Buy a Dram, Save a Farm
On November 5, Bad Human posted about saving a historic mint farm. Since I’m a big fan of homeopathic medicines and using essential oils I decided to buy some oil to help them out. I’m not going to rewrite the fantastic article about this that Bad Human wrote, please head over to their blog to read about this cause.
A little about the farm:
The Crosby Mint Farm in St. Johns, Michigan, was founded in 1912 by J.E. Crosby Sr. on two acres. The now 140-acre farm has produced chemical-free spearmint and peppermint essential oils for 96 years:
“In addition to having what appears to be the oldest surviving still in the country, the Crosby Farms operation also appears to be the oldest mint farm in continuous operation in the United States. The key word here is “continuous” – that it has cultivated and processed mint since J.E. Crosby purchased the property before World War I.” — Ephraim K. Smith, President; Heritage Productions, Inc.
So how about purchasing some mint to help save a historic mint farm. I bought a few bottles of oil that I will be using to cooking and for medicinal uses. Head on over to their site and Buy a Dram, Save a Farm.
What can you use this mint for? Here are a few uses for mint oil.
Headaches – peppermint may ease headaches and migraines. Apply a rub to temple area in circular motion and across the forehead. For migraines, wet hair and put 4-5 drops into your hand and massage into the scalp.
Sinus Problems – Peppermint is very useful in reducing sinus congestion when added to a bowl of steaming or boiling water. A rub may be applied to chest, back of neck area, and behind ears. A few drops of oil in a vaporizer at night will help ease congestion as well.
Digestive System – Peppermint oil can help relax the muscles of the digestive tract to relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. One drop of peppermint oil on a sugar cube or used in tea may help relieve intestinal cramps.
Body Muscles & Arthritis – Peppermint oil is soothing to sore muscles when added to a hot bath or massage oil. Use this to soothe arthritis pain. Mix 4-5 drops of oil into 1 ounce of lotion and/or massage carrier oil.
Feet – Applied full strength, or mixed with a carrier oil, peppermint oil may relieve swollen feet and may reduce and assist in healing blisters, cuts, or athlete’s foot by killing bacteria.
Women Only – Relieve menstrual or abdominal cramps, add 1-2 drops of peppermint oil on a sugar cube or into an 8 ounce glass of water and drink. A toothpick dipped in oil works great for tea or water. Also helps to relieve Hot Flashes!
Flu Season?
For a sore throat, sparingly dip a cotton swab into mint oil and carefully apply to the back of the tongue area.
Relieve congestion by rubbing a few drops of peppermint oil on chest & covering with warm compress.
Add a few drops of mint oil to the water of a humidifier or vaporizer to keep it smelling fresh and kill germs.
Peppermint Oil is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal!
Looks like I won’t have any trouble using up my peppermint & spearmint oils. Any of you have any great tips or recipes using mint?
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Food Safety = Local Food
Civil Eats had an article last week stating:
“According to a Consumer Reports poll released this week, Americans are becoming increasingly concerned about U.S. food safety, and the overwhelming majority want the government to do more to monitor the American food supply.”
“The American public wants to know more about their food, where it comes from, how safe it is, and will vote with their dollars to support highly meaningful labels,” says Urvashi Rangan, senior scientist and policy analyst at Consumers Union. “Consumers want to know that the food they buy meets the standards they expect—our poll shows that right now, that is not the case. Whether that means that ‘organic’ fish eat 100% organic feed without contamination, or that people know which meat and dairy products come from cloned or genetically engineered animals—consumers want the government to ensure safety, quality and meaning in the food marketplace.”
Do we really think we can rely on the government to keep our food system safe? I don’t think so. This is why I shop at farmer’s markets and buy my meat and dairy from a small local farm. I know exactly where my food is coming from and how well it’s being treated (while living and during slaughter). We don’t need more government regulation, we need to speak with our dollars. Shop locally, invest in your local food chain.
What do you think? Do you think government regulation will help the safety of our food system?
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Eating Locally & Seasonally
Mr Chiots and really try to eat locally and seasonally. Which means, no raspberries in winter, no tomatoes in January, etc. We do this for health & environmental reasons. This summer I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life 
Concentrating on local foods means thinking of fruit invariably as the product of an orchard, and a winter squash as the fruit of an early-winter farm. It’s a strategy that will keep grocery money in the neighborhood, where it gets recycled into your own school system and local businesses. The green spaces surrounding your town stay green, and farmers who live nearby get to grow more food next year, for you. But before any of that, it’s a win-win strategy for anyone with taste buds. It begins with rethinking a position that is only superficially about deprivation. Citizens of frosty worlds unite, and think about marching past the off-season fruits: you have nothing to lose but mealy, juiceless, rock-hard and refusing to ripen produce.
-Barbara Kingsolver (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
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One More Reason
I found this article recently. This is yet another reason to buy your meat from a local pastured farm.
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Local Turkey Day
Mr Chiot’s and I are so excited about this Thanksgiving. We ordered a turkey from Robert’s Farm, they’re pastured turkeys. They live in these turkey tractors, each week when I go to the farm they are in a different spot in the field, that way they can eat bugs & grass. When I was out at the farm picking up my milk & eggs I snapped a few photos of the turkeys. I think they have to be some of the ugliest animals (along with opossums). I wonder which one is ours?
We will pick it up the Sunday before Thanksgiving freshly butchered. I have high hopes for the deliciousness of this turkey.
Any of you getting a local turkey for this Thanksgiving?
