An Organic Farmer's Wishes

I just got back from my weekly visit to the only organic farm in the region. They're only open Fridays and Saturdays, or I'd shop there more often. The farm consists of three acres that are farmed with love. They sell their own organic produce plus fruits and vegetables shipped in from elsewhere--as far away as China, where the garlic comes from. I'm not thrilled about buying garlic from China because although it's labeled USDA organic, it comes from arguably the most polluted country on earth. It's hard to believe that no one in the US is growing organic garlic.

The farmer, whose name is Bill Pischer, said he'd love to buy more farmland but land in this town is too expensive, and the local government doesn't seem to care about farmers. Bill's wish is for the state (in this case, Florida) to give tax incentives for local farms. He'd also like the local politicos to put out a guide to local growers. He said he's suggested it to no avail.

What would it take to get them interested in these ideas?

Raw Foods & Bill Gates' Money

What would you do for raw foods if you had Bill Gates' money? Here's what some people would do.

I wonder if Bill Gates has ever eaten at a great raw restaurant.

Papaya Ripening Question

Someone writes:

I have a question about papaya, which I really love. The problem is that often when I have them on the counter waiting for them to ripen and become sweet, the skin becomes brownish and sunken, almost looking like it's going to get mold; and sometimes when I open it, it tastes a little weird because of this. How should I store them to keep them from getting this way and to ripen in a better way? Right now I have them on the counter.

Thanks,
Henrik

Henrik and other consumers might like to see what the Hawaiian Papaya Industry Association writes about buying and storing papayas. For one thing, I'd say if the papaya looks brownish and sunken, it's either over ripe or it's bad and should be exchanged at the store for a better one.

I have one concern about imported produce, and it's that we consumers don't know how produce is treated (fumigated? steam-treated? dipped in hot water? waxed with toxic chemicals?) before being allowed into the country, whatever country we might live in. The produce might not be technically raw, or organic--even if it says so), depending on how it's been treated.

A Raw Physician's Response to Lethargy Question

In the previous post, someone had asked why she was experiencing lethargy from eating mostly raw food and some cooked food, like tofu. The raw foods M.D. Thomas Lodi, of Arizona, has suggested the following in response to her question:

I would recommend 2 to 3 colonics per week for 2 weeks then 1 per week for 6 weeks...also, need to avoid tofu and steamed veggies...these are damaged by heat...salad should include broccoli, cabbage, avocado, and many green leafy veggies...you need 3 tablespoons of flax oil per day and two tablespoons of ground flax seeds...use only Himalayan or Celtic sea salt and have at least 2 teaspoons per day...use kale and dandelions in your drinks...sleep by 9 PM.

Listen to Your Body re: What You Eat

A woman writes the following:

We have been raw/vegan now for about 5 weeks. The first 10 days we felt great, but since then we both are feeling extremely lethargic. I am wondering if we are missing vitamins, or is this a detox effect? We are sleeping 10 hours at night, then we nap 2-3 hours a day when we can. This is very unusual for us. Also we have no ambition or energy to do anything other than what is absolutely necessary. We have a veggie juice in the a.m., usually fruit and nuts for snack and lunch, then dinner is steamed veggies with tofu, or raw veggie salad. If you have any thoughts on how to get over this or what it is, please let me know! Thanks.

Here's what I responded:

I would recommend reading the book Conscious Eating by Gabriel Cousens, M.D. He goes over different ways of eating and discusses the ways in which our individual biochemistries are affected by what we eat.

It may be that eating raw vegan food is not the whole answer. We might need to eat raw food according to the tenets of Ayurveda, or even, perhaps, our blood type. Also, there's always the question of whether we as raw vegans are getting enough B-12. And are we getting enough sunlight (Vitamin D)? Another thing to consider is: Are we eating too much of a food that we might be allergic to? This is all food for thought.

Sienna Miller & Jay Leno Have "Grape-Off"

I always like when celebrities eat raw foods. Here's a funny video of Sienna Miller and Jay Leno having a "Grape-Off" contest on the air. Let us know if you have a grape-off with your friends.

Add Yourself to Online Map of Raw Foodists Worldwide

There's a very cool map of raw foodists that you can add yourself to. Find raw foods enthusiasts who live in your area. See areas where there are lots of raw foodists! This is at least as useful as a NYC subway map, and twice as fun!

12 Steps to Raw Food

Victoria Boutenko is an author and speaker with a fascinating theory--that people are addicted to cooked food in the way they might be addicted to alcohol, tobacco or drugs. She suggests following a 12-step plan to get over the addiction. We think she's onto something. Here's an article she wrote about her theory.