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Chuck Akins'

compliments of

Chuck Akins akinsrealty.com info@akinsrealty.com Rt. 1, Box 1485 Hermitage, MO 65668

Shout it out to the world: Winter is over! Spring is finally here and the song of the birds can be heard on the breeze while the sunbeams wake the world from it's slumber. Throw open the greenhouse doors and gather your tools, It's planting season!

This month in Welcome Home magazine discover the meaning of the ever elusive term "Organic". Have you been dying to try greenhouse gardening, but don't have a clue where to start? Have you been thinking wistfully about that gorgeous garden that your Grandmother used to have, only to remember that you don't have the time to spend keeping one like it tended? Fret no more!

compliments of

Chuck Akins 805-994-2037 · 805-459-9272

Visit My Site Email Me Rt. 1, Box 1485 Hermitage, MO 65668

Recipe and Design Garden Art Painted Pot

Candied Walnut, Pear, and Leafy Green Salad

It's easy to transform everyday terra-cotta pots into striking garden art.

What You Need: Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

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Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1/3 cup sugar 2/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted Cooking spray 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon capers, chopped 4 cups torn green leaf lettuce 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce 4 cups chopped radicchio 1 ripe red Anjou pear, thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation 1. Place sugar in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly (about 1 minute). Continue cooking 1 minute or until golden (do not stir).

Remove from heat; carefully stir in nuts to coat evenly. Spread nuts on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; separate nuts quickly. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside until cool; break into small pieces.

2. Combine vinegar and mustard, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in capers.

3. Combine lettuces and radicchio; top with pear and candied walnuts.

Drizzle dressing evenly over salad; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2009

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House paint Flowers, seed pods, and leaves of different sizes Terra-cotta pot Rubber gloves

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Instructions: 1.Select leaves that have a distinct shape and that are sturdy enough to stand up to the "concrete paint" you will be coating them with.

2. Mix water, cement, and concrete bonding adhesive. Don rubber gloves. Measure 1 part water, 2 parts Portland cement, 1 part concrete bonding adhesive. Pour water into a large mixing container. Shake in cement and stir. Add the bonding adhesive. Mix the ingredients to the consistency of heavy whipping cream.

3.Paint and press. Using this mixture, paint the ribbed side of your leaf with a 1-inch brush. A light layer works best. It's OK if some areas are spotty. They'll end up looking textured. Press the painted side of the leaf to the pot. The pot should not be wet or damp, or the concrete paint may not adhere.

4. Sponge. Press the leaf against the pot with a damp sponge, wiping away any excess paint that seeps out from behind the leaf. Leave the leaf on for one to two minutes so the concrete paint adheres to the pot.

Carefully peel the leaf from the pot to reveal the "sculpture." You can

Portland cement Concrete bonding adhesive 1-inch paint brush Sponge

reuse the same leaf to make more prints, use different leaves, or mix and match patterns.

5. Make a sculptural print if desired. The seedpod of a poppy also can be used to make a sculptural print on your pot. Paint the flat head with your concrete mixture. Press the pod to the pot and leave it there for a minute or two. Pull up to reveal its coin-like motif. Leaves can be silhouetted by brushing the concrete paint on the leaf, or just its edges, and overlapping onto the space outside the leaf. Try silhouetting all the way around the rim. If you mess up, you can touch it up or just wipe it clean with your sponge and try again.

6. Allow pot to dry, then paint with colored wash. Let your pot prints dry for five minutes. In the meantime, create a colorful wash by mixing 4 ounces of water with 4 ounces of flat exterior latex house paint and 2 tablespoons of the bonding agent. Paint the pot with the colored wash, wait a minute or so, then wipe the pot in a circular motion with a soft rag. As the pot dries, the concrete-painted areas will appear burnished, as if they are under several layers of patina.

Courtesy of Better Homes and gardens.com

Organic Gardening

Organic gardening can be described as gardening without the use of man-made chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Some say it provides the gardener a harmony with nature. It is not a new concept, but has become an increasingly popular type of gardening in recent years given the fact that everyone is going "green". Organic can mean different things to different people. Organic gardening is a little more than just not using chemicals or non organic fertilizers on your garden. An organic gardener should consider his/her garden as part of the bigger picture in nature and life itself.

Organic gardening is a simple way to ensure that you are growing the highest-quality produce in a sustainable way that is healthy for the plants and the planet. It is one of the oldest methods of cultivation, and the food it will produce is not only healthier for you it's less expensive to. You may find that it might become the most rewarding hobby, or lifestyle, you have ever undertaken. Organic gardening is a simple healthful way to convert living organisms into carbon compounds in a way that considers the whole of nature and its integral place in that scheme.

Organic gardening uses natural compost and manure to fertilize and grow plants and flowers. Since you will be using natural compost no harmful chemicals or pesticides are used on your plants. Some gardeners are willing to invest in some extras required by organic gardening because it ensures that no harmful pesticides or fungicides will be used. By growing a garden

without chemical fertilizers, you will naturally build the soil to support healthy plant life. Chemical fertilizers and additives will, over time, damage the soil's ability to provide what plants need to resist disease, insect attacks, and stress.

Organic gardening is all about balance between the soil and its nutrients, the water, the air, and of course your plants. It is easy, relaxing and fun. Being a green gardener means you don't use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides on your plants. It is all about working with the land to build healthy soil and plants. Think of organic gardening as a system that combines all aspects of gardening: soil, water, plants, animals; even insects!

So if you're considering organic gardening, it is an excellent way to grow your trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables and plants. Your garden will benefit greatly from organic materials. It is an environmentally friendly, people friendly style of gardening. And its methods can be utilized by virtually anyone to create and maintain sustainable gardens, in the city or country.

If you are thinking of starting an outdoor garden project you should consider giving the organic method a try.

You will enjoy the accomplishment of growing you own healthy foods and enjoy the health benefits it can provide. It may take a while to figure out the best ways of doing things. I suggest picking up a few books on the subject and doing a bit of research on the types of tools you will need and the plants that work best. With a little practice you will be an expert gardener in no time at all.

Written by Dale Martin. Article courtesy of articlesbase.com.

The Leprechaun

Leprechauns are often stereotyped, misunderstood-especially in the United States-and even maligned, as in a series of 1990s horror films in which the leprechaun is a malevolent little beastie.

Leprechauns have been used to sell cereal (Lucky Charms) and as mascots for sports teams (the Boston Celtics). They have been portrayed as pyromaniacs (in an episode of The Simpsons), and their musical taste has been impugned-sentimental Irish music is called Leprechaun Music. And, of course, it is common knowledge that leprechauns have a pot of gold. How does all of all of this "leprechaun lore" stack up to the leprechaun's real place in Irish mythology? As with most fantasy figures, leprechauns have evolved over the years, and the most romantic aspects of their legend has stuck.

A commonly accepted image of a leprechaun is of a small, old man with a red beard and wearing a top hat. He is often intoxicated, but never so drunk that he can't ply his trade as a shoemaker or a tinker. The first sign that a leprechaun is near usually is the tapping of his hammer.

It's unclear where the name "leprechaun" comes from. It may be from leath bhrogan, Irish for shoemaker, or it may derive from the Irish word luacharma'n for pygmy.

Leprechauns have not been around that long. They rarely are spoken of in folk tales, those stories that usually concern a human hero and are given a more formal telling. Leprechaun tales usually are told casually by locals and contain local names and scenery.

Only since the early 20th Century have leprechauns been depicted as wearing emerald green; the first leprechauns wore red, and their physical appearance varied depending on where in Ireland they lived. Unlike the malicious creature in the Leprechaun films, leprechauns like solitude and usually avoid human habitations, although some have adopted human families and have even followed them abroad. In general, though, leprechauns don't have much use for humans, whom they consider foolish and greedy.

Leprechauns are cunning, mischievous and sometimes cranky, but they generally don't harm people. They have a "gift for gab" and could be the life of the party, if you could get them to attend human parties. Leprechauns do have a treasure, left by the Vikings when they plundered Ireland in the eighth and ninth Centuries A.D. , which they bury in crocks of gold.

Because leprechauns are honest, if you capture one, he must tell you where he's hidden his gold, but beware of his tricks. You can hold a leprechaun in place with your eyes, but if you glance away, he will vanish. Each leprechaun carries two leather pouches, one containing a silver coin and the other a gold coin, to bribe captors to set him free. But both coins are bewitched; once the leprechaun has paid his ransom and gained his freedom, the silver returns to his purse, and the gold turns to leaves or ashes.

Written by David Kubicek. Courtesy of ezinearticles.com

In The Kitchen

Black Bean Brownies Ingredients: • • • • • • •

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1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well) (250g after draining) 2 tbsp cocoa powder (10g) 1/2 cup quick oats (40g) (See nutrition link below for substitutions) 1/4 tsp salt 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or agave (or honey, but not for strict vegans.) (75g) pinch uncut stevia OR 2 tbsp sugar (or omit and increase maple syrup to 1/2 cup) 1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil (40g) (See nutrition link for substitution notes) 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips (115-140g) (Not optional.

Omit at your own risk.)

Directions: 1. Black Bean Brownies Recipe: Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Really blend well. (A blender can work if you absolutely must, but the texture—and even the taste—will be much better in a food processor.) Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8×8 pan. Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top.

Cook the black bean brownies 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. If they still look a bit undercooked, you can place them in the fridge overnight and they will magically firm up! Makes 9-12 brownies.

Courtesy of chocolatecoveredkatie.com

Health & Wellness

The organic food movement has really taken off over the last decade. At one time, you could only find organic foods in health food stores but now there is quite a large selection in just about any supermarket or grocery store. While prices have come down some over the years, items that are certified organic are usually still more expensive than non-organic choices.

What exactly is "organic?"

Organic fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, dairy products, and even non-food items are grown according to stringent regulations set out by the USDA. They must be produced without any chemical pesticides, fungicides or herbicides.

They must be grown using organic farming techniques and without using any hormones or antibiotics.

What are the benefits of organic foods?

Taste - Organic fruits and vegetables tend to by juicier, sweeter and more flavorful. Grown in rich, fertile soil, organic produce is very rich in flavor and nutrients, and since it is usually grown closer to home, tends to be fresher than imported non-organic produce. While organic produce tends to spoil faster due to the lack of preservatives, it is still a much better choice. You may also see a difference in the way the fruits and vegetables look - they may be slightly smaller or not perfectly shaped. This is how produce grown naturally is supposed to look! Organic meat comes from animals that are free to graze and benefit from fresh air, fresh water and healthy organic food sources, making the meat much more flavorful.

Health Benefits - chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers are known carcinogens. These sprays and additives are applied liberally to non-organic food and they do leave a residue on the fruit as well as often penetrating the

skin as well. Washing produce does not remove all of the harmful chemicals. Organic produce is grown without the use of these harmful chemicals. There is also the benefit of not having the toxic run-off from the farms polluting our waters. Workers on organic farms are not exposed to these deadly chemicals either, unlike their non-organic farm worker counterparts. Organic meat animals lead much healthier lives than the commercially farmed animals. Rather than living in a cage barely big enough to fit in, wallowing in their own waste, organic animals are allowed to graze freely in fields with fresh water and clean surroundings. This means that they don't have to be pumped with antibiotics just to survive their lifestyles. Organic meat and dairy animals are also not given any hormones or other chemicals.

Environmental Benefits - Today's agriculture industry is ravaging our earth. Soil erosion form over-farming is becoming a huge problem and commercial farms are one of the biggest contributors to water pollution with the toxic runoff from the farms. Organic farming builds up the soil by crop rotation and the use of compost and manure. Since no chemicals are used, water pollution is not an issue either.

Supporting Local Farmers - Studies report that half of the food produced in the US comes from only 1% of the farms.

Local farmers are struggling to maintain their market share in the industry. With the increase in smaller organic farms, we are starting to have healthier choices when it comes to our food sources. Since there are no preservatives used in organic food production, that means stores need to source the food from much closer. By buying organic food from your grocery store, farmers markets and vegetable stands, you are supporting the local economy while getting healthier choices for your family's meals.

Written by Martin Ghandi. Courtesy of ezinerticles.com

Saint Patrick’s Day The Legends and Symbols

Saint Patrick's day is a religious feast festival of Catholic christians having its roots in Ireland with the celebrations gaining significance in other countries, particularly America and Britain. Just like St. Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day (i.e, 17th March) commemorates the demise of the revered patronized Irish saint St. Patrick. So, what is the legend behind St. Patrick which led to the association of a festival in his name and how is the day celebrated ?

The story goes like this...

Originally born (in later half of fourth century) to Roman parents in Scotland or Roman England (there are conflicting opinions regarding the place of birth), he was previously known by the name Maewyn Succat. He was given a Romanticized name Patricius leading to him being known as Patrick.

Patrick was originally a pagan ( a non-believer of Christianity ). During his childhood, he was kidnapped and sold as a slave to the Celtic Druids who then ruled Ireland. It was during that stage of life that his attitude and beliefs towards God started changing. After six years, he escaped from slavery when he dreamt of God giving him instructions for the same. He was taught priesthood in France. When he became a bishop, he again dreamt of Irish people calling him and requiring his services.

So, he returned to Ireland with firm belief of converting pagans to Christians. Despite being arrested by the Celtic Druids several times, he always managed to escape and was not deterred.

He actively baptized and preached Christianity. He even used diplomacy like gifting people in kinglets and gifting lawgivers. For 20 years he had traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion.

How is the Patrick's day celebrated?

As a part of the celebration, Many Irish people wear a bunch of shamrock on their lapels or caps on St. Patrick's Day, while children wear

tricolored (green, white and orange) badges. Girls traditionally wore green ribbons in their hair (many still do).

A three-leafed Shamrock clover was used by St. Patrick to represent the trinity, like father, son and holy spirit; also shamrock was considered lucky

by Irish people. The shamrock was used by the Irish as a mark of nationalism when the English invaded the Celtics. Thus a shamrock is given lot of reverence in Ireland. Leprechauns or Irish fairy people are also associated with St. Patrick's festival. In Irish mythology, a leprechaun is a type of elf said to inhabit the island of Ireland.

In recent times, the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Dublin have been extended to a week-long event called St. Patrick's Festival, encompassing a spectacular fireworks display Skyfest), open-air music, street theater and the traditional parade.

Over one million people attended the celebrations in 2004.

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated worldwide by the Irish and those of Irish descent. A major parade takes place in Dublin and in most other Irish towns and villages. The three largest parades of recent years have been held in Dublin, New York and Birmingham England. Parades also take place in other centers, London, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore and throughout the Americas.

In the United States, St. Patrick's Day would not be St. Patrick's Day unless the Chicago River is dyed green. Also, St. Paddy's Day has little religious or historical significance. Established in Boston in 1737, it is essentially a time to put on a "Kiss Me I'm Irish" button, and parade drunken through the streets singing a mangled version of "Danny Boy" in celebration of one's real or imagined Irish ancestry.

Thus in a nutshell, it can be seen that the legends revolving around St Patrick have been inseparably combined with the facts. The day invariably evokes the "I am Irish" sentiments along with patronizing St. Patrick for his services towards Ireland. And together they have helped us know much about the Saint and the spirit behind celebration of the day.

Written by Ajitesh Biswas. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com

The Ever Growing Importance Of Organic Gardening

There is a growing movement towards people wanting to live sustainable and healthy lives. For many people this movement starts in the garden, and moves in to the kitchen and the household. There are simple ways that you can garden organically and start your journey towards a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Organic gardening has always been important but now organic gardeners are being viewed as conscious and considerate as opposed to a hippy or ethnic. During the war people grew their own food out of necessity then at the start of the 50s there was a shift away from self-sufficiency and towards the use of yards as ornamental gardens and pristine lawns. This shift, although seemingly harmless, has caused effects on our soils that are still bearing poisoned fruits of consequence. In the effort to keep these gardens pristine, countless numbers of extremely poisonous and hazardous pesticides and insecticides were used.

At the time people were blissfully unaware of the devastating consequences that would result from their use and their residual life in the soil. Not only were they bad chemicals but they were also used incorrectly, allowing pests to build up a resistance to the chemicals. In some instances it completely wiped out beneficial insects, which are natures own way of pest control.

The use of these chemicals almost pinpoints the moment when Australia noticed an influx and problem with red spider mite. It is uncertain whether humans eradicated their natural predator or the mite simply built up resistance to the chemicals. It is also possible and probable that these two factors combined to create the problem. What we do know is that prior to this period there was hardly any record of red spider mite.

There is growing awareness of the toxicity and wide spread effect of these pesticides on both our soils and native animals. There is a current petition circulating to put an end to pesticides that are toxic to bees in the UK. Thankfully sustainability and environmental awareness is exploding into people's lives in the wake of large environmental issues such as global warming, green house gas emissions, coral reef decline, and the list goes on. This shift has been so substantial that it is almost fashionable to be sustainable and organic. This is a vast improvement from the days of the 1950s 60s when people were pigeon holed for growing their own food, composting or having worm farms. Luckily we have had people behind the scenes such as Lawrence D Hills, Lady Eve Balfour, John Seymour

living organically and building a rich knowledge base that we can now call on as a guide to better living.

Now this isn't to say that organic gardening strictly means growing your own food or avoiding chemical pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers. It is a lifestyle and a conscious effort to work with, not against the environment around you. Organic gardening focuses on:

• reusing and recycling items where you can • nurturing fauna and flora ecosystems • minimizing on food waste and turning it into reusable compost • improving and nurturing soil biodiversity • practicing integrated pest management which utilizes the staged use of biological pest control • organic pest control and manual pest control to stop resistance and to encourage beneficial insects • identifying flowers and plants that encourage local predatory insects and pollinators • using organic fertilizers as opposed to synthetic fertilizers • using grey water on the garden after using lemon juices or citric acid to bleach whites or an organic soap such as soap nuts in the washing machine • capturing rain water runoff and using it through the garden.

This small list then stems into an out-of-the-home awareness by riding a bike to work, buying organic products, considering where your take away food comes from, buying produce from a local market if you don't grow your own food and taking your own bags to the supermarket, just to name a few.

But what can living and gardening organically offer you? The benefits of organic gardening are endless.

From the physical effects of getting out amongst the plants and working in the soil, to the healthier produce that is created from organic techniques, to the knowledge that you can rest easy knowing that you are doing your part even if it is one carrot at a time.

Put simply, organic gardening is your gateway to an environmentally and people friendly style of gardening. Anyone can do it to create and maintain any style of garden in any location. The power for a healthier future is in your hands.

Written by Alister D. Murray. Courtesy of ezinearticles.com

Eating Organic A Comprehensive Guide To Organic Food

If you've been to the grocery store in the past five years, you've undoubtedly encountered some sort of organic food. Maybe you noticed different packaging or special sections in the store and maybe you've even ventured to try these newfangled products. But most likely, you're still not exactly sure what "organic" means and why it has been getting so much media attention in the last few years. The idea of organic foods can be intimidating, so Recipe4Living offers you a place to familiarize yourself with the terms and facts surrounding this new organic craze.

What is organic?

In the simplest terms, organic foods are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones.

The USDA National Organic Program has created a long and wordy definition that you can view here. As of October 21, 2002, all farmers and organic producers are required to adhere to these guidelines throughout their organic license: - Do not use prohibited materials (listed above) for three years prior to certification and throughout license.

- Allow outdoor access and pasture for livestock and do not feed animals antibiotics or hormones. Rather, feed animals with 100% organic feed.

- Avoid contamination during processing of products and keep records of all operations.

This relatively simple definition is just the basis for understanding the organic world. When grocery shopping, it's important to know that the USDA has identified three categories for labeling organic products: - 100% Organic: Made with 100% organic ingredients - Organic: Made with at least 95% organic ingredients - Made with Organic Ingredients: Made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remaining 30% including no genetically modified organisms.

(Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may list organically produced ingredients on the side panel, but cannot make organic claims.)

For more terms and definitions, check out the comprehensive Glossary at Organic.org.

Potential Health Benefits Though there have not been enough long-term studies done to confirm health benefits from organic foods, recently published studies from the University of California-Davis recently found that some organic foods have higher nutritional value than regularly-grown foods. Some people also believe that organic food tastes better, but you'll have to see for yourself.

Pesticide Dangers While the idea of eating organic may seem to be more of an inconvenience than its worth, you should consider the harmful effects that pesticides have on foods. They can have detrimental effects on a human's endocrine, nervous and immune systems and the risk is even greater for children. Remember, the use of these pesticides is prohibited for organic farmers.

For your shopping convenience, a report by the Environmental Working Group used data from the FDA to show that many of the pesticide health risks are concentrated in a relatively small number of fruits and vegetables.

- High Levels of Pesticide: strawberries, red and green peppers, spinach, cherries, peaches, cantaloupe, celery, apples, apricots, green beans, grapes, cucumbers, pears, winter squash and potatoes - Low Levels of Pesticide: avocados, corn, onions, sweet potatoes, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.

The realization that your food may have harmful pesticides on it can be scary, but there are ways to clean your food without having to swear off fruits and vegetables forever: - Buy commercial vegetable and fruit washes formulated to remove chemical residue (Evironné or Vitanet).

- Make your own cleaning solution with mild dishwashing detergent (1 tsp. detergent per gallon of water).

- Use a soft brush to scrub food.

- Peel fruits with tough exteriors, especially peaches, pears and apples.

- Eat organic.

Where to Find Organic Foods Your search for organic food could mean exploring a new section of your neighborhood grocery store or traveling a further distance to meet your new grocery needs. Chain stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's carry extensive organic sections of their stores. You can also look into local co-ops in your town that will undoubtedly have an impressive selection of organic foods. A note on costs: Many people don't buy organic foods because they believe them to be too expensive. While organic food is often pricier than its non-organic counterparts, there are good reasons for this: - Organic farmers don't receive federal subsidies like conventional farmers do, therefore they price reflects the true cost to growing.

- The price of conventional food does not reflect the cost of environmental cleanups that we pay for through tax dollars.

- Organic farming is more labor and management intensive.

Written by Maxine Glass. Courtesy of ezinearticles.com

Where To Buy Organic Online

Are you looking for the best places to buy organic foods online? If you don't have a neighborhood natural food store or a grocer that has an organic section, it can be difficult to find some organic food products. Even if you are lucky enough to have a nearby shop, buying online can save you a lot of money not to mention the convenience. Many of the stores listed here also have deals on shipping.

Here is a list of some of my favorite internet shops to find organic ingredients for cooking.

1. Vitacost You may recognize Vitacost for it's extensive line of vitamins and supplements, but they also carry an incredible selection of specialty foods - Gluten Free, Kosher, Raw Foods, Vegan, and a wonderful assortment of Organic Foods.

Vitacost has all of the top organic brands Eden Foods, Bragg's, Nature's Path, Big Tree Farms, Bob's Red Mill, Theo Chocolate, Mary's Gone Crackers, Lundberg Farms, and dozens of more.

2. SunFood Sunfood is a premier health food store specializing in raw, organic, non-gmo superfoods. Here you will find organic cacao butter, coconut oil, chocolates, dried fruit, fruit powders, nuts & seeds, olives, sea vegetables, spices, sweeteners, and more.

3. For the Gourmet For the Gourmet caters to chefs and their restaurants selling many of their products by the case or in larger quantities. It's a fantastic store, though, and a great place to find anything you might need to cook up something amazing. You can also save a good deal of money by purchasing by the case. Meats, exotic fruits, seafood, chocolates, cheeses, line the shelves of this wonderful specialty food store. For organic foods, they have a selection of beans and lentils, rice, nuts, and flours.

4. Greensbury Market If you are looking for organic meats, Greensbury Market has some of the best. And some of the best prices around for organic meat. The organic beef is 100% grass-fed and dry-aged for 21 days. You will find richly marbled ribeye steaks, New York strip, filet mignon, flank, skirt steak, tenderloin, roast, and ground beef.

Greensbury's organic pork is made from heirloom-variety hogs humanely raised in the Midwest without hormones or antibiotics. You will find baby back ribs, boneless and bone-in ham steaks, country style ribs, boneless and bone-in pork chops, as well as delicious Italian sausage.

Their organic chicken is free-range and fed a diet of all vegetarian organic feed. You can

purchase whole chickens, boneless breast, boneless thigh meat, wings, and chicken sausage.

5. Cultures for Health Cultures for Health is a great place to find all your starters for making your own cheese, yogurt, tofu, kombucha, or other fermented foods. Not all of their products are organic but you will find organic bone broth, organic sprouting seeds, organic raw cultured vegetables, organic rice koji, and tons of related tools and equipment.

6. Abe's Market Abe's Market is a great online shop for all your natural living products. The majority of their organic products are sauces, pastas, and baking goods. They also have a fantastic selection of organic soups and meals-on-the-go. Shipping is free on orders over $49.

7. Natural Zing Natural Zing specializes in 'raw' organic foods.

You can find raw, organic nuts, stone-crushed olive oil, dried fruits and vegetables, spices, sprouted flours, nut butters, chocolates, sea vegetables, and lots more.

8. Manna Harvest Manna Harvest is an organic health food store and boasts over 5,500 healthy and organic products. You can find hundreds of organic baking ingredients and spices. sauces.

9. 3 Bears Organic 3 Bears Organic is an online natural and organic food store based in Portland, Oregon.

They carry most of the major organic brands but only sell by the case. Some of the hundreds of the products they carry include spices, vinegars, sauces, nut butters, olives, jams, pasta, rice, beans, canned fruits and vegetables, flours and other baking ingredients.

10. Kalyx Natural Marketplace Kalyx is an online bulk food store with thousands of natural food products. The website is archaic looking but prices are very reasonable. You can find organic flours, granolas, spices, juices, vinegars, noodles, and dried fruits.

Written by Brett A. Moore. Courtesy of ezinearticles.com.

Products To Love In March Get your hands on this amazing Ladies Kiss me I'm Irish St. Patrick's Day Rainbow Suspender Shirt Top. All of our Ladies Kiss me I'm Irish St. Patrick's Day Rainbow Suspender Shirt Tops have a classic, comfortable fit. What a Great Value!! Please click here for more information.

Plush Leprechaun. This dapper fellow is dressed in his Irish best!

Our Plush Leprechaun wears a top hat with a shamrock and sports gold tone button accents on his coat and pants. Place this lucky Irish fellow among your St. Patrick's Day decorations for a dash of legendary charm! For decorative use only. Felt. 13"H.

Please click here for more information.

Rodale’s Basic Organic Gardening Book is a beginner’s guide to starting a healthy garden. When the inspiration hits to start an organic garden, many novices could benefit from a guidebook that speaks directly to their enthusiasm, their goals, and, of course, their need for solid information that speaks a newbie's language―from the most trusted source for organic gardening methods.Please click here for more information.

DIY Project - March Supplies You’ll Need: Paper with a clover on it – you can draw your own, or print the one I’ve provided below (I printed it on card stock) Frame (without the glass) Buttons Glue (I used a craft/ tacky glue) Place the clover template in the frame before you get started. It’s much easier this way!

Put glue on the paper, and place the buttons on the glue. Move quickly, so you can move them around and make them all fit before the glue dries. I actually found it was easier to cover most of the clover with glue and then put the buttons on; this way, I could move them around and fit them together.

Give it some time to dry, and then…that’s it.

Easiest craft ever. I don’t think I spent more than fifteen minutes on it!

Courtesy of carrieelle.com

A shamrock is a young sprig of clover, used as a symbol of Christianity in Ireland. Saint Patrick, Ireland's patron saint, is said to have used it as a metaphor for the Christian Holy Trinity. The name shamrock comes from Irish seamrog, which is the diminutive of the Irish word for clover (seamair). The shamrock was traditionally used for its medicinal properties and was a popular motif in Victorian times. There is still not a consensus over the precise botanical species of clover that is the "true" shamrock. John Gerard in his herbal of 1597 defined the shamrock as Red or White Clover. He described the plant in English as 'Three leaved grasse' or 'Medow Trefoile', 'which are called in Irish Shamrockes'. The Irish botanist Caleb Threlkeld, writing in 1726 in his work entitled Synopsis Stirpium Hibernicarum or A Treatise on Native Irish Plants followed Gerard in identifying the shamrock as Trifolium pratense, calling it White Field Clover. The botanist Karl Linnaeus in his 1737 work Flora Lapponica identifies the shamrock as Trifolium pratense, mentioning it by name in a Latinised form Chambroch, with the following curious remark: The Irish call it shamrock, which is purple field clover, and which they eat to make them speedy and of nimble strength.

Linnaeus based his information that the Irish ate shamrock on the comments of English Elizabethan authors such as Edmund Spencer who remarked that the shamrock used to be eaten by the Irish, especially in times of hardship and famine. It has since been argued however, that the Elizabethans were confused by the similarity between the Irish (Gaelic) name for young clover seamrog, and the name for wood sorrel seamsog. The situation regarding the identity of the shamrock was further confused by a London botanist James Ebenezer Bicheno, who proclaimed in a dissertation in 1830 that the real shamrock was Wood Sorrel. Bichino falsely claimed that clover was not a native Irish plant and had only been introduced into Ireland in the middle of the seventeenth century, and based his argument on the same comments by Elizabethan authors that shamrock had been eaten. Bicheno argued that this fitted the wood sorrel better than clover, as wood sorrel was often eaten as a green and used to flavor food.

Bicheno's argument has not been generally accepted however, as the weight of evidence favors a species of clover.

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