Food Prep Class: Raw Foods Dairy Substitution

Thursday September 30th from 12 to 2 pm

At the workshop we will learn why dairy posses many dangers to your health and how you can begin to substitute it with dairy-free versions. Chef Zoe will demonstrate how to make the following:

*Almond Mylk
*Mayonaise
*Ice Cream

We are introducing Zoe, a raw foods chef and founder of RAWbundant, an organic and raw line of foods, ingredients and specialty equipment. Zoe is dedicated to helping people live their best lives through learning about healthy nutrition and the advantages of a high raw diet. There are many wonderful videos and tips on health and nutrition that you may find useful on her blog at: http://zoevblog.com/. Samples of RAWbundant's signature dishes will be available after the workshop.

Come to one class or come to all...
Learn about a different type of healthy food preparation – raw foods, foods that are good for your heart, gluten free grains. We’ll prepare seasonal produce, canning summer fruits, make tomato sauce, and even learn how to detox in the winter. join us for pleasant afternoon socials, and learn about delicious and healthy food preparation.

Each class is $25 individually, or a four class package is $75.
Find out about the individual classes and sign up through the Events Calendar or contact Marnie at FruitLady@MountainLakesOrganic.com and 973-335-4469.

Enjoy! Marnie

May!

I’m not volunteering for anything now. I am looking SO forward to a little time in my garden!

Survey: Do You Support the Rights of Mother Earth?
During his presentation at the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009, President Evo Morales of Bolivia proposed a global referendum that would tackle the root causes of climate change. Below are the questions he proposed.
1. Do you agree with re-establishing harmony with nature while recognizing the rights of Mother Earth? YES or NO
2. Do you agree with changing this model of over-consumption and waste that the capitalist system represents? YES or NO
3. Do you agree that developed countries reduce and re-absorb their domestic greenhouse gas emissions so that the temperature does not rise more than 1 degree Celsius? YES or NO
4. Do you agree with transferring all that is spent in wars to protecting the planet and allocate a budget for climate change that is bigger than what is used for defense? YES or NO
5. Do you agree with a Climate Justice Tribunal to judge those who destroy Mother Earth? YES or NO
SURVEY: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/p/dia/action/public /?action_KEY=3171

May Calendar
4 Basic Basket Week
11 Big Basket Week
13 Deliciously Raw in the Spring – Food Preparations Class
18 Basic Basket Week
20 Montclair Environmental Movie Night – Dirt!
25 Big Basket Week
For more info: www.mountainlakesorganic.com/Calendar.html

Enjoy!     Marnie

Take the Organic New Years Resolution...

Boycott Chemical & GMO Foods... Eat Organically
Organic Food is More Nutritious
On the average, organic food is 25% more nutritious in terms of vitamins and minerals than products derived from industrial agriculture. Since on the average, organic food's shelf price is only 20% higher than chemical food, this makes it actually cheaper, gram for gram, than chemical food, even ignoring the astronomical hidden costs (damage to health, climate, environment, and government subsidies) of industrial food production.
Organic food contains qualitatively higher levels of essential minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium), that are severely depleted in chemical foods grown on pesticide and nitrate fertilizer-abused soil. UK and US government statistics indicate that levels of trace minerals in (non-organic) fruit and vegetables fell by up to 76% between 1940 and 1991.

Organic Food is Pure Food, Free of Chemical Additives
Organic food doesn't contain food additives, flavor enhancers (like MSG), artificial sweeteners (like aspartame and high-fructose corn syrup), contaminants (like mercury) or preservatives (like sodium nitrate), that can cause health problems.
Eating organic has the potential to lower the incidence of autism, learning disorders, diabetes, cancer, coronary heart disease, allergies, osteoporosis, migraines, dementia, and hyperactivity.
More: www.organicconsumers.org/bytes/ob206.htm

Also, check out the Calendar for our movies and cooking class this month! www.mountainlakesorganic.com/Calendar.html

Happy New Year!     Marnie

Event Week!

This week we have one event Wednesday & two events Thursday! I hope you can join us for at least one of them...

Wednesday, Oct 14
Fall Vegetable Garden Program – 7:00-9:00pm
Learn about composting, extending your growing season and what you can do in the Fall to prepare your garden for the coming Winter and Spring. Inspirational speaker Wanda Knapik, from My Local Garden, will share her tips and lead a discussion on Fall in the garden.  Free.
Register with the library:  http://www.bernardsvillelibrary.org/
Bernardsville Public Library, 1 Anderson Hill Rd, Bernardsville 908-766-0118

Thursday, Oct 15
The Secret Life of Whole Grains – 1:00-3:00pm
Whole Grains: These powerhouses-loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants-offer ready energy, great taste, and protection against many diseases. Learn how to prepare warming nutritious meals for the fall. Again, our local food expert, Phyllis Deering, will teach this class in Marnie's Kitchen.
The $15 class fee covers the expert and food supplies. Please RSVP! Mtn Lakes Organic Coop, 10 Vale Drive, Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 973-335-4469

Montclair Environmental Movie Night – 6:30-9:00pm
Kilowatt Ours & Unlimited – Bring your kids or a friend!
A double feature of eye opening films about our energy use. Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America, the new National edition of the Award winning film is a solutions-oriented exploration of energy issues and opportunities in the United States. Unlimited: Renewable Energy in the 21st Century energy experts introduce promising technologies being used right here in New Jersey.

Enjoy!     Marnie

Join us This Thursday...

Easy Delicious Summer Preserves II
In 2 Days! Back by popular demand! We can save the delicious flavor of plums and strawberries for the middle of the cold dark winter in different easy methods including brandied preserves to dish up over ice cream, jam and freezing techniques.
The cost covers the professional, the organic ingredients and the jars. Join us at this pleasant afternoon social, to learn the secrets of preserving summer fruits in Marnie's kitchen. For more info call 973-335-4469. Please RSVP.

Tell your friends. These classes are open to everyone, not just coop members. At the end of September (Sept. 24th) we’ll be having a fall garden prep/composting class with Wanda Knapik, a permaculture expert from Bernardsville, who plants vegetable gardens for residents and schools. I have redone the website so the Events classes are on our coop site, on the calendar page. Check it out at: www.MountainLakesOrganic.com
I start my fall semester at Montclair State today. I’m taking Environmental Change/Communication and Ecology. The syllabuses look frightning with the amount of work I’ll have to do.


VICTORY OF THE WEEK
USDA Disowns "Organic-Biotech" Report After OCA & Allies Protest
Last week, we asked you to take action to oppose a cynical attempt on the part of the USDA to promote genetic engineering as potentially allowed in organic production. The target of our ire was a report issued by the USDA Foreign Agriculture Information Network, "The Unexplored Potential of Organic-Biotech Production," that argued, "Governments should change their regulations to allow producers to gain organic certification for biotech crops grown with organic methods."
Thanks to thousands of letters of protest, the report was removed from the USDA Web site and replaced with a disclaimer announcing that "the report does not represent the policy of the United States Government."
More: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18878.cfm

Farm Workers' Rights Now!
Farm workers should have the same labor rights that other workers are guaranteed, including:
    * Overtime pay
    * A minimum wage
    * Restrictions on child labor
    * The right to join labor unions and bargain collectively
Unfortunately, farm workers are denied most of the basic protections that our state and federal labor laws guarantee other workers.
This could change in California where farm workers are literally dying in the fields because they often have no water to drink nor shade to rest under and where agribusiness as usual routinely involves lack of enforcement of laws on pesticide poisonings and sexual harassment. SB789 "CA Employee Free Choice Act for Farm Workers" has reached the Governor’s desk. This bill will make it easier for farm workers to organize a union and protect themselves. No deaths from heat or thirst have ever occurred on any farm where farm workers have a union contract.
NATIONAL Action: www.organicconsumers.org/fairtrade.cfm


Enjoy!     Marnie

Join us This Thursday...

Italian Secrets of Preserving Tomatoes
There is nothing like New Jersey local tomatoes – especially when you combine them with age-old Italian home recipes. Phyllis Deering, our resident professional, will teach us her grandmother's secrets to making amazing tomato sauces at home. Now when the tomatoes are coming off the vine faster than we can count. As good as they are, we just can't eat them all, today. Join us on Thursday, August 27th at 1:00 pm.
The cost covers the professional, the organic ingredients and the jars. Join us at this pleasant afternoon social. For more info call 973-335-4469 or go to www.meetup.com/MountainLakesOrganicCoop. Please RSVP.

We have reached the mid-point of our season with Starbrite and I am working on some changes. Hopefully this basket will reflect some of those changes. Our Basic Basket members have generally wanted more basic vegetables rather than the full array. I have expressed this to John and we are working on it.

Excerpts from the Starbrite Newsletter
We have arrived at the mid point of the season. While it has been one of the most challenging years ever, I am fairly satisfied with what we have been able to provide thus far. I only hope that you, the shareholders feel the same. I strive to make each year better than the last as I learn from my mistakes and improve my soils and growing systems. In almost every year there are crops that flourish and others that fail.  Last year there were no sweet potatoes because I was unable to buy plants. This year we have planted about 2500 plants and they are doing well. Last year we had a bumper melon crop, in spite of problems with the crows drilling holes in many of them. This year I am sad to report that the deer have destroyed my entire main planting of melons. I have planting melons in the open, with no fencing for 12 years and have never had a problem until this season. We are beginning to harvest quite a few ground cherries, so depending on availability these may be in your share this week or next. These members of the tomato family are closely related to the tomatillo and share the paper husk that surrounds the fruit. Simply squeeze them out of their husk and eat them out of hand, in salads or make a sauce with them. They make great snacks for kids as they are quite sweet.
Enjoy!     Marnie

The Tomatoes are Starting to Come in so Join us...

Italian Secrets of Preserving Tomatoes
There is nothing like New Jersey local tomatoes – especially when you combine them with age-old Italian home recipes. Phyllis Deering, our resident professional, will teach us her grandmother's secrets to making amazing tomato sauces at home. Now when the tomatoes are coming off the vine faster than we can count. As good as they are, we just can't eat them all, today. Join us on Thursday, August 27th at 1:00 pm.
The cost covers the professional, the organic ingredients and the jars. Join us at this pleasant afternoon social, to learn the secrets of homemade tomato sauce in Marnie's kitchen. For more info call 973-335-4469 or go to www.meetup.com/MountainLakesOrganicCoop. Please RSVP.

We have reached the mid-point of our season with Starbrite and I am working on some changes. Hopefully your next basket will reflect those changes. Our members have generally wanted a few more basic vegetables rather than the array of unusual ones. I have expressed this to John and we are working on it.

Enjoy!     Marnie

By Popular Demand – Another Fruit Preserving Class

A number of members couldn't make the July date and asked if we could do the class again. Phyllis can do it Aug 28, Sept 2, or Sept 3.
If you are interested in participating, please respond by Thursday Aug 13th to tell us your date preference.
Easy Delicious Summer Preserves
As the summer heat builds, the peaches, plums, and apricots are abundant. We can save their delicious flavor for the middle of the cold dark winter in different easy methods including brandied preserves to dish up over ice cream. A local professional will teach us the secrets of preserving using some of her favorite recipes.
The $15 cost covers the professional, the organic ingredients and the jars. Join us at this pleasant afternoon social, to learn the secrets of preserving summer fruits in My kitchen. Call for more info 973-335-4469.

Also...
Italian Secrets of Preserving Tomatoes
There is nothing like New Jersey local tomatoes – especially when you combine them with age-old Italian home recipes. Phyllis Deering, our resident professional, will teach us her grandmother's secrets to making amazing tomato sauces at home. Now when the tomatoes are coming off the vine faster than we can count. As good as they are, we just can't eat them all, today. Join us on Thursday, August 27th at 1:00 pm.
The cost covers the professional, the organic ingredients and the jars. Join us at this pleasant afternoon social, to learn the secrets of homemade tomato sauce in Marnie's kitchen. For more info call 973-335-4469 or go to www.meetup.com/MountainLakesOrganicCoop. Please RSVP.

Enjoy!     Marnie

Please Remember to Bring your Bags Back!

The Fruit Preserving Class was a great success! There are a few who could not make the date, so please email me if you are interested in us doing it again. Also, we will have a Tomato Sauce Class at the end of August so save the date: Thursday, August 27th.
More info: www.meetup.com/MountainLakesOrganicCoop
Please remember to bring back your bags!!!
Starbrite uses reuseable boxes, so were not getting the many cardboard boxes that we get with 4 Seasons. This means we’ve been running short of boxes to use for you if you forget to bring back your bags. So please try to remember now at least while we work with Starbrite!

Starbrite Newsletter Excerpts...
Hello Everyone,  We received some much needed rain this past weekend and fortunately the hailstorms that were about missed us this time. The ground is still quite dry, which is good for digging potatoes but not for much else.  We have been busy putting up trellis for tomatoes and for many people’s favorite, the Rattlesnake pole bean.  The beans have been coming in heavily, so we have an ample supply for the shares this week. Unfortunately one variety that I planned which was supposed to be a green bean has produced yellow wax beans, so we have more wax beans than green beans at the moment. This week you will be receiving Ailsa Craig sweet onions, a wonderful heirloom variety. These we will send with the green tops still attached, which can be used like a scallion. We will also be shipping radicchio, most of which is the trevisio type which has a form like a small romaine lettuce. We are continuing with the rotation of cukes and summer squash (zukes).

Enjoy!     Marnie