Ithaca, NY - Best-selling author Richard Louv will present “Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder” at 7:30 p.m on Wednesday, September 24, 2008. at Cornell University’s Statler Auditorium. This presentation, Cornell Plantations’ first annual Elizabeth E. Rowley lecture, will be based on Louv’s groundbreaking book of the same title.

Louv claims that “nature-deficit disorder” is making our children depressed, distracted, and overweight, and that children need nature in their lives for healthy physical, emotional, and spiritual development. Competition with indoor activities, overscheduled lives, societal fears, and limited access to natural areas all contribute to this growing lack of nature in children’s lives.

Louv, chair of the Children and Nature Network, and recipient of the 2008 Audubon Medal, has brought together cutting-edge studies that link exposure to nature with healthy child development, and has galvanized an international back-to-nature campaign. His lecture will address how we can reunite our children with nature.

Free tickets, available at Plantations’ Garden  Gift Shop,  Ludgate Farms, Willard Straight and Clinton House ticket offices, are required for this lecture, which is part of Plantations’ Fall Lecture Series.

Cornell Plantations is the arboretum, botanical garden, and natural areas of Cornell University, and is a member of Ithaca’s Discovery Trail partnership www.discoverytrail.com  Plantations is open free of charge to the public during daylight hours. Drop-in tours, featuring seasonal garden highlights, take place throughout the summer; lectures, classes, and events are held throughout the year. For more information, visit www.plantations.cornell.edu

Biographical and other info. about Louv is available at http://richardlouv.com/ and a rich resource for media coverage and other info on this hot topic is www.childrenandnature.org/

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Ithaca Festival Photos  ...

Ithaca Festival 2008 Parade Photo Album  The SIXTH year of photos from the Ithaca Festival on Ludgate Farms website! I'll confess; my initial motivation for this was because my son, Bryan and daughter, Megan  were stilt walkers in previous years ... see previous photos (way) below ... (this year Megan was on a uni-cycle again). But the parade is such fun and involves so many local folks - I now try to capture images of the whole procession to share each year. Thanks to the  unicycle club members at F.L.O.W. for teaching my kids and Raylene to Uni-cycle (Keith, Robbert, Brendan, Lesley) This photo album has 12 pages of thumbnails for a total of 359 images of the parade Thursday June 19th, 2008. Sorry, if I missed anybody. These images are low resolution so they will load over the web fairly quickly - if you have a favorite and want a hi-res image send me an email request, I'll try and accommodate. -Mike :-)

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The Horse Flies
New CD:
UNTIL THE OCEAN
is NOW ON SALE at Ludgate's [map]

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Withdraw the National Marine Fisheries Services Proposed Rule  

Our oceans are in trouble. Fisheries are collapsing, pollution is creating dead zones, global warming is causing the death of corals, and now the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) is proposing a rule which threatens to completely undermine application of the law that protects ocean ecosystems.  Congress and President Bush recently revised our nation’s primary fishing law, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, with bold new provisions to strengthen ocean fish management.  So far, however, successful implementation of these improvements is being hindered by the very agency charged with protecting and managing our ocean fisheries.  This is evidenced by NMFS’ recent proposal to revise environmental review procedures under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

NEPA’s goal is to ensure that public officials make informed decisions about the environmental consequences of their actions.  The law requires a thorough environmental review with full public participation.  NEPA reviews have a long history of environmental success; the law has made it possible to protect thousands of square miles of coral formations, reduce mortality of endangered sea turtles and begin the rebuilding of depleted fish populations.

Unfortunately, NMFS recently proposed a new environmental review process which would severely weakens the application of NEPA to ocean fisheries management and threatens the ocean legacy of the Bush administration.  This proposal is so fundamentally flawed that we urge NMFS to withdraw it completely and craft a new rule that will ensure the protection of our ocean ecosystems.   

Under the current NMFS proposal:  

Fishery managers would be allowed to make decisions without adequately considering the impacts on other marine life such as seals, corals and endangered sea turtles. 

The rule proposed by NMFS creates loopholes which would allow fishery managers to conduct inadequate environmental reviews of proposed fishing activities by limiting the scope of the analysis and the management alternatives that may be considered, thus undermining informed decision-making. 

The public’s ability to participate in decisions about the future of our oceans would be significantly limited.  

NMFS has the ability to reduce the public comment period for draft environmental reviews from 45 days to just 14 days.  Furthermore, members of the public are prohibited from future participation if they do not comment during this initial round, while fishery managers are allowed to adopt last-minute alternatives after the close of the comment period.  We all have a stake in healthy oceans, but the NMFS proposal unacceptably gives the last say to a small group of fishery managers, many of whom have a financial stake in the decision. 

Responsibility for conducting environmental review is inappropriately given to the regional fishery management councils who have mismanaged our ocean fish for decades. 

The Magnuson-Stevens Act and NEPA clearly mandate that NMFS has a legal responsibility to oversee the environmental review process for fishery management decisions.  Contrary to Congressional intent, the new proposal transfers this power to regional fishery management councils, which are often dominated by fishing interests and have been responsible for decades of mismanagement and declines in our ocean resources.

With over 40 ocean fish stocks in the United States currently subject to overfishing, combined with declining ocean health due to pollution, coastal development, and global warming, NMFS must implement fishery management measures based on sound environmental review.  Unfortunately, the agency’s recent proposal does not do so.  By withdrawing the rule and re-writing it to address the above concerns, NMFS can protect ocean ecosystems and the livelihoods of those who depend on them. 

For more information, please contact Lee Crockett, director of federal fisheries policy at the Pew Environment Group, at (202) 552-2065 or lcrockett@pewtrusts.org.  Visit our new Web site at www.endoverfishing.org

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The Full Plate Farm Collective
Pickup your CSA produce at Ludgate's this summer! :-)

"The Full Plate Farm Collective grows certified organic and biodynamic food cooperatively for the local community.  Our four farms  grow over 40 acres of vegetables and offer 300 CSA shares for the Ithaca area. We don't use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, but rely on crop rotation, compost and cover cropping to maintain an ecological balance.  Each farm grows different crops which are collected together for CSA distribution.  By relying on each other,  we are able to provide a more consistent and diverse share of the harvest than we could individually. By sharing our resources, skills, labor and knowledge, we become better farmers and strengthen the local farm community.  Through our CSA we invite you to be a part of a larger community centered around healthful fresh food." [ 2008 pdf Brochure Here ]

What is a CSA? -- Community Supported Agriculture is a partnership between a local farm and members of the community. The farm pledges to grow food for the community and the community pledges to support the farm. It is a direct food- to- consumer relationship, connecting a community with its food source. By making a financial commitment to a farm, people become “members” of the CSA. Farmers receive money at the beginning of the season and it is invested in nurturing the growing season - seeds, greenhouse expenses, equipment, labor, etc. In return members receive a weekly share of the farm - their investment returned in healthful, vibrant food, as fresh as it gets!

CSAs’ support sustainable and responsible land management, a shrinking carbon footprint and communities that can nourish themselves. A community is formed by the members of a CSA and the farmers who produce their food. A CSA gives the farmers a sure market and a gauge to produce by, minimizing losses and ensuring the success of the farm.

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Rootwork Herbals
NEW Local Handmade Herbal products at Ludgate's
Extracts, Teas, Salves ...

From Amanda's brochure: "Our Offering - Rootwork Herbals is our family's offering towards greater health and wholeness. To this end, we have dedicated ourselves to providing our community with lovingly hand- made herbals of the highest quality.

We are a small home-based business located in the beautiful and abundant Finger Lakes region of New York State. We are fully committed to living a life in balance with the Earth. This commitment guides us to only use organically grown or consciously wildcrafted herbs along with other all-natural ingredients, sourced as close to home as possible. We do not use anything that we feel degrades the Earth and so our products are free from petroleum based ingredients, GMO's, parabens, synthetics, preservatives, fragrances and essential oils.

We also strongly believe that the plants which grow near you, provide you with the best medicine. Therefore, we focus on utilizing the plants that grow in our own backyards and only offer our products regionally.

The true quality of our products is rooted in the plants and our relationship to them. We devotedly grow and wildcraft herbs so that we can guarantee their freshness and vitality. We then gather our herbs at the peak of their potency, closely following the plant's life cycle, as well as seasonal rhythms. Once harvested, we immediately begin the medicine making process so that the plant's energy is not lost. All of our medicines are made by our hands in small batches with every detail accounted for. We truly feel that our finished products give honor to the sacred plants who have given their gifts, so that we all may heal.

Our Family - It is our family's sincere wish to be able to assist people on their paths toward health and wholeness. To better facilitate this we have spent years in study. The mother of the Rootwork Herbals family is Amanda David. She has graduated from Dominion Herbal College, apprenticed at Herb Pharm and with Susun Weed and is currently continuing her studies at the Boston School of Herbal Studies and with Aviva Jill Romm. Her partner, Cameron Murdock graduated from the New Mexico College of Natural Healing with a degree in Herbalism and also brings his experience as an organic farmer. The children of the family, Abiah and Irijah are also deep in study and play with the plants and remind their elders that the true wisdom of the plants is given to us from the plants themselves."

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Another New local CD Now Available at Ludgate Farms!
Glass of Water
is pleased to present their debut CD:
All the Other Fine Things

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Ludgate Farms has tickets for ...
http://www.cornellfolksong.org/

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New Old Time CD! "It's About Time"
Great local Ithaca old-time music on sale at Ludgate Farms :-)

Here's a rare note from Mac Benford, he's usually too busy playing music to write! "I thought you might be interested to know that I have a new CD, just recently released (see the attachment). It’s a collaboration with my long-time musical pal, John Hoffmann, and it features our two bands, The Haywire Gang and UpSouth,. as well as many duets by me and John. Thanks for your interest and support -Mac Benford"

It's About Time features John Hoffmann and Mac Benford, two powerful musicians in their first recording together. On 22 tracks, John and Mac demonstrate their versatility, with fiddle-banjo duets, banjo-guitar duets, twin banjo tunes, ballads and hot old-time fiddle tunes. Joining Mac and John on three tracks is Randi Beckmann. This trio forms the hot dance band UpSouth. Another trio configuration featured on this album is The Haywire Gang, which includes John, Mac and Paula Bradley (guitar, banjo uke & vocals). The Haywire Gang is featured on nine tracks.

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THE DARK SIDE OF ETHANOL AND BIODIESEL SUBSIDIES

NY Times article

Americans now understand that climate-destabilizing greenhouse gases are a major threat to our survival. Unfortunately, large corporations have convinced Congress to ignore real solutions to the crisis (like significant advances in fuel-efficiency), while providing billions of dollars per year in subsidies to big-agribusiness for agrofuels.

More than a hundred U.S. based and international organizations, including the Organic Consumers Association, are calling for a moratorium on the more than $8 billion of annual government subsidies paid to large corporations producing agrofuels from industrial-scale genetically engineered crops. Family farmers currently receive only a small portion of annual funds allocated to agrofuels. While billions of dollars in subsidies for corn, soy and palm oil-based agrofuels, certainly result in higher profits for corporate giants such as Archer Daniels Midland, Cargill, and Monsanto, their overall contribution to reducing reliance on foreign oil and greenhouse gases is negligible (see facts below).

Government support for agrofuels in the U.S. costs taxpayers roughly $2 per gallon in subsidies at the gas pump. These misguided funding priorities have taken tens of billions of dollars of funding away from essential greenhouse gas reduction policies, such as energy conservation, solar and wind power, fuel-efficiency technologies, and mass transit. While the OCA supports the production of biofuels from recycled waste (such as used vegetable oil, manure or sewage) and biomass sustainably grown and harvested for the benefit of local communities, the current focus is a recipe for disaster.

QUICK AGRO-FUEL FACTS ...

• Increasing fuel efficiency by just 3% would reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil more than all of the agrofuels combined.
• The amount of grain it takes to fill an average gas tank with ethanol would be enough to feed a person for a year (source: Foreign Affairs)
• If the United States stopped growing food and converted its entire grain harvest into ethanol, it would satisfy less than 16 percent of its automotive needs. (source: Earth Policy Institute)
• The majority of U.S. biofuels are produced from pesticide intensive genetically engineered crops (soy, corn).
• Monocultures of soy and sugar cane in Latin America and palm oil in Indonesia and Malaysia have led to massive deforestation and the loss of invaluable biodiversity.
• Current methods of industrial-scale biofuel production worsen global warming by increasing deforestation and degradation of peatlands and soils, while also creating more nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer use.

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Organic, According to Whom?

 

While the US currently has no organic seafood standard, it is on its way to establishing organic standards for at least some farmed fish in the not too distant future (see following section).

 

In the absence of US organic standards for farmed fish, the US has been allowing imported seafood to be labeled as organic within the US marketplace. Not only is there major concern among consumer advocacy and conservation groups that this practice leads to consumer confusion, but that some of this so-called “organic” seafood in our markets today does not meet US organic principles. For instance, “organic” farmed salmon certified by the UK Soil Association allows farmers to use toxic chemicals to treat parasites and allows them to discharge untreated wastes (including these chemicals) into the marine environment.

 

Furthermore, many of these groups in the US and Canada argue that carnivorous fish (require wild fish for feed) and open net cage systems are inherently incompatible with organic principles. Thus, carnivorous fish that are farmed in open net cages – such as salmon and cod – should not be even considered for the US organic label. If the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) agrees - and chooses not include carnivorous fish or fish farmed in open net cages in its upcoming organic standards - the question becomes whether or not the US will continue to allow imported “organic” seafood of this nature into the US market given there will still be no US standard.

 

The Pure Salmon Campaign argues that in order to maintain the integrity of the organic label, only those products for which there is an established USDA organic standard should be allowed to carry an “organic” label in the US market.  And, if the USDA decides to abandon or postpone an organic standard for certain seafood like farmed salmon, then there should be no “organic” product of this nature in the US market. Period. 

The Pure Salmon campaign's website is www.puresalmon.org, and the Conserve Our Ocean Legacy (COOL) campaign's website is www.oceanlegacy.org.

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King Corn

King Corn is a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation.
OPENS OCTOBER 12 IN NEW YORK CITY
cinema village 22 East 12th St., NYC 212-924-3363

In King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, best friends from college on the east coast, move to the heartland to learn where their food comes from. With the help of friendly neighbors, genetically modified seeds, and powerful herbicides, they plant and grow a bumper crop of America's most-productive, most-subsidized grain on one acre of Iowa soil. But when they try to follow their pile of corn into the food system, what they find raises troubling questions about how we eat and how we farm.
http://www.kingcorn.net/pages/video_high2.htm

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GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CORN TOXIN AFFECTING AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS

A new study in the recent issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences indicates that a toxin in genetically engineered Bt corn is contaminating waterways near farm fields. The toxin is killing caddisflies which is a valuable food resource for higher organisms like fish and amphibians. This genetically engineered (GE) corn was approved for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a decade ago, but the agency never tested its impact on caddisflies, which are common insects in areas where these crops are grown. According to one of the study's researchers, Todd Royer, "I think probably the risks associated with widespread planting of Bt corn were not fully assessed." Since its inception, the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) has called for a moratorium on GE crops, based on a current lack of data regarding environmental and health safety.
Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_7558.cfm

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GOVERNOR SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING  COUNCIL ON FOOD POLICY

Council Will Coordinate Policies to Promote Agriculture, Health and Nutrition

Albany -- Sept 13 2007

Governor Eliot Spitzer today announced that he has signed an executive
order establishing a New York State Council on Food Policy.  The Council
will coordinate state agriculture policy and make recommendations on
developing food policy that will help ensure the availability of safe,
fresh, nutritious and affordable food for all New Yorkers, especially low
income residents, senior citizens and children. The Council will look at
ways to increase sales of New York agricultural products to New York
consumers, with a special emphasis on expanding the consumer market for
organic food.

Ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to safe, fresh and nutritious
food is a top priority that the Council on Food Policy will be addressing
head-on,said Governor Spitzer.  The Council will bring the public,
producers and government together to explore ways in which we can improve
our existing food production and delivery systems, expand capacity, and in
particular, address the critical needs of children and low-income New
Yorkers.  Additionally, by expanding the sale of locally grown products, we
can help struggling farmers, and expand the local agriculture and state
economy.

The New York State Council on Food Policy will include 21 representatives
from all areas of the food system, including six agency heads.  The State
Agriculture Commissioner, Patrick Hooker, will serve as the Chairperson.
He will be joined by the Commissioners of Health, Office of Temporary and
Disability Assistance, Aging, Economic Development and the Consumer
Protection Board.  The other members will be appointed by the Governor and
will include the Dean of the New York State College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences; 1 farm organization representative; 1 school food administrator;
1 consumer representative; 2 food assistance organization representative; 1
nutritionist; 1 anti-hunger advocate; and 3 representatives from the food
industry at large, which could include producers, distributors, processors
or retailers with at least one involved in organic production.  There will
also be four appointed positions for members with experience and expertise
related to agriculture, nutrition or food policy that will be recommended
by the Temporary President of the Senate, the Speaker of the Assembly, the
Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the Assembly.

In addition to coordinating food policy, the Council will develop a
strategic plan to ensure access to affordable, fresh, healthy, nutritious
food and expand agricultural production, especially locally-grown and
organically-grown food.  The sale of organic food is an emerging market,
with more than $13 billion spent on organic food in 2005

The Council will make recommendations to the Governor on state regulations,
legislation and budget proposals in the area of food policy to ensure a
coordinated and comprehensive inter-agency approach to state food policy
issues.  The Council will deliver a written annual report to the Governor.

Lieutenant Governor David A. Paterson said, The overall health of our
state will improve if we can make our eating habits healthier. The creation
of the New York State Council on Food Policy demonstrates that government
can work in partnership with communities and food producers to insure that
all New Yorkers, particularly senior citizens, children, and those who
struggle to afford healthy foods are aware of and have easy access to a
nutritious, balanced diet."

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said, New York has
36,000 family farms that work day in and day out to produce an abundance of
fresh, healthy and wholesome food for our 19 million consumers.  I am
honored to chair the Council on Food Policy and believe it will serve as a
valuable forum in discussing the States complex, yet critical food system
for the benefit of consumers, farmers, processors, distributors and
retailers.

Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner David A. Hansell
said, The ability to obtain nutritious and affordable food is of
particular importance to low-income families, who are stretching limited
resources to meet food and other vital needs. In forming this Council,
Governor Spitzer is ensuring that the needs of these families are
considered and acted upon in the development of food policy in New York
State.

New York State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D., said,
Government decisions about food policy have driven consumers' eating
habits for decades, but not always to the benefit of personal health.  I
appreciate Governor Spitzer's attention to these important issues that
affect the quality and longevity of people's lives, and look forward to
working with the Council to help create better policies and healthier
diets.

A copy of the executive order is at
http://www.ny.gov/governor/executive_orders/exeorders/13.pdf

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Fish Creek Gourmet
Locally produced in Central Upstate NY! (Apulia Station)
Demo and tasting Sat Apr 14th 11 am - 3 pm at Ludgate Farms

"We specialize in unique and delicious foods, which are also healthy. We are currently producing a wine reduction Pomegranate Sauce marinade (formerly Pee Wee's Pomegranate Sauce) and a Pomegranate Vinaigrette.

An important component of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, pomegranates are a beautiful red fruit filled with hundreds of plump, ruby red, tart seeds that are luscious and healthy. They contain very high amounts of antioxidants and flavinoids. Although pomegranates were used in folk medicine for hundreds of years, they have really come into their own of late; articles on the health benefits of pomegranates have recently appeared in health magazines, newspapers, news magazines, and T.V. shows. Fish Creek Pomegranate Sauce is a wine reduction sauce that is absolutely delicious for marinating meat, fowl, fish, and vegetables. Fish Creek Pomegranate Vinaigrette is a fine salad dressing that also makes a good marinade."######

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"FRANKEN-WINES" TO HIT U.S. THIS YEAR

Consumers beware: the Frankenwines are coming. As with other genetically engineered food, there will be no labeling required on wines that, for the first time, will contain gene-altered yeast. The FDA has carried out no studies of its own on the experimental yeast, and yet has approved it as "safe," based completely on data provided by the company selling the product. According to Dr. Joseph Cummins, emeritus genetics Professor at the University of Western Ontario, wine yeasts are unstable, and genetically altering them can lead to unexpected toxicity in the final product. Genetically engineered yeast is banned in every nation in the world, other than in North America, so the use of the controversial yeast by a few large domestic wineries will likely damage the entire U.S. wine industry, as concerned wine consumers move to avoid GE-tainted wines.

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Another Great Gift idea....

How about chocolate, flowers, music  and a massage?   Ludgate Farms of Ithaca NY is teaming up with Laurie Roe of Healing Hands of Ithaca NY and offering massage gift certificates! Laurie Roe, MS, LMT has been in massage practice in Ithaca, New York since 1996 after graduating from the Finger Lakes School of Massage in Ithaca NY. She also has a masters degree in clinical nutrition from the University of Chicago. Her clients regularly tell her they like her work because it is deep and satisfying, a “real” massage. She has had extra training in sports massage and also works for Cornell Outdoor Education as a sea kayak instructor. Her new office is centrally located in downtown Ithaca. Please call for prices. Package deals are available. Healing Hands of Ithaca: Laurie Roe, MS NYS Licensed Massage Therapist.  Massage Gift Certificates are now available at Ludgate Farms

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Woodworking gift items ...

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Pika's Quiche in our freezer ...

"A Pika's Quiche is an old fashioned quiche prepared from my (Belgian) grandmother's recipe. Every one of our quiches is hand made from scratch, using only the freshest and - if the season allows - local ingredients."

Serve the quiche as a palate teaser or as a main dish, or even as hors d'oeuvres. For many customers, Pika's Quiche has become the ideal brunch... for others it is an ideal gourmet lunch. In other words the possibilities are endless and will seduce everyone! They're great for Weddings, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Engagements, Special Events, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas Gifts, Ladies Lunches, Baby Showers, ..... or if you, just like us, enjoy good and honest food and want to add a touch of delicious homestyle cuisine to your breakfast, brunch or dinner, a Pika's Quiche is the perfect meal!

These are pre-cooked. The small quiches  heat in the microwave quickly. -m

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Winter days ... ! :-)
[ more Valentines ideas here ]

A slideshow of flower photos mostly from our store display! Enjoy! -m



Something new in the Ludgate Farms cheese department for Valentine's Day: this French Goat cheese is a traditional treat for this holiday. Known as  Coeur du Berry with Ash - fresh goat's milk cheese it comes in a little 6.6 oz heart shaped imported from France. Some cheese connoisseurs say it is In close relation with Selles-sur-Cher. The cheese is covered with ash which gives it a smoky flavor. [ more Valentines ideas here ]


How about chocolate, flowers and a massage? Hmm and maybe add music to that? Check this link on the local artists page for our title list of music CDs from Ithaca and central New York musicians! For massage:Ludgate Farms is teaming up with Laurie Roe of Healing Hands of Ithaca! Laurie Roe, MS, LMT has been in massage practice in Ithaca, New York since 1996 after graduating from the Finger Lakes School of Massage. She also has a masters degree in clinical nutrition from the University of Chicago. Her clients regularly tell her they like her work because it is deep and satisfying, a “real” massage. She has had extra training in sports massage and also works for Cornell Outdoor Education as a sea kayak instructor. Her new office is centrally located in downtown Ithaca. Please call for prices. Package deals are available. [ more Valentines ideas here ]

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Local Chocolate!

NYS homegrown Blueberries!
Yes, they are here!! :-)

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New Locally Blended Teas at Ludgate Farms

Greener Teas is a locally owned tea company that specializes in delicious, organic, fair trade tea and herbal blends. We take pride in being a local Fingerlakes region company and like to do as much of our business locally as we possibly can. The concept of being "green" goes beyond our name: it's how we do business. We are constantly looking for the most sustainable options available to us. All of our products and packaging are environmentally sustainable. Our packaging is biodegradable, and/or readily recyclable and our labels are made from 100% recycled materials. We select our ingredients not only for their outstanding flavor, but for the fact that they have been sustainably grown. Our ingredients are100% pesticide and herbicide free, and are certified organic whenever possible. Our China Green Tea, Yerba Mate', and Rooibos Tea are all Fair Trade Certified.

Fair Trade certification is extremely important to us. We feel that our ability as American Consumers to afford and enjoy high quality tea is a luxury and that luxuries should never come to us through the exploitation of others. Each time a consumer buys a Fair Trade item they are helping to ensure that the farmer, artisan, or worker who created the item is paid a fair living wage. Fair Trade agreements often help communities better their circumstances by raising money for improvements such as clean water, food and sanitation. For more information on Fair Trade, please visit www.transfairusa.org.

Greener Teas is a woman owned and operated business. The owner, Robyn Pollock Peterson, was born and raised in Webster, New York. She and her husband Mark Peterson, whose untiring efforts keep their website up and running, moved to the Ithaca area in November of 2007. Robyn grew up in a household with a father who is a botanist; a mother who is a teacher, animal lover, and small business owner; and a brother who is a chef. Her main interests lie in herbalism, organic gardening, the slow food movement, yoga, and overall natural wellbeing.

Please feel free to contact us at robyn@greenerteas.com with any questions, comments, or suggestions that you may have regarding our teas. If you have any special tea variety or blend requests please let us know and we will try our best to accommodate you.

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ALERT: OCA LAUNCHES KELLOGG'S BOYCOTT GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SUGAR TO HIT SUPERMARKET SHELVES THIS YEAR

The Organic Consumers Association's (OCA) and allies are calling for a boycott of all Kellogg's products after Kellogg's refuses to source only GE-Free Sugar. Monsanto's RoundUp Ready Genetically Engineered Sugar is due to hit stores this year, exposing  millions of consumers to untested and unlabeled "Franken Foods" that threaten human heath, the environment and farmers' rights everywhere.
 

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Tomato recall ...

It looks like the tomatoes causing the Salmonella scare are from a small region in Mexico. Although FDA is being a little vague, I think for political reasons. We have no Mexican tomatoes at Ludgate Farms this time of year. Here are some links for more information:
http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/redtomatoes060508.html and
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html#retailers

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Stainless water bottles ...

July 21 -- We have more 27 oz plain stainless. More of the colored ones on order! Also we have some sports caps alone with out a bottle.

June 03rd -- We got some of the new colored ones!! They are pretty. Still all stainless on the inside. Only loop top available, but the tops are interechanngeable.

May 23rd -- Back in stock. 27 oz only - which fit in a typical bicycle water bottle holder, by the way!

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Local Grass fed meats ...

Beef, pork and lamb from Autumn Harvest Farms now sold at Ludgate's in the freezer section

We have chicken now from the same farm.

From the farm's informational website: "On our farm cattle are intensively rotated to clean pasture twice daily. In addition to this they are supplemented with all natural Icelandic sea salt which provides them with minerals and vitamins. All of the cattle on our farm are grass fed and grass finished . Eating grass, legumes and herbs is the natural way for cattle. Grass feeding cattle creates a truly superior eating experience and produces healthy meat as well. Meat from truly grass fed cattle has less total fat, less saturated fat, less cholesterol and fewer calories. It has more vitamin A, more vitamin E, more beta-carotene and even more importantly, has two health-promoting fats called omega-3 fatty acids and “conjugated linoleic acid,” or CLA."

http://www.autumnsharvestfarm.com/

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Eating Ithaca
http://www.eatingithaca.com/

A blog and podcast about local eating, including every restaurant in town from A-Z, plus interviews with the chefs, the farmers, the businesses, and all the people who make eating in Ithaca great.

May 12 2008 -- "In this episode, we'll talk with Michael Ludgate about the 35-year-history of Ludgate Farms and find out why his eclectic market on Hanshaw Road has such a special place in the hearts of Ithaca foodies."

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National Bike to work day!

May 16th is National Bike to work day! Check out what Ithaca is doing at this new LOCAL website http://icycle.org/biketowork/

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Happy Spring! :-)

Bedding Plants, Hanging Baskets,  Greeting Cards, Chocolate, Gourrmet Food Gifts, Exotic Teas, Local Music ...

We now have high quality market packs of flowers, vegetables, herbs, perennials, annuals and the list goes on. pansies and violas in addition to potted flowering plants mentioned below. Our bedding plants are not the bargain hunter variety, sorry. These are super healthy, highly compact and full of healthy flower buds.

Ludgate Farms has a selection of spring flowers in pots and market paks for your garden! :-). Primroses, Easter Lilies, Hydrangea, Gerbera, Roses, Cyclamen and more! Also lots of fresh cut flower stems for your floral arrangements and vases. Come say hello! Oh yeah, and don't forget to check the chocolate display!

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Water Bottles With PBA Become Suspect

April 18 2008 (Penfield, N.Y.) - Popular water bottles made at a Penfield-based company will soon be disappearing from store shelves after concerns were raised over a chemical in the bottles.

Nalgene, a division of Thermo Fisher Scientific, employs close to 1,000 people in Penfield and Fairport.  The sturdy construction of their polycarbonate water bottles make them popular with outdoor enthusiasts, but the formula contains bisphenol-A which can leech into the container's contents. 

On Tuesday, scientists from the Center for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration and the Institutes of Health issued a report that showed animals exposed to the bisphenol-A (or BPA) chemical in Nalgene's bottles entered puberty sooner, and developed pre-cancerous tumors and urinary tract problems. [ source ]

NY Times Article April 22 -- same topic: BPA

Herald Tribune April 23

April 28 -- From a customer: "Hi: I panicked when I saw your email and the news about SIGG water bottles. However, on further research, I believe that the inclusion of SIGG water bottles on the list of bottles containing BPA was unwarranted.  A quick reference point can be found at http://www.dld123.com/q&a/index.php?cid=2234 -- look at the note at the end of this page which addresses SIGG bottles in particular. Thanks, -K "

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Chemicals May Play Role in Rise in Obesity
By Elizabeth Grossman
Special to The Washington Post

"Too many calories and too little exercise are undeniably the major factors contributing to the obesity epidemic, but several recent animal studies suggest that environmental exposure to widely used chemicals may also help make people fat.

The evidence is preliminary, but a number of researchers are pursuing indications that the chemicals, which have been shown to cause abnormal changes in animals' sexual development, can also trigger fat-cell activity -- a process scientists call adipogenesis.
 
The chemicals under scrutiny are used in products from marine paints and pesticides to food and beverage containers. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found one chemical, bisphenol A, in 95 percent of the people tested, at levels at or above those that affected development in animals." [ source and remainder of article ]


"HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK:
HOW TO AVOID BPA

• Metal canned beverages appear to contain less BPA residues, while metal canned pasta and soups contain the highest levels.
• Canned foods in glass containers are not a BPA risk.
• Plastics with the recycling labels #1, #2 and #4 on the bottom are safer choices and do not contain BPA.
• One-third of liquid baby formulas have high levels of BPA. Powdered formula packaging is generally considered safer.
• Avoid heating foods in plastic containers and do not wash plastic containers in a dishwasher.
• When possible, opt for glass, porcelain and stainless steel containers, particularly for hot food or liquids.
• Do not let plastic wrap touch your food in the microwave, or better yet, avoid microwave ovens altogether.
• Many metal water bottles, such as those sold by the brand Sigg are lined with a plastic coating that contains BPA. Look for stainless steel bottles, such as those sold by Real Wear and Kleen Kanteen that do not have a plastic liner." [ source OCA newsletter ] *** Klean Kanteen Brand Stainless Steel BPA free water bottles are sold at Ludgate Farms in Ithaca NY ***

More information:
http://www.ewg.org/reports/bisphenola/execsumm.php

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Buying our way to guilt free consumption?
Editorial comments from Seventh Generation on carbon offsets [ source ]

In the simplest terms, a carbon offset plan works like this: Say, for example, that in driving to and from work each day your car emits one ton of CO2 a year. To negate this ton of CO2, you join a carbon offset program which charges you $200 per year to plant an acre of trees that will absorb the ton of CO2 from the air. In theory, your commute has now become carbon neutral.

It’s a reasonable idea, but we should state up front that as a company, Seventh Generation is not in favor of carbon offsets. It’s our view that while these programs certainly have some benefits, they don’t address the serious top-to-bottom systemic change that’s needed where energy and emissions are concerned. Instead, they simply grant a certain amount of guilt-free permission for their subscribers to continue to produce CO2 at a time when everyone needs to think of ways to prevent carbon emissions in the first place.

Our opinion is that in a rapidly warming world, a molecule of CO2 in the atmosphere is a molecule of CO2 in the atmosphere. The fact that it may have been compensated for elsewhere does not impact the contribution to climate change that the original molecule will make. Carbon offsets make the overall situation less worse, not better. And better is what we need. So, while we very much support planting trees and other carbon offset programs, we don’t favor a system that uses these programs as a way to continue business as usual somewhere else.

At best, we think carbon offset programs are a stop-gap solution, a bridge we can use to start ameliorating our impacts immediately while we engineer a new system in which clean technologies and energy efficiencies combine to keep the lights on without environmental damage. We see them as a temporary fix, not a permanent solution.  [ source and remainder of article ]

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Wildlife conservation thrown away for PROFITS by big midwest farms ...

NY Times April 9 - Thousands of farmers are taking their fields out of the government’s biggest conservation program, which pays them not to cultivate. They are spurning guaranteed annual payments for a chance to cash in on the boom in wheat, soybeans, corn and other crops. Last fall, they took back as many acres as are in Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

Environmental and hunting groups are warning that years of progress could soon be lost, particularly with the native prairie in the Upper Midwest. But a broad coalition of baking, poultry, snack food, ethanol and livestock groups say bigger harvests are a more important priority than habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife. They want the government to ease restrictions on the preserved land, which would encourage many more farmers to think beyond conservation.  [ source ]

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Inexpensive food is not really such a bargain ...

NY Times April 02 2008 - Higher food costs, they say, could push pasture-raised milk and meat past its boutique status, make organic food more accessible and spark a national conversation about why inexpensive food is not really such a bargain after all.

“It’s very hard to argue for higher food prices because you are ceding popular high ground to McDonald’s when you do that,” said Mr. Pollan, a contributor to The New York Times Magazine and author of “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto” (Penguin Press). “But higher food prices level the playing field for sustainable food that doesn’t rely on fossil fuels.” [ NY Times article here ]

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Belle Sherman Elementary School
Fundraiser Auction for the 5th grade class

Support the Belle Sherman Fifth Grade Class trip to Carnegie Hall in New York City by bidding on this colorful painting generously donated by Elisabeth Gross-Marks.

This sold for $76-

Bids will end on April 21 at 2 pm To place a bid email your name, address, phone number, email and bid amount to: belleshermanauction@gmail.com

Painting by Elisabeth Gross-Marks Acrylic on canvas 30" X 24 1/2" with a 1/2" white wood frame. About the artist: Elisabeth was born in Germany and studied art in Munich and Berlin. She moved to Ithaca 18 years ago,where she has a studio and is teaching art and German. She is a member of the State of the Art Gallery, where she will have a Solo Show in June. Currently she is painting on recycled material. Visit her website here: www.brilliantcolorsegm.com

Thank you for your generous support.

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New wheat free cookbook ...
Now available at Ludgate Farms, Ithaca NY