By Betsy Keller, MS, RD

In the summer of 1996, my first child was born, TWA flight 800 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean and genetically engineered ingredients were introduced into our food supply.  I was too distracted by the birth of my first child and the tragic CNN images to be aware that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were approved for the Flavr Savr tomato and being introduced indirectly into my breast milk.

Where’s the GMO?  The New Label Game

I am a registered dietitian and have spent countless hours teaching the workshop “How to Read a Food Label.”   It is inconceivable that I never once included information on GMO ingredients in my lectures.  There is a simple explanation for this-GMO ingredients are not listed on food labels. I did not become aware of the controversial issues surrounding GMOs until I purposefully became involved in the green food movement.

WHAT- GMOs can be simply explained as plants that contain genes transferred into their DNA from another living organism. Plant genes can be changed with DNA taken from bacteria, viruses, insects and animals.For example, genes from an arctic flounder which has an “antifreeze” property can be placed into a tomato to prevent frost damage.  I wonder what Watson and Crick would have thought about their DNA research being used to scientifically alter the world’s food supply 50 years later.

WHO- Four major players-Monsanto, DuPont, Dow, Bayer, and Syngenta – lead the way with bioengineering and marketing of four principal GM crops –soybeans, corn, rice canola and cottonseed.

WHY-These companies manipulated plants to either resist herbicides (like Monsanto’s RoundUp) or produce their own internal pesticides to protect against pests. The claims and chief selling points have been and remain, despite growing evidence to the contrary,  that GMO crops require fewer chemicals while producing a greater yield.

WHERE- As my son was growing into a young man, GMO crops were multiplying exponentially and being processed into several hidden ingredients used in packaged foods.  According to the Institute for Responsible Technology, GMO crops in the U.S. include soy (91%), cotton (88%), canola (88%), corn (85%), Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%), zucchini and yellow squash (small amount), and tobacco (Quest® brand). About half of the sugar beets grown for sugar in 2008 were GM and current projections are that about 90% grown in 2009 will be GM. The GM potatoes and tomatoes were taken off the market.

NO TRANSPARENCY – Today, at least one GMO ingredient is found in 90% of packaged food products in US grocery stores, but you’d never know it because they aren’t labeled. Despite efforts to pass state or federal mandatory GMO labeling laws, none have succeeded. Just yesterday California failed to pass legislation mandating the labeling of GE salmon.

UNFETTERED GROWTH -The majority of GMO corn and soy is routinely fed to farm animals and studies show that GMO material can appear in the resulting food products. In addition, GMO wheat and vegetables are being developed.

Issues

Change in DNA- Like other novel ingredients such as Trans fats, it has taken decades to realize they may be harmful to our health.  Change to DNA may ultimately affect the organism (humans included) in ways that scientists may not be able to predict.

Allergies- Many genes being introduced into GMO plants have not been part of the food supply so we may not know if they cause allergies. In one case, soy beans blended with a gene from a Brazil nut caused allergic reactions.

Change in gut bacteria- Preliminary studies show unexpected changes in gut bacteria in animals fed GMO feed.

Genetic Pollution - Genes engineered into plants can be transferred to other plant species, and seed and pollen can drift to non-GE farms, thereby contaminating them. The introduction of GMOs into complex ecosystems, like our oceans, may bring effects that we can’t predict or control. The USDA approved a strain of Monsanto’s GMO sweet corn that will be incorporated into the food supply with no ability to track safety. Chances are this corn is being planted this season in our state and will be sold to you as fresh ears of corn this summer.

GMO Crops Show Resistance- As weeds adapt to herbicides systematically sprayed on them, they develop resistance and evolve into what are called “super weeds.” With the rise of Round-Up resistant ‘super weeds’ the company is simply telling farmers to go on the offense and spray even more potent toxic herbicides. New generation GM corn varieties are being created to resist not only Round-Up, but older more toxic herbicides that fell out of use but are now being reintroduced to fight off super weeds.

More pesticide use- a next generation GMO corn from Dow has been created to better resist the poisonous herbicide 2, 4-D, a key ingredient from Agent Orange used to defoliate forests and croplands in the Vietnam War. While the USDA tries to assure the public that 2, 4-D is safe, scientists have raised serious concerns about its effects on human health including increased cancer risks especially for soft tissue sarcoma and malignant lymphoma. According to the Cornucopia Institute, the approval of a crop resistant to 2, 4-D will cause an exponential increase in use of the herbicides.

What do the Europeans and Peruvians understand that we don’t? In Europe, GMO labeling laws first came into effect in 1997 and were updated in 2004 to include all food products that utilize GMOs during any point in their production. GMO crops have been rejected by consumers in Europe, possibly due to balanced media coverage of the including health issues. In Europe, at least 174 regions, more than 4,500 councils and local governments have declared themselves GMO free. Peru recently declared a 10-year ban on genetically modified foods.

FDA and GMO- Two acronyms to be wary of.

In 1992, the FDA declared that GMO food ingredients need not be labeled based on industry sponsored research showing that GMO ingredients are nutritionally equivalent to non-GMOs.

The FDA did not conduct its own research or hire third party researchers and to this day continues to rely on GMO industry findings. One Monsanto study involved a nutritional analysis of non-GMO soybeans vs. GMO “Roundup Ready” soybeans, which were created to be resistant to Monsanto’s “Roundup” herbicide. The nutritional content of the two soybeans were found to be similar in composition and amount. It’s important to remember that there are 1000’s of plant substances we are still unaware of that protect our health  (i.e polyphenols – more than 8,000- were discovered in the last 20 years).  We need to look beyond the Dietary Reference Intakes on food labels – established originally as the RDA for only 30 + nutrients in 1941- by the Institute of Medicine as a baseline to determine good nutrition for our armed forces. http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=4&tax_level=3&tax_subject=256&topic_id=1342&level3_id=5140

We are Confused-A recently published Neilson Survey of global healthy eating trends, found that 6 out of 10 people in the US don’t understand why a food is healthy or not. Interesting to note that three of the top five foods purchased for their apparent health benefits – whole grains, bread fortified with calcium, and yogurt with probiotics – all contain GMOs in some form or another.

Consumers are being encouraged to move away from packaged, processed food products and get back to the basics – preparing meals at home from scratch with fresh ingredients. But that advice becomes a labeling Tower of Babel as even basic ingredients will contain GMOs unless the product is Certified Organic.  Even then,  a small amount of non-organic ingredients are allowed in organic foods.

What can you do?

Educate yourself and avoid GMOs in your diet using these resources:

A GMO  primer by Analiese Paik, founder and editor of the Fairfield Green Food Guide

The Institute for Responsible Technology- Founded in 2003 by international author and GMO expert Jeffrey Smith, IRT has worked in more than 30 countries on 6 continents, and is credited with improving government policies and influencing consumer-buying  http://www.responsibletechnology.org/ Smith’s Campaign for Healthier Eating in America is designed to “end the genetic engineering of our food supply quickly” through consumer rejection rather than through “politics and government.” IRT’s Executive Directory, Jeffrey Smith, will be the keynote speaker and a workshop leader at CT NOFA’s annual winter conference on March 3. Click her for more information and to RSVP.

The Center for Food Safety – works to protect human health and the environment by curbing the proliferation of harmful food production technologies and by promoting organic and other forms of sustainable agriculture. Their recent claim to fame- a California court case halting the planting of GMO alfalfa.  Monsanto appealed twice and lost. http://truefoodnow.org/about/. Join the CFS effort and link here- http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5440

Read Food Labels- Ignore marketing hype and look for three items on the package label- the nutrition label, the ingredient list and the certified organic logo. Take a mental picture of your pantry- the canola oil, the soy lecithin in every bakery product…all from soy crops, 80% of which are GMO.Whole Foods Market and 365 brands are non-GMO and all of Trader Joe’s store brand products are Non-GMO! According to Jeffrey Smith, founder of the Institute for Responsible Technology, the 5-digit PLU code on produce does not tell you what is genetically modified or natural. This can now be classified as an urban legend. http://www.responsibletechnology.org/blog/24

Check out the Non-GMO Shopping Guide-http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/

Email a letter- Write your legislators and encourage them to support laws and policies that protect our food supply from GMO industry pressure. A group of Connecticut legislators will be once again be introducing legislation mandating package labeling of products containing GMOs. According to the Institute for Responsible Technology, the industry pressured USDA to let GMO products pass as organic. During the public comment period, the USDA received more than 275,000 angry letters from citizens. Thanks to this public protest, GMO products cannot be labeled organic.

Join the Pro-Labeling Movement-A pro-labeling movement has been gaining momentum and a coalition of sustainable-food NGOs and organic businesses has launched a campaign to raise awareness both at the government level and publicly to support GMO food labeling.  Major print and broadcast media-CNN, Time and Grist- have taken on the topic and are helping to raise awareness about GMO content in foods and halt Monsanto’s monopoly on seed crops. Gary Hirshberg recently stepped down from his position as CEO of Stonyfield Farm to lead the Just Label It campaign. Join the CFS effort and link here- http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5440

Food Democracy Now (from website)- On January 31 (today!), family farmers will take part in the first phase of a court case filed to protect farmers from genetic trespass by Monsanto’s GMO seed, which contaminates organic and non-GMO farmer’s crops and opens them up to abusive lawsuits.

“Like” and follow tweets by Adam Eidinger, the GMO protest poster child who organized last October’s a 100 person, 313 mile “Right2Know March” from New York City to the White House for federally mandated GMO food labeling.  On January 24, 2012 he presented to Monsanto officers and shareholders a proposal to create a study of “material financial risks or operational impacts” associated with its chemical products and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monsanto-attempts-to-lockout-socially-responsible-shareholder-at-annual-meeting-137783058.html

Say No To GMOs! The Non GMO Project verifies and labels processed food products using a trustworthy standard. Right now there are efforts underway for an industry wide effort to create labels for non-GMO foods.

Betsy Keller, MS, RD is a nutrition marketing and communications consultant specializing in sustainable food, nutrition and health-related issues. She is a freelance writer and also lectures in Fairfield County, CT.

CT NOFA’s Winter Conference Welcomes Families, Farmers and Foodies

March 3, 2012

8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Manchester Community College

Manchester, CT

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT NOFA) announces its 30^th Annual Winter Conference, an important day or learning and sharing for farmers, gardeners, locavores, homesteaders and anyone interested in sustainable living. The conference features workshops (listed in detail below), internationally-celebrated speakers, and the largest local-sustainable food potluck lunch you’ve ever seen. (Yes, attendees are expected to bring a dish to share. No stress; we’ll be posting recipes.)

The 2012 Winter Conference’s keynote speaker is Jeffrey Smith, noted author and speaker on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the leading consumer advocate promoting healthier, non-GMO choices. He is the author of Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette, and will share insights on the real threats that GMOs pose to local food production as well as to consumers’ health.  A second workshop on GMOs will be hosted by Daniel Ravicher, legal counsel representing CT NOFA and 80 other plaintiffs against Monsanto to legally protect small farms and farmers.

In this video Jeffrey Smith succinctly (2 minutes!) explains why corporate science is wrong when they say GMOs are safe.

If you’re in the mood to be entertained while learning more about GMOs, Rob Herring’s rap video is excellent!

All workshops are taught by Connecticut professionals bringing expertise from the farm, kitchen, government, or non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable living. Learn to grow fruit, garlic, honey, nuts, and mushrooms. Classes on pollination, nitrogen management and soil microbiology are among those that will provide more technical instruction. Sustainable home-life classes include seminars on root cellars, food storage, cooking, household products as well as well as how to make healthy choices in cosmetics. For activists and community organizers, the conference offers workshops in climate change, starting food co-ops, and establishing winter farmers’ markets.

The Winter Conference is a celebration of local foods and farms.  In keeping with this theme, attendees are asked to bring a favorite food dish for the potluck feast.  Local, organic vendors including Sweet Sage Bakery of Madison, CT and Bean & Leaf of New London, will be selling delicious, sustainable treats.  Children are welcome to spend time in the Family Play ‘n’ Chill room.

The CT NOFA 30^th Annual Winter Conference will be held at Manchester Community College, on Great Path Rd in Manchester, CT, on March 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration is $50 for NOFA members, $60 for non-members ($35 for students or seniors).  This is a bargain considering the value your receive- a keynote address plus multiple workshops that would easily cost $25 each elsewhere. There is a $5 discount for early registration (before  February 18^th) and an additional $10 discount for those interested in volunteering.  For more information and registration online, visit  http://ctnofa.org/events/CAOC/2012/2012_Winter_Conference.html,  or call the office at 203-888-5146.

WORKSHOPS

Organic Seed vs. Monsanto: The Lawsuit Challenging Patents on Seed – Attorney Daniel Ravicher, NYC

Certified Organic Nutrient Dense Small Fruit – Julie Rawson & Jack Kitteredge,  Many Hands Organic Farm, MA

Wild Bees and Pollination – Dr. Kim Stoner of CT Ag Experiment Station

Root Cellars & Food Storage – Chris Chaisson, Whole Farm Services, VT

Public Act 490 - Joan Nichols, CT Farm Bureau

Nitrogen Management on Farms – Tom Morris, UConn Plant Scientist

Science and Principles of Soil Microbiology – Joe Maggazi, Green Earth Agriculture

Pasture Raised Laying Hens – Brianne Casadei, Exec. Director Terra Firma Farm

Better Choices in Rx, Cosmetics, Household Products – Valerie Cookson-Botto

Raising Garlic – Farmer Wayne Hansen, Wayne’s Organic Gardens

Honey Bees – Marina Marchese, Red Bee Honey

Growing Nuts in Connecticut – Dr. Sandra Anagnostakis, CT Agricultural Exp. Station

Mushroom Growing on a Small Scale – Carol Brzozowy & Jim Peppin, Maggie’s Farm

Biotech Threats to Organic Agriculture – Ed Stockman, Summit Farm

Animal Welfare Approved Certification – Brigid Sweeney, Animal Welfare Approved

The Dynamic History of the Connecticut Forest - Jeffrey Ward, CT Agricultural Exp. Station

Collards & Other Cold Weather Greens for Health & Flavor – Chef John Turenne, Farmer Wayne Hansen and Naturopathic Physician Leigh White

Winter Farmers’ Markets Are Hot! - Winter Caplanson, Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market

Worm Composting Simplified – Nick Mancini, Organic Gardening Simplified

Co-ops Build a Better World: Co-operatives and Food Security - Erbin Crowell, Neighboring Food Co-op Association

How You Can Easily Grow Fresh Greens All Winter - David Zemelsky, Starlight Gardens

Climate Change In Connecticut: What Can We Expect and Do – Jennifer Pagach, CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Raising Dairy Goats and Making Cheese - Paul Trubey, Beltane Farm

Soil Management Techniques – Bryan O’Hara, Tobacco Road Farm

Food as Medicine – Dr. Leigh White, Natural Family Health, LLC

Transition Movement Workshops:

• First:  Transition Success Stories – Tina Clarke & Terry Halwes
• Second: Permaculture and Transition – Cynthia Rabinowitz & Joan Spear
• Third:  Transition: Lighting the Fire for Action – Coleen Spurlock

Lead in Soils – Concerns and Corrections – Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory

Edible School Gardens – Dan Levinson, Green Village Initiative (GVI)

and more to come…

VENDORS & EXHIBITORS

Interested in being a vendor or promoting your organization at our event?  Last year’s conference attracted over 400 passionate organic-minded individuals, and at least the same number are expected this year.   Email CT NOFA for details, print and mail this form, or call 203-888-5146.

Confirmed exhibitors:

Animal Welfare Approved - Alexandria, VA
Barefoot Books - East Granby, CT
Green Earth Agriculture – North Branford, CT
Healthy Cleaning Solutions- Tolland, CT
Land for Good – Keene, NH
Lancaster Ag Products – Ronks, PA
Natureworks – Northford, CT
Progressive Asset Management – Wellesley, MA
Sunlight Solar Energy – Milford, CT
Sweet Sage Bakery – Rockfall, CT
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service – Tolland, CT
USDA-New England Agricultural Statistics – Concord, NH

FAMILY PLAY AREA

Music, storytime, children’s workshop, hanging out. CT NOFA provide pillows, books, and comfy places for kids to just shlump down and read!

POTLUCK

Chef John Turenne of Sustainable Food Systems and an impressive staff of kitchen volunteers will once again be on hand to pull it all together, making sure hot dishes are hot and salads are dressed.

Please bring a dish to share with everyone—it need not be local food or even organic—do what you can. Email info@fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com if you need help with a recipe or ingredients or just have a questions. Thanks! Put a label on the bottom of the container and claim it at the end of the conference. Please bring a plate and utensils as this event is committed to avoiding waste.

RAFFLE

CT NOFA is accepting raffle donations. Gently used treasures, duplicate garden tools, gift baskets, unused gift certificates or gift certificates for your business (=great advertizing!) are all welcome. CT NOFA Board member Janet Heller will be coordinating this year. Call the office at 203-888-5146 or email.

The fourth Annual Green Coast Award winners were announced Wednesday, November 16, at the fourth Annual Fairfield County Green Faire at Grand Restaurant and Lounge in Stamford, Connecticut. Fairfield Green Food Guide is proud to be named a 2011 Green Coast Award winner and we thank all our readers for your votes! Four green food businesses we love – Catch a Healthy Habit Cafe, Health in a Hurry, Port Coffeehouse and the Westport Farmers’ Market – are among the 2011 award winners and we congratulate them. Please find a complete list of all 28 winners below and we welcome you to join us on Dec. 6 as we accept our award.

Twenty-eight businesses, organizations and individuals were honored this year and are recognized at both the Green Faire in Stamford and also Green Drinks, December 6 at The Shack Hometown Grille, in Fairfield, Connecticut from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Voting for the Green Coast Awards was completed online at GreenCoastAwards.com from January 1st-November 10th. All winners were reviewed for their contribution to sustainability and approved by Matt Turek, Director of the Green Coast Awards, as well as approved by the Green Coast Award advisory committee. “This year’s 28 Green Coast Award winners represent all areas of sustainability, and demonstrate that Connecticut is on its way to building a more sustainable infrastructure,“ said Mr. Turek.

Patrice Gillespie, of Clean Air – Cool Planet received the Green Coast Award for Leader in Sustainability at the Stamford reception. Patrice thanked the GCA voters and the advisory council by saying, “We are all learning about environmental stewardship from one another, and almost every day I have a ‘V-8′ forehead-smacking moment when an urgently needed idea about sustainability is revealed to me. By now, there are hundreds of innovators whom I know personally and who are contributing greatly to the collective ‘Green Intel’ just in this region. I salute them all and hope that together we effect tremendous progress in 2012.”

Town of Fairfield won the Town category and newly elected First Selectman Mike Tetreau will be in attendance at the December 6^th Green Drinks gathering, which features Green Coast Award winners including Fairfield Green Food Guide. When given the good news about Fairfield’s award, First Selectman Tetreau said, “The Town of Fairfield is honored to receive this award and to be recognized in this manner. It’s a testament to our on-going commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability for the well being of all of our citizens. Thank you.”

A long-time friend of environmental efforts and a strong supporter of local green initiatives, Mayor Bill Finch won the Green Coast Awards for Mayor. The City of Bridgeport recently celebrated the Third Annual Green Market Exposition at City Hall Annex, a celebration of Connecticut’s green infrastructure. In an interview with GreenTowns, at the GME, Mayor Finch talked about the many green projects and initiatives that are going on in Bridgeport.

For a complete list of all winners, please visit the Green Coast Awards Initiative page on GreenTowns.

Recognizing a growing interest among local residents and businesses for protecting the environment, Daphne Dixon founded the Green Coast Awards, an initiative of Conscious Decisions, in 2007, to support and promote local sustainability, eco-friendly living practices and the celebrate the people behind these efforts. A native Californian and a resident of Fairfield, she has over twenty years of public relations, community organization and event planning experience. Daphne has been working closely with local leaders, businesses and residents to raise awareness and to engage people in green living practices. “By making smart choices, individuals can and do make a difference,” said Dixon.

Voting for the 2012 Green Coast Awards begins January 1, 2012 at www.greencoastawards.com

Please join Fairfield Green Food Guide’s founder, Analiese Paik, on Dec. 6 at Green Drinks Fairfield at The Shack Hometown Grille in Fairfield, Connecticut from 6:00pm-8:00pm to celebrate the awards and network with members and guests including First Selectman Mike Tetreau and Slow Food Metro North. Click here to RSVP. Attendance is free.

Food Day is being celebrated across the country on Monday, Oct 24. Over 1,800 grassroots events have been planned to celebrate the day, including more than 25 in Connecticut.

Think of Food Day as Earth Day for Food. It’s a day for all members of our communities to come together to bring awareness to and spark ongoing dialog about issues surrounding food production and consumption in this country. It’s also an opportunity to learn how to make food choices that promote good health and are kind to the environment, farm workers, and animals.

Anyone who wants to observe Food Day can attend organized events in schools, libraries, nature centers, supermarkets, restaurants, art galleries, theaters and more throughout Connecticut, including:

• Film screenings & discussions
• Potluck and fundraiser dinners
• Cooking demonstrations and competitions
• Food drives with matching donations
• Workshops with sustainable food professionals

To find a scheduled Food Day event near you, visit www.FoodDay.org, and search by town or zip code.

I am excited to be organizing Food Day events on Monday in both Greenwich and Fairfield in partnership with Slow Food Metro North, a local chapter of Slow Food USA, a national Food Day partnering organization. Amy Kalafa and John Turenne, two nationally recognized sustainable food experts, will present “Overcoming Obstacles to Improving School Food”, a high-impact workshop that teaches successful approaches for overcoming obstacles to making school meals more healthful and sustainable.

John Turenne and Amy Kalafa are well versed in the challenges confronted by better school food advocates.  Amy is the author of Lunch Wars: How to Start a School Food Revolution and Win the Battle for Our Children’s Health, and the producer/director of the acclaimed documentary film Two Angry Moms: Fighting for the Health of America’s Children. Lunch Wars is an invaluable handbook for better school food advocates and attendees can obtain a signed copy at these events. John Turenne, founder & President of Sustainable Food Systems of Wallingford, is a nationally recognized leader and innovator in sustainable food practices. Formerly Executive Chef at Yale University, he worked to create the Yale Sustainable Food Project and more recently led the behind-the-scenes team that made Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution” work in the Huntington, West Virginia school system. http://angrymoms.org/, http://www.sustainablefoodsystems.com/.

“Overcoming Obstacles to Improving School Food” is designed for all stakeholders in our children’s health and wellness- whether parents, administrators, food service professionals or public health officials. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

If you can’t attend an event, create your own Food Day event at home by eating real food. Real food is kind to the earth, animals and people and good for you. Visit a local farm stand or farmers’ market and take home nature’s bounty to prepare a nutritious meal that supports our community of farms. Take a family trip this weekend to an orchard for a memorable pick-your-own experience. While we don’t have organic orchards in CT, we do have family-owned operations using IPM (Integrated Pest Management) practices, which favor low impact ways to manage pests and plant diseases. Bishops Orchards in Guilford, Drazen Orchards in Cheshire, and High Hill Orchard in Meriden are among the local IPM orchards offering a pick-your-own experience.

6 Principles of Food Day (from the Food Day website)

1. Reduce diet-related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods
2. Support sustainable farms & limit subsidies to big agribusiness
3. Expand access to food and alleviate hunger
4. Protect the environment & animals by reforming factory farms
5. Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids
6. Support fair conditions for food and farm workers

Food Day is a project of the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest with over 100 national organizations as partners including Slow Food USA. Everyone is welcome to participate. www.FoodDay.org

This free event packs the house and just gets better each year. Whether you’re hunting for a green job, interested in learning a few more ways to live green, or curious about cutting edge ways to grow food sustainably in an urban environment, GME is the place to be.

MetroCrops, CT Green Building Council and Bridgeport Land Trust headline this year’s Green Market Exposition, Thursday, October 20th at City Hall Annex, Bridgeport, CT and will provide presentations on green technology that support Bridgeport’s growing sustainable infrastructure. Other presentations include a roundtable on Building Sustainable Communities, Creating and Supporting a Sustainable Food Infrastructure and Indoor Air Quality. More than 25 Connecticut organizations and green businesses are exhibiting at the Third Annual Green Market Exposition.

GreenTowns, new to the Green Market Exposition this year, will feature it’s CT Campaign for Sustainable Communities and will invite people to join town pages, share local initiatives, and connect with sustainability leaders, mayors, green businesses, non-profits and community members who want to work together to build awareness and support each other in the “greening” of Connecticut.

GreenTowns is designed to facilitate and accelerate these connections. The faster people connect around green, the quicker Connecticut will become sustainable. Returning to the GME this year, is St. Vincent’s Medical Center who will also be exhibiting and sharing their commitment to sustainability with the community.

Other exhibitors include Sunlight Solar Energy, Hometronics Lifestyle, Easy Care Energy Solutions, Gumdrop Swap, BGreen 2020, and Recyclbank. Media sponsors include E Magazine, CT Environmental Headlines, Fairfield Green Food Guide and Natural Awakenings-Fairfield County.

“The beginning phases of a sustainable infrastructure are becoming to become a reality in towns throughout Connecticut. Single-stream recycling, EV charging stations, farmers’ markets and community-supported agriculture are all part of our communities. And this is just the beginning,” said Green Market Exposition Co-founder Daphne Dixon.

The Green Market Exposition is free and open to the public. All are welcome and encouraged to come and learn about sustainable communities.

For a complete list of exhibitors and schedule of events, please visit www.greenmarketexposition.org.

YWCA Greenwich invites you to spend an evening with Terry Walters, a sustainable food advocate, nutritionist and author of Clean Food and Clean Start. Guests will enjoy tastings prepared by Chef Andy Burke from recipes in Walters’ cookbooks. Local, organic ingredients for this menu are provided by Mike’s Organic Delivery. The talk and tasting will be followed by a Q&A session, book sale and signing, and opportunity to visit with the exhibitors.

Date: Thursday, October 20

Time: 6:00-8:00 pm

Tickets: $25 per person

RSVP: Tiffany at YWCA at 203-869-6501, ext. 106 or www.ywcagreenwich.org/terrywalters

In Celebration of

Fairfield Green Food Guide & Slow Food Metro North Present:

Overcoming Obstacles to Improving School Food

With Nationally Recognized Experts Amy Kalafa and John Turenne

Join nationally recognized experts Amy Kalafa, author of Lunch Wars: How to Start a School Food Revolution and Win the Battle for Our Children’s Health, and John Turenne, Founder & President of Sustainable Food Systems, for a high impact workshop that teaches attendees successful approaches for overcoming common obstacles to making school meals more healthful and sustainable. This workshop is designed for all stakeholders in our children’s health and wellness.

“We really cannot rely on the federal government to fix school food; the government provides a baseline and it is up to each individual school district to determine the quality of each school’s food environment. This is a grassroots issue and there are any number of local solutions. The solutions are found when members of the school community start paying attention and taking action.” – Amy Kalafa

“As long as school food is provided limited funding, cost will always be a factor.  However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t simple ways to overcome inadequate  food.  We can start by step by step substituting real, whole and fresh ingredients for processed.” – John Turenne

Choose from Two Sessions:

Greenwich at Audubon Greenwich, 12:00 noon-1:00 pm. $10 admission includes a Slow Food Metro North $5 Challenge lunch catered by Concierge Foods of Bedford Hills. RSVP required.

Fairfield at Pequot Library, 7:00-8:00 pm. $10 admission includes light refreshments. RSVP required.

Both events will be followed by a Q&A session and book sale and signing.

To RSVP:

Greenwich only:

Tickets must be purchased online in advance so we can obtain an accurate lunch count. This is a working lunch. Vegetarian and vegan lunch options are available. Walk-ins cannot be guaranteed a seat or lunch. Click here to register and pay online by October 23.

Admission: $10 per person fee includes a  local farm-to-fork lunch which celebrates Slow Food Metro North’s $5 Challenge.

Time: 12:00 noon until 1:00, followed by a Q&A session, book sale and signing of Lunch Wars, and networking.

Important: Kindly arrive at 11:45 to register, pick up your lunch and beverage and be seated. This is a working lunch.

Location: Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, CT. Please call event organizer Analiese Paik at 203.520.3451 with any questions.

Fairfield only:

Admission: $10 per person fee includes the workshop and light refreshments.Click here to register and pay online by October 23.

Time: 7:00 to 8:00 pm, followed by a Q&A session, book sale and signing of Lunch Wars, and networking.

Important: Kindly arrive at 6:45 to register and be seated.

Location: Pequot Library, 720 Pequot Avenue, Southport, CT. Please call event organizer Analiese Paik at 203.520.3451 with any questions.

This event is organized by Fairfield Green Food Guide, LLC and Slow Food Metro North and made possible through the generous support of Audubon Greenwich, Pequot Library and Concierge Foods.

About Our Guest Presenters:

Amy Kalafa

Amy Kalafa has produced award-winning films and television programs, and has written magazine articles related to health education for more than twenty-five years. The producer/director of the acclaimed documentary film Two Angry Moms: Fighting for the Health of America’s Children, she has been featured on Good Morning America, Rachael Ray, and Fox News Live, and in USA Today and The New York Times. Kalafa lives with her family in Weston, Connecticut. http://angrymoms.org/

LUNCH WARS: How to Start A School Food Revolution and Win the Battle for Our Children’s Health (Tarcher/Penguin, August 2011) not only exposes the scary, hidden truth behind school lunches, but also gives parents the tools to do something about it. After author Amy Kalafa produced and directed the acclaimed documentary, Two Angry Moms, she was flooded with questions from parents who saw the film and wanted to know how to rid their own children’s schools of unhealthy—and sometimes dangerous—food. LUNCH WARS is Kalafa’s definitive response and an all-inclusive guide to help parents stage their own cafeteria coup.

LUNCH WARS is an invaluable reference. From First Lady Michelle Obama and her Let’s Move! campaign against childhood obesity to the average parent who’s struggling to instill good habits in their children, every American family has a stake in the book’s message. The next—and most crucial—step is to learn what LUNCH WARS teaches and integrate it into every school in America, on every day of the year.

John Turenne

John Turenne, founder and President of Sustainable Food Systems, is a nationally recognized leader and innovator in sustainable food practices. In his role as Executive Chef at Yale University and in the creation of the Yale Sustainable Food Project, John recognized the impact of food service decision-making on the world around us. His consulting company is on the cutting edge in developing best-practices tailored to benefit both the planet and the bottom line for clients. Turenne led the behind-the-scenes team that made Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution” work in the Huntington, West Virginia school system.

John and his team at Sustainable Food Systems have worked with visionaries across the country who have had the desire to make positive changes to the way they do business. Sustainable Food Systems brings those ideas and desires to reality through careful assessment, planning, teaching and development.

Sustainable Food Systems’ client list includes The Culinary Institute of America; Yale University; Harvard Medical School; The East Harlem School; Jamie Oliver Ltd.; Cabell County, WV Public Schools;  St. Lukes Wood River Medical Center as well as multiple other public hospital and school systems.

John Turenne and Sustainable Food Systems were also instrumental in working with the Obama Administration in the development of the USDA’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative and continue to harvest national and international recognition. http://www.sustainablefoodsystems.com/

Resources:

Amy Kalafa: http://angrymoms.org/, http://www.tarcherbooks.net/?tag=lunch-wars

John Turenne: http://www.sustainablefoodsystems.com/

Fairfield Green Food Guide: http://fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com/

Slow Food Metro North: http://slowfoodmetronorth.org/

Food Day: http://foodday.org/

What is Food Day?

Aimed at promoting healthy, sustainable, affordable, and just food systems in America, Food Day is a national grassroots mobilization backed by some of the most prominent voices for energizing the food movement. On October 24, 2011, people will gather at events big and small and from coast to coast in homes, schools, colleges, churches, city halls, farmers’ markets, supermarkets, and elsewhere to raise awareness about food issues and advocate for change. Think of it as an Earth Day for food!

Spearheaded by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest, Food Day is organized around six main policy goals:

1. Reduce diet-related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods

2. Support sustainable farms and limit subsidies to big agribusiness

3. Expand access to food and alleviate hunger

4. Protect the environment and animals by reforming factory farms

5. Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids

6. Support fair working conditions for food and farm workers

Who is partnering with Food Day?

Food Day’s advisory board is co-chaired by Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and includes such members as Michael Pollan, Alice Waters, Marion Nestle, David Kessler, and Professor Walter Willett. Partners include the American Dietetic Association, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, UNITE Here, Humane Society of the U.S., Sierra Club, and Slow Food USA. A full list of advisors and partner organizations can be found at www.FoodDay.org.

By Eileen Weber

They say hard work pays off. And for parent volunteers in Fairfield Public Schools, that old adage couldn’t be more true. Years of painstakingly coordinating a garden program as an outdoor classroom have culminated in a $5,000 grant funded by the Fairfield County Community Foundation. The grant, which was written and submitted by the 2009-2011 PTA Council Health, Safety & Fitness Committee chair Anne Tack-Eckel, provides enough gardening books for every grade level in the entire school district.

What makes this such a breakthrough is finally getting the recognition that a garden is a viable teaching tool. For years, parents have been wading through red tape and political strife all for the sake of one ideology: Eat what you grow.

“It’s time to wake up,” said Annelise McCay, who kick-started the garden initiative at Roger Sherman Elementary School in 2006. “It’s about awareness for these kids. They may not understand it now, but [working in the garden] is a lesson learned that will stay with them.”

McCay, coined the “Alice Waters” of Fairfield, went on to say that the garden initiative stemmed from so many parents who were appalled at what was being considered “lunch” in the cafeterias. It became clear that too many of our children were not making the connection between what we eat and how it grows.

“That was the motivation behind it—healthier eating,” said McCay. “When you’re feeding kids chicken fingers and French fries, you’re telling kids that’s what they should eat. Why does it have to be poorer quality food for a kids’ menu?”

Anne Tack-Eckel agreed with McCay. For her, it started when her youngest child was in Kindergarten. She visited the school often for lunch and was disgusted with what was offered. Since then, she has seen a huge change in the type of offerings that not only the school has provided but that kids are happily choosing to put on their plates. She feels strongly that the garden initiative was the catalyst for that change.

“The foods were highly processed, high in fat, with chemicals,” said Tack-Eckel. “But the changes in the school lunch have been miraculous. I think people don’t realize how important a kid’s lunch is. What they eat is important.”

She pointed out that the school year lasts 180 days. That’s half a year of a child’s life consisting of bad food. Today, almost every single school in the district has a garden that is being used within the curriculum. In some cases, the schools have implemented the garden produce in the cafeteria.

“Kids who participate are more likely to try fruits and vegetables,” said Michelle McCabe, chairperson of the PTA Council Fuel for Learning Partnership, an organization that advocates school lunch nutrition, “There’s a sense of ownership in growing something they can eat.”

But these kids don’t just pretend to be a farmer for a few minutes. They are making the important leap between what sprouts from the earth and what goes into their bodies. No, fresh tomatoes don’t come naturally wrapped in plastic. And a fresh tomato tastes better than one that was covered in pesticides, picked unripe, and shipped from several thousand miles away. A garden is more than just health and nutrition. It’s about math. It’s about science. It’s about art. It’s about relationships and how they can grow in a garden, too.

Rosemary Field, who launched the garden at Osborne Hill School with fellow parent Karen Bassett, said never underestimate the power of a seed. To her, it illustrates the circle of life.

“The teachers are excited to have the kids with their hands in the dirt,” she said. “It’s making a connection to where our food comes from. It’s an awakening.”

Osborne Hill planted their garden this past spring. While the plants flourished over the summer, the experience was not without its pitfalls. They started with a seed exchange. But the seeds didn’t work, so they had to reseed all the plants. Then, the pumpkins got infested with squash beetles. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the sunflowers grew so large and overshadowed the pumpkins to such an extent that they grew a fungus, wiping out what was left of the crop. But the sunflowers didn’t last either. Hurricane Irene whipped through and snapped them in half.

“It’s been a learning experience,” Field said.

Their trials and tribulations have not discouraged the garden committee at Osborne. They plan to grow their plants, which are in a narrow space on the left hand side of the building, vertically next season. They received a small grant to cover the cost of a butterfly garden, as well.

So how can the grant for gardening books improve an already thriving garden program? For Tack-Eckel, the more hands-on the garden experience is, the more effective the learning. For example, one of the books that every teacher will receive is a copy of Math in the Garden. Little ones can be taught counting while bigger kids can move on to concepts like area and perimeter. The books provide a fresh angle for teachers to approach the garden in ways they might not have considered.

“It’s an additional tool to help them teach and motivate students to learn,” she said. “We hope this is just the beginning. We’d love to see area schools create a coalition to share information.”

What many don’t realize is that an anonymous donor funded the grant that made this all possible. That donor felt strongly about kids making the link between gardens, healthy eating, and our environment. And, the link between them is now clicking with kids in every school.

But as McCabe explained, the school gardens will never be a finished project. They can always change and evolve with the curriculum. Ideas can be explored and tailor-made to fit an educational need. The first challenge was getting the gardens to exist. The grant was just one more step in a long, exhausting process.

“Perseverance pays off,” she said.

For more information about school lunch nutrition, visit Fuel for Learning Partnership on Facebook. To find out more about the philanthropic grant process, visit the Fairfield County Community Foundation web site.

The 13th Annual ‘Hawk Festival & Green Bazaar’

October 1 & 2

11 AM – 5 PM

rain or shine

at Audubon Greenwich

613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, CT

This fun, green-themed, family-friendly event is a celebration of the amazing raptor migration which occurs in the skies above the Audubon Greenwich center each Fall. This special event features kids’ activities, games, food vendors, eco-friendly businesses, honey harvesting, and Audubon’s famous live birds of prey shows (1 & 3 pm). This is a great chance to visit Audubon’s Quaker Ridge Hawk counting site and have a great time with the family or a friend.

Among the many eco-friendly vendors at this event, you will find Mike’s Organic Delivery Service and Peace Tree Desserts, sustainable food businesses that have been profiled on our blog. Please stop by the CT NOFA table and join CT’s  largest and most influential organic farming, gardening and landcare organization. Their annual meeting in March kicks off with a nationally recognized keynote speaker, then moves to morning workshops, a potluck lunch (all the guests bring a dish), and extensive networking opportunities. Hope to see you there.

Support your local beekeeper! Two members of the CT Backyard Beekeeper’s Association, Bee Love and Honey Bee Farm, will also be among the vendors and exhibitors. Don’t forget to join the ‘Honey Harvest’ and help spin honey from the combs in the Red Barn.

The Front Yard Coop is a good vendor to visit if you’re considering raising laying hens. This coop is solar powered and self propelled so it “free ranges them across your yard and keeps the predators out.”

FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE FESTIVAL: Click here
Festival admission:
Audubon members: $5 for youth 3 years old & up / $7 for adults over 18 years
Non-members: $7 for youth 3 years old & up / $10 for adults over 18 years
Children under 3 years old can enter the HawkWatch Festival for free.

Phone: 203-869-5272.

FESTIVAL WEBSITE:

http://greenwich.audubon.org/Programs_SpecialEvents_AnnualFestivals-HawkWatch2011.html

Lentils. Do you cook with them? They are one of the least expensive yet easiest ways to add a tasty vegetarian protein to a meal. Unlike beans, which can take more than an hour to cook, they take only 20-30 minutes. In this recipe, I greatly simplified a traditional Mexican recipe for stewed lentils for a class I taught at Mercy Learning Center two years ago. The students loved it! Lentils are so naturally full of flavor and palate pleasing (even kids like them) that the addition of a few seasonal ingredients and about 20 minutes of cooking times is all you need to make a meal. I stopped using vegetable or chicken stock in my lentils years ago as a shortcut and nobody noticed. All you need is water.

This recipe is great for Meatless Monday and the $5 Challenge event on Sept. 17. If you have other seasonal ingredients on hand, like peppers, Swiss chard or kale, they’ll make a great addition to the meal. Cut the peppers into a small dice and add them to the first step (sauteeing onions and chiles). Wash, de-stem and cut the Swiss chard or kale into strips, then add them during the last 10 minutes of cooking, making sure to cook until tender (test!).

Ingredient Note: If you have any Mexican oregano, add a pinch (1/2 tsp.) with the tomatoes. It’s very powerful and is not at all related to Mediterranean oregano.

Meal Tip: Start your rice just before you start prepping the lentil ingredients so both meal components will be done at the same time. Brown rice takes 45 minutes to cook. Always use 2 parts water to 1 part rice and there is no need to rinse the rice first.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup dried, uncooked lentils (any color but red, which turns to mush when cooked)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 chiles (any fresh, hot green chile), seeded, stemmed and finely chopped (wash hands immediately after handling)
• 2 cloves medium garlic, peeled and finely chopped (3 cloves small)
• 2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 4 cups cold water
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (leaves or stems and leaves)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Preparation:

1.     Sort and rinse the lentils in cold water, then set aside to drain.

2.     In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and chiles. Cook until soft, about two minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.

3.     Add the tomato, lentils, water, salt and bay leaf to the pot, cover and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook until the lentils uncovered until soft, about 20-30minutes. Dip a spoon in a have a taste to see if they’re done or still crunchy.

4.    Remove bay leaf and add the cilantro and red wine vinegar. Adjust salt and pepper to your taste.

5.    Serve with tortillas (organic corn or whole wheat), brown rice or quinoa.