GMO in Oregon: A Year of Progress

Last year we posted about what exactly GMO's are and what they can do to our bodies. In a years time two counties have passes measures that prevent GMO plants being planted in their boundaries. Those counties are Jackson (15-119 Ordinance to Ban Growing of Some "Genetically-Engineered" (defined) Plants) and Josephine (17-58 Josephine County Genetically Engineered Plant Ordinance). For now these are the only counties that are able to act against GMO's in Oregon because Gov. K... banned the counties from acting on their own and moved it to a state level, to be dealt with by Oregon's government, however 150,000 signatures have been gathered, which means come November the people will vote on GMO's and determine the fate of the state. The measure Oregonians will be voting on will be require food to be labeled regarding weather or not the contain GMO's.

In the mean time the best way to prevent eating GMO's is to eat certified organic foods, they by definition can not contain any GMO's. Most certified organic farmers are even now having additional testing for GMO's so they can say with certianity they do not contain any GMO's.

Here is some additional information on Oregon's Measure 92

The Non-GMO Project has also taken off like wildfire, in just walking around my local grocery store I am seeing more and more Non-GMO Project labels. This non-profit organization is the only third party verification and labeling for Non-GMO's in North America. They currently have over 20,000 verified products from 2,200 brands,

It's our right to know what is in the food we eat, what has been done to it, and where it comes from, and it's good to hold everyone in the food industry accountable. There is still a lot we don't know about GMO's, so just because we don't know they aren't bad for us doesn't rule out that they are bad.

If you live in the state of Oregon, remember to vote this November because our votes are going to have a huge impact on food labeling and GMOs.

A Delicious Berry Filled 4th of July

Photo from Pampered Chef

The 4th of July is a day we spend with family and friends, enjoying BBQ's and fireworks. But it is also a day of remembering. We remember those who are serving, those who have served and those who have fallen in the name of freedom and keeping our great land safe. We at Sunset Valley Organics thank all of those who have served or are serving this nation, your bravery and sacrifice will always be deeply appreciated and remembered.

The 4th of July is also the day our four fathers announced that the United States of America was to be it's own nation, independent of Britain. Those great men dared to be different, and to think differently, much like we do on the farm. We dare to push the limits of what is certified organic farming, we push to go to the next step. We call this biological farming, we pay attention to our soil and let the land tell us what it needs, we listen to the plants and guide us to helping them be as healthy as they can be. Which in turn produces nutrient dense fruit which gives our customers a healthy living choice.

We appreciate all of our customers support over the years and hope everyone has a fun & safe 4th of July.  

Blueberry Hand Pie Ice cream Sandwiches (what a mouthful- literally!)

Ingredients:

For the hand pie:

FOR THE FILLING:

3/4 C. Sugar
3 T. Cornstarch
1/4 t. Cinnamon
1 T. Water
1 C. Blueberries
1 1/2 C. Blueberries
1 t. Fresh Lemon Juice
4-5 drops Lavender Oil(use a pure grade that is safe for consumption)
FOR THE CRUST:
1 1/2 C. Flour
1 t. Sugar
1/2 t. Salt
1/8 t. Baking Powder
5 1/2 T. Shortening, chilled
4 1/2 T. Butter, chilled
1 Egg Yolk
2 t. White Vinegar
1/2 C. Cold Water
2-3 Ice Cubes
1 egg
2 T. Milk

For the Sandwich:

7-8 C. Vanilla Ice Cream

Instructions:

For the pie:

1. FOR THE FILLING: Place the sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan and mix together. Add the water and 1 C. blueberries, mixing into the sugar mixture and smashing up the berries a bit.
2. Heat the pan on medium heat, cooking and stirring until the blueberries start to give up their juice, pressing them down to help pop them as you stir. Make sure you stir frequently so that the sugar doesn't stick to the bottom. The sauce become thick and glossy, with most of the berries burst and deflated.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 C. blueberries. When the filling is cool, stir in the lemon juice and lavender oil. If you are a little timid about the lavender flavor, use 3 drops of oil. If you would like a bolder lavender flavor, use 5.
4. Refrigerate filling. It should be cold before using it to fill the crusts.
5. FOR THE CRUST: Place the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor. Place the lid on and pulse the mixture a few times to blend.
6. Add the butter and shortening to the crust, 1 T. at a time, pulsing a few times with each addition(don't run the processor consistently). When the butter and shortening are added, pulse a few times more, or until the butter is cut down to pea sized pieces.
7. Mix together the cold water, vinegar, egg yolk, and ice cubes. Let chill for a minute or two. Add 3 1/2-4 T. of the mixture to the dough 1 T. at a time, pulsing a few times after each addition until the dough comes together, but is not too wet. Chill immediately while you prepare to roll out the dough.
8. Place a sheet of waxed paper on your work surface. Take half of the dough out of the fridge, place on the paper and flatten into a disc.
9. Place another piece of waxed paper on top of the dough. Roll the dough out thin, at least 1/8" thick, or thinner, if desired.
10. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper and cut circles out of the dough that are at least 2-2 1/2" in diameter. Place dough circles on a baking sheet lined with a silpat mat or parchment paper.
11. Roll out the other half of the dough in the same manner. Cut out circles of dough that are at least 1/2" larger than the dough circles on the baking sheet.
12. Working one at a time, place 1 1/2-2 T. of the cooled filling in the center of a dough circle. Gently place one of the larger dough circles on top of the filling and seal the edges by pressing your fingertips around the edges of the dough circle. Press the tines of a fork around the edge of the circle to fully seal in the filling.
13. Repeat this procedure with the remaining dough and filling.
14. Place the egg and milk in a small bowl and beat well.
15. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the pies with the mixture.
16. Sprinkle a small amount of kosher salt on top of the pies.
17. Bake the pies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
18. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.

For the sandwich:
1. This one is pretty obvious. Stuff a scoop of ice cream between two hand pies. A few tips, however:
2. For best results, stuff the ice cream between pies that are room temperature and serve immediately.
3. You can assemble these and then freeze them, and they actually freeze pretty well. But for the best texture, serve when assembled.
4. For thick ice cream sandwiches, like the ones pictured, line a wide 1 C. measuring cup with plastic wrap and press ice cream into it with a spoon. It should be easy to invert because of the plastic wrap. Place the side of the ice cream not lined in plastic on the bottom of a hand pie, then peel off the plastic and top the bottom of the ice cream with another hand pie.

recipe from The Kitchen McCabe

GMO's, Monsanto, & Your Role

The issue of GMO's are becoming a hotter and hotter topic, and there is a serious demand for labeling of foods that contain GMO's or don't. The good news is that if your buying your food from Certified Organic farmers or sources then that food does not contain any GMO's. This is because of the use of GMO's is prohibited in Certified Organic practices by the USDA, "The use of genetic engineering, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), is prohibited in organic products. This means an organic farmer can’t plant GMO seeds, an organic cow can’t eat GMO alfalfa or corn, and an organic soup producer can’t use any GMO ingredients. To meet the USDA organic regulations, farmers and processors must show they aren’t using GMOs and that they are protecting their products from contact with prohibited substances, such as GMOs, from farm to table." Organic 101: Can GMOs Be Used in Organic Products?

In the aspect of getting legislation passed that would require companies to say whether or not their product contains GMO's there is a large push for it not to pass. Most of the pressure is coming from a company called Monsanto, they are the same company that produces round-up. 

For more information about what exactly a GMO is click here, it's a great article that explains the difference between non-GMO and GMO. 

The best thing that anyone can do while the politicians sort things out is to support you local Certified Organic Famers. Your supporting your local community, and your putting your money into what you believe is right for your health. 

Hope this helps everyone out a bit, we will be continuing to follow this topic through its process. 

A Healthy Halloween

Here are some yummy recipes to inspire a happy & healthy halloween!

Happy Halloween Snacks!
Cut bananas in half.  Press in mini chocolate chips for eyes and a regular chocolate chip for the mouth.Peel tangerines.  Add sliced celery for the stems.




Funky Frankenstein

Spread some mayo, bread spread or flavored cheese spread on a slice of bread. Lay some cucumber ribbons and top with slices of carrot , 

olive, pea , and red bell  pepper ( for mouth). Use cheese and nachos to

 make teeth , scar and hair respectively. Draw some funky features 

on a hard boiled egg andf let the fun begin.

Juicy Jack- o - Lantern 

Spread some mayo, bread spread or flavored cheese spread on a slice

 of bread. Lay some carrot ribbons and top with some beet and cilantro.

Draw a scary eyeball and veins  on a hard boiled egg and let the fun begin. 

 Yummy Mummy 

Spread some hummus, pesto  or flavored cheese spread on a slice

 of bread. Lay carrot & olive eyes & top with radish  ribbons . Draw 

some zombie features on a hard boiled egg n get ready to cast a spell. 

Halloweggs 

Some unshelled hard boiled eggs & colorful food markers &  is 

all that you need to make this lil Halloween edible craft. 

Source: Little Food Junction