know that these greens contain an array of antioxidants and other disease-fighting compounds. Researchers also believe that these vegetables play an important role in controlling food allergies, inflammatory diseases and obesity, and may even prevent the development of bowel cancers (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute).

Here's a nutritional breakdown of the top readily available leafy greens:

Kale

Excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K
High in Calcium (for a vegetable)
Also supplies Folate and Potassium

Collard Greens

Excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K
Good source of Folate, Manganese, and Calcium
Cancer preventatvive glucosinolates (glucoraphanin, sinigrin, gluconasturtiian, and glucotropaeolin)
Similar in nutrition to Kale but more chewy with a stronger taste

Swiss Chard

Excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K
Good source of Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Iron and Vitamin E
At least 13 different Polyphenol Antioxidants, including Kaempferol and Syringic Acid
Unique source of Phytonutrients called Betalains (provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support)

Turnip Greens

Excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K
Good source of Folate, Manganese, Calcium, Copper, Vitamin E and Vitamin B6
Bitter taste linked to high Calcium (4x more than cabbage, 2x more than mustard greens)
High glucosinolate content (phytonutrients with cancer-preventing properties)

Spinach

Excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K
Good source of Manganese, Folate, Iron, Vitamins C, B2, B6 and E
Showed evidence of significant protection against the occurrence of aggressive prostate cancer.
Glycoglycerolipids help protect the lining of the digestive tract from damage — especially damage related to unwanted inflammation.

Beet Greens

Excellent source of vitamins A, C, E and K
Good source of Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Zinc, Vitamins B6
Valuable source of Lutein/Zeaxanthin (good for eye health)

How to Choose Leafy Greens

When choosing your greens, the number one rule is to look for leaves that are crisp. You want to hear a slight snap when you crack the stems. If they are wilted, soggy, or slimy, keep looking. Ideally, they have been stored in a cool place but watch out for greens stored in ice. Greens are loaded with water. Ice can crystallize the water and the greens may end up mushy by the time you get them home.

Color is also important. If you have a choice, pick the darkest leaves. Don't worry about a few brown spots, that's perfectly normal, especially at the farmers markets. However, if the edges are consistently brown throughout all the leaves you may want to pass.

Last but not least, is smell. The leaves should smell fresh and, well, really green!

NOTE: Non-organic greens can be very high in pesticides. This is one of those items that are definitely worth buying organic. I'm assuming that because you are an eatlocalgrown.com reader, you know how important it is to buy from a local grower when possible. Make sure your growers are practicing sustainable farming practices and not using heavy chemical pesticides and herbicides. If buying from a local is not an option, then make sure to choose organically-certified greens at the grocery store. (read more about Local vs Organic.)

How to Cook Leafy Greens

A lot of people (me included) love the taste of bitter greens. I especially like to pair them as a side dish with a rich, fatty main course like a grass-fed rib eye, or a hearty lamb stew. The bitter greens cut through the fattiness of the main course and bring a nice balance to the plate. But there's also many ways to temper the bitterness of leafy greens by adding golden raisins for sweetness or some toasted pine nuts or sesame seeds for richness. This can completely transform the dish and if you get creative you'll find something that even the pickiest of eaters will love.

On the more sturdy greens like Kale and Collards you'll probably want to remove the leaves for the stalks. I do this for Swiss Chard as well. You can cut the stalks away or just rip the leaves off. The stalks can be used for stocks, or in the case of Swiss Chard I just cut them up into bite size pieces and saute them for about 5 minutes to make them tender before adding the greens to the pan.

Here's a great collection of recipes that we found at eatingwell.com-

Beet Greens Recipes

Beets & Greens Salad with Cannellini Beans

Sometimes beets in the market have beautiful, unblemished,...

Roasted Beet Crostini

The entire beet plant—roots, stems and greens—can be used...

Root Vegetable Stew with Herbed Dumplings

This root vegetable stew is flecked with sausage and topped...

Chard Recipes

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Chard & White Beans

Acorn squash’s natural shape makes it just right for...

Chard & Feta Tart

Fragrant lemon zest, briny olives and salty feta balance...

Chard with Green Olives, Currants & Goat Cheese

Tangy green olives, sweet currants and creamy goat cheese...

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans

In this one-skillet supper, we toss dark leafy greens,...

Collard Greens Recipes

Collard Green & Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Antioxidant-rich collard greens and fiber-packed black-eyed...

Grits & Greens Casserole

Here we’ve combined two favorite Southern side dishes—grits...

Quick Pepperpot Soup

Jamaican pepperpot soup is usually a long-simmered...

Pasta with Greens & Tomato Sauce

This homey pasta dish uses pancetta (Italian bacon) in the...

Kale Recipes

Black-Eyed Peas with Pork & Greens

This boldly flavored spin on Hoppin' John replaces...

Ginger-Marinated Leg of Lamb with Israeli Couscous & Kale

A stunning main course for the holidays, this ginger-...

Kale & Potato Hash

Serve as a side with a steak or pork chops or set a poached...

Pork, White Bean & Kale Soup

Kale is matched up here with white beans and chunks of lean...

Southern Kale

Kale becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender in this recipe....

Spinach Recipes

Creamed Spinach

EatingWell's updated version of creamed spinach has a...

Loaded Spinach Salad

Like many spinach salads, this one features lots of chopped...

Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops with Spinach

This take on the classic bacon-wrapped appetizer uses...

Singapore Chile Crab with Spinach

Restaurants all over Singapore have chile crab on their...

Crispy Phyllo Spinach Tartlets

Frilly layers of phyllo dough surround the festive spinach...

Do you have more Recipes?

Got Grandms'a favorite recipe stashed away somewhere? Did you come up with something brilliant while experimenting? Found a way to get your kids to eat Kale? Please use the comment section at the bottom of the page to contribute to this list!

More Proof that RoundUp is Killing Us

(NaturalNews) The modern age of industrial agriculture and manufacturing has dumped heavy metals, carninogens, plastics, and pesticides into the environment at alarming rates. These toxins are showing up in most human tissue cells today. One distinct chemical may be trapping these toxins in human cells, limiting the human body's ability to detoxify its own cells. In a new peer reviewed study, this sinister chemical, glyphosate, has been proven to inhibit the human cell's ability to detoxify altogether. Glyphosate, found in Monsanto's Roundup, is being deemed by publishers of the new study "one of the most dangerous chemicals" being unleashed into the environment today.

Download the PDF of the study here: http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416

How glyphosate destroys human cells

Glyphosate, most commonly found in conventional sugar, corn, soy and wheat products, throws off the cytochrome P450 gene pathway, inhibiting enzyme production in the body. CYP enzymes play a crucial role in detoxifying xenobiotics, which include drugs, carcinogens, and pesticides. By inhibiting this natural detoxification process, glyphosate systematically enhances the damaging effects of other environmental toxins that get in the body. This, in turn, disrupts homeostasis, increases inflammation, and leads to a slow deconstruction of the cellular system. Toxins build up in the gut over time and break down through the intestinal walls, infiltrating blood, and ultimately passing through the brain/blood barrier, damaging neurological function.

Important CYP enzymes that are affected include aromatase, the enzyme that converts androgen into estrogen, 21-Hydroxylase, which creates stress hormone cortisol, and aldosterone, which regulates blood pressure.

Getting to the gut

Even as evidence mounts, Monsanto asserts that glyphosate is not harmful to humans, citing that its mechanism of action in plants (the disruption of the shikimate pathway), is not present in humans. This is not true.

The shikimate pathway, which is involved in the synthesis of the essential aromatic amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, is present in human gut bacteria, which has a direct relationship with the human body, aiding in digestion, synthesizing vitamins, detoxifying carcinogens, and participating in immune system function.

By inhibiting the body's gut flora from performing its essential function in the human body, glyphosate heightens many health issues facing the Western world today.

These conditions include inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's disease, obesity, and even dementia and depression. Also, by restricting gut bacteria from absorbing nutrients, glyphosate voids the body of essential life-giving vitamins.

Depletion of serum tryptophan and its link to obesity

Glysophate's damaging effects on gut bacteria lead to depleted sulfate supplies in the gut, resulting in inflammatory bowel disease. As more chemicals are absorbed from the environment, alterations in body chemistry actively promote weight gain by blocking nutrient absorption. By effecting CYP enzymes in the liver, obesity incidence is compounded, impairing the body's ability to detoxify synthetics chemicals. Since serotonin is derived from tryptophan and acts an appetite suppressant, the depletion of tryptophan encourages overeating in the brain, leading to obesity.

In need of urgent, massive awakening

Authors of the new review point out that "glyphosate is likely to be pervasive in our food supply and may be the most biologically disruptive chemical in our environment." Monsanto is already lashing back at these claims, calling this peer reviewed study, "bad science" and "another bogus study." What Monsanto fails to is mention that most of the studies on glyphosate's "safety" are conducted by Monsanto themselves, which is bias to the core.

The authors of this new study instead call out for more independent research to be done to validate their findings. They are concerned with glyphosate's inhibition of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in the body, which are hindering the body's natural detoxification ability.

There is certainly a need for more empowering education on chemicals like glyphosate. There needs to be a kind of public mass awakening that correlates Monsanto's Roundup with skull and crossbones. If anything, Americans have the right to know how their food was produced, engineered, and poisoned, and everyone should pitch in and stop using toxic glyphosate-laced Roundup at all costs.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416
http://www.enewspf.com
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/040482_glyphosate_Monsanto_detoxification.html