Back to the Land: One Man's Story

By Mort Mather

On hearing Barbra Kingsolver promote her new book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, I thought, "been there done that." She and her family moved to a farm and vowed that for one year they would eat only food they grew themselves or that was raised locally. My wife, also Barbara, and I moved to our farm in Maine 35 years ago and have been living close to the land ever since.

I too, wrote a book about our experience of raising the majority of our food -- which I titled Gardening for Independence.

We were part of the "back to the land" movement of the 1970s. I don't know that any of us in this so-called movement knew we were part of any movement. Some say they were influenced by Scott and Helen Nearing -- early green living pioneers. We weren't. For us, it is just the way things worked out.

It was wonderful having essentially a support group of couples who were gardening and farming organically, who cared about the sources of the food they put on the table, and who were learning and sharing. We could get organic whole milk from Stacey and Marilyn and Ed built a smoke house and smoked our bacon and hams. We shared recipes for curing the pork.

We met Stacey, Marilyn, Ed and Gail at the first meeting of the Maine Organic Foods Association. Later the name was changed to the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (mofga.org). MOFGA was the first organic organization in the country and is currently the largest. I was the second treasurer and the third president, ultimately serving three terms.

Health was central to much of what we did. Eating food without pesticides seemed like a no-brainer to most of us but there was also a heightening of self-respect as we became more and more proficient at doing things for ourselves -- everything from fixing our buildings and vehicles to raising and preparing our own food and cutting our own firewood.

Doing for ourselves made us feel good, but not to the extent of leading an insulated life. Friends enriched us and friendships were deepened as we helped each other.

Thirty-five years later I am farming organically, raising vegetables for our restaurant, Joshua's (joshuas.biz). Barbara is the dining room manager, our son, Joshua, is the chef, and I am the farmer. We literally bet the farm on Josh and it has turned out to be an excellent bet.

What makes me most proud is that, under Josh's leadership, the restaurant operates under the same ethic that has guided us since before he was born. He seeks the freshest, highest quality ingredients with a priority given to locally raised. It is this ethic from which I write. I hope you find much that will prove useful to you.

[Ed. Note: Mort Mather has been gardening organically for 35 years. He is the author of Gardening for Independence and has founded two non-profits -- one saved a farm on the Maine Coast and the other saved the historic Ogunquit Playhouse. Mort is a certified organic farmer supplying vegetables for his family-run restaurant (http://joshuas.biz) in Wells, Maine. To learn more, click here.]

Healing Nutrients: Saw Palmetto: Should You Worry About Side Effects? By Ray Sahelian, MD

Many men take a saw palmetto supplement, or a combination of saw palmetto and other herbs and nutrients for prostate health -- or with the hope of improving symptoms of an enlarged prostate (BPH). Since prostate enlargement is a chronic problem, saw palmetto is often used for prolonged periods of months or years.

But are saw palmetto supplements safe for long term use? Do they have any side effects?

Researchers at the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco were involved in a study called Saw Palmetto for Treatment of Enlarged Prostates (STEP).¹ It was a randomized clinical trial performed among 225 men with moderate to severe symptoms of BPH. The researchers compared a standardized extract of the saw palmetto berry (160 mg twice daily) with a placebo for one year.

At the end of the study period it was noted that there were no significant differences in the risk of side effects between the saw palmetto group and the placebo group. Researchers also noted few significant differences in sexual functioning or in most laboratory analyses between the groups -- only small differences were seen over time in total bilirubin, potassium, and the incidence of glucose in the urine.

The use of saw palmetto supplements did not seem to influence levels of PSA to any significant degree. Despite careful evaluation, no evidence for serious toxicity or side effects of saw palmetto was noted in this clinical trial.

The results of this study are reassuring to men who have been taking saw palmetto for several months. Are there any risks in taking saw palmetto supplements for several years or decades? Further research will hopefully provide answers in the future.

Reference

1. Avins AL et al. Complement. Ther. Med. 2008 June.

[Ed. Note: Ray Sahelian, M.D. is a practicing physician and the best-selling author of Mind Boosters. He is a leading authority on natural supplements and nutrition. For the latest research on organic ways to improve your health and well-being, click here.]

Healthy Recipes: Vidalia Onion and Shiitake Mushroom Soup By Kelley Herring

This delicious twist on a favorite comfort food is lower in sodium than traditional "French Onion" Soup and gets a powerful cancer-fighting boost from a phytonutrient called lentinan found in shiitake mushrooms.

Time to Table: 1 hour
Serves: 6

Healing Nutrient Spotlight
Good source of vitamin B6
Low fat, Low saturated fat

Ingredients
2 whole organic shallots, diced
2 cloves organic garlic, minced
1 tsp whole mustard seed
4 medium Vidalia onions, chopped
2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
2 cups organic chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups spring water
2 whole organic leeks, sliced
2 Tbsp organic Worcestershire sauce

Preparation
Chop vegetables as required. To best prepare leeks, chop leeks first, then rinse well in a colander to remove any dirt between leaves. Sauté onions, shallots, and leeks in broth for 2 minutes or until translucent. Add shiitakes and Worcestershire sauce and sauté two minutes. Stir in remaining vegetable broth, water, sliced garlic and mustard seeds. Simmer 30 minutes (up to 1 hour) on medium low.

Nutrition Information
73 kcal Calories, 0 g Total Fat, 0 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 0 g Monounsaturated fat, 0 g Polyunsaturated fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 230 mg Sodium, 16 g Carbohydrate, 2 g Fiber, 5 g Sugar, 3 g Protein

[Ed Note: Do you love dessert, but not the sugar? Kelley Herring's new company, Wellness Bakeries, has created all-natural, protein-packed, high-fiber, low glycemic dessert mixes that you can enjoy without a moment's guilt. To learn more and try a delicious slice for yourself, click here.]

__________________________________________________
These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 08-29-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/