The Organic Home

GROWING ORGANIC

2008-06-23T11:38:00.002Z

Want to cut your food bill and become more self sufficient, but unsure how to start? The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, a nonprofit association of farmers, gardeners and consumers, is offering a series of organic gardening workshops throughout Vermont this summer. Each workshop will cover: an introduction to soil science, composting methods, nutrient management, cover cropping, weed control, insect and pest management, and more. Workshop dates and locations are:

June 28; Camp Merrishko, East Randolph. Workshop leader: Marlys Eddy, experienced organic gardener and assistant professor of horticulture at Vermont Technical College.

July 13; Sterling College Gardens, Craftsbury. Workshop leader: Marlys Eddy.

Aug. 2; Community Teaching Garden, Ethan Allen Homestead, Burlington. Workshop leader: Jim Flint, executive director of Friends of Burlington Gardens.

Aug. 16; Maplewood Natural Organics, 3550 Gore Road, Highgate. Workshop leader: experienced organic gardener and farmer Hannah Noel, who grows over 40 vegetables and fruits.

Aug. 23; Bromley Farm, Peru. Workshop leader: Jessica Klick, owner of Bromley Farm, a diversified operation in Peru.

All workshops begin at 9 a.m. and cost $20 for NOFA members, $30 for non members. Preregistration is required; contact NOFA VT at 434 4122; info@nofavt.org.

Each summer, gardeners and homesteaders participate in various workshops offered as part of NOFA-Vermont's summer series. These workshops provide the tools for farmers, gardeners, cooks, homesteaders, localvores, and eaters to continue to grow Vermont's food future. All are invited to attend these workshops, whether geared for the commercial dairy farmer or the backyard gardener. Topics cover various aspects of organic gardening, food processing and storage, and sustainable living. For a complete list of workshops being offered this summer, visit the NOFA Web site, www.nofavt.org.

By rutlandherald.com

THE LATEST ORGANIC GARDEN NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC IN CALIFORNIA

2008-06-23T11:35:00.001Z

It's only natural that South Bay diners would think they know Italian food. Not only is there a long history of Italian fishermen, bakers and restaurateurs in the Bay Area, but a new generation of ambitious chefs have introduced us to the joys of the country's artisanal ingredients, from aged balsamic vinegar to hand crafted salumi and creamy centered burrata cheese.

Then along comes a restaurant like Tigelleria Ristorante in downtown Campbell and we get a whole new perspective on the Italian way of eating. Antipasti, usually little more than the prelude to a meal, are the main event at this charming little spot. Owners Mirco Caramori and Elisabetta Benetollo have organized their menu around the little flat breads they grew up with near Mantua.

Hot from the baking stone, the fairly bland tigelle are served with platters of flavorful cured meat, cheese or grilled vegetables for a convivial meal focused as much on the company as the food. Split the puffy little breads in half, tuck in a bit of meat, a chunk of cheese and perhaps some hummus, olive tapanade or fava and mint spread and you're on your way to an enjoyable evening.

Opened in December

Caramori and Benetollo, husband and wife, opened Tigelleria in December in a former florist's shop that they remodeled from the ground up. It's an inviting rust colored stucco building with a tile roof, wood trellises over the windows and cobalt blue pots planted with bougainvillea.

Inside, the 40 seat dining room gets points for style with its tile floors, halogen lights and dramatic red glass Artemide chandelier hanging below a reproduction of a 16th-century ceiling fresco. Bare wood tables and rush-seated chairs were made to order in the style of a typical osteria. Fellini films flicker on the wall behind the bar.

'We wanted to be 100 percent Italian,' says Benetollo, who runs the front of the house and makes the desserts.'We wanted to serve real Italian food. We want to teach people to try the real Italian experience.'

The wine list is dominated by Italian wines, too. Among them is a very nice 2005 Chianti classico from Castello d'Albola ($9/glass) and a pleasant, dry 2006 Bardolino Chiaretto rosé from Cavalchina in the Veneto region ($8/glass).

Benetollo's cheerful personality makes the dining room a warm and friendly place. She obviously enjoys stopping by tables to chat with diners about Tigelleria's concept or explain dishes. Service is attentive.

Although the menu includes the usual soups, salads and some exceptional pastas, the emphasis is on the bread paired with imported meats hand sliced by Caramori, a software engineer turned restaurateur.

Beautiful, tissue thin layers of prosciutto di Parma, speck ham, roast pork, mortadella, air dried beef or salami are arranged in varying combinations ($14 to $18) on large, round cutting boards. Some combos may include pecorino, buffalo mozzarella, Gorgonzola, provolone or fontina cheese.

Alternatively, there are platters devoted to grilled vegetables ($16) or cheese ($12 to $20).

The meats are excellent, the speck smoky and rich, the prosciutto sweet with a melting texture. I particularly liked the porchetta, roast pork with a whisper of fennel, on the 'Etrusco' platter, called a palette on the menu ($15). Sharp pecorino Romano cheese was a nice counterpoint.

Still, so much unrelieved meat and cheese quickly becomes tiresome. My companion and I fared better on the first visit when we ordered the grilled vegetables, including meaty porcini mushrooms, to pair with the basic salumi palette ($18). It was way too much food for two, but the vegetables brought balance to the meal.

Salads are generous and made with very fresh greens. Soggy peas undermined an otherwise pleasant spinach salad with pesto ($12), however. The same peas were tough and unappealing in the delicate broth of the Stracciatella alla Romana ($7), an egg drop soup.

Finocchio, a large tangle of shaved fennel, Parmesan and pine nuts drizzled with 15 year old balsamic vinegar ($11) was too much of a good thing: A smaller serving would have piqued the appetite rather than overwhelm it.

Memorable pastas

By far, the most memorable dishes we ate at Tigelleria were pastas. The mellow, well-seasoned Bolognese sauce on tender ribbons of pappardelle ($14) was pure comfort food. Bucatini all'Amatriciana ($13) was chewy and wonderful with a bright and chile spiked sauce cloaking long strands of tubular pasta similar to thick spaghetti, but better.

Desserts are Benetollo's specialty, and her tiramisu ($6) is a classic, light and airy with a soft undercurrent of Marsala. The sweet chocolate salame ($6), a fudgy roll of dark chocolate and crunchy almond cookie crumbs, is quite good, and the meringue cake ($7) of meringue blended with zabaglione, whipped cream and white and dark chocolate is irresistible.

Yet I just couldn't get my taste buds past the medicinal flavor of the Alchermes liqueur floating atop the zuppa Inglese ($7), a sort of trifle. Like many Italians, Benetollo loves the heavily spiced liqueur. Others may wish it weren't quite so authentic.

Tigelleria Ristorante
75 E. Campbell Ave., at Fourth Street,
Campbell. (408) 884 3808,
www.tigelleria.com.

By Aleta Watson

THE LATEST ORGANIC RESTAURANT NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC IN TAIPEI

2008-06-23T11:33:00.002Z

Due to the hike in upstream raw material costs, the prices of chemical fertilizers have risen recently. As it is currently the time for fertilizing crops such as rice and vegetables, chemical fertilizer price hikes have drawn an outpouring of complaints from farmers. Yet, from another perspective, now is an opportunity for government agricultural departments to review policies concerning the production, sale and use of chemical fertilizers, to address their uninformed use.

Domestically, the use of chemical fertilizers to increase crop output has been in place since the early days of Japanese rule. After the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government took over, it implemented policies of trading grain for fertilizer to increase food production. Administered through local farmers' associations, this policy used bartering and control of fertilizers to indirectly affect grain supply. Soil acidification, which reduces productivity, is often caused by the use of chemical fertilizers.

This is frequently dealt with through crop rotation, the burning of straw, the cultivation of green fertilizers such as sesbania or the importing of more fertile soil, in order to improve yield.

However, within domestic agriculture the acidification of soil due to chemical fertilizer use is severe even though most farmers are unaware of the extent of the problem.

Government agriculture departments have conducted studies and tests on the use of chemical fertilizer on arable land, and have attempted to educate farmers, but with limited results. The situation is so bad that while some agricultural land desperately needs carbamide, farmers use ammonium sulphate; others have too high concentrations of phosphorous, yet farmers continue to use phosphoric fertilizers. This only makes things worse.

Many farmers are convinced that the use of chemical fertilizers can make crops grow faster and increase yield, and thus apply large amounts. Statistics show the domestic use of chemical fertilizers is, on average, twice that in Japan, so the proportion of production costs arising out of chemical fertilizers is high. For instance, the cost of fertilizers accounts for about 9 percent of the production cost of rice, 16 percent of sweet corn and 15.7 percent of citrus fruits. Hence, increasing fertilizer costs affect production costs.

In recent years, organic produce has gradually won favor with consumers. Countries such as Germany and Japan have created an expanding trend of organic farming. Domestically, there are also a small number of farmers who are willing to abandon chemical fertilizers and pesticides, for organic fertilizer. Although the connection between health and organic produce has attracted the attention of consumers, and various civil organizations, such as the Taiwan Organic Production Association, work in conjunction with the government to certify organic produce, the relatively late and slow development of the industry, combined with the degree of damage already caused by chemical fertilizer and pesticides, are factors that have caused consumers to be wary of organic produce.

I recommend that government agricultural departments seize the opportunity offered by fertilizer price hikes, to review the management and production efficiency of Taiwan Fertilizer Co, which has about 70 percent of the domestic fertilizer market, and to reconsider fallow and crop rotation policies and the future development of organic agriculture.

The government should reorganize policies on the use of arable land suitable for organic production, so that soil can rest and the health of the nation's population be safeguarded.

By Huang Wan tran

THE LATEST ORGANIC FARMING NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC SOLAR CELLS

2008-06-20T12:00:00.001Z

Cheap and efficient conversion of solar energy into electricity could help combat global warming and the shortage of fossil fuels. However, the high production cost of electricity from silicon based solar cells has limited the use of the technology. Low cost solar cells with high cell performance are highly desirable and organic solar cells could be the answer. They are easy to make from inexpensive organic materials and, unlike inorganic solar cells, are lightweight, flexible and colourful.

'Organic solar cells easy to make from inexpensive organic materials and, unlike inorganic solar cells, are lightweight, flexible and colourful'. Light absorption by organic solar cells leads to an excitation state known as an exciton or electron hole pair. The electrons and holes are separated from each other and carried through donor and acceptor molecules to the electrodes, generating a photocurrent. This process of converting light directly into electricity is known as photovoltaics and it must be optimised for organic solar cells to be efficient. Much effort has been devoted to finding suitable donor and acceptor molecules and organising them on an electrode surface at the nanometre scale.

Fullerenes and their derivatives have been widely used as excellent acceptor molecules. More recently, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which have a similar carbon-based structure, have attracted much attention. In contrast to the spherical shape of fullerenes, CNTs have a one dimensional, wire like structure, which make them better at forming electron or hole transporting highways in the cell. Their large surface area enhances the separation of the electron hole pair and they show conductivity several times greater than that of conducting polymers. Also, CNTs can act as both electron donors and acceptors depending on the redox properties of the other component in the cell. All of these features make CNTs promising candidates for charge separation and transport in organic solar cells.

'A fascinating approach is to use CNTs as nanoscaffolds for donor or acceptor molecules to construct charge transporting highways'. A number of scientists have made photoelectrochemical devices or photovoltaic cells with CNT modified electrodes. They have used a variety of methods, including layer by layer deposition and spray coating, to organise the CNTs with suitable donor or acceptor molecules on electrode surfaces. At present, however, the energy conversion efficiency of CNT modified electrodes has yet to reach the levels of high performance dye sensitised solar cells, which use porous, nanocrystalline titanium dioxide electrodes sensitised with ruthenium dyes, or bulk heterojunction solar cells, which use conjugated polymers and functionalised fullerenes.

At present, it is difficult to synthesise pure CNTs with a consistent structure. To improve CNT based solar cells, scientists may have to purify or sort out the CNTs with the best structure for charge transport. Alternatively, a fascinating approach is to use CNTs as nanoscaffolds for donor or acceptor molecules to construct charge transporting highways.

The history of CNT based organic solar cells is less than 10 years old. A great deal of work still has to be done to bring out their full potential for solar energy conversion.

By Hiroshi Imahori and Tomokazu Umeyama

THE LATEST SOLAR ENERGY NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC FOR COMMUTERS

2008-06-19T06:53:00.000Z

Red Line commuters at Cambridge's Porter Square Station are starting to figure out how lucky they are. A few months ago, the little coffee and muffin shack inside the station, called Cold and Hot, changed hands.

While the look is the same, everything else has gone fresh, organic, and homemade. Somerville native Jason Faulkner, 25, who has just returned from living in China, bakes treats like raspberry almond sour cream cake and ham and cheese scones daily, often at the request of customers. He also makes fresh fruit smoothies ($3.99), serves Asian specialties like aloe juice ($2.75), and squeezes and bottles fresh juice ($2.99). Faulkner brews Jim's Organic Coffee from West Wareham (try the excellent vanilla rooibos latte), and Tea Zone tea from Somerville.

The stand is starting to attract hungry neighbors who have no intention of hopping on a train. Cold and Hot, Porter Squre Station, Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge.

By DARRY MADDEN

THE LATEST ORGANIC TAKE-AWAY NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC ICE CREAM

2008-06-19T06:51:00.001Z

You can't miss the large lettering on boxes of PJ Madison's organic ice cream.

But it's easy to miss that it's as Texan as Blue Bell, made by a San Antonio couple who became alarmed about the possible effects of pesticides on children.

Jennifer and Patrick Davidson began making ice cream for their ice cream store in 2002 and were surprised to find that even natural ingredients contain artificial preservatives and chemical and pesticide residues.

Concerned that children's developing bodies are vulnerable to toxic substances, they shifted from retail to wholesale, launching an organic ice cream brand a year ago.

With no experience in food manufacturing, Patrick Davidson studied under an Italian gelato master, Ms. Davidson says. Then the couple hired an American ice cream expert.

The result is PJ Madison's, named for their daughter, Madison, and son, Patrick John.

The ice cream is certified USDA Organic, but 'we're definitely not your low fat go to,' Ms. Davidson says.

Superpremium, gelato style PJ Madison's, while dense, has the deceptive lightness of cream and, as it melts, it drenches your palate in flavor. The Davidsons say they blend American and European approaches to making ice cream.

Whatever they're doing worked in the flavors I sampled: organic Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract cranks up the intensity of the Bourbon Vanilla flavor. Ramona Chocolate is made with melted dark chocolate bars. And roasting the pecans used in Southern Butter Pecan amplifies their nuttiness.

All seven flavors are gluten free and certified kosher. The best sellers, Ms. Davidson says, are Bourbon Vanilla and Kashmir Cinnamon.

By Kim Pierce

THE LATEST ORGANIC ICE CREAM NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

DOING THE ORGANIC WALK

2008-06-19T06:47:00.001Z

Many people talk organic but only a few walk their talk.

Alfredo Micena has taken the challenge, which has brought life to his lectures on organic farming to nongovernment organizations and fellow farmers in a 3,000 square, meter diversified farm in Barangay Sapa in Naic, Cavite.

He grows vegetables, root crops, fruit bearing trees, grains, chickens, ducks, goats and carabaos, all organically, in the farm. Another 50 sqm lot is allotted to a fishpond.

Micena, 50, does not own the property but cultivates it under the 'buwisan' (leasehold) system. He gives three cavans of rice to the owner every harvest from his produce of 18 cavans in a 300 sqm field. If irrigation water supply is good, he harvests twice a year.

He lives in a house beside the farm.

Last year, Typhoon 'Reming' ruined the irrigation dam supplying water to his farm, but this did not discourage Micena from planting. 'When rice became difficult to raise because of water shortage, I ventured into mungo (mung bean) and soya production,' he said.

Learning by doing

He adopted what he learned about natural farming from the Department of Agriculture. He produces organic fertilizer by mixing the soil with a liter of fish amino acid, a kilo of fish and a kilo of brown sugar. Only a small amount of the pesticide is sprayed on the plants.

'My harvest of palay increased from 12 cavans to 18 cavans,' Micena said.

The farmer also learned to produce soya milk. He bought a kilo of soya beans, soaked it overnight in nine liters of water, ground, boiled and mixed it with 1/4 kilo of sugar.

'I was happy with the taste,' he said, claiming he had made 96 glasses and sold one glass for P10.

Breakfast for the family consists of fresh products from the farm, like boiled banana, sweet potatoes and organic eggs. His ducks lay at least three eggs a day.

The household also feasts on 'pinakbet,' a mix of vegetables cooked in fish sauce.

'We don't fear that we will run out of food because it is just here. We're self sufficient,' Micena said. 'My in laws survive on vegetables and bananas and are even able to sell the excess harvest after five to six months.'

His wife, Susan Decena, also earns from a small store in front of the house. Many vehicles stop over looking for produce without chemicals.

She sells one 'buwig' (bunch) of bananas for P250. 'Products are sold out in one day,' her husband said.

In March, their only daughter, Aiza, graduated with a degree in Education, sustained by the farm's income.

Left blue collar job

Micena took over his father's farm when he was 12 years old. He graduated with a Commerce degree, major in Marketing, in 1981 and worked as clerk typist at Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corp. from 1982 to 1984.

He left for Riyadh in 1992 to work as a clerk typist. But he missed his country, so he returned home in 1994 to manage the farm. 'I realized that my happiness is in the farm, not in the office. If you put farming into your heart, you will be happy,' he said.

Compared to sitting for several hours while working in the office, he finds himself a lot healthier now. 'I deeply thought about my old age. I was 50 and my batchmates were leaving this world. So I got into organic farming,' he said.

He worked with the provincial government as a casual employee from 2003 to 2007 while continuously attending to his farm. He decided to shift from being a politician’s leader to head a farmers' group called the Samasaka.

'One of my responsibilities is to know the problems of the farmers and to help find solutions to these. So I share with them what I have learned and my farm has become a pilot for organic farming. Already, 10 farmers are adopting my organic method,' Micena said.

He advised people to be diligent in planting any vegetable. 'If there is no land, it can be urban gardening using [recycled materials],' Edong said. He produces composts on flat tires from animal waste mixed with soil and fish amino acid.

'The tool to live is to work hard; if there’s a vacant space, till it,' he said.

To those working in the nearby export processing zone as contractual employees with a meager salary, Micena says: 'If they are early to rise, even just on Sundays, and without vices, they can manage a small organic garden.'

By Madonna Virola

THE LATEST ORGANIC FARMING NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

THE GLOBAL ORGANIC INDUSTRY REPORT

2008-06-18T08:00:00.001Z

Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report related to the Organic f industry is available in its catalogue.

Organic Food: Global Industry Guide

http://www.reportlinker.com/p089914/Organic-Food-Global-Industry-Guide.html

Datamonitor's Organic Food: Global Industry Guide is an essential resource for top level data and analysis covering the organic food industry. It includes detailed data on market size and segmentation, textual analysis of the key trends and competitive landscape, and profiles of the leading companies. This incisive report provides expert analysis on a global, regional and country basis.

Scope of the Report

1. Contains an executive summary and data on value, volume and segmentation

2. Provides textual analysis of the industry's prospects, competitive landscape and profiles of the leading companies

3. Incorporates in depth five forces competitive environment analysis and scorecards

4. Covers the Global, European and Asia Pacific markets as well as individual chapters on 5 major markets (France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US).

5. Includes a five year forecast of the industry

Highlights

The global organic food market grew by 10.9% in 2007 to reach a value of $43.5 billion.

In 2012, the market is forecast to have a value of $66.8 billion, an increase of 53.6% since 2007.

Sales of fruit and vegetables account for 35.4% of the market's value.

Europe is the largest organic food market, accounting for 51.4% of the global market's value.

Why you should buy this report

1. Spot future trends and developments

2. Inform your business decisions

3. Add weight to presentations and marketing materials

4. Save time carrying out entry level research

Market Definition

Organic food is produce that has been independently certified to have been grown free of chemicals. Market values are taken at retail selling price (RSP). Any currency conversions used in the creation of this report have been calculated using constant 2006 annual average exchange rates.

For the purposes of this report, Europe is defined as comprising France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

Asia Pacific comprises Australia, China, Japan, India, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

The Americas comprise Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the US.

The global figure comprises the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe.

By marketwire.com

THE LATEST ORGANIC INDUSTRY NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

MORE ORGANIC FAST FOOD

2008-06-18T07:58:00.001Z

It's funny how the notion of 'eating well' seems to constantly change. When I was a kid, it meant only eating out at McDonald's once or twice a month, only adding two or three packets of sugar to a glass of Coke, and trying to limit our fish stick consumption to three meals per week. Three years ago, it meant cooking most meals at home, reading labels to minimize high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) consumption, and eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Today, it means cutting out refined sugars, buying local food, and eating as much organic produce as possible.

The last one is the hardest part, as I discovered a few weeks ago, when I got a major craving for celery. Unfortunately, celery is on the list of the top danger foods, which means that when I eat it, I am also eating a witches' brew of nasty pesticides, many of which are impossible to wash off. However, when I went on my quest for organic celery, the best option that I was able to find was Whole Foods, which was charging $5 a bunch, or four times the regular price. Torn between the choice of poison or highway robbery, I went the third route and ate some carrots.

This problem increases when I eat out. At this point, I'd rather not even think about the ingredients that go into my food. A couple of years ago, I stopped eating at McDonald's and Papa Johns because I could detect the foul taste of HFCS in every bite. Today, I try to only eat at privately owned and operated restaurants, as there's a much smaller chance that they're using vile chemicals and questionable ingredients. Beyond that, I just pretend that the hot dog bun I'm eating is HFCS free and that the onions are organic. Of course, there's a problem when eating out forces me to live in a fantasy world, but them's the breaks. After all, it's taken years for McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King and the other fast food companies to put 'healthy' choices on the menu. I don't think I'm going to live to see them go organic.

On the other hand, several companies are taking advantage of the customer's desire for healthy ingredients. Topping the list is Chipotle Mexican Grill. At an average of $7 for most lunch options, their prices are a little steep for my tastes. However, as my wife points out, a Chipotle burrito can easily feed two people, which makes it something of a bargain. Regardless, the food is fresh and delicious, and they pride themselves on the quality of their ingredients. While they aren't completely organic, they are aggressively pursuing that goal; in the meantime, they are the country's largest restaurant buyer of naturally raised meats.

While Chipotle is trying to become a national chain, most organic chains are currently regional. For example, Gusto Grilled Organics, a chain that is currently starting in New York City, focuses on savory, clean flavors, and specializes in steak sandwiches and gourmet pizzas. Similarly, Seattle's Organic To Go, which has franchises in Southern California and is in the process of expanding to Washington D.C., seems to focus on sandwiches, wraps, salads, and other mainstream foods.

Part of the reason for the regional nature of most natural food restaurants lies in the food infrastructure. Because of the lack of pesticides and preservatives, organic farms tend to be less productive, and the food is harder to ship. In the current fast food culture, most ingredients are packaged at a central plant, from which they're sent out to hundreds of individual stores. Obviously, organic distribution is a lot more difficult.

Still, the restaurants out there represent an impressive start, and I look forward to seeing them make a go of it. Hopefully, as they create the demand for organic produce, the infrastructure will develop and the prices will go down. In the meantime, I'm going to have to make believe that my food is healthy.

By Bruce Watson

THE LATEST ORGANIC FAST FOOD NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC TEE SHIRTS

2008-06-18T07:56:00.002Z

With green shops and high street retailers alike cottoning on to the fact that we consumers want more organic clothes, there are now plenty of organic cotton outfits on the shop shelves to suit anyone's style and wallet size .

But why should we wear organic cotton t shirts? Well, cotton is one of the most sprayed crops in the world and the pesticides kill more than 20,000 farmers every year, according to the Soil Association, while over a million more get ill just from working with it. Needless to say, all those pesticides are harmful to the environment, too. Certified organic cotton is non GM as well.

So how do you ensure your t shirt is made from organic cotton? As always, an organic certification like the Soil Association's, which both the People Tree and Seasalt Cornwall t shirts carry, is the safest way to go.

There's also a Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which the Organic Boutique t shirt lives up to. GOTS is a collaboration between existing organic certifying bodies who have agreed on a set of standards for organic textiles, from the way the cotton is grown to how the garment is manufactured.

These certifications guarantee that the whole supply chain adheres to organic standards. Unfortunately companies can still say their garments are 'made from 100 per cent organic cotton' although the processing and manufacturing parts of the supply chain are not certified organic. That's why we are unhappy about the lack of certification on the Laura Ashley and New Look t shirts. The two retailers don't explain anything anywhere about the organic credentials of the cotton they're using, which lands them at the bottom of our list.

Check out our full reviews below, and find out which organic t shirt suits us best.

For more information on organic cotton, check out the Pesticide Action Network UK.

By Rikke Bruntse Dahl

THE LATEST ORGANIC FASHION NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

NEW ORGANIC RESTAURANT

2008-06-18T07:53:00.002Z

The Bay Area has been at the forefront of organic cuisine, but an East Bay catering company is upping the ante with plans for an ambitious fully organic restaurant.

It will be the centerpiece of the David Brower Center, the building going up in downtown Berkeley that developers are calling 'the home to the environmental movement in the 21st century.'

The restaurant, as yet unnamed, will be run by Back to Earth Organic Catering, owned by Ari Derfel and Eric Fenster. It will be the first restaurant for the pair, who have run the catering company for the past six years. They plan to open the restaurant when the building opens, in spring 2009.

How organic is completely organic? 'If it's not organic, we won't use it,' says Derfel. That means everything from spices to grain to oil to wine. The only exception will be fish, because fish cannot be deemed organic. The fish will be wild, however.

The restaurant, which will be open all day, will include a 130 seat sit down dining room, a year round patio seating another 100, a takeout counter and a cafe. San Francisco architect Cass Calder Smith's CCS Architecture will design the uber green space on Oxford Street between Allston and Kittredge.

He's thinking about dishes such as pizzas 'a la Cheeseboard and Arizmendi,' he says, along with yellowtail ahi tartare, grilled sirloin skewerettes, roasted vegetable tartine, local seafood bisque, pumpkin crusted California sea bass and Riverdog Farm's Little Gem salad, to name just a few. A chef has not yet been chosen.

Derfel wants to keep the menu, and prices, accessible and affordable 'so people can eat there three times a week.' It will cater to the building's employees, workers in nearby buildings and the university, and the public.

He envisions the restaurant as more than a place to simply sit down and eat. He wants diners to learn more about how the food gets to their plates, but 'in a playful way.' That means, he says, the flat screen behind the bar will show videos of the farmers, instead of basketball games.

Although Derfel grew up in a restaurant family (and his brother, David Derfel, has been a chef for 25 years), he's tapping into some current luminaries such as Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, Charlie Hallowell of Pizzaiolo, and Tony Gulisano of Chow, all of whom, he says, are helping 'so we don't repeat any previous mistakes.'

By Chronicle Staff Reporter

THE LATEST ORGANIC RESTAURANT NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC FAST FOOD IN GERMANY

2008-06-17T07:21:00.001Z

Europe is crazy about organic food and the trend has been growing steadily over the past several years. But can organic break into the fast food market? A French fry shop owner in Munich is convinced it can.

'It's complete nonsense,' said Bernie Heiler in response to the assertion that organic and fast food are mutually exclusive. He opened his 'Pommes Boutique' in downtown Munich in March 2006 with the aim of bringing the two together.

The eatery may be inconspicuous from the outside, but his regular customers say his French fries are bit thicker, crunchier and tastier than your average fry.

But for that matter, Heiler, with his muscular figure, five o'clock shadow and blue jeans, isn't your average French fry maker. And neither is his boutique a typical French fry hut. With its black floors, magenta and green walls and modern wooden tables, it's a place guests don't mind eating slowly in.

'If you create a nice atmosphere and work with high quality products, you can most certainly create a counter product that's accepted by people,' said Heiler, who didn't want to open just another corner stand. Judging by the long lines that form at the counter around lunch time, Heiler's business philosophy seems to be working.

Early in the morning, Heiler stands in the kitchen himself to chop celery for the vegetable snack pack. Indeed, French fries aren't the only option on the menu: There's also organic garlic bratwurst, cous cous with organic lamb and feta cheese in a sesame nut crust, for example.

Two part Belgian fry process

But, of course, Heiler places special emphasis on his main product and even has his favorite potato variety imported from Belgium.

Of course, everyone has their own idea of what makes a French fry perfect, but for Heiler they have to be crunchy and 'definitely taste like potatoes.'

To achieve the desired affect, the fry maker turned to a Belgium recipe. Step one: Cook the potatoes in grease for two and a half minutes. Step two: Take them out and let them cool before sending them back to the fat bath.

The cooling process in between closes the pores on the potatoes, makes for a crunchier French fry because they don't absorb more fat the second time around, said Heiler.

Then comes the hard part: choosing from 20 different sauces to accompany the freshly fried strips. Spicy Samurai sauce or Andalusian sauce with onions and tomatoes? Or maybe diesel sauce with curry? In Germany, ketchup alone would be too boring and even the corner French fry stand offers a few different varieties.

The boutique sells a good 200 orders of fries everyday. Whether businessmen and women in suits, mothers with young children or students with books under their arms, most of his customers choose a German classic, currywurst and fries.

Heiler still eats an order of fries himself everyday, with a clear conscience. After all, one portion of his French fries contains more vitamin C than a portion of lettuce, he said.

By Susanne Steiger

THE LATEST ORGANIC FAST FOOD NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC IN SCOTLAND

2008-06-17T07:16:00.001Z

ORGANIC farming in Scotland is now well established and is strongly supported by the Scottish Executive.

In February 2007, the Scottish Executive published its third Organic Annual Report on progress towards its action plan for organic farming, launched three years earlier.

The action plan set out the Executive's vision for a prosperous organic farming and food sector with the aim of ensuring that local demand for organic produce can be met, as far as possible, by Scottish producers.

The aim at the time was to double the area of good quality land in Scotland in organic conversion or production, from 15 per cent to 30 per cent by 2007, a challenge that was met. By 2007, Scottish farmers were able to meet some 70 per cent of the market for indigenous organic produce and, at the same time, many Scottish producers managed to develop their sales into the UK generally and into broader, international markets.

Asda spokesman Jeff Maxton reckons there is every indication that the consumer continues to be more than willing to pay a premium for organic products. 'There has been a huge increase in sales of organic produce. It is one of our fastest growing areas,' he says.

In all, Asda now has more than 900 organic lines and claims to be the retailer with the strongest growth in organic sales, up 23 per cent year on year, while the retail market in general is averaging around 17 per cent year on year growth for organic produce sales. Maxton, though, points out that growth in organic sales does not necessarily equate to a bigger share of the market for all retailers.

'Of the big four retailers, only ourselves and Tesco grew market share in organics between 2007 and 2008. Tesco grew 0.6 per cent, we grew 1 per cent,' he says, citing figures that came from the TNS WorldPanel 2008 survey.

The supermarket is in the process of relaunching its Asda organic brand range and it has formed a steering committee, which comprises of key organic suppliers and stakeholders, with the aim of continuing to develop and publicise its strategy on organic products.

By business.scotsman.com

THE LATEST SCOTTISH ORGANIC PRODUCTION NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC FOOD SHOPPING GUIDE

2008-06-16T07:10:00.001Z

What it is: In 'The Organic Food Shopper's Guide,' Jeff Cox offers profiles of more than 100 foods (mostly produce but also milk, meat, grains and more), explaining the organic benefits of each, their season, if applicable, and some ways to use them. Storage tips and recipes are here too.

Praise (and quibbles): Cox takes the time to explain why the organic products are better than their nonorganic counterparts, and it's not always limited to the absence of pesticides (although there's that). For example, the texture and flavor of commercially grown cauliflower, he writes, often suffer from the large doses of soluble nitrogen fertilizer used to grow it, and the conventional growing practices for tomatoes make them stay harder so they'll last longer on a store shelf, great for the merchant, not so great for the tomatophile.

As valuable as this information is, we were more drawn to the other features, particularly the list of best varieties of a given fruit or vegetable, the tip boxes sprinkled throughout ('If you like pecans but have never tasted a hickory nut, wow, do you have a treat coming.') and the 100 plus recipes, such as the rosemary pesto and the radish salsa.

Why we think you'll like it: This is a great go to guide for shoppers who want in depth information on why organic matters. But it's also a nice book to have while navigating the aisles of ever expanding farmers markets and produce departments.

By Renee Enna

THE LATEST ORGANIC SHOPPING GUIDE NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

BOOK ON ORGANICS

2008-06-16T07:08:00.001Z

Ohio State University has a new book for growers, 'Transition Guide to Certified Organic Crop Management.'

The guide, which costs $15, may be purchased online through extension's new secure eStore, www.estore.osu-extension.org/productdetails.cfm?PC2120.

The book explains the rules and realities of switching to organic production, with grains, fruits and vegetables the focus.

'It's the only manual of its kind in Ohio,' said coordinator Deb Stinner. 'There are very few like it anywhere else in the U.S. It helps make the federal guidelines for organic crop production understandable and is filled with both practical and scientific information about things farmers can do to meet these guidelines.'

By pal-item.com:

THE LATEST ORGANIC BOOK NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC WINE LOVERS

2008-06-16T07:04:00.001Z

Wine drinkers: You can now upcycle your corks! In addition to the juice pouches and cookie wrappers and other detritus from our grab 'n' go culture, the eco company TerraCycle's now accepting wine corks, both natural and synthetic, which the company will turn 'into cool products that will be available nationally at major retailers.'

It's unclear what exactly these products will be, but the illustration provided on TerraCycle's web page looks like a doormat will be one of the goods produced.

Best part of this dealio: While other TerraCycle programs require you to sign up and are really geared towards groups and organizations, this wine cork program makes upcycling easy for mere individuals. If you've got fewer than 100 corks, all you have to do is mail them in to TerraCycle, ATTN: Cork Brigade, 121 New York Ave., Trenton, NJ 08638.

By latimes.com

THE LATEST ORGANIC WINE NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC ARABLE FARMING

2008-06-15T08:15:00.001Z

There are still situations vacant for organic arable farmers, according to the Soil Association, which ran a recruiting drive at the Cereals 2008 event at Leadenham in Lincolnshire this week.

More than 60 per cent of demand for organic cereals is met by imports, said Phil Stocker, the association's director of grower relations.

He said: 'Feed grain and protein crops stand out as major opportunities for growth.'

The Potato Council was also at the show, appealing to cereal farmers to watch out for drift when spraying glyphosate, which has been shown to cause serious damage to potato crops .

Among the commercial exhibitors, Glenside Group held a demonstration of growing wheat, barley and oats.

Nigel Durdy of Epworth, near Doncaster, was named Yorkshire winner of one of the prizes for spraying knowledge.

By yorkshirepost.co.uk

THE LATEST ORGANIC ARABLE FARMING NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC VODKA AND TEQUILA

2008-06-15T08:07:00.001Z

'The organic movement has moved past a trend,' said Litty Mathew of California's Modern Spirits, makers of Tru Organic Vodka, over organic cosmos last week. 'It's here to stay.' She's right. Spend a few minutes perusing menus around town; organic items have made it into our eating and drinking consciousness.

Our conscience, it seems, is exactly what spirit makers like Mathew are shooting for. 'It's about personal health' she said, 'but not so much the user as about the land.' In Tru (which you'll find at Mantra and Toro), every ingredient is certified organic, with no genetic modifications or synthetic chemical pesticides.

Matt Lambo of Nantucket vodka Triple Eight, which is made from organic corn (and available at Cambridge Common and Franklin Cafe), concurs. 'The use of organic ingredients means we are supporting farmers who choose to grow their crops naturally. This way we know we are not contributing to the use of pesticides and chemicals, which can harm the land and the ecosystems.' All of which is great to know, because polluting ourselves is fine, but the earth.

At Persephone in Fort Point, which features local, sustainable food, organic alcohol is a logical progression. 'We use organic products here not only for the taste, but, more importantly, because it's the right thing to do,' says beverage director Chris Graeff. 'With the organic label being attached to more and more consumables, it's especially great to be able to further encourage the ever important 'green' mind-set through something as seemingly unassuming as an after work martini.'

There are a variety of organic beverages to choose from on the menu here, from Square One Vodka to Siempre Azul Tequila, both of which, like Tru Vodka, were imperceptibly different price and taste wise, although noticeably cleaner and smoother, than the brands we're used to, Which is great for sustaining the earth, or whatever, but also for sustaining a decent hangover free buzz.

By Luke O'Neil

THE LATEST ORGANIC VODKA NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC NAIL SPA

2008-06-15T08:05:00.001Z

Stepping into a traditional nail salon many are overcome by the strong smell of perfumes, acrylics, formaldehyde and other strong chemicals.

Research as shown prolonged exposure to such harsh chemicals isn't the healthiest for the customer or stylist.

Because of that, Scottsdale based spa Organicures Nail Spa is heading the opposite direction.

'Many (workers) end up with all kinds of allergies from all the chemicals they use throughout their career,' said Denise Sheldon, Organicures chief executive officer. 'We started to get concerned about the salons we were going to.'

Those concerns culminated when Sheldon's pregnant daughter in law chose to stop getting her hair colored and nails done for fear of health complications.

'Then we thought, if there was an alternative place for these women to go to, there would be demand for it,' said Sheldon, a business developer for 30 years.

After some market research, she and her daughter, Dana Buchanan, opened Organicures, an eco friendly nail spa offering manicures and pedicures.

Since opening June 1, appointments have been steadily flowing in. Two weeks into the business, at 9689 N. Hayden Road, more than 60 appointments had been made.

The departure from the typical nail salon is evident.

For starters, digits are no longer soaked in a bowl of chemicals. That reduces the possible risk of infection from bacteria thriving in reused bowls.

Instead, salon workers apply a mask rub and organic oils onto the hands or feet then wrap them in a liner and warm towel made from 100 percent organic cotton. The oils are then allowed to soften cuticles and calluses.

The traditional method of soaking the hands or feet has also been shown to dehydrate the skin, Sheldon said.

'Within an hour or two, the skin dries out and the tissue contracts and the nail polish starts to buckle,' she said. Organicures' method is 'actually pumping up, re-hydrating and sealing in that moisture.'

A refrain from soaking also conserves water.

Nearly everything about the shop is environmentally sound, from the flooring to the walls. A high-grade HEPA filtration system clears the air of any pollutants and smells associated with the spa.

'For me, the organic, eco friendly aspect is huge for us,' Sheldon said.

The shop's technicians are licensed and fully trained manicurists and pedicurists. They are also trained in Organicures' methods using surgical grade sterilized utensils.

'It's really safe now to have a worry free manicure and pedicure. We've taken the worry out of it,' Sheldon said.

Manicures cost $50 and pedicures $70, by appointment. Together each run $100.

Sheldon plans to open additional shops throughout the Valley, with a new store every six months. Though the location of a second store hasn't be named, she is considering north Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, Gilbert, Glendale and Peoria.

By Nathan Gonzalez

THE LATEST ORGANC NAIL SPA NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC COSMETICS IN LA

2008-06-15T08:02:00.001Z

What: Physicians Formula, the first cosmetics company to get certified organic by Ecocert (the European FDA, in essence), will be handing out coupons and free make up from their Organic Wear line. The products are 100% free of all those icky synthetics and parabens, find out more at organicwearmakeup.com.

Where: The Hollywood Farmer's Market, at Ivar and Selma, between Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards. Look for the woman wearing leaves from head to toe. Um, we're not kidding.

When: June 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Why: Why the hell not? Flirt with some farmers from up north and get some heirloom tomatoes too.

By Monica Corcoran

THE LATEST ORGANIC COSMETICS NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC STILL GROWING

2008-06-13T08:16:00.001Z

PREMIUM brand and organic food sales are still growing despite confidence among British consumers being at a record low.

Figures released this week show confidence has plummeted as the credit crunch continues to place a squeeze on households across the country.

UK consumers were more pessimistic than others around the world, but supermarkets say premium brands still have a role to play and the Soil Association is expecting a 10 per cent growth in organic sales this year.

Market research company Nielsen and the British Retail Consortium (BRC), asked over 1,000 consumers about their thoughts and feelings on personal finances and spending intentions.

Mike Watkins, senior manager at Nielsen's retailer service said: 'The Nielsen/BRC UK Consumer Confidence index now stands at 79'.

'To put this into context, this time last year the index stood at 91, which was the lowest score we had seen since we began polling this survey in 2003'.

'The fact that the score has plummeted a further 12 points is telling of how much consumers are being stretched.'

Despite consumers feeling the pinch, many were still willing to 'trade up' on food, provided they understand the quality and benefits to buying more premium lines, the BRC said.

Speaking at a seminar on the future of UK marketplace, Tesco senior buyer Andrew Carter said: 'Tesco is looking at ways to attract consumers to buy into higher welfare tiers, particularly since they cost more to produce'.

'Getting out of this mess isn’t going to be easy. The gap between value and premium ranges will most likely increase, so it is our job to educate consumers.'

Despite higher prices than other sectors of the food marketplace, organic produce too will remain a key part of the marketplace as consumers have less money to spend.

Sainsbury's said growth in organic sales was 'fuelling its current growth spurt' while market research company Mintel says that, despite the credit crunch, it expected the organic market to grow 44 per cent by 2012.

A spokesman for the Soil Association said: 'We are expecting a very healthy 10 per cent growth this year, which is still four to five times what the general food market experiences in a good year.'

By farmersguardian.com

THE LATEST ORGANIC GROWTH NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC IN COLORADO

2008-06-13T08:05:00.001Z

A feature story about restaurants in Aspen, published in the June 8 online edition of the New York Times, was as much about the source of the food as the meal. Prominently featured was Zephyros Farm and Garden in Paonia, but the article was lavish in its praise of the locally grown fruits, vegetables and meats from Delta County.

John Cooley of Rivendell Farm in Austin was quoted in the article written by Katie Arnold, 'When they go out to eat, people want to be educated about where their food comes from and how it’s grown.'

The article, 'As skiers depart Aspen, chowhounds take their place,' starts out with a visit to the North Fork Valley and then relates the dining experiences at three restaurants in the Carbondale Aspen area. Arnold writes, 'We had met the farmers; now it was time to savor their food.'

The article notes the North Fork Valley is 'home to the highest concentration of organic farms in Colorado. It details how various locally grown crops make their way to the plates of fine restaurants'.

By deltacountyindependent.com

THE LATEST ORGANIC FARMING NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

THE ORGANIC CYCLE

2008-06-13T08:03:00.001Z

BRITAIN is desperately short of organic grain. A burgeoning livestock sector needs far more organic wheat for food than this country produces, making imports vital.

Yet, although it requires a change of mindset, producing organic grain can be a viable proposition, say the experts.

One problem for the organic cereals market is that there is a lack of information on how well the market is doing.

'We can make a stab at the numbers, but the sort of detail of market information that we’d like does not exist,' said Phil Stocker, head of food and farming at the Soil Association.

With the organic movement keen to avoid accusations of excess food miles, he is not entirely happy about the way the organic cereals market has developed.

'It is very definitely undersupplied and it is moving in the wrong direction. We’re getting more reliant on imports.'

By Chris Lyddon

THE LATEST ORGANIC GRAIN NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

THE ORGANIC ALLIANCE

2008-06-12T07:30:00.001Z

Today, Organic Alliance, Inc. (Pink Sheets: ORGC) (formerly NBDL) released details on its plans to become one of the world's leading providers of USDA certified organic crops to many of the country's leading consumer packaged goods manufacturers, food processors, grocery, and retail restaurant chains. The company is also announcing that its sales & marketing headquarters will open in Bakersfield, CA in August 2008. Bakersfield is centrally located for organic trading, according to company CEO Tom Morrison.

Consumers have embraced organic foods as a lifestyle change while the major food companies and retailers play catch up to some of the niche organizations (Whole Foods, etc.) that have focused heavily on organic. There exists no question as to the strong consumer demand for organic foods with 2007 sales of approximately $19 billion. Organic Alliance, Inc. ('OAI'), led by organic farming and industry veteran Tom Morrison, intends to fill a significant and problematic void facing major food companies such as Kraft, Unilever, and Sara Lee and mainstream grocery outlets including Costco, Safeway, and China's Lotus: reliable sourcing of organic fruits and vegetables from growers. These organizations are struggling to source high quality, source certified, organic produce to be sold as end product to consumers or to be used as ingredients for a more complete organic food alternative.

OAI intends to be the primary supplier of organic produce for these companies. The company believes it can reach this objective because of the leadership talent and experience of its CEO, Tom Morrison, industry veteran and part owner of one of the largest corporate farms and organic farming operations in the world during the late 1990's; the expertise and network of its Director James Haworth, CEO of Lotus Supercenters in China; and the marketing savvy of Alicia Kriese, international grocery market veteran. In addition the in place organic produce sourcing contract with a Consortium led by Canadian group Birkden Management, Inc. Birkden Management oversees a large number of farmers and organic growers. This Consortium of organic farmers capable of growing over 100 million pounds of USDA certified organic produce and fruit annually. OAI intends to market and contract ship these crops directly to the major package goods manufactures, food processors and retailers. Preliminary meetings have been held with future customers in each sector, and based on these discussions, the challenge for OAI will not be the demand, but ensuring sufficient supply from this and other sourcing arrangements.

These discussions have formed the basis for OAI's planning for the first twelve months of operations after the August open of the Bakersfield sales and logistics center. Several scenarios have been discussed that would give rise to a need for a substantial number of grower agreements to provide OAI with USDA certified organic crops worldwide.

OAI's primary objective is to provide high quality, large shipments of crops on a long term contract basis to multiple processing customers and package goods manufacturers such as Kraft and Unilever. The company estimates that these contracts will total over one million pounds annually. Based on these scenarios, our projected product mix, and customer demand, we expect significant gross revenues during year one.

About Organic Alliance

The hallmark of the company is top quality, safe tested and certified organic at the source, prior to customer shipment utilizing USDA certification in conjunction with the in house OAI Quality Team. Company CEO Tom Morrison was formerly CEO of Superior Farming of Bakersfield, CA, the largest organic farming company in the world in the '90s.

Organic Alliance, Inc.

CONTACT: Sarahjane Reil for Organic Alliance, Inc., +1 210 826 8900 x225

By redorbit.com

THE LATEST ORGANIC ALLIANCE NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC MILK QUESTIONS

2008-06-12T07:26:00.001Z

Four insurers have asked a judge to declare they do not have to pay to defend or indemnify Aurora Organic Dairy against a lawsuit challenging claims about the dairy's milk.

The lawsuit in question alleges the dairy's milk doesn't meet federal organic standards, a claim the Boulder based dairy has repeatedly said is untrue.

Philadelphia based ACE American Insurance Corp. and Indemnity Insurance Co. of North America, Chicago-based National Surety Corp. and Cincinnati based American Insurance Co. filed a complaint Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Denver, asking a judge to declare that their coverage doesn't apply to the lawsuit.

Dairy spokeswoman Sonja Tuitele said the company has other insurers.

'We purchase insurance coverage in good faith and are disappointed to learn that rather than providing the defense they're obligated to provide, some of our insurers elected instead to file a lawsuit,' she said Wednesday.

By examiner.com

THE LATEST ORGANIC MILK NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME