# Do You Know What You Eat Eats?



## solaryellow (Nov 12, 2011)

How much do you truly know about where your food comes from? Do you know what pesticides and fertilizers were used on your vegetables? What antibiotics, steroids, and feed the animals were given?

I am not an Occupy Wallstreet kinda person but if you think the food you get from your local grocer is wholesome you are sadly mistaken. I would challenge all of the YAWYE folks to dig a little deeper. Is the problem really animal fat or is it what the animal was fed to produce that fat? Is the problem real sugar or is it all of the corn products that your body can't process? And how is it that these magical pills and medicines are the only option instead of getting back to what is natural?

If you have Netflix I highly recommend starting your journey into root cause analysis by watching King Corn and then move on from there to other documentaries like Food Inc. Granted, they are a bit slanted but hopefully you can distinguish the opinions from the facts.


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 13, 2011)

It's unfortunate that our health issues, that may or may not be, caused by Pesticides, Herbicides, Antibiotics  and Growth Hormones, are directly tied to that which has made America the leading producer of Food and Meat to the World, including it's contribution to much of our Wealth...Without these, Food Cost in America and abroad would be Much Higher and people of many Nations would Starve...JJ

Edited because I was Vague...Americans want Cheap Food and Plenty of It...It has taken over 75 years to get to this point. Change is needed and we all must try to educate ourselves and improve our health...JJ


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## solaryellow (Nov 13, 2011)

I have a lot of respect for you JJ but I don't see how one can make the argument that the affordability of food trumps one's own health, especially given the state of healthcare in the US. (In the interest of fair disclosure I do work in the healthcare industry.) Given the purpose of this forum I am even more concerned. Ever wonder if the pharmaceutical companies are in bed with the food producing companies? I know I do. Sure, food is cheap and plentiful in the US but there is a hidden cost that is well beyond what organic costs. I know for me personally I have stopped buying feedlot meat and GMO vegetables. While it might seem hypocritical to serve it to others, I refuse to eat it any longer. It does cost more but I have no doubt about what I am eating nor do I have any concerns about its nutritional value.


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 13, 2011)

Solar, My commentary was intended more as a statement of the Sad State of Affairs that has Lead to so may American Health Issues and The Double Edge Sword that has gotten us There!  There are SO MANY Studies, paid for by Those that benefit Most, that contradict almost every Food Related Issue that has ever been made. It is nearly impossible to make an informed decision, but we must strive to...So I agree with you!!!  

As far as GMO Veg/Fruit goes...with the exception of the well publicized genetic combination of Animal Genes and Plant Genes for what ever improvement is supposed to be made...Genetic Modification has been going on for Thousands of Years! Mayan Corn is very different from the tasty Silver Queen Sweet Corn, we all enjoy at our summer picnics! Where Cross Pollination, Plant Grafting and Selection of the Biggest, Sweetest produce for next years Planting was all done by Hand...Many companies now have the Benefit of Technology to create desired modifications in a Petri Dish! It is not all BAD...

Besides, my friend (Total Sincerity) an alternate view stimulates interaction here and our overall goal of thought and awareness needed for improvement...I intended no disrespect to You, One of our Most Valued Members!...JJ


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## solaryellow (Nov 13, 2011)

I may have been a tad defensive in my reply. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 However, I am very passionate about this subject. The more I read, watch and learn the more convinced I am that we are poisoning ourselves for the benefit of others while society casts a blind eye towards our food supply. That was never the path I intended to go down but the more of my own food processing I do the more I learn about what we are putting into our bodies and it disgusts me.

And yes, you are right. As long as man had been around, man has monkeyed with our food supply trying to enhance production and make more out of less. Unfortunately we have hit a crossroads where the number of diseases and medical problems continue to rise in step with the our food production and efficiency. I guess ultimately it comes down down to how each of us values our health vs how much we pay for the food we enjoy. I know I have made up my mind based on what I know at this time and I would encourage everyone to question what they are feeding themselves.

You are also right JJ that it takes differences in opinion to stimulate thoughtful discussion about opposing viewpoints.


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## scarbelly (Nov 13, 2011)

In reading both of your posts one thing stands out to me. There is agreement that we have been altering (engineering) food for a very long time. 

The thing that we have not addressed is the availability to avoid these foods at the lower to middle income levels. How does one  find "heathier" food? 

In my case, I am making a major change. Now that I am retired, I will start a new garden of organic vegetables. Since I am also involved in the 4H program, I am going to partner with the butcher who processes the meat the kids in the program raise to get some of the beef and pork from the program.

But lets be honest. This approach is not one that most folks can make or afford. How does someone in the city do this? Obviously, farmers markets are the answer if you can get to them for the vegetables. How to answer the meat question?  To be honest, I don't know.  

This is of particular interest to me so I can show my 3 kids how to make this conversion to better quality food for their kids, my grandkids.  I can and have taught all of the kids to cook. How do you tell a kid who is disabled from a prison riot that she needs to be more vigilant with her 5 kids while she is on disability. What we need to discuss here is a path that others can take and accomplish the same program that you have undertaken Joel. How do we make this program affordable to folks in the lower income brackets


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## werdwolf (Nov 13, 2011)

Don't have enough time right now to really jump in the fray right now, this is right up my alley (I'm not board certified in Environmental Medicine for noth'in).  There is a difference between cross pollinating to develop different corn and gene splicing to make it.

I have bought the beef and pork from the fair, where there are some rules about what they get, but it is expensive.  It is amazing, but someone (sorry I can't quote it right now) figured out that a grass fed beef and a corn fed beef have different fatty acid profiles and of course the corn fed were worse.  We also know that wild caught salmon and farm raised salmon have different fatty acid profiles.

This should be a fun group!

Oh and by the way, a little off subject, if folks aren't filtering their water, start!  I'll get on that rant one of these days.


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## solaryellow (Nov 13, 2011)

I am doing the same thing Gary. I planted my first garden this year with heirloom seeds and we ate well from it. I have plans to expand it next year. As for meat, I am purchasing meat for my own personal consumption from Whole Foods and local farmers. It has been interesting to talk with the meat manager at Whole Feeds as he can tell me exactly what farm the meat came from and will even arrange for farm tours. For those living in cities where they don't have an opportunity to grow their own food, there are CSAs available to fill that need.

As for affordability, there is no doubt that it is going to cost more.


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## solaryellow (Nov 13, 2011)

werdwolf said:


> Don't have enough time right now to really jump in the fray right now, this is right up my alley (I'm not board certified in Environmental Medicine for noth'in).  There is a difference between cross pollinating to develop different corn and gene splicing to make it.
> 
> I have bought the beef and pork from the fair, where there are some rules about what they get, but it is expensive.  It is amazing, but someone (sorry I can't quote it right now) figured out that a grass fed beef and a corn fed beef have different fatty acid profiles and of course the corn fed were worse.  We also know that wild caught salmon and farm raised salmon have different fatty acid profiles.
> 
> ...




Can't wait to hear more about your feelings on corn.


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## shtrdave (Nov 13, 2011)

I just started watching King Corn, I got about 40 minutes in and watching it on my computer is not the way to do it, I am going to see if the video stores around here rent it or maybe get it off amazon or something, I see they have it and Food Inc. I will be watching both of these.

thanks


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 13, 2011)

No offense taken!...JJ


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## michael ark (Nov 14, 2011)

I recommend (The future of food) on netflix.What we can do about it is vote with our dollars.Because monsanto and dupont gives to both parties so they don't care who wins a election they bought both parties.It was never voted on it was a judge that ruled that you can paten life and thats just wrong.For those with out netflix here is some reading.http://www.naturalnews.com/033784_GMO_animal_feed.html

                                                               http://www.infowars.com/obamas-agriculture-secretary-supports-gmo-crops-big-agra/

                                                               http://www.naturalnews.com/033724_Chuck_Norris_GMOs.html

                                                               http://www.naturalnews.com/032628_Whole_Foods_GMOs.html 

                                                              http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/04/09/us-agencies-trying-to-outlaw-gmo-food-labeling/

                                                              http://www.liveinthenow.com/article/a-scary-side-effect-of-eating-gmo-foods

                                                             http://www.seedsofdeception.com/Public/AboutGeneticallyModifiedFoods/index.cfm

                                                             http://www.thefutureoffood.com/get%20involved.html


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## SmokinAl (Nov 14, 2011)

It is somewhat surprising to me that there are so many of you willing to change your eating habits & become more healthy. I applaud you all!


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## solaryellow (Nov 14, 2011)

michael ark said:


> I recommend (The future of food) on netflix.What we can do about it is vote with our dollars.Because monsanto and dupont gives to both parties so they don't care who wins a election the bought both parties.It was never voted on it was a judge that ruled that you can paten life and thats just wrong.For those with out netflix here is some reading.http://www.naturalnews.com/033784_GMO_animal_feed.html
> 
> http://www.infowars.com/obamas-agriculture-secretary-supports-gmo-crops-big-agra/
> 
> ...




I am not sure if I have seen The Future Of Food. Gonna go search for it and add it to my instant queue. Thanks Michael!


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## michael ark (Nov 14, 2011)

For those that don't have netflix .You can watch it for free here.http://www.hulu.com/watch/67878/the-future-of-food  You can't beat free.


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## oldschoolbbq (Nov 14, 2011)

Finding and using a local meat processor is my part of watching my intake,not everyone can grow or raise thier own foods and have to depend on the Mega-Marts. We have a lot of Farm Markets here in season, and buy from them until winter,then it's back to the canned stuff for vegetables. The meat we can get all year long, so....for a lower income resident, I try.

Thanks again JJ and Solaryellow for the note.

Have fun and...


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## michael ark (Nov 14, 2011)

Enjoy it while you can csa are under attack.http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/112865/judge-rules-its-not-a-right-to-own-a-cow#post_710896  or http://www.localharvest.org/blog/23619/entry/senate_bill_s_510


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## solaryellow (Nov 15, 2011)

Watched The Future Of Food this evening. It is well worth the viewing.


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## supercenterchef (Nov 19, 2011)

michael...it's not just cows, even home gardens are starting to come under legal scrutiny...but don't get me on my conspiracy theory soapbox...


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## solaryellow (Nov 19, 2011)

SupercenterChef said:


> michael...it's not just cows, even home gardens are starting to come under legal scrutiny...but don't get me on my conspiracy theory soapbox...




Gotta love the gov't looking out for us simpletons while assuring the profits of large corporate farms.


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## hdflame (Nov 19, 2011)

solaryellow said:


> Gotta love the gov't looking out for us simpletons while assuring the profits of large corporate farms.




Not just large corporate farms, but it seems large corporate anything!


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## solaryellow (Nov 20, 2011)

hdflame said:


> Not just large corporate farms, but it seems large corporate anything!




And then we have to cut them a check to bail them out because they are too big to fail.


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## michael ark (Nov 20, 2011)

More states need to take this on.http://www.newrules.org/agriculture/rules/corporate-ownership-limitations


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## pops6927 (Nov 20, 2011)

Here is a site posted previously that gives where's and who's to the movement:

http://www.eatwild.com/index.html

Find your state and see who is providing better meats, vegetables, dairy, etc!


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## supercenterchef (Nov 20, 2011)

great resource pops, can't wait to try some of the listed vendors!


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## michael ark (Nov 20, 2011)

Thanks pops.


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## supercenterchef (Nov 20, 2011)

So, I'm looking over the vendors and many look pretty good...do any of you have experience with a particular one (especially via shipping) that you might recommend?


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## pops6927 (Nov 22, 2011)

No experience yet, but I have used this for reference to direct people where to find animal species, etc.


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## phogi (Dec 1, 2011)

I feel a need to respond here, as this has always interested me. So grab a chair.

Just so you can get a clear political picture of where I'm coming from:

/soapbox

I hate hippie ideology. I'm am NRA kinda guy. I believe in people, not government. While I might not exactly be a republican or libritarian, I'm not far off. If you made a chart of political Ideology, I fall right in the dead center. I have one major political problem though. There is no party that speaks well to the issue of food production.

Some think our problem is that we just to produce as much food as possible. This is not true. We still pay farmers not to farm, and, if we value our lives, should continue to do so for all foreseeable future. Some think our problem is that we are careless with food, and simply do not consider the long term implications of the quality of food we eat. This is also not entirely true...look at the rise of the organic food movement - even when the research shows that conventional food poses no risk and organic food little to no benefit.

The primary food problem we have is simply a regulatory problem. Monsanto has this country by the balls, and ADM is not far behind. They own every politician and judge that matters. They determine what food policy is. Remember they (food producers) used to have to dye margarine pink? We have no food purity laws - only sanitation laws. Our food industry is controlled by a company that sells more poison than anything else. While their power is not complete, it is significant. If you have not done any research in this area, and you are someone who eats food...you really should have a look.

But, as I said, their power is not complete. You can vote with your feet...don't buy their crap. Read labels, always. Make your own everything...then you get to decide what you eat. When you buy pre-made goods you are not just paying for convenience, you are paying good money for adulterated food - which often has ingredients in it that we did not evolve to digest. While I don't imagine eating wood would be a problem in small amounts, it is a problem that the true identity of many ingredients of our food is disguised though fancy names. Is it evaporated cane juice or cane sugar? Is it cellulose or oak? High Fructose corn syrup or corn sugar? Start reading labels and you will learn what I mean.

It is not possible to eat a perfect diet...in fact, for some time after I started researching food, I did not enjoy shopping for food. Everything I looked at, I felt like someone was trying to poison me. Then I figured out a plan:

1) Spend most your money in the produce section. Organic food is good if you gots the dough.

2) Buy ingredients, not products.

3) Read labels: Never buy anything with high fructose corn syrup. (It's not poison, they just put it in everything when you are not looking. Type 2 diabetes anyone?) Don't buy food with dye in it. If you don't know what a preservative is and what it does in a body, don't buy it. Take jaundiced eye towards new food substances.

Once I got used to this system, going to the store was much more enjoyable. It's second nature now.

Other food tips:

1) Keep a leash on the wife. Buying organic everything will bankrupt you.

2) Buying from a farm is the way to go. They get more profit by selling direct to you, and you get to know where your food comes from and what goes into it.

3) Read - but be careful, remember everyone that writes about or researches food is pushing an agenda. Do not trust summaries of scientific research, read the research...

Last round:

1) Every time you put something in your mouth, you take a risk...educate yourself so that you can evaluate the risk, and then proceed confidently in the direction you choose.

2) Don't freak the f when you learn how our food is made. This is who we are, and it is not going to change. Just choose the path you feel is wisest.

3) Learn about your food...you enjoy it even more when you feel comfortable with it's production.

/end soapbox


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## phogi (Dec 1, 2011)

Oh yeah, one more important thing about meat:

Not sure how to spell it, but trichinosis, that parasite in pork that used to make everyone cook the heck out of their pork roasts? Yeah, it's in organic pork. So use the old usda temp of 160.


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## chef jimmyj (Dec 2, 2011)

Phogi said:


> Oh yeah, one more important thing about meat:
> 
> Not sure how to spell it, but trichinosis, that parasite in pork that used to make everyone cook the heck out of their pork roasts? Yeah, it's in organic pork. So use the old usda temp of 160.


This only very remotely true...If organic pork is fed Raw or undercooked Meat and Meat byproducts there is a risk of the Pigs becoming infected...Pork producers that follow both standard and organic production procedures typically feed a diet high in carbohydrates from grain , feed by Law may also contain Animal protein but this must be Rendered, cooked, to destroy any disease carrying micro-organisms or Parasites...Pork Producers are in the business to make money and a Farm does not last long putting out a Hazardous Product...The approximately 12 cases of Pork borne Trichinosis diagnosed in the US each year comes from Pork produced on small family Farms that feed Slop, table scraps and Garbage...The leading cause of Trichinosis is eating under cooked Wild Game and Bear Meat, from Bears that feed on Garbage in particular. There may be dishonest producers that try to save money by feeding garbage but Mandatory USDA Inspection is very effective at catching diseased animals and we know for a fact that the most common forms of Trichinosis causing Parasites is Killed at a Uniform Internal Temperature of 140*F...JJ


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## phogi (Dec 2, 2011)

Hmmm..good to know. Thanks JJ!


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## chef jimmyj (May 23, 2012)

HA! Finally proof...I read this article and thought of some my YAWYE brothers...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...JJ
[h1]Does Organic Food Make People Insufferable?[/h1]
by Dan Flynn | May 23, 2012

A Loyola University psychological scientist is hung up on the moods people get into because of what they eat.





The researcher is now saying that people with a taste for organics are more likely to be insufferable. He earlier found that bitter food left people with more than a bitter taste in their mouths.

The new study by Kendall Eskine, assistant professor of the department of psychological science at Loyola University, says participants who ate organic goods judged people more harshly than did a control group or the research subjects who ate comfort foods.

The study, which depicts people with organic-food diets as being more judgmental and/or judgmental, is getting lots of media coverage around the country. Eskine, who says he routinely kicks participants out of his research projects, organized his latest subjects into three groups.

He exposed a "needy stranger" to each of the groups: a control group, a comfort-food group and an organic-food group. The comfort group helped out the needy stranger for 24 minutes, the control group for 19 minutes, and the organic group for just 13 minutes.

Eskine said the organic group felt they'd done what they could and did not need to help any more. He called this "moral licensing," meaning these people put their judgmental thoughts above the needs of others.

The idea that organic food could negatively influence the moods of people consuming it is new. KEZT-TV took the idea to its Eugene, OR viewers, most of whom found the idea preposterous.

Still, the study seems to suggest that the self-righteous are more likely to be stressed out about food. Low-fat cheese or free-trade coffee are foods with a "health halo," meaning people tend to think of them as healthier or even safer, whether they are or not.

But such foods also leave their adherents with the notion that organic food and people who eat them are more superior, Eskine figures. One report on the study said people develop a "holier-than-than-thou" sense of superiority.

Eskine is a popular classroom professor at the New Orleans university. It is not clear from his research whether people who eat organic foods might be bad-tempered before they choose to eat organic food or if their foul moods are the result of it.

"Wholesome Foods and Wholesome Morals" Organic Foods Reduce Prosocial Behavior and Harshens Moral Judgments" is freely available in abstract form, but the full version is kept behind a pay wall.

Thanks to Barfblog for bringing this article to our attention.

Just funnin' with you guys...


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## diggingdogfarm (May 23, 2012)

All I want is good, healthy food, raised in an intelligent and reasonable way....you can call it what you want.


~Martin


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## solaryellow (May 23, 2012)

I like to scope out the armpits of the chicks when I drop my wife off at Whole Foods every weekend. Even though it gives me much laughter, I am still getting pasture raised pork belly for $1.99 from there. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Makin' bacon > hippies


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## oldschoolbbq (May 23, 2012)

All that Methane and no-one is using it...


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## smokinhusker (May 23, 2012)

Extremely interesting and informative. Thanks for all the info, opinions and such - it is appreciated and educational. I read labels and where the product is from...not too keen on foods coming from other countries and you all know which ones I'm referring too. 

Luckily both of us love to hunt and fish...we eat lots of elk, deer, antelope, kokanee salmon, trout, duck and goose. I shop the farmer's markets and buy locally grown veggies and fruits. 

Unfortunately not much of a growing season at this altitude, yes I've tried and it's tough and then you are constantly fighting to keep the neighborhood kids, cats and dogs out of it. Perhaps some day before I'm too old I'll have a greenhouse!!! 

I grew up on a farm in SE Ohio, aka Cancer Valley, close to several chemical plants, one of which produces the non stick coating for cookware and have lost a good part of my family and friends to cancer. I use Cast Iron. Growing up we had a huge garden, orchard, dairy and beef cattle, hogs and chickens and to this day neither I nor my oldest can drink store milk!

Anyway, thanks for bringing this to our attention...


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## diggingdogfarm (May 23, 2012)

SmokinHusker said:


> Growing up we had a huge garden, orchard, dairy and beef cattle, hogs and chickens and to this day neither I nor my oldest can drink store milk!



Yes, store bought milk is appalling, as are most any store bought dairy products....store bought butter really sucks!!!



~Martin


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## smokinhusker (May 23, 2012)

DiggingDogFarm said:


> Yes, store bought milk is appalling, as are most any store bought dairy products....store bought butter really sucks!!!
> ~Martin


I checked out the link that Pops posted for Eatwild and found a farm that has raw milk Woohoo!!! I used to get fresh milk from a dairy farm on the Western Slope when I lived there and was in heaven then. Yep store butter does suck but tastes better than margarine.


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## diggingdogfarm (May 23, 2012)

It's baffling to me how so many people are satisfied with crappy food.
I can't figure it out.


~Martin


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## rabbithutch (May 23, 2012)

OK!  I joined the group because I just can't pass up participating in this thread.

First, let me say that I am no friend of corporate food production - nor am I a friend or fan of PhRMA.  I truly believe that profits always far outweigh any and every other consideration in those sectors.  But, I live in Texas and dare not say anything about how cattle are raised or fed out in feed lots.  I don't have Oprah's money nor a Dr. Phil to get me out of lawsuits.

Here's what I want to share with the group.  My dad was born in 1894 and was raised in an orphanage in NC that raised most of its own food.  He married in 1924 and raised a large family - I'm the ninth of nine.  He opened and ran his own business for just about a year before the market crash of '29.  He was in his mid 30s and had babies to feed.  His solution was to spend the last cash he had to buy implements to plant a garden and to lease a small piece of land on which to do this.  He also bought a cow, a couple of pigs, chickens and ducks.  He moved to the 'country' - 2 or 3 miles from the center of town.  From that time on, he always raised almost all of the vegetables that the family ate.  WWII and Victory Gardens were old hat to him if new to many who were 1 generation removed from the family farm.  Sometime in the late '30s, dad got work (he was a printer and typesetter) but he went to work an hour and half early and left equally early in order to come home and work his gardens until nightfall.  My earliest memory of his gardens are of 2 city lots which were plowed every Spring my a rented mule - literally.  I remember that he composted all leaves and plants to make the soil richer - long before Rodale who claimed to have invented the process.  He continued to raise much of our food until about '55 as he became older and less capable of sustaining the energy.

With that perspective, I must tell you that my dad had completed a year of college in 1910 before he turned 16.  He was a very intelligent man and his work forced him to be well read.  His children forced him to be a hard working provider.  We had wide ranging conversations about many things.  Being the last of the bunch, I was allowed much freer rein than the oldest - mostly because dad realized that responsibility is taught by example and not by fiat.  One of the topics we discussed at length - because I had to do a paper on the topic in grade school - was the impact of mechanization and factory farming on the average diet.  Although this was long before the back-to-the-land and hippie movement, there was much written about the subject by then.  Much of it was not supported by scientific experimentation.  Most of the conclusions drawn by learned men - and fully supported by my dad's own opinion - was that the explosion of heart disease and cancer in the 20th Century had to be due to environmental factors.  But what environmental factors affected the entire nation?  Food supply, the air, and electromagnetic pulses.   All of these things became drastically more compacted and affected greater numbers of people in greater degree in the 20th Century than in any earlier period of mankind's history.  Food production was basically a family farm affair for much more than half the population until the early 20th.  Factories belching pollutants into the atmosphere were almost unknown prior to about 1840.  Production of electricity and the following use of radio technology are both early 20th Century phenomena.  Dad concluded that these had to be very large factors adversely affecting the nation's health.  He was particularly concerned about preservatives placed in processed foods to give them longer shelf life.  Even then, many were known to be carcinogens.  Later he became concerned about cattle routinely being given antibiotics - substances that he lived most of his life without!

He passed away in early '65.  Since that time, countless studies have concluded that there are health-damaging products added to our food.  The food processing industry has - as has been pointed out - bought and paid for the FDA.  The pharmaceutical industry covered what the food producers didn't in that purchase.  The FDA is a sham.  It is fully and completely controlled by the political will of the industries it was supposed to regulate because politicians feed off the contributions of those industries.  It takes only a small amount of time and effort to discover the truth of these statements.  I urge you to investigate yourself.  The effort will be well-spent to inform you . . .   but it might make you think differently about public servants.


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## chef jimmyj (May 23, 2012)

SmokinHusker said:


> I checked out the link that Pops posted for Eatwild and* found a farm that has raw milk Woohoo!!! *I used to get fresh milk from a dairy farm on the Western Slope when I lived there and was in heaven then. Yep store butter does suck but tastes better than margarine.


I certainly hope you aren't getting Milk from any of these Farms...Some stuff is not worth the risk. Raw milk is one of them, Cold Smoking meat without Nitrite is another. I am not picking a fight, I get 2-3 Food Safety Bulletins every day and Raw Milk is a very frequent subject. Here are Two examples...One from the west coast and another from a well known Dairy a few miles from me. Please be careful...JJ
[h1]10 Infected with Campylobacter from Raw Milk in California[/h1]
by Mary Rothschild | May 11, 2012

At least 10 people infected with Campylobacter in California reported drinking Organic Pastures raw milk prior to becoming ill, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) said Thursday.






Raw milk, raw skim milk (non-fat), raw cream and raw butter produced by the Fresno County dairy have been recalled and are subject to a quarantine order imposed by California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Whiteford.

Whiteford issued the quarantine order after Campylobacter was detected in Organic Pastures raw cream, according to a news release.

"Consumers are strongly urged to dispose of any Organic Pastures products of these types remaining in their refrigerators, and retailers are to pull those products immediately from their shelves," public health officials wrote in the statement.

According to CDPH, six of the 10 people sickened are under 18. All 10 range in age from nine months to 38 years old; median age is 11.5 years. None of those sickened have been hospitalized. The outbreak cases reside in Fresno, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Santa Clara counties.

Mark McAfee, Organic Pastures owner, says he believes the test results are incorrect and has requested a hearing with the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Organic Pastures has been linked to several past outbreaks of pathogen infection and recalled its unpasteurized dairy products for fecal-pathogen contamination in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011. In 2006, the raw milk dairy was the subject of a quarantine order after six children became ill with E. coli infections - two experienced kidney failure from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

In November 2011, the state ordered a recall of Organic Pastures raw milk products and placed the farm on quarantine after five boys who drank unpasteurized milk from the dairy were infected with E. coli O157:H7. Environmental samples collected at Organic Pastures yielded E. coli 0157:H7 indistinguishable from the bacteria infecting the boys. Three of the children were hospitalized with HUS.

In its news release Thursday, CDPH said it identified 10 people with Campylobacter infection linked to Organic Pastures milk from January through April 30 this year.

This is the sixth outbreak in the U.S. associated with unpasteurized dairy products since the start of 2012.

So far this year, at least 18 people have been sickened by Campylobacter from raw goat milk sold in Kansas, 80 people became ill from Campylobacter-contaminated raw cow milk produced by a Pennsylvania farm, and 9 were infected by Campylobacter from raw milk products sold by a San Benito County, CA dairy. Fourteen E. coli O157:H7 infections have been linked to raw cow milk in central Missouri and a raw milk outbreak in Oregon has sickened 19 people with E. coli O157:H7 infections, one with Cryptosporidium and one with Campylobacter.

[emoji]169[/emoji] Food Safety News
[h1]Campylobacter Cases from Raw Milk Outbreak Reach 80[/h1]
by James Andrews | Mar 01, 2012

Since *Food Safety News* last reported on February 24, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has confirmed an additional two cases of Campylobacter infections in an outbreak tied to contaminated unpasteurized milk from Your Family Cow dairy in Chambersburg, PA. The latest cases bring the outbreak toll to 80 confirmed illnesses.

The two new confirmations -- both from Pennsylvania -- do not have a recent onset, as the emergence of new cases appears to have slowed.

This is the largest foodborne illness linked to raw milk in Pennsylvania history, affecting individuals in four states. The breakdown of cases by state is as follows:

Pennsylvania (70 illnesses), Maryland (5), West Virginia (3), New Jersey (2).

Since 2007, Pennsylvania raw milk dairies have been linked to at least seven outbreaks, now resulting in a total of 287 illnesses. In 2008, the state had a raw milk outbreak of Campylobacter infection that sickened 72 people.

Illness onset dates for the current outbreak range from January 17 to February 1. At least nine people have been hospitalized.

Although the Your Family Cow dairy temporarily halted sales upon discovery of the outbreak, the farm was allowed to resume production on February 6, after passing a health inspection.

Lab tests by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene found the outbreak strain of Campylobacter in two unopened bottles of raw milk collected from customers' homes, and the owners of Your Family Cow dairy acknowledged responsibility for the contaminated milk that caused the outbreak. "It was us ... food from our farm has made people sick," Edwin Shank wrote in an open letter posted on the dairy's website

Of the 80 confirmed cases, 25 (31 percent) are under the age of 18, while all those ill ranged in age from 2 to 74. Children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are most susceptible to illness from pathogenic bacteria.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania state department of health emphasized that the two latest confirmed cases occurred within the established illness onset range of January 17 to February 1, suggesting that the outbreak ended weeks ago. Regardless, more cases may continue to surface as health laboratories match illnesses to the outbreak.

The sale of raw milk in legal in Pennsylvania. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study showing that states that permit raw milk sales have more than twice as many illness outbreaks as states where raw milk is not sold.

[emoji]169[/emoji] Food Safety News


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## solaryellow (May 23, 2012)

DiggingDogFarm said:


> It's baffling to me how so many people are satisfied with crappy food.
> I can't figure it out.
> 
> 
> ~Martin


Amen brother.


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## diggingdogfarm (May 23, 2012)

As a cancer survivor, I choose not to whine and blame others, but, rather, take the bull by the horns and produce most of my food in a way I'm comfortable with, but it's not all about that...there's much more to it...it's not just that it may be healthier, but it tastes better and farming in a more natural way just makes sense from an investment standpoint.



~Martin


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## diggingdogfarm (May 23, 2012)

re; Raw Milk

Sure there are risks in drinking raw milk, you can't eliminate all risks in life...but I've drank raw milk all of my life, as well as my parents and much of my immediate family, as did my grand parents and great grandparents, and countless generations before them, all of our lives and as far as i know, nobody has gotten sick.

This isn't a recommendation, do what you're comfortable with.

Having said that, raw milk can still be heat treated and be FAR superior to the crap sold in stores.


~Martin


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## smokinhusker (May 24, 2012)

Thanks for the info Chef JJ and I know there are risks but as Martin says it can be heat treated and still taste like milk. I did see the recalls on lots of the Organic Milk and don't buy it. I didn't think pure raw milk was legal to sell in the US, but I could be wrong, just thought I read that somewhere on the net. Anyway, the farm with the raw milk is farther than I want to drive, but I'm going to research their product some more for my own peace of mind. I can remember skimming the cream off the top...good stuff IMHO!

Martin, you hit the nail on the head about how much better home grown food is not too mention we know what we are eating and we don't have all the packaging that we end up throwing away.


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