Might be tough to find a date this weekend

Or rather, this next lunar month. For the first time in a decade, Ramadan begins before the medjool (aka the most sought after date) harvest season in the Coachella or Imperial valleys in Southern California. The LA Times reports:

"...Wholesalers and grocers were rushing to put their orders in for Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that begins Saturday. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, followed by evening meals that commence with at least one date, a practice believed followed by the prophet Muhammad. Preferences for the fleshy fruit run from the drier deglet noor to the sweet Medina to the hard, yellow barhi. But the most sought-after dates -- especially among Middle Easterners -- are the soft, plump medjool..."

So what is a practicing Muslim to do? Enjoy the 2008 harvest. They freeze remarkably well.

"...But the thought of year-old fruit remains unappealing and callers to SeaView insist on fresh produce. Some, unfamiliar with the ripening process, ask if the dates can be picked a few weeks early. "The funny part is when they argue with you, 'Why aren't they ready?' " said Roya Jensen, Dennis' wife, who oversees sales. "Because every year they're ready in September." Growers including the Jensens have been dealing with the supply-and-demand crunch the last few years, with harvested dates rushed from the groves straight to markets. This year, growers have had to rely on last year's crop going into the season..."

Something tells me that many are hoping for fresh dates come Lailatul-Qadr and Eid-al-Fitr. Read more about Southern California's ideal growing conditions and date business in Raja Abdulrahim's recent article. Ramadan beings this Saturday, August 22nd.

Pro Pitt

Bill Maher interviewed Brad Pitt last week and I am ashamed to report that I knew very little about makeitrightnola.org until watching this but urge everyone to check out the site and make a donation or get involved.

Furthermore, I think this is a great interview so check it out. I swear Pitt mentions the "environment" and "sustainability" somewhere in here - which means it qualifies for the blog, right?

Finally!

First toad that I have seen all summer. Is it just me, or are there very few of them around this year?

On the other hand...

Dan Barber wrote a great Op-Ed for the NY Times, You Say Tomato, I Say Agricultural Disaster, about the spread of "late blight," a plant disease that usually attacks potatoes and tomatoes late in the summer that has spread quite rapidly throughout the Northeast. An aid to the problem, Barber suggests, is the backyard farmer:

"...According to plant pathologists, this killer round of blight began with a widespread infiltration of the disease in tomato starter plants. Large retailers like Home Depot, Kmart, Lowe’s and Wal-Mart bought starter plants from industrial breeding operations in the South and distributed them throughout the Northeast. (Fungal spores, which can travel up to 40 miles, may also have been dispersed in transit.) Once those infected starter plants arrived at the stores, they were purchased and planted, transferring their pathogens like tiny Trojan horses into backyard and community gardens. Perhaps this is why the Northeast was hit so viciously: instead of being spread through large farms, the blight sneaked through lots of little gardens, enabling it to escape the attention of the people who track plant diseases..."

So now what? Well, I suggest reading the article but for those of you who prefer what my sister calls the "mini research paper" posts here on JustSaying, I shall summarize:

- When you start a garden, keep in mind that you are joining an agricultural network of farmers and growers. Spores (think late blight) spread.
- If you aren't growing from seed, which is the ideal method, pick up your plants from a local grower rather than large home improvement chains whose managers have little control over the products sold.
- Ask an expert. If you are concerned that a disease is festering in your garden, contact a local farmer or utilize the magic of the Internet.
- Grow heirlooms. They are cherished and carefully monitored by their cultivators.

Yes, this really exists.

This is just plain silly. And lacks the capacity for dinosaur shaped pancakes. Yet the makers of ChefStack Perfect Panless Pancakes think it's a revolution in the making. From their website:

"[It's] the worlds first automatic pancake machine. The patented process cooks hot, fresh pancakes in a matter of seconds. From an all-natural batter, 97% fat free pancakes emerge at a rate of up to 200 per hour!"

Positively Green

When it comes to choosing the most environmentally friendly products, there are quite a few shades to pick from. Reusable shopping bags are a great example. Some are made in China from recycled materials, others domestically with fair trade organic cotton, and my personal favorites are mailed in return for a donation to the WWF. As long as they aren't collecting dust, any reusable is a better option than disposable plastic but unfortunately none are the solution to our environmental woes. What I am trying to say is - it isn't just about the bag. It's about making conscious decisions to take the greener path. We can't stop consumption all together but we can try and keep our bags half full and be mindful in our purchases. If you do want to purchase a "want" as opposed to a "need," perhaps it's worth doing a little research and seeing if it's available in a deep shade of green. Which brings me to the purpose of this post: Positively Green Cards.

I love sending cards. I'm sure the carbon footprint of a card is greater than that of an email but some sort of cognitive dissonance allows me to slap on that postage with pride. So what's a USPS-utilizer to do? Find the greenest greeting cards!

Each of Positively Green's cards offers an inspirational quote, chic design, an environmental tip, and reminds the purchaser that 10% of the profits from the card are donated to organizations that protect the environment and fight global warming. The company is Forest Steward Council certified 100% recycled stock and printed with soy ink. Read more about them here and find them at your local Wild Birds Unlimited or online here.

A few of my favorites say:

"I felt it shelter to speak to you." - Emily Dickinson
"Go ahead and cry. I'll catch your tears." - Jileen Russell
"You are one of my nicest thoughts." - Georgia O'Keefe

Cooking... Come Back!

If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading Michael Pollan's latest manifesto, Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch: How American Cooking Became a Spectator Sport and What We Lost Along the Way.

In his usual observant and conversational manner, Pollan examines the evolution of cooking, mealtime, feminism and health in relation to the changes in our food culture that have brought us from "The French Chef" to "Iron Chef."

I wish I could highlight exceptional points from the article but the truth is, there are too many fantastic topics to choose from.

This is a must read, folks.

More Market Photos

The adorable child (who will likely captivate readers more than even the most controversial topics discussed here on JustSaying) is my niece, Charlotte Anne. She too was produced locally.

Elmer's Farmers Market

Found an incredible farmers' market on the way home from vacay in Delaware. It's called Elmer's, located somewhere on Route 404, and it's so excellent I have to share some photos. Enjoy!

Can you blame 'em?

An interesting albeit disturbing report in MMWR about cattle-caused deaths was published yesterday. It turns out that 21 people, aged eight to 86 and most commonly male, were killed by cattle aggression from 2003-2007. From the report:

Circumstances associated with these deaths included working with cattle in enclosed areas (33%), moving or herding cattle (24%), loading (14%), and feeding (14%)... A total of 21 deaths met the case definition for 2003--2008. Four fatalities occurred in 2003, two in 2004, six in 2005, and three each year during 2006--2008. During these years, eight of the fatalities occurred in Iowa, two in Kansas, seven in Missouri, and four in Nebraska... Only one of the victims was female. One of the victims was a boy aged 8 years who was helping castrate cattle when he was crushed against a squeeze chute... To reduce the risk for death from cattle-caused injuries, farmers and ranchers should be aware of and follow recommended practices for safe livestock-handling facilities and proper precautions for working with cattle, especially cattle that have exhibited aggressiveness.

Many of the details reported in individual cases are too sad to post but further proof (in my opinion) that these animals do not belong in confined feeding spaces and are still very much animals - not merely inventory. Don't get me wrong, no one deserves the fate these farmers met. I'm just saying, maybe the cows don't deserve the conditions and fate they encounter either. I mean, as one Tierney Lab reader put it, isn't it sort of poetic justice that one of the deaths was by way of the antibiotic intended for the cow? And can we really blame a cow for the fact that it's maternal, animal instinct led her to charge a farmer removing her deceased newborn calf?